HOMEMADE CHAI TEA + THE FLAVORS OF FALL.

I'm craving the comfort of autumn flavors in a big way right now, but let's be honest: The barometer is still hitting the high 80-degree mark here in good old Southwest Florida. So instead of pumpkin soup, I'm eating pumpkin yogurt (Trader Joe's brand, specifically—it's good). And instead of hot, spicy chai teas, I'm making iced (equally as spicy) ones, thanks to this wonderful recipe I found via For the Love of Chow.

All you have to do is bring water to a boil, remove it from heat and throw in a blend of spices (cardamom pods, whole star anise, whole cloves, orange zest, chopped fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg*) and tea bags (I used 10 bags of English Breakfast), let the whole thing sit for awhile, and then strain the resulting concentrate into a jar and squirrel it away in the fridge. I've been pouring equal parts chai concentrate and almond milk into a Mason jar over ice, and it's seriously my new favorite thing—especially on those hot days when I still want those fall flavors. Here's the full recipe.

P.S. I was somehow inexplicably (OK, maybe not so inexplicably considering I don't like it very much) out of nutmeg, and this recipe still turned out totally fine.

P.P.S. If the thought of buying tons of whole spices makes you balk, go to an Indian or Asian market—you'll be able to find big bags of them on the cheap!

Photo via 

MARCELLA HAZAN'S TOMATO SAUCE.

Last fall, I had the pleasure of hanging out with the legendary—and lovely—Italian chef Marcella Hazan and her family for an article I was writing for work. We spent most of the day outside, and it was perfect—the weather had just turned from hot to warm, breezy and lovely, and since the article was about Marcella's son Giuliano's newest cookbook, there was tons of delicious food on hand. One of my favorite sound bites from the entire day was Marcella saying, "I don't drink—except Jack Daniels." That is a direct quote. What an awesome lady.

Anyway, I am not Italian—I am 100 percent Irish, in fact—but I am a great lover of Italian food, both the kind that you order at restaurants and the kind you make at home. And Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce is seriously the best, simplest marinara I've ever made. Would you believe me if I told you there's only three ingredients? That's right: Three. And one of them is butter. How can that be bad?

I haven't made this sauce in awhile, for some reason—which is strange, because it keeps beautifully and you can easily freeze it—but I was reminded of it while doing some meal-planning this week. ACS is in town for the week, and one of our favorite things to do is make homemade pizza; we typically use store-bought sauce, but I think homemade sauce would make the pizza way better. I'm also making Ina Garten's fantastic spicy turkey meatballs, which are perfect with tomato sauce and pasta (maybe this homemade pasta, in fact!). So yes, this sauce is a multitasker, as well.

Would you like me to shut up and give you the recipe now? Yes? OK, I will. Here you go:

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce

1 (28-oz.) can San Marzano tomatoes
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and peeled
Salt, as needed

Combine the tomatoes (including their juices), butter, onion and a pinch of salt in a medium-sized pot over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, uncovered, at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of a pot with a wooden spoon. (I do this quite a bit because I'm not a huge fan of chunky sauces.) Taste and salt as needed. Serve with the dish of your choice and lots of grated parmesan cheese for passing, if you are so inclined (I am).

Photo via