Chai Tea & Butter Pumpkin Seeds

You can use any tea that has a fragrant and pronounced flavor.

1 tsp VE Chai Tea
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
scant 1/2 tsp VE sea salt, fine grind
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Grind the VE Chai Tea into a fine powder using a spice grinder or by using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
3. In a bowl combine the melted butter, VE Sea Salt and pumpkin seeds. Toss well to coat.
4. Place seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
5. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, until seeds are golden, stirring about half way through cooking time.
6. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the ground VE Chai Tea. Add more salt as necessary.

Chai Tea Loaf

2 cups brewed and cooled Chai Tea (as recipe on jar, no sugar)
1 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
21/2 tsp VE Baking powder
1 tsp VE Cinnamon
1/2 tsp VE Poudre Douce
1/8 tsp VE Black Pepper
1 tsp VE Sea Salt
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1/2 cup icing sugar

1. Soak raisins in Chai Tea. Set aside 1/2 hour.
2. Preheat over 350.
3. Sift remaining dry ingredients, except for icing sugar. (As there are no eggs in this recipe sifting is important to aerate ingredients.)
4. Cut butter into flour mixture until it is a coarse meal consistency.
5. Add soaked raisins including the Chai Tea but reserve 1 Tbsp of Chai Tea for glaze.
6. Mix just until blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. When done turn loaf out on to cooling rack and let cool.
8. Once cool poke holes into top with skewer. Mix icing sugar with just enough Chai Tea for a glaze consistency. Brush glaze over top of loaf.

Note: Can make loaf in bundt pan but will require more glaze.