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The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Curl Up with a Cup of Russian Tea {Recipe}

December 9 By Renée 19 Comments

WARNING: Consuming Russian Tea may lead to intense feelings of coziness and an uncontrollable desire to curl up with a good book. 

Russian Tea Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

As I get older, I find myself remembering more and more about the women in my mother’s circle who influenced my life.  Remember Mrs. Houston? I’ve written about her a couple of times. She was my mother’s super-talented, perpetually cranky friend who taught me to embroider and made my family Nuts-n-Bolts for Christmas every year.

Mrs Houston also introduced me to Russian Tea – a warm, cozy concoction that has ties to both the 1960’s penchant for convenience foods and NASA’s space program.

Tang, the primary ingredient in Russian Tea mix, was known in my childhood as the drink “the astronauts took to the moon.” Tang first made its appearance in the late 1950’s, but didn’t sell well until it got a super-powered boost from NASA in the early 60’s when it was included in the food-stores of John Glenn’s Mercury spaceflight, and later on the Gemini missions.

My mom was suspicious of, and therefore rarely bought, anything unfamiliar to her Midwest Depression Era upbringing (i.e., yogurt, pizza, Swiss cheese, etc.); however, if it was good enough for John Glenn, it was good enough for her. Hence, as a child I luxuriated with a glass of ice-cold Tang on a regular basis.

Fun Fact: The creator of Tang, William Mitchell, also invented (among other things) Pop Rocks & Cool Whip.Tweet & Share!

Russian Tea Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Do Russians really drink tea like this?

Doubtful. We have a family full of Eastern European in-laws, and none of them (to my knowledge) have ever even heard of Russian Tea.

Initially, I thought the name might have something to do the US-Russian Space Race and the Tang connection. However, after doing a little investigating, I learned that recipes for Russian Tea predate the dawn of Tang; appearing first in US post-World War II community cookbooks, as a mix of brewed black tea, orange juice, and warm spices.

Later, when Lipton developed the first instant iced tea formula in the late 1950’s – just two years after the release of Tang – Russian Tea became increasingly popular, as it could be made ahead of time in bulk, making it appealing for parties, large gatherings, and gift giving. 

Whatever its origins, Russian Tea is just about the coziest non-alcoholic beverage I know of. It tastes a lot like mulled cider, with a warm, citrusy kick.

Russian Tea Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Wavy LineGive the Gift of Russian Tea!

Russian Tea 3

Click for “Russian Tea” Labels (8 per page)

Not only is Russian Tea is easy to put together and delicious to drink, but the dry mix makes a lovely housewarming, hostess, or holiday gift as well. I’ve included free printable gift tags just for this purpose!Wavy Line

Make yourself a cup of Russian Tea today and curl up with a good book. Nah zdarovhyeh! (That’s [phonetic] Russian for Cheers!)

Russian Tea Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes

Russian Tea Mix

Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Retro-American
Keyword: beverages, hot beverages, tea
Servings: 80 cups
Calories: 40kcal
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry orange drink mix i.e. Tang
  • 1 cup instant tea
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 .23 oz. package unsweetened package lemonade mix e.g. unsweetened Kool-Aid mix
  • 2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cloves

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.

To make one cup of Russian Tea:

  • Add one heaping tablespoon of mix (or to taste) to a cup of hot water and stir.

MOCK Russian Tea:

  • If black tea is something you choose to avoid, you can make Mock Russian Tea by simply leaving out the instant tea. It still tastes warm and cozy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.4g | Protein: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 9.8g | Calcium: 21mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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Wavy Line

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. • Be sure to PIN this post!

Consuming Russian Tea can lead to intense feelings of coziness and an uncontrollable desire to curl up with a good book! (Free Gift Printable included.) | The Good Hearted Woman   Russian Tea Recipe | The Good Hearted WomanWavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

UPDATE: This post was first published on The Good Hearted Woman, November 23, 2015.

Filed Under: Beverages, Recipes Tagged With: fall, Holidays

Top 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes

October 27 By Renée 23 Comments

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a savory seasonal treat, and super easy to make, too! We’ve collected  10 of the tastiest pumpkin seed recipes around to get you started! (Be sure to check our tips for easy pumpkin seed clean-up, too!)

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes collage

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Pumpkin carving was always a BIG night for me. Dad would give me a piece of paper to work out the details on – mouth, eyes, nose – and then we would trace my drawing onto the front of the pumpkin.

With a few sheets of the Oregon Journal covering our kitchen table, Daddy would cut the top and pull it off, and then he and I would degut the pumpkin together while my mom watched. (She didn’t like the feel of pumpkin guts and left that part entirely to us.)

Then Dad would help me carve the face, letting me hold the knife and showing me how to carefully cut each angle and line, all the while entertaining me with a steady string of Halloween dad/teacher jokes. To illustrate: 

What do ghosts put on their cereal?

Booberries!

What kind of pants do ghosts wear? 

Boo-jeans.

What happens when a vampire goes out in the snow? 

Frost-bite.

OK, that’s probably enough of that. Anyway, I remember being so excited when our Jack-o-lantern was done!

Mom would put some aluminum foil in the bottom of the pumpkin and set a white candle inside, and Dad used a long-handled match from our fireplace to reach down in and light the candle.

When the candle had been lit, Dad would put the lid on and dim the front room lights, and then we would all stand back and watch the candle dance inside.

That was the best, best, best part of Halloween.

The trick-or-treating was fine, and the candy was great too, but that moment when we lit our pumpkin – that was Magic! 

Nowadays, a lot folks are painting their pumpkins or covering them with glitter and such, but not me. As long as I can manage it, there will be a Jack-o-Lantern on my porch – glowing warmly and filling the night air with the scent of warm pumpkin.

I am a Princess

The scariest thing about Halloween “back in the day”? Trying to breathe under those masks! (Also, I was four or five in this picture, and I have no idea what motivated me to draw a beard on my Jack-o-lantern, but there it is.)

Wavy Line
The Easiest Way to Separate & Clean Pumpkin Seeds

Before you can roast your pumpkin seeds, you need to separate them from the pumpkin pulp and clean them. 

I used to cringe just thinking of having to clean off all those sticky seeds, until I learned this simple trick! Now, cleaning off the pumpkin seeds is a snap!

  1. First, carve out your pumpkin. Remove the pulp and seeds together onto a clean baking tray. 
  2. Separate as much of the pulp as you can by hand. (“As much as you can” really means as long as you can stand it. For me, that’s about a minute. Pumpkin guts make my hands itch.)
  3. Get a big bowl and fill it halfway with water.
  4. Put the seeds into the water – pulp and all – and start squishing them around with your hands. The pulp will sink to the bottom, and the seeds will rise to the top. Easy peasy.
Top 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes {+ Quick Tips for Easy Pumpkin Seed Clean-up!} Tweet & Share!

Wavy Line

Top 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a savory seasonal treat, and super easy to make, too! We've collected some of the tastiest pumpkin seed recipes around to get you started!

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Photo Credit: www.flavourandsavour.com

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds make a healthy snack for a tailgate party, an addition to a cheese platter, or a garnish for soup or salad. Love spicy pepitas? These are mildly salty with a kick from chipotle peppers!

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Photo Credit: livingsweetmoments.com

Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds – don’t know what to do with the seeds after you carve that pumpkin? Create a healthy crunchy snack with the seeds. Easy and delish!

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Photo Credit: www.sidewalkshoes.com

Sweet & Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

You are going to love the sweet and salty addictiveness of these Sweet and Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds! 

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Photo Credit: www.nutmegnanny.com

Sweet Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These sweet salty roasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect snack to make after carving pumpkins. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty and cinnamon flavor.

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Photo Credit: www.perspectiveportions.com

Chocolate Lovers Roasted Seeds

Transform the seeds inside winter squashes into a crunchy snack with these cocoa roasted seeds.

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Photo Credit: petersfoodadventures.com

Sweet Chili Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seed recipe is a delicious snack with amazing health benefits - Sweet Chili Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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Photo Credit: 4sonrus.com

Cajun Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds toasted to perfection with the perfect blend of bold Cajun spice and a solid savory with hints of paprika and Worcestershire.

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Photo Credit: sugarspunrun.com

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Sweetened pumpkin seeds roasted on the stovetop and coated in pumpkin spice (or cinnamon) and sugar!

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Photo Credit: gardeninthekitchen.com

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Seeds

These Salted Caramel Pumpkin Seeds are the most addicting snack of all times! The perfect balance between sweet, salty and crunchy madness!

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Photo Credit: thisissogoodhome.com

Pumpkin Spiced Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)

You can store these Pumpkin Spiced Pepitas in an air-tight container for up to a week, but they probably won’t last that long!

More Pumpkin Recipes on GHW

We love all those pumpkiny, fall flavors! Here are a few of our favorites:

Have you ever tried Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin? Overflowing with savory fruits, nuts, veggies, and whole grains and complete with pumpkin gravy, it makes the perfect vegetarian centerpiece for your holiday table. 

Planning on doing some fall baking? Be sure to mix up a batch of our fresh Pumpkin Spice Mix. (It’s so easy to make!) And our easy-to-make Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones are truly scrumptious!

Wavy Line

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Top 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman   Top 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman
Wavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Munchies, Recipe Round-ups, Recipes Tagged With: fall, Holidays, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds

Nana’s Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

September 30 By Renée 12 Comments

Perfect for the autumn holidays, this Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread will fill your home with the scent of the season, and your tummy with delicious goodness.

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around last year, I swore I’d never read, make, post, or eat another “Pumpkin+anything” recipe as long as I lived!

And yet, here we are. Why? Because a year has passed, and like bad breakups and childbirth, time has a way of softening the sharp edges of our memories.

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman

I’m one of those bakers who is always fiddling and tweaking my recipes, so of course I made a few changes to my old standard recipe this time too – most notably the substitution of coconut oil for butter. Wow, what a difference that made! 

All those sweet spices danced across my tongue with whole new level of rich, gingerbready goodness!

Just to make sure it wasn’t just my imagination, I made two more batches of Pumpkin Gingerbread (all for you, my friends), with equally delicious results. When I shared it with the family, my mother-in-law Carol even told me I was (and I am quoting her word-for-word here), “A damn good cook.” That’s high praise indeed!

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 4 votes

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

This easy-to-make Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread is moist, delicious, and full of warm spices.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr 15 mins
Total Time1 hr 35 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Quick Bread
Keyword: gingerbread, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, quick bread
Servings: 14 slices
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • Standard Loaf Pan
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Mixer [Hand or Stand]

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered milk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces unrefined coconut oil or butter [1/2 cup melted]
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325° F [165°C].
    Spray loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered milk, baking soda, baking powder, ground spices, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds to melt. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until the are lemon colored.
    Add pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, warm water and vanilla.
    Mix on low to combine.
    Add coconut oil and mix thoroughly.
  • Stir in dry ingredients until well combine. (You can also mix this by hand.)
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
    Tap pan on counter a few times to get out the air bubbles, and then bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
    Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow loaf to cool in the pan on a wire rack until he pan is cool enough to touch; at least 10 minutes.
    Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Dust loaf with powdered sugar if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2783IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Do you love pumpkin? So do we! Here are a few more of our favorite pumpkin recipes! 

  • Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin (Makes a perfect vegetarian holiday meal centerpiece!)
  • Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones (Soooo good!)
  • 10 Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes 
  • Homemade Pumpkin Spice (made with FRESH spices!) 

PG 2 GHW

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman

I love it when things look as good as they taste! To create this lovely harvest-themed loaf, I used my beautiful new harvest pumpkin loaf pan.

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman  Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread | The Good Hearted Woman
Wavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Bread, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, fall, Holidays, pumpkin, Spices, Sweet Somethings, vegetables

Pick of the Season: Apples! {Oregon Heritage Farms}

October 7 By Renée 5 Comments

The heady scent of fresh apples is in the air, drawing me out to the country once again.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

There is nothing like a fresh apple straight from the farm. No mandated chemical wash, no oiling up like little round weightlifting contestants. Just apples – sweet, tart, crisp and clean.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

One of my favorite fall produce destinations is Oregon Heritage Farms, a family owned, farm-direct store that offers apples, cider, and fresh local produce from the end of August through mid-November.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms grows their fruit trees in long, hedge-like rows using a European system known as Espalier. This method has a long history dating back to the ancient Romans, but wasn’t perfected until several hundred years ago by the French, who are responsible for naming the system espalier (a derivation of the French word épaule, meaning shoulder). 

Oregon Heritage Farms - Apple Rows | The Good Hearted Woman

I remember many years ago being fascinated as we watched the thousands of apples trees going in, all set in long, carefully cultivated rows and supported by the unique post and wire support system.  If you’ve never seen apples grown in this fashion, it is worth a trip out to Washington County just to see it.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms now grows about 100,000 fruit trees, including ten varieties of apples, as well as Asian pears and a few other fruits.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

A perfect way to spend an autumn afternoon with the family, Oregon Heritage Farms offers free apple and cider tasting throughout the season.  In addition, weekends in October are full of activities for everyone in the family: hay rides, apple rope maze, jumping apple, and apple slingshot – all $3 each, with proceeds going to benefit the local Hillsboro High School Baseball team. Pumpkin and food sales from the Snack Shack also go towards helping HHS have a successful baseball season!

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

In addition to apples and fresh flowers, you can find a variety of hand-crafted items in the farm store.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Every year, Oregon Heritage Farms hosts APPLEFEST in early October.  This year’s celebration will feature live music by “Get Rhythm” (who doesn’t love a good Johnny Cash cover band?), face painting by Roger, and balloon artist “Not Your Average Joe.”  Learn more about APPLEFEST 2014 here.

Oregon Heritage Farms | The Good Hearted Woman

Oregon Heritage Farms

Many varieties of apples available, featuring Jonagold, Honey Crisp & Gala. Free tasting of apples & cider. Seasonal vegetables & fruits. Country crafts & gifts. Weekend hay rides in October. Annual Applefest, 2nd Sat. in Oct. Fun for whole family.

Directions:
Located 8 miles SW of Washington Square on Scholls Fy. Look for our big red barn & Oregon Heritage Farms sign!

Season:
mid-August – mid-November
Hours:
10am-5pm daily

Website:

22801 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Hillsboro, Oregon
503-628-APPL (503-628-2775)

Disclosure: This post is part of a renewed emphasis on Farm-to-Table, and I received no financial compensation for writing it. I did, however, receive a couple of bags of beautiful apples for free, which I will be highlighting in tomorrow’s recipe post! All opinions are my own. 

Filed Under: Oregon, Pacific Northwest Tagged With: apples, fall, Hillsboro, seasonal

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