You Don't Need To Be An Astronaut For This!

I can remember when I was little and Tang was all the rage.  It was a wildly futuristic drink that astronauts drank in space and it was so exotic that everyday people were actually drinking it instead of real orange juice.  It was selected in 1962, when manned space flights began, to flavor the foul tasting water the crew had to drink.  That was when we, as Americans, were all enamored with our country and thought anyone who represented it was a hero so it was almost patriotic to consume anything the astronauts did, it was our way of showing support.  Sales for the orange beverage skyrocketed and hugely surpassed orange juice sales.  Naturally in the course of American ingenuity, people began finding new uses for Tang other than the drink.  There was everything from Chinese Chicken with Tang Glaze to Tang Icebox Pie to a holiday Spiced Tea.  The latter is by far a better use of the product!  In fact, the man who invented it also invented Pop Rocks, Cool Whip and Jello!!

My mother and other church ladies passed that Spiced Tea recipe around like the offering plate and soon not a house existed that didn't have the tea for the holidays.  Whenever my parents had a winter get together at our house, Christmas or not, there was Spiced Tea served. She's heat water up in the kettle and line up those cups on the counter, spoon the tea mix into them and pour the water.  It smelled so good, so warm and homey.  I can still see her in that patchwork Maxi dress that was so popular back then, with her big Texas hair and those funky white sandals she loved.  It's funny how a smell takes you right back isn't it?  We lived in an great big, old white house that was built in the 1870's and that house, my mother and the spiced tea just all swirl in my head to create a lovely memory for me.

I still make it as gifts for Christmas because it's super easy and inexpensive and people love it.  For gifts I make the sugared version, but for me personally, I make the sugar free version. I like it better because the flavors are much more concentrated and it is 0 calories. I'm going to give both recipes below so you can make the version you prefer, but I will add, the sugar free version is significantly more expensive, but you use a fraction of the amount. I'm also including a link to Martha Stewart's website where you can download templates for jar labels to label your jars and write instructions for preparation when you gift these: http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf1/0603_jamlabels.pdf
 Make it however you choose, just make it and create some memories for your family too.  Enjoy!

Spiced Tea
2 c Tang (or other orange drink mix)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 c instant tea
1/2 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1 pkg lemonade mix (Kool Aid is what I use)
Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight containers.  Use 2 - 3 teaspoons per 8 oz water.

Sugar Free Spiced Tea
2 tubs Crystal Light orange drink mix
1 tub Crystal Light Lemonade drink mix
2 tubs Crystal Light Tea (not the fruit flavored kind)
1/2 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container. Use 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon per 8 ox water.