Thursday, March 27, 2014

Tea Cup Exchange


Stephanie, my sweet blogging friend from The Enchanting Rose is hosting her Tea Cup Exchange and I received my special gifts from Ceil at Surrounded by the Spirit.
I am having some cranberry tea in my new Rosina bone china teacup, made in England, that I received from Ceil.   



Besides the gorgeous teacup that Ceil found in a resale shop, she gifted me with the two types of teas, some Lorna Doone shortbread cookies and a  gold placemat for enjoying a "golden moment" for enjoying some "time out".   It's such fun to receive the package in the mail, but it's also so wonderful to choose gifts for the recipient.  I have met so many lovely friends through Stephanie's exchange.  
Thank you so very much, Ceil, for your thoughtful and much appreciated tea time gifts!  Thank you to Stephanie for hosting such a fun exchange!

 
Just look at this beautiful hand-painted teacup!  Isn't this a beauty? Somehow, drinking tea from such a gorgeous teacup makes it extra-special.  

I am sharing this with:



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Chicken 'n' Chile Casserole



This recipe comes from the Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook and I adapted it for a smaller size. It makes a fabulous sauce and would be a perfect dish to take to someone that is in need of a home cooked meal. It's not too spicy and is great served over rice. I can't wait to make it again!   Here's the recipe:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 heaping cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 4- ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tomato, peeled and diced
1 4.5-ounce can chopped green chilies
3 cups hot cooked rice

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; place in a lightly greased casserole dish. Combine cheese and next three ingredients; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chilies. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Serve over rice.

I am sharing this with:


Monday, March 24, 2014

Egg Salad

For today's tea on my coffee table,  I've made some egg salad and I'm having Blueberry Herbal tea, which is delicious!   I'd love to share some with you.


 My Mom gave me this beautiful Bavaria china teacup, which I believe belonged to my late Great Aunt Kitty.  The cup is signed "A. Marshall" on the side, behind the handle,  and I'm wondering if my Aunt's china painting teacher painted this design on a plain Bavaria tea cup??  It's a mystery to me!  The bottom of the cup reads, PT Bavaria Tirschenreuth Germany. 


 My Mom also gave me this unmarked plate, which looks like white violets painted on.

This egg salad recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated. I cut some homemade bread into pretty shapes and toasted them.  The bread recipe comes from a starter that someone gave me about 11 years ago.  The starter is supposedly from the Civil War and I have been making it faithfully since I received it.  I add oats and ground flax seed for an additional nutritional boast when I make it.

6 eggs, large
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red onions, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon table salt
ground black pepper

Directions:

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Remove pan from high heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.(This cooks the eggs perfectly without the ugly green ring around the edges.)

Fill a medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray of ice cubes.

Transfer eggs to ice water bath with slotted spoon and let sit 5 minutes. (I like to roll the eggs first to crack the shells).

Peel eggs and dice medium.  (I use a pastry blender to quickly chop the eggs.)

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl, including pepper to taste. Serve or refrigerate overnight.

I am sharing this with:


Monday, March 17, 2014

Lemon Berry Trifle


Sandi, at Rose Chintz Cottage is holding a special Bird Lover's Tea and I'm sharing my son's work- in- progress painting of bird's.  Won't you stay and enjoy some Lemon Berry Trifle and some blueberry tea?  I've made an individual trifle in a pretty canning jar. 

Here's a better picture of his painting.  He is making all the birds about the same size and not according to nature.  He still has three birds left to paint.  You can see the one in the middle  just has the shape. 
 

Lemon Berry Trifle

I box instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 angel food cake, cubed
Fresh assorted berries

Mix the pudding with the milk according to package directions. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Set aside.

Layer half of the cubed angel food cake in the bottom of a trifle dish, or individual dishes. Top with half the pudding mixture. Add a layer of berries.  Repeat. Refrigerate until serving time. 

Here's when he first started the painting.


Here's another phase.   When it's finished, I'll share the completed painting.

I am sharing this with:


Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays



Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Corned Beef and Cabbage Salad

I saw this recipe in the March 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  I eat a salad almost everyday for lunch and I was eager to try this recipe for a St. Patrick's Day lunch.  I cut the recipe in fourths for a single serving.  It was very tasty and reminded me of eating a Rueben sandwich in salad form  Here's the recipe:


3 cups packaged cole slaw mix
3 cups baby spinach
1/4 of a small red onion, cut into very thin slivers
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used regular milk and added a little lemon juice)
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked corned beef
2 ounces sliced Swiss cheese, torn 
Croutons

In a large bowl toss together cabbage, spinach, and onion. For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, horseradish, and caraway seeds. Drizzle dressing over greens in bowl; toss to combine. Top with corned beef, cheese, and croutons. 

I am sharing this with:





Monday, March 10, 2014

Pistachio Layered Dessert


Kathleen is having her annual  St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl and I'm sharing my St. Patrick's Day tea.   I've made some Pistachio Layered Dessert, made into a smaller size.   Please join me for some Irish tea and and some dessert, won't you?  The Thomas Kinkade look-alike painting was done by my son, Mike, when he was a senior in high school, in 1999.  My daughter bought me the pretty teapot and I'm using my Belleek vase to hold some greenery and white flowers.  I can't part with my Irish breakfast tea tin that my hubby and I brought home from Ireland.  The journal holds daily memories of our trip, back in September of 2009. 

I had saved a Thomas Kinkade calendar and Mike asked me to pick out my favorite month and I chose this one.  Can you see the "K" that he painted above the front door?  The cottage reminds me of an Irish cottage and I love the bright flowers, the cobbled pathway and everything about it.

I thought this dessert would be perfect for my St. Patrick's Day tea and I'm serving it on my new "Shamrock" Fiesta plate.  My family bought me four different colors of Fiesta settings for my birthday. Make sure you check out all the fun St. Paddy's Day ideas at Cuisine Kathleen

Pistachio Layered Dessert

Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cream-filled cookies (Oreos) (about 18 cookies)
3 T. butter melted

Cream Cheese Layer:
8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Cool Whip

Pudding Layer:
1 box Instant Pistachio pudding
1 1/2 cups milk

Garnish:
Additional Cool Whip and Chopped Pecans or Chopped Pistachios


1. Crush cookies and mix with melted butter.  Pat into the bottom of an 8 x 8"  or 9 x 9" pan.  Refrigerate until next steps. 

2.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and Cool Whip using the whisk attachment.  Whip until fully combined and spread over the crust.

3.  In a large bowl, mix pudding mix and milk until pudding is thickened. Spread over cream cheese layer.  Top with additional Cool Whip and nuts and refrigerate several hours until firm.

Note:
For a bigger crowd, double the ingredients and put in a 9 x 13" pan.

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Caramel Corn

Do you make caramel corn only at Christmas time?  I happen to love it any time and made a batch for watching the Oscar's the other night.  I had told my sister that I was planning on making some and she sent me this caramel corn scented candle that is pictured.  I really have to limit myself to a small serving, otherwise I could get carried away!

The recipe comes from King Arthur Flour's website and it is wonderful:

5 cups popped corn (1/2 cup kernels, unpopped)
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup salted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1) Preheat your oven to 200°F and line a half-sheet pan (18" x 13" pan) with parchment paper. Pour the popped corn into a large bowl, at least 6 quarts, and set aside.

2) In a large saucepan over medium-high heat cook the molasses, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stirring occasionally, boil the syrup for 5 minutes. The syrup will darken slightly.

3) Remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda. Stir well as the mixture turns foamy.

4) Immediately (and carefully) pour the hot syrup over the popped corn and stir until the corn is well coated. 

5) Spread the hot caramel corn into the parchment-lined pan. Bake at 200°F for one hour. Stir the corn every 15 minutes during this time. 

6) Remove from the oven. This caramel corn is a warm, sticky, sweet and crunchy treat straight from the oven. It can also be cooled and stored airtight for several days. This recipe doubles and triples very well. 

NOTE:  I sometimes add peanuts to the popped corn before pouring on the hot syrup and then it tastes like Cracker Jack's! 

I am sharing this with: 

Make It Pretty Monday
Share Your Cup
Foodie Friday
Full Plate
Seasonal Sundays
Weekend Potluck



Monday, March 3, 2014

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Pie

I received some lovely yellow roses and thought I'd use them for the centerpiece for today's tea.  A dear friend of mine gave me this pretty Mary Engelbreit teacup and the pretty napkins.  Won't you join me for some Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Pie and a cup of tea?  We had temperatures in the 80's over the weekend and today it's freezing after some sleet and hail.  I'll light the fire for us!

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Pie
  • can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
  • 1 container (6 oz.) or 1 1/3 cups fresh raspberries, divided
  • 1 (6 oz.) prepared 9-inch chocolate crumb crust


Whisk together evaporated milk and egg yolks in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very hot and thickens slightly; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in morsels until completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until cool. Gently stir in 2 cups whipped topping.

Refrigerate for 2 hours until thickened. Sprinkle 1 cup raspberries over crust. Spoon chilled chocolate mousse over raspberries. Dollop remaining 1 cup whipped topping on center of pie; top with remaining raspberries.


Isn't this teacup so cheery and fun?  I love the pretty detail with the checks and the polka dots!

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:  



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