Today’s offering is a clear glass teapot designed specifically for blooming tea varieties. If you have never had one of these blooming teas you are missing out on a wonderful thing!   I brewed up some Peach Blooming Tea from Teavana in my beautiful glass teapot (also from Teavana) and thought I would show you a few pictures showing the steps.

Tea is ready to receive the hot water and bloom!

Starting to bloom as soon as the hot water hits it!

View of tea blooming in the teapot

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tea ball after brewing

Cup and Teapot–all ready to share!

What a nice combination!  Since I know that those cookies look so tempting I will add the recipe below.  I am not a real cookie addict but by golly—these are pretty darn wonderful if I say so myself!  Let me know if you try them!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups + 2 TBSP all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 16 wrapped caramels, cut into 4 – 5 pieces
• sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

With an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment , cream butter and sugars together. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.  Gradually add the flour mixture and stir until dough forms.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Do not over mix the dough at any point in the process.

Chill dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 5 days if you can wait!) in the refrigerator.  Drop by tablespoons (I use an ice cream scoop) on an ungreased baking sheet.  Press a few pieces of caramel onto the tops of the cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.  The centers should be soft and puffy.  Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt while they are warm. Cool and enjoy!

++My baking time was closer to 15 minutes and I kept dough in the refrigerator until I was ready to put them on the sheets and in the oven.  These are really yummy.