Tea has a way of slowing time down just a little—unlike coffee. This season of life, I welcome that small pause more than ever.
I’m juggling parenting and homeschooling five boys (two of them teens), being a supportive spouse, running a home-based business, freelancing— including a newspaper column—taking part in community activities, and staying connected with family and friends. Some days it feels like too much, and my time management has been stretched thin.
I am so grateful for patient friends. Lately, though, I made a social misstep that left me feeling awful: I forgot a commitment.
Even worse, the invitation was for our whole family—seven people—to join friends Tim and Shannon and their four kids for dinner. Shannon offered to do all the cooking. At the thought of dinner for thirteen, I tried to help by bringing a pot of beans and some homemade salsa to accompany the pulled pork she planned to slow-cook. We agreed on the plan and set a date.
A couple of days before the dinner, Shannon and I commiserated by phone about times other friends had been let down when people missed gatherings. The conversation should have been a trigger—but it wasn’t.
On the evening of the dinner, I lost track of time. I was racing against writing deadlines. After finishing school with the kids I sat down and worked until the needed pieces were submitted. Then I tidied the kitchen and switched to developing two new recipes due in the coming week. My husband offered—unusually—to pick up dinner, and I seized the chance. I ran errands I’d promised others, then came home to keep working. The Evil Genius arrived late with takeout and we dove in.
While reviewing healthcare paperwork due the next day, the kids announced, “Someone’s in the driveway… It’s Mr. Tim!”
At that moment everything snapped into focus. Tim had driven down because our phone line had been busy for two days and he wanted to connect. I had forgotten the dinner entirely. My friend cred sank with the light rain falling in the driveway. I felt like a giant jerk.
We gathered the kids, I brushed my hair, and we arrived at their house half an hour late and already fed. Shannon’s meal was beautiful and the kids played together wonderfully. I apologized profusely, wishing I had a time machine or an extra hour earlier in the day to consult my calendar—the date was even written in Sharpie.
That evening taught me I needed to find more margin in my schedule during the holidays. And it reminded me that small, thoughtful gifts can buy you goodwill—and a little breathing room.
Today I’m sharing a little gift of time: an Instant Vanilla Chai mix. Foodie with Family runs on tea—loose leaf, bagged, instant—morning, noon, and night. When I want something warm, sweet, and cozy fast, my homemade Instant Vanilla Chai mix is my go-to.
This mix is homey and satisfying. It captures the convenience of store-bought instant chai but tastes far better, takes just minutes to prepare, and makes enough to fill a generous jar for yourself plus extras for inexpensive, thoughtful gifts for tea lovers. With the time you save by making the mix ahead, you might even double-check your calendar so you don’t miss the next dinner date.
I plan to take a couple of jars to Shannon the next time I see her—along with a big hug.
Instant Vanilla Chai Mix | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups instant unsweetened tea powder I use Nestea.
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup non-fat instant dry milk powder
- 1 cup plain non-dairy creamer powder
- 1 cup French vanilla or vanilla non-dairy creamer powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Optional, for extra spice.
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until evenly blended. Working about 1 cup at a time, pulse the mixture in a blender or food processor until it becomes a fine, powdery texture similar to powdered sugar. Allow dust to settle before removing the lid, then spoon the powder into airtight containers. Repeat until all the mix is finely powdered.
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Store tightly covered for six months to a year, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping.
For Gift Giving:
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Divide the powdered mix into small 4- or 8-ounce jars and label each with preparation instructions.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate the nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so Rebecca can see your version.
This post is sponsored by Frigidaire. I received monetary compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.