75th Birthday Celebration

What a beautiful day to enjoy some of my amazingly wonderful birthday cake. 

Celebrating Birthdays and a Honey Bun Cake

We celebrated the Spring/Summer Birthdays in my family with a brunch.

Family Times and Cream Puffs for a 40th Birthday

I recently went to Durango, CO where my youngest son, Kevin, DIL, Kristen and Harper and Hayden were staying for the month of July.

Birthday Scones and Birthday Fun

 I reached a milestone birthday yesterday, and I decided to make myself some scones with raspberries because I love them so much.  I surrounded my table with some of my birthday cards so that I could enjoy looking at them again.  

 I have always wanted a February teacup, so this year I found one on eBay at a good price and ordered it. 

 My oldest son and DIL bought me this pretty Cineraria plant.  I thought it looked pretty with my teacup.  This is the first time in 70 years that my Mom and I won't be talking on my birthday, so I included a favorite picture of the two of us having fun at my youngest son and DIL's wedding.

Yield: 8Author: Kitty

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

I am a lover of raspberries and decided to make these scones for my birthday. I adapted the recipe from one that I found on the Epicurious site. They are so good and VERY moist. Blueberries would be good, and dried cherries or apricots. It's not a mistake that there is no butter in this recipe. You could also increase the whipping cream a little and just make drop scones.

ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups + 2 T.  all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate bits or white baking morsels
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoons butter, melted
• Additional sugar ( I like to use sparkling sugar)

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet (I just use parchment paper).
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/4 c sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Stir in white chocolate chips and slowly add whipping cream, stirring in just enough to moisten ingredients.
4. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Add frozen raspberries and knead gently for about 2 or 3 minutes until a soft dough forms.
5. Pat dough into rectangle about 1 to 1-1/2 inches high.
6. Divide into 4 smaller rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally, forming a total of 8 triangles.
7. Transfer to baking sheet,  spacing 2 inches apart. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar.
8. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.

NOTES:

I often cut  scones, place them on parchment paper and freeze the scones.  When frozen, transfer to a freeze proof container and then bake one, or how ever many you'd like, allowing maybe a couple of extra minutes.

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I had dinner at my oldest son and DIL's house last Friday, and shared a wonderful birthday celebration with them.  For dessert, we had an assortment of mini Nothing Bundt cakes.  It was a fun time!

Selfie Time!

I had another party with the rest of my family, last night.  What a fun time we had with great food and happy memories.  They gave me a book with letters written by all of my family members which was very thoughtful and emotional.  

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread and a Birthday

 Our teatime today is on a rainy day, and I'm setting it up in my living room.  Please join me for some pumpkin spice tea and some pumpkin cream cheese bread, won't you?

I want to thank everyone who read my post on My Beloved Mom.  Your thoughts, prayers, and condolences are so appreciated during this time of sadness and loss.  

 One of my favorite tea sets is this one that I bought from Ross years ago.  

 My calico teacup is so pretty for Fall, too.

This Johnson Brothers Olde English Countryside transferware platter is another favorite.

I saw a pillow at Kirkland's recently and went home and sketched out a design that resembled it.  I made a envelope style pillow, but this time used one rectangle of 42" long by 18 and 1/2" wide.  by doing it this way, there aren't any side seams.  First I found the middle and appliqued my design, leaving it kind of shabby.  The pumpkin base is made from osnaburg fabric, and then on top, I used an old sweater that my sister sent me.  After I appliqued,  I then did the envelope sytle in the back and stitched the top and bottom seams...so easy!

Yield: 1 large loaf, and one mini, or 4 mini loaves, 6 cakelets, and 2 mini bundtsAuthor: Kitty, adapted from Heart and Soul Among Friends

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Loaves

This is my daughter, Molly's,  favorite bread that she likes to give as gifts. It's so nice to bake some, and store them in the freezer to give away.  The addition of the cream cheese layer is a nice touch!

ingredients:

For the Bread:

3 and 1/3 cups flour

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 and 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 lb. can pumpkin puree

2/3 cup water

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon butter

instructions:

For the Bread:

Grease 1 regular size loaf pan and one small, or a mixture of minis.

Sift together the flour, pumpkin  pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

Beat together sugar and oil until light.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Beat in pumpkin.

Add dry ingredients, alternatively with water to the sugar/oil mixture until it is well blended. 

For the Filling:

Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.

For the Topping:

Mix the dry ingredients together and cut in the butter until it resembles cornmeal.  Set aside.

Spoon half the batter into each prepared pan. 

Spoon a layer of filling over each. 

Sprinkle with half the topping. 

Add the rest of the pumpkin batter.  Finish off with rest of topping.

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes for small loaf,  and 45 minutes for regular loaf.  Use a toothpick to check to see if it comes out clean.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 Today is Harper's 4th birthday!!  Doesn't she look adorable dressed in her butterfly wings and fairy dress?  Her party was at the Butterfly Gardens, which is a magical place with the prettiest butterflies that I've ever seen!  Of course, Harper was the cutest butterfly ever!

What little girl wouldn't love this mushroom fairy house birthday cake?! 

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Giveaway Gifts from Mary and a 1st Birthday!

 Recently I was one of  the recipients of Mary's Halloween giveaway.  Mary blogs at Home Is Where The Boat Is, and she always amazes me with her creativity, inspiration, kindness, and generosity.  

 Mary was so sweet to include my granddaughter, Cissy, who comes to bake with me  every week.  I waited until Cissy came over so that she could do the honors of opening the box.

 Look at all these Halloween baking goodies that we won! Included in the box were two tea towels, cookie stamps, a Jack-O-Lantern cookie cutter, 48 cupcake cases, and 24 assorted toppers, a spatula, and a container of Halloween sprinkles.  Cissy and I were thrilled!!!!  Mary wrote the sweetest note to Cissy and I, and signed it, "Happy Baking!  XO, Mary, Gracie and Lola".  Gracie and Lola are Mary's two adorable pups.

 Since we needed to get to one of Cissy's brother's football games, we made a quick treat of Halloween Bark, and added the Halloween sprinkles.  Who doesn't love to lick the spatula??

Here' s Cissy with her bag of Halloween Bark to take home to her family.  Thank you so very much, Mary, you are so kind, thoughtful and generous! 

 My youngest grandchild, Hayden, celebrated her first birthday!!

Here's adorable Hayden, who is the sweetest, most pleasant baby ever!  I made her this outfit, which looked so precious on her.  I think she likes her cake, don't you?

I'm off to be with my dear mom, who's health is failing, and I may be gone for awhile.    Please say prayers for her during this time.  Love to all, and God bless you!

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Happy Tea Time Birthday for Cissy

 To celebrate Cissy's 11th birthday which is this week, I took my daughter, Molly, and granddaughter, Cissy to a high tea at a local tearoom.   Cissy looks so pretty, doesn't she?  Besides being pretty on the outside, more importantly, she's pretty on the inside.

  The Chocolate Angel tea room serves a kid's menu, besides the adult menu,  for tea at 3:30. We had our own private area for our tea.  Underneath the glass table, they have old fashioned pictures of weddings.   The brown things sticking up, are our napkins! The tea room is decorated in a shabby chic style, with different teacups at each place setting, some with matching saucers, and some without. 

 Here is a picture of the three of us ready to enjoy our tea and laugh as only three generations can, with fun memories, and happiness!

Here is a picture of our dessert course, with a macaron, mini brownie, and a frosted thumbprint  sugar cookie.  Cissy chose the Chocolate Angel's Signature White tea for our main course, and then their Toasted Pecan tea, which is pink in color,  for our dessert course.  We had a wonderful time celebrating this sweet girl's birthday!  Thank you for sharing in our joy.

 I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch 

Tea in the Garden

Share Your Cup

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Happy 89th Birthday to My Mom

 I was in Ohio this past week to celebrate my dear Mom's 89th birthday!!  Doesn't she look so cute?  I made her favorite angel food cake and topped it with her favorite frosting.  For our dinner we had, at Mom's request: Sloppy Joe's, green beans, cole slaw, pink raspberry lemonade, and the cake with ice cream and homemade hot fudge sauce.    My sister made  Strawberry Whipped Sensation Pie, also.  Mom loved it all!

 My sister set up the buffet for her, with fun props, pretty paper plates and napkins, and the counted cross stitch that she made years ago. 

 We made this cake pedestal from a thrifted candlestick that Mom had bought years ago, and a new plate ($2.50) from Big Lots.  Mom loved the plate so much.  it went so well with the paper plates. 

 Here's Mom's favorite cake.  My sister and I love it, too!  The recipe for the Speedy Meringue Frosting can be found here.

Here's a selfie with me, my brother, Mom, and my sister.

Here we are using our props:  My sister (holding my niece's baby, our great nephew, and my Mom's newest great grandson,  my niece, me, Mom, and my nephew. 

I had to get my nephew's girlfriend in the pic, who is on the left.  She was sweet enough to take our pictures, and then she did a timed selfie of all of us. 

 

I'm sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch 

Tea in the Garden

Share Your Cup

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Strawberry Pie for a Happy 40th Birthday to Tim!

 My oldest son, Tim, asked me to make a strawberry pie for his 40th birthday celebration, and I was happy to oblige!

 I'll save a piece of pie for later, if there's any left, and have a cup of tea with this Royal Grafton teacup that my friend, Rosie, gifted me with, from her late mom's collection.

 

 Here's my handsome son Tim, who came over to celebrate his 40th birthday with his two beautiful girls.

 These are the photo blocks that my son Mike and I made for his gift.  It was fun for all of us to look at the pictures through the years. I got this wonderful idea several years ago from my friend, Debbie at Mountain Breaths. 

Yield: 6-8 piecesAuthor: Kitty

Strawberry Pie

I have been making this pie since I was first married, back in 1970, and it has always been a family favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 quart of strawberries, cleaned and hulled
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin
• A pre-baked pie shell

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the water, corn syrup, and salt to the saucepan, and mix. Cook until the mixture bubbles and then becomes more clear.
3. Remove from heat, and add the gelatin. Stir to dissolve. Cool the mixture.
4. Pour the mixture over the strawberries and mix gently. Pour the filling into a baked pie shell

http://www.kittyskozykitchen.com/2017/09/strawberry-pie-for-happy-40th-birthday.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

 I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Cooking and Crafting with J & J

Tea in the Garden

Share Your Cup

Full Plate

Foodie Friday

Dishing It! & Digging It!

My Mom's 88th Birthday and Meeting Michele

 I recently went to Ohio to celebrate my Mom's 88th Birthday.  That's my sister, Amy, on the left with my Mom and I.  We took her to the Morgan House, and had a wonderful lunch. 

Isn't my Mom so cute?  She bought this pretty dress to wear for her birthday lunch, and then before I left for home, she gave it to me!

 Here's a picture of my chicken salad, with a side garden salad with a fresh strawberry dressing.  We each had a pot of tea, and I chose Blackberry Sage, Mom had Apricot, and Amy had Wild Blueberry.

Look who showed up to meet us!!  My friend, Michele, from The Nest at Finch Rest, surprised us!!  I had texted Michele to tell her where we were going, hoping that she could come by.  Michele and I have always wanted to meet in person.  Of course, we already knew each other well from blogging, but meeting in real life was such a treat.  My Mom and sister loved Michele right from the start, and she stayed and had a pot of tea with us.   Michele was too kind and brought my Mom a gift that she had made, with the instructions to open later. 

Here's Mom at home,  opening her gift from Michele.

The gift was a darling pitcher (which my mom collects) with a pretty floral arrangement.  Wasn't that sweet of Michele?  I placed it on my Mom's nightstand.

 My Mom always wants me to make her an angel food cake with her favorite Speedy Meringue Frosting.

Singing Happy Birthday to this sweet lady!  

My Mom and I had a day to spend together because my sister had to work.  I was down in the basement doing some laundry and this quilt and sham set was calling to me.  I brought it up to see if mom would like to change out her quilt on her bed, and she did.  It gave her a pretty summery feel to her room.  The green quilt at the foot of the bed was found down in the basement, too. Yes, it was such fun shopping the house! 

One evening we did the fun tiles that my son, Mike, and I had done this summer with the grands.  My nephew, Shane, joined in for the fun project.  He was so sweet and asked to create one together with his grandma.  the bouquet of flowers behind Shane were a gift from him to his Gram.

Happy 88th Birthday to my beautiful Mom, sitting on her pretty patio.  I was so happy to be able to share her birthday with her!

Now I am off to Breckinridge, CO, to vacation with my youngest son, Kevin, DIL, Kristen, and granddaughter, Harper.  

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Cooking and Crafting with J & J

Tea in the Garden

Share Your Cup

Foodie Friday

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Thank you for your visit!  xo