chamomile apple tea

Can you believe Christmas is over? I can't. It's so bizarre -- for whatever reason, it really didn't feel like Christmas. I don't know if it was because the lack of snow (we got rain...fabulous), or the fact that I've been living at home for the past six months. Ever since going off to school, there was all this anticipation and build up towards going home for the holidays. Going home was the reward for all that hard work over the semester and surviving those few atrocious weeks in between Thanksgiving and winter break which were inevitably full of stress, final projects, exams, and surprise assignments (professors always seemed to love piling on even more work at the end of the semester -- why??) But then, when you made it through all of that, you got to go home and relax. Eat cookies. Drink hot chocolate.

So, perhaps that's why this year didn't really feel all that Christmas-y. I was already home. There was no anticipation or build up towards the holidays. I've been done with school since before Thanksgiving. Plus, I've been so preoccupied about finding a job that I don't think I really thought all that much about the holidays. Ugh, finding a job these days is impossible! Seriously. How do people do it? Anyway, that brings us to today's chamomile apple tea -- the perfect antidote to feeling stressed. It's nice and warm and cozy and soothing -- the perfect drink to curl up with a good book or by the fireplace. It would be absolute perfection if there were snowflakes lazily drifting down from the sky -- but, alas -- it is still raining here. Oh well -- I can always pretend!

Chamomile Apple Tea
makes about two cups

Ingredients
2 cups apple juice
2 tablespoons of chamomile flowers
A dash of cinnamon
Honey

In a small saucepan, bring the apple juice to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chamomile flowers, letting them steep for a few minutes. If you can't find chamomile flowers, chamomile tea bags will do just fine. Use one or two, depending on how strong you want your chamomile. Strain the mixture into a bowl then pour into cups. Add some honey and a dash of cinnamon for some pizzazz! Enjoy!