Cooktop Cove: How to make slow cooker apple-cranberry tea
By Kate Elliott
If you're like most tea drinkers, you've probably been settling for just boiling a kettle of water and filling a teapot or mug stuffed with a tea bag or two. However, that's not the only way out there to make tea. Next time, fill a slow cooker with everything you like in your tea, as in the recipe that follows. It's an outstanding way to not only keep tea warm all day, but also to add your favorite ingredients. like fresh fruit, the sweetener of your choice and any other flavorings you think might be interesting.
This tea is made with apples and cranberries -- both in juice and full form -- sweet honey, and of course, regular tea bags. Leave the tea bags in for at least an hour. After that, you can take them out whenever the tea is your preferred strength. Just remember not to squeeze them! This can break them open, leaving those fine grains to fall down into the slow cooker and into your tea. Gently remove them instead, and enjoy your tea that's been steeped to perfection.
Slow Cooker Apple Cranberry Tea
6 to 8 cups of tea
5 minutes
6 hours
6 hours, 5 minutes
3 cups unsweetened apple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
3/4 cups frozen cranberries
1 apple, sliced
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
5 tea bags
Place all ingredients into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the tea is steeped to your liking.