Thursday, May 5, 2011

Tea Party Goodies

Good Day to All!

By Kay Chorao MarTi

This is one of my favorite paintings, so you will see me use it more than once!

Country Living has some super ideas.
I found many helpful photos and information about tea parties.
This one shows that even if you don't have a fancy outdoor table,
or mismatched chairs to make it victorian-y,
you can still adapt and have a lovely
tea party with what you do have!

That is one reason why I include Budget Craft ideas,
and Budget Decorating ideas -
Because while I may dream
 like I am a queen with unlimited funds to draw from,
the reality is I have to watch what I spend!

Okay, fine. Burst my bubble!

Really, it is in the interest of our world, not just for us, to economize,
and most importantly RECYCLE and REUSE.
So, a freshly painted picnic table can be transformed into an enchanted tea party with a few cushions to sit on and a complimentary colored cloth on top!
Add an overhead umbrella, and an inexpensive paper Chinese type lantern,
 and you are well on your way to creating some magic.

chipped teapot or teacups? Recycle them into flower vases!

for sale at the VintageDrawer shop on etsy

Let's have some wonderful, delicate and delicious things to eat at our tea party!

Strawberry and Onion Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
from 'The Educated Palate' cookbook

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed, dried, torn into bite sized pieces
1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberrries, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced

optional add-in:
1 - 2 oranges peeled, sliced, with membranes removed.

Poppyseed Dressing:
1/2 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/4 to 1/3 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup milk
2 Tbs poppyseeds

First, make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Cover and shake until well blended.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Dressing will keep several days in fridge.)

Prepare lettuce, strawberries and onion.
Refrigerate in separate covered containers until ready to assemble.

Place lettuce on individual serving plates.
Place berries and onions on top of lettuce.
Drizzle Poppyseed Dressing over salad.
Serve immediately.
Serves 8
pepper and salt shakers for sale at APinchofJoy.etsy.com

Jicama, Radish, Mushroom and Broccoli Salad:
from "The Educated Palate" cookbook

Dressing:
3 Tbs finely chopped parsley
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil (yes, all those words are important!)
1/4 Cup salad oil such as safflower or canola
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

1 1/2 Cups broccoli florets
1/2 pount mushrooms, thinly sliced
12 radishes, sliced
1/4 medium sized jicama, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 - 6 green onions, sliced
1 head leaf lettuce

If not using the ingredients above immediately, refrigerate in separate covered containers.

When ready to serve, toss with dressing and serve on lettuce leaves.
Serves 6
for sale at Donna's Crafty Corner 

Honey Green Grapes
from the 'The Educated Palate' cookbook

2 pounds seedless green grapes
1 Cup sour cream
1/2 Cup honey
2 Tbs brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 Cup light rum
fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.
Chill at least 2 hours.
Serve in wine goblets, garnished with fresh mint sprigs.

for sale at JDBridgers.etsy.com

I love this next recipe just because it sounds so English!
It also has cream cheese, so I know it will be delicious.

Strawberry and Devonshire Creme Brule'e
from 'The Educated Palate' cookbook

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 Cup sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
1 pint (2 Cups) sliced strawberries
4 Tbs brown sugar with a sieve

Have everything laid out, pre-measured.
Preheat broiler.

Cream together cream cheese, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth.
Fill each of eight 6-oz custard cups with 1/4 Cup sliced strawberries.
Spread cheese mixture in an even layer over strawberries to cover.
Top each layer with a thin, even layer of brown sugar. (This is where the sieve comes into play).
Slide under broiler, heating just to melt the sugar.
Serve at once! or chill up to 1 hour before serving.
(I think it is best when the sugar is warm and just melted.)

for sale from 22BayRoad.etsy.com

This next recipe is so much my Grandma.
She was a pioneer into Kansas when she was little. She remembered riding in the wagon pulled by steer. Their first house was a sod house - dirt floor that she had to sweep every day, and cut sod for a roof. Very primitive. She lived through the Dust Bowl days. (A terrible time for those who lived through it).
She ended up on a farm outside of Dodge City, Kansas. During crop time, she would bake hundreds of biscuits every morning for the crews that came through to harvest the wheat. Then she would cook a huge batch of something for lunch. These workers worked hard, and worked up a humongous appetite! Farm life was hard, but I never heard Grandma complain.
Before she died she had traveled on a covered wagon, on a train, and then an airplane! She would marvel at all that God had led her through.

Grandma McDowell would come visit us for several weeks each year. It was never long enough, as far as I was concerned! Grandma was the BEST baker and cook you could have. She made wonderful, totally from scratch, pies. She made homemade noodles. I remember them hanging all over our counter as they were cut and drying!
Whenever Grandma made a pie, she knew how hard it was for us to wait for the yummy to come out of the oven, so she always made Pie Crust strips, sprinkled with cinnamon suger. They were done in just a few minutes, while my sister and I watched the oven. 
Following is a very simple recipe from a Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks leaflet.

Pie Crust Cut-Outs

15-oz package Pillsbury All Ready Pie Crusts  (this comes in a red box in the refrigerated section)
1 tsp flour

Flavorful Toppings:
Sugar
Colored sugar
Cinnamon-sugar mixture:
    1 Tbs sugar plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Colored or chocolate sprinkles
Garlic or onion salt
Grated American cheese (we like Co-Jack)
Cheesy-seasoning mixture:
    1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese plus 1/2 tsp Italian OR Mexican seasoning.

>Allow 1 pie crust pouch to stand at room temperature for 15 - 20 minutes.
Refrigerate remaining crust for later use.
Heat oven to 400'.
Unfold pie crust; peel off top plastic sheet.
Press out fold lines with fingers, sprinkle flour over crust.
Turn crust, flour side down, on cutting board or pastry cloth;
Peel off remaining plastic sheet.
Using 2 inch floured cutters, cut out desired shapes.
     (Grandma just cut hers into strips and long triangles)
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Reroll trimmings, if desired, and cut more out.

Bake at 400' for 6 - 9 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Store loosely in covered container.
Yield: approx 32 snacks

YUM    YUM    YUM    YUM    YUM!

from AtomicTeaParty Blogspot

Well, this blog is getting to be a book, so I will close for now!
Will there be more Tea Party fun in later blogs?
Most probably!!

from justtoocute.com

inkspired

Feel free to contact me with you own tea party pictures,
or Budget ideas, or pix of your family dog!

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