Watermelon Themed Tea Party

My granddaughter Ella and I had a watermelon tea party this past week.

I made two layers of cake ahead of time, and also made a batch of homemade cream cheese frosting for decorating.

We set the table with this pretty tablecloth that my late beloved mom embroidered years and years ago.

Ella chose this teacup that my late Great Aunt Kitty made.

I chose this vintage Johnson Brothers Rolland teacup.

We used my Susan Wingate teapot from years ago, and the Summer blocks were from my sister.

We drank strawberry watermelon sugar free drink mix in our teacups.  Who says that you have to drink tea?!

Ella set the timer for our selfie!

My sweet granddaughter, Cissy, who was always my baking and tea partner turned 13 and my daughter took us to dinner to celebrate,

How can this little darling be 13 already?

 

 

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

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All About Home with Debra

All About Home with Amber

Love Your Creativity Link Party

 

Vacation in Utah

My youngest son and daughter-in-law invited me to join them for their last week of a month long vacation in Utah, and I didn't let Covid-19 steal my joy!!  Actually I felt that airports and airlines were cleaner than ever, and I felt very safe. 

Kristen had to work for most of the week, and couldn't join us, but on this day we went to Wasatch National Forest, and this was at Mirror Lake.

The girls are pretty good little hikers!  The first two and a half weeks they traveled all around Utah, and even stayed in a teepee, went kayaking, and visited National Parks.

I joined the girls inside this little log playhouse.

We also took a train ride and were serenaded by a violin playing lady who took requests for songs. 

The girls took turns sitting with us.

This was a view from our condo, of the alpine slide. 

We took a ski lift up to the top of the mountain.  Yes, we had to wear masks until we got on the lift. 

Hayden and I enjoyed the slide, but Kevin and Harper beat us, of course.  Harper said, "Why'd you go so slow, Nana?"  I told her that it was my first time and the next time, I'd go faster!

The girls and I had a tea party while their parents were packing up the night before we left.  I found some placemats in the cupboard and used a cutting board for our tray.  I had brought a tiny tea set that my sister had given to me.

I also brought cookie cutters to make some open faced tea sandwiches. 

Both girls enjoyed pouring the Bigelow Botanical Cold Water Infused Herbal, Caffeine Free teabags that I brought along.

They had some pictures done while they were there.  Isn't this a nice family picture?

Thank you for visiting our time in Utah!

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Full PlateThursday at Miz Helen's

Our Paris Tea and Swan Cream Puffs

 When Ella and I started our teas this summer, she had said that she wanted to have a Paris tea, because she wants to go there someday, and also she had an Eiffel Tower light up decoration that she wanted to bring.  She also had her outfit planned that she wanted to wear!  We first had our charcuterie board as an appetizer, along with lemon water in my grandmother's stemware. 

 Ella had decided that baguettes should be on the menu, so I made my favorite French Bread, recipe is here,  making some mini ones for us to fill with turkey and cheese.

 Ella also wanted some raspberries with whipped cream to accompany our baguettes on my snack trays. 

 For dessert, I made pate et choux shells ahead of time, and froze them, and then pulled them out to thaw on the day of our tea.  I then made them crispy by putting them in my toaster oven, and then cooled them before filling them.  

 Ella had chosen this Royal Albert Duchess teacup, ahead of time.  Tres elegant, n'est-ce pas?

I chose this Royal Albert Provincial Flowers, Violet teacup, that a friend had given me from her late mother's collection.    

 Ella set the timer on my iPhone (kids know how to do everything!) to take our picture before we started our dessert of the swan cream puffs. Getting dressed up is fun for both of us. Our dessert tea was, of course, Paris tea by Harney and Sons...delicious!  We may never get to Paris, but at least we can drink it!!

We appreciate you visiting our Paris Tea...Merci beaucoup!

Congratulations to Rita, of Panoply who is the winner of Biblical Minimalism !  Thank you to all those who entered!

Yield: 10-12

Author: Kitty

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Cream Puffs (Swans)

My late beloved hubby loved cream puffs, and I always think of him when I make them. My mom made them when I was growing up, and I think of her, too.

Ingredients:

• Cream Puff Shells:
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• Filling:
• 1 package of instant vanilla pudding
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• half of an 8-ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed

Instructions:

• For Cream Puff Shells:
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat water and butter to rolling boil.  Stir in flour.  Stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute, or until it forms a ball.  Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.
• Beat in eggs, all at one time, and beat until mixture is smooth and very stiff.  If you prefer, you can do this in an electric mixer.
• Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls (an ice cream scoop works well), onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 3"  apart.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Cool , and cut a small vent on the side  towards the top, to let out steam.
• Cut off tops.  Pull out any filaments of soft dough.  Fill puffs with the filling.
• Filling:
• Mix pudding and milk together and whisk for 2 minutes.  Fold in the thawed whipped topping.  Fill the cream puffs, and replace the tops.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, using a small sieve.
• To make the Swans:
• Pipe a question mark design, or a #2 onto the baking sheet.  These will brown  in about 15 minutes.  Take these out while the cream puffs finish baking.  Cut the top of the cream puff shell in half, for the wings.  Fill the bottom of the shell with the filling, fan the two halves of the top out to resemble wing, inserting into the pudding.  Put the swan's neck in the front and there you have it...a beautiful cream puff swan!!

Created using The Recipes Generator

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