Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, is a day to celebrate the heritage and pride of all Americans of Mexican ancestry.  Below are some great recipes to try…

Ultimate Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients:
6 ounces (180mL) boiling water
6 Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herbal Juice Tea Bags
1 ounce (30mL) white tequila
1 ounce (30mL) lime juice
1 ounce (30mL) Cointreau
1 teaspoon (mL) sugar
10 ice cubes
1 small pomegranate (seeds used for garnish)

Instructions:
Pour boiling water over Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea bags. Let steep 3-4 minutes. Remove bags and chill.

Place chilled tea in blender with remaining ingredients and ice cubes; blend until mixture turns to slush. Garnished with pomegranate seeds (optional).

Yield: Serves 1 – Prep Time: 5 minutes.

Grilled Vegetarian Mushroom Quesadillas

Ingredients:
¼ cup (60mL) butter
6 Bigelow I Love Lemon & C® Herbal tea bags
¾ cup (180mL) boiling water
3 teaspoons (10mL) chili powder
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 pound (500g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon (5mL) salt
1 – 8 ounce (250g) pkg. Tempeh, crumbled
2 cups (500mL) light Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
Canola oil
12 – 6 inch (15cm) flour tortillas
Lemon wedges as a garnish

Instructions:

To prepare filling:
Place teabags into measuring cup and pour boiling water over bags. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove bags and reserve tea.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add tea, chili powder and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, onion and salt. Saute until mushrooms are brown and tender.

Add the crumbled tempeh and saute 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes.

To assemble quesadillas:
Preheat grill to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly brush 6 tortillas on one side with oil. Place the tortillas oil-side down on large non-stick rimless baking sheet (Use a cookie sheet with sides by turning it upside down). Divide the filling mixture equally among the tortillas, top with cheese, top with remaining 6 tortillas, brush tops with oil.

Gently slide the quesadillas onto the grill. Grill for about 3 minutes on each side, until heated through and golden brown. Remove from grill and let stand for 2 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole and lemon wedges if desired.

Yield: Serves 6 – Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes.

For more great recipes, go to our website under Recipes/Entertaining.

Like her mother, actress Felicity Huffman’s favorite pastime is reading in bed while drinking tea. The television star likes tea in bed with family sagas, a zippy mystery, a monk’s meditations, and a child-rearing playbook, according to O, The Oprah Magazine.

People think my life must be much different since Desperate Housewives went on the air. Actually, it’s very much the same: I still drive to work, go to the farmers’ market, and hang out at home. And I still have to read before I go to sleep. The truth is, my only hobby is reading in bed with tea. I come by it naturally reading in bed is one of my mother’s favorite pastimes, too, says Huffman.

In fact, her tea tradition would comprise an idyllic day for the actress. It’s such a sanctuary and a resource for me, according to an article on her official website. And what tea would Huffman be drinking? Herbal. It’s Felicity’s favorite.

Bigelow Tea has chosen three winners for its Bigelow Tea Dessert Recipe Contest.  Yum…How does Caramel Apple Coffee Cake sound?  So good it took First Prize.  The delightful flavor of Bigelow Cinnamon Apple Herbal Tea made this cake a winner.  The Caramel Apple Coffee Cake was submitted by Laurel of Lake Mills, Iowa.  First prize was The Classic Tea Chest.  Autumn Tea Cake, which incorporated the heavenly flavor of Bigelow Cinnamon Stick Tea, won second place.  Another Iowan, Nita, received the Rose Garden Plate with Server Set for her cake recipe.  Third prize, the Four Flavored Tea Chest, went to Annie of Binghamton, NY for her Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.  Annie used Bigelow’s infamous Constant Comment Tea to give her cake its unique flavor.  Congratulations Laurel, Nita and Anna!  Thanks to ALL who entered those wonderful tea dessert recipes. 

It’s time to get baking!  And while you’re at it, brew up a cup of your favorite Bigelow Tea.

“Making tea for journalists is not normally on the agenda of most musicians,” but it was a task singer Alicia Keys eagerly undertook as she sat down with a reporter from Sunday Life. ”I love tea,” Keys confided, while choosing an herbal brew for herself on this occasion.

The New York performer is the recipient of nine Grammy awards and, according to her official biography, is the first female R&B artist to have three consecutive #1 debuts on the Billboard 200 album chart in as many releases.

Visit Keys’ website to view pics of this young talent as – with tea mug in hand – she performs on Good Morning America.

I have a new favorite combo brew of the week… perfect during flu and cold season (which seems to be all around me!!)

Take one tea bag each I Love Lemon herbal and Ginger Snappish herbal, brew together in one cup, add a little dollop of honey.

If you are not feeling well, I guarantee you will feel better and if you are currently healthily (lucky you!), have this combo everyday to ward off those pesky germs!  My friend at work just made one up for me-it is FABULOUS!

Cindi Bigelow