Mini Strawberry Topiary Pudding Pots and a Special Teatime

I set up my teatime in my bedroom where I have my Valentine tree.  Having the tree on a timer makes it so cheery in the morning and evening.  You probably remember the vintage-look topper I made and the matching tea cozy.  My tree also has ornaments hanging that are from the same fabric.  Using some carnations, I placed them in some floral foam in my pretty compote.

My Grace's Teaware teacup goes with so many things throughout the seasons.

Here's my cheery tree atop my very old childhood sled.  Growing up in Pennsylvania and Ohio it was used for many years.

I tried to make a strawberry rose, but it didn't turn out quite like a wanted!  If you'd like to make Dirt Cake in a big pot, you can find the recipe for it here.

Yield: 7-8

Author: Kitty

Mini Strawberry Topiary Pudding Pots

These little pudding pots are fun to serve for an individual treat. They are similar to Dirt Cake, but a small version.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg of instant vanilla pudding (I used sugar free)
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• a couple of large scoops of frozen whipped topping, thawed (about 4 ounces)
• crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, like Oreos (I did mine in a mini food processor)
• strawberries, cleaned and dried
• chocolate for melting
• sprinkles
• mini food safe pots, or votive candle holders

Instructions

1. Mix the pudding and milk together with a whisk until it is thick. Add a couple of large scoops of Cool Whip, and fold in.
2. Fill the little pots almost to the top with the pudding mixture, leaving room at the top for the "dirt", which is the crushed cookies. Add the the crushed cookies.
3. Make a "V" in the top of the strawberry so that it resembles a heart. Dip that part in the melted chocolate and sprinkle with festive sprinkles. Place a lollipop stick or a small skewer in the bottom of the strawberry and then "plant" it in the pot.

Notes

You can make a strawberry rose and skip the chocolate. Videos are online for directions in making them.

You also can just put a strawberry on top of the crushed cookies, and that looks pretty, too.

My darling daughter gave me for Christmas, a trip to a tearoom that I'd never been to, but always wanted to go. We had to find a weekend that we could go.  The tearoom is called Beatitudes, and it was just the most delightful little tearoom.  We each got our own mini teapot, that held around three cups of tea.  My flavor was Snuggle Buddy, and Molly's was St. Valentine, and we both loved our tea and our lunch.  Molly had the Paradise salad and mini scone, and I had the Sampler with quiche, tomato soup, chicken salad and a mini scone with cinnamon butter.  We each got a trio of mini desserts, which we forgot to take a picture of.  After our lunch we went to their gift shop and browsed.  It was the most wonderful afternoon, and we are already wanting to go back.  

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I'm sharing with these parties:

Talking About It Tuesdays

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Red Velvet Cupcakes for Valentine's Day

 Today, after school, Cissy finished decorating her red velvet cupcakes, which we had made the week before and then froze.  She had made little, free-hand chocolate decorations onto wax paper and I saved them for her to decorate.  She set the table and chose our teacups.

  This little baker get right to work.  She whipped up the frosting and then look at how great she is decorating the cupcakes!  She's standing on a chair to make it easier to get leverage.

 She sprinkled the tops and placed her chocolates on top.  Isn't she adorable and didn't she do a great job?

 Cissy chose this Strawberry Fair teacup by Johnson Brothers for her vanilla chai tea.

Yum!

These little cute granddaughters came by and made some chocolate covered, sprinkled pretzels.  They also played lots of games to earn "Uncle Bucks" and then shopped in the "store" for prizes!  Yes, it was warm enough for shorts, tee-shirts and flip flops over the weekend. 

yield: 24 cupcakesAuthor: Nana Kitty and Cissyprint recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes

The cupcake recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma American Girl Baking cookbook.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2-3 teaspoons red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 and 1/2 cups flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Cream Cheese Frosting, found here

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa and the boiling water, then whisk in the buttermilk.
3. In a large bowl, using and electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add the food coloring, vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Add half the flour and beat on low speed just until blended. Turn off the mixer. Add the remaining flour and mix until blended. Turn off the mixer one last time and scrape down the bowl.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar, then quickly stir the mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula.
6. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling about three-fourths full. Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cupcake, comes out clean.
7. Remove the pans from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, then transfer them to the racks to cool completely.
8. Frost the cupcakes.  Cissy used my Wilton Dessert Decorator Plus.

http://www.kittyskozykitchen.com/2017/02/red-velvet-cupcakes.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Teacup Tuesday 

Cooking and Crafting with J & J  

Share Your Cup

Full Plate

Foodie Friday

Tea in the Garden
Dishing It! & Digging It!

Monday Social

Red Velvet Scones

 How about joining me for a Valentine Tea Party with some Red Velvet Scones?  My sweater-clad bear is hosting today, and he's basking in the warm glow of candlelight.

 This picture of my late beloved and I, was taken when we were so young.  Yes, we were high school sweethearts.

 

 My pretty teacup was given to me by dear Celeste, from Southern DayDreams, in Stephanie's last teacup exchange.  Doesn't it look so pretty with the black background on my tablecloth  that I made several years ago?

 

 The recipe for the Red Velvet Scones comes from the 2015 February issue of Tea Time magazine.  I made a mock Devonshire cream to serve with the scones.  There's one for each of us!

 

Red Velvet Scones

1. 2 cups all-purpose flour
2. ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3. ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
5. ½ teaspoon salt
6. 6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces
7. ¾ cup cold heavy whipping cream
8. 1 tablespoon red liquid food coloring
9. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
10. 1 tablespoon white sparkling sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray wells of 2 (6-well) heart-shaped baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.  (I used one heart shaped pan, and then patted the rest of the dough out and cut the scones with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.)
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, whisking well.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
5. In a liquid-measuring cup, combine cream, food coloring, and vanilla extract, whisking to blend. Add to flour mixture, stirring to combine. (If dough seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is uniformly moist.) Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms and is evenly red.
6. Using a levered 3-tablespoon scoop, divide dough evenly among wells of prepared pans. Pat dough into wells to create a level surface. Sprinkle scones with sparkling sugar.
7. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove scones from pan.
8. Serve warm with Mock Devonshire Cream (recipe follows).

Mock Devonshire Cream (recipe is from Oxmoor House,  at My Recipes):

I've never had the real Devonshire Cream, therefore I don't know how to compare it, but this was really good with the scones, and also on top of fresh berries.

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold in sour cream, sugar, and vanilla.

This is one of the old-fashioned prints on the tablecloth.  Don't you just love these nostalgic Valentines?

Happy Valentine's Day!! xo

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

No Place Like Home

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Bernideen's Tea Time, Collage and Garden Blog Party

Tea Cup Tuesday                                                                               

I was featured!

Roses of Inspiration 
Cooking and Crafting with J & J 
Table It! 

Share Your Cup

Full Plate
Thought of Home on Thursday 

Foodie Friday

Weekend Potluck

Valentine's Day at the Coffee Table

 

 

I did a quick tablescape for Valentine's Day on the coffee table, since my hubby recently came home from the hopital.    I used the barn wood box that my dear hubby made me back in December.    I have always admired the pretty box that Marlis from Creative Journey's uses.  Isn't it nice how we get inspiration from others?  You can see how I did a makeover on the cherubs here.

 

 

 

We had pizza and used our Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles.  Who needs flatware when eating pizza??  We sure don't!!  I placed them on a pretty runner and used red napkins to hide any tell-tale pizza stains. 

 

 

 

For my hubby, I made his favorite meal after coming home from the hospital.  You can read all about that pizza here.  I hope you make some homemade pizza for someone you love.

 

My hubby's favorite candy bar is Snickers.  I was in such a tizzy when I made these, that the caramel layer went on top...OOPS!  Oh well, they still tasted good.  The recipe for the homemade snickers can be found here. 

  

 

I am sharing this with:

 

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

On the Menu Monday
Table Top Tuesday

HOME
Let's Dish!
Open House
Tablescape Thursday

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home

Weekend Potluck

Seasonal Sundays



 

Thanks for visiting and Happy Valentine's Day! xo 

Sweet ❤ Pizza

My dear hubby recently had surgery after fracturing his right humerus.  How did this happen you may wonder?  He was putting together a basketball goal for one of our grandsons, we heard a snap and he fell to the ground in pain.  After being on chemo for over 25 straight months and also being on prednisone, off and on the past years, his bones have weakened, and caused the bone to fracture as he was tightening the pole.

What is his favorite food in the whole world??!!  Pizza, he would tell you!  I have been making pizza since we've been married.  I have tried so many dough recipes, and I have never met a dough I didn't like!!  However, the one I have been using consistently is this pizza crust from King Arthur Flour.  Making pizza is good for all the senses.  This pizza sure put a smile on my hubby's face!!

Make a sweetheart pizza for someone you love! xo

Here are my tips:

Sprinkle parchment paper with cornmeal.

After dough rises, place on parchment.

Cover with a bowl and let rise again for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the dough with some olive oil and shape the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap

and let the dough rise according to directions. 

Spread the dough with sauce, cheese and toppings.  Cut around the parchment paper and

use a non-rimmed baking sheet as a pizza peel.

Slide the pizza onto a baking stone that has been pre-heating in a 450 degree oven.  A hot pizza stone makes for a crisp crust on the outside and tender on the inside. We love to sprinkle the pizza with Parmesan cheese and dried oregano when it comes out of the oven. 



                                          Make someone happy by making some homemade pizza!

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

HOME
Open House
Tips, Tutorials and Tidbits

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home

Weekend Potluck

Seasonal Sundays