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Our First Recipe Booklet Has Arrived~

November 17, 2011 By
Scone Recipe Book

Finally! The Tea Party Girl (TM) Scones and Spreads recipe booklet is here. This recipe booklet contains 42 outstanding recipes and can be printed out on your own computer. You will love adding this booklet to your collection or buying and sharing them as gifts.

Get all the details at http://teapartygirl.com/scones_spreads_recipe_book/

Remember each recipe book you purchase helps support Tea Party Girl’s blog to keep it running. (so every order counts!) Share this link with your friends, family and anyone else you think would love our booklet.

Super cute and Fantastically yummy!

Don’t wait! Order now!
http://teapartygirl.com/scones_spreads_recipe_book/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Serving Soup At Your Tea Time

November 1, 2011 By
Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

The season of soup has arrived.  As a tea lovers you may be unaware that soup can be elegantly served for afternoon tea.  In order to inspire you I have posted a brief history of soup and then a personal homemade soup recipe perfect for afternoon tea.

Generally, soup is served as a first course or with a salad with a luncheon tea or in afternoon tea.  Creative cups such as glass punch cups or open tea mugs can connect the food with the theme of the event.  Toasting and floating a bit of cheese toast in the shape of a star or even a teapot can add to the festivities.

 

A Word About Soup:

Evidence of the existence of soup can be found as far back as about 6,000 BC. Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers (which probably came in the form of clay vessels or pouches made of animal skin) about 9,000 years ago. Soup can be made out of broth or a form of liquid.

The word soup comes from French soupe (“soup”, “broth”), which comes through Vulga Latin suppa (“bread soaked in broth”) from a Germanic source, from which also comes the word “sop”, a piece of bread used to soak up soup or a thick stew.

The word restaurant (meaning “[something] restoring”) was first used in France  in the 16th century, to describe a highly concentrated, inexpensive soup, sold by street vendors, that was advertised as an antidote to physical exhaustion.   In 1765, a Parisian entrepreneur opened a shop specializing in such soups. This prompted the use of the modern word restaurant to describe the shops.

Dr. John T Dorrance, a chemist with the Campbell Soup Company, invented condensed soup in 1897. Today, Campbell’s Tomato,  Cream of Mushroom, and Chicken Noodle Soup  are three of the most popular soups in America. Americans consume over  2.5 billion bowls of these three soups alone each year. Canned Italian-style soups, such as minestrone or Italian wedding are also popular, and are sold by Progresso and other brands.

Canned soup can be condensed, in which case it is prepared by adding water (or sometimes milk), or it can be “ready-to-eat,” meaning that no additional liquid is needed before eating. Canned soup (condensed with liquid added, or “ready-to-eat”) can be prepared by heating in a pan, on the stovetop or in the microwave Such soups can be used as a base for homemade soups, with the consumer adding anything from a few vegetables to eggs, vegetables, cream or pasta.

Condensing soup allows soup to be packaged into a smaller can and sold at a lower price than other canned soups. The soup is usually doubled in volume by adding a “can full” of water or milk (about 10 ounces).

Since the 1990s, the canned soup market has burgeoned with soups marketed as “ready-to-eat,” which require no additional liquid to prepare. Microwaveable bowls have expanded the ready-to-eat canned soup market even more, offering convenience (especially in workplaces) and are popular lunch items.

Now that you know more about soup here is a great homemade recipe to get you started!

 

Tea Party Soup

 

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup – A Tea Girl Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Medium Yellow Onions – diced

3 Green Onions – diced

28 ounces Vegetable or Chicken Stalk

1 Jalapeno (seeds removed and diced)

1 Tbls Oil

4 Cups of Tomatoes (fresh or diced canned)

3 Tbls Dried Basil

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 TBS Lemon Juice

1 Can Tomato Paste

1 28 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup of Orzo (Italian noodle)

 

Heat a large dutch oven and add your oil.  Saute your onions, green onions, jalapeno, basil and salt and pepper.  When the onion is clear add the rest of the ingredients excluding the Orzo.  Heat till boiling.  Leave cooking at low boil, stir for 10 minutes.  Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.  In the last 20 minutes add the Orzo.  Raise the temperature of the soup to boil then lower it again to simmer for the last 20 minutes.  Serve soup hot.  If you like it thicker wait till it cools and reserve.  This soup will become thicker as the noodles expand.

This is delicious with a cheese and herb scone and a cup of Keemun tea.  You and your guests will love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Break and Bake Scones? Walmart’s latest innovation

October 3, 2011 By
Break and Bake Scones

 

Break and Bake Scones

 

Tea Party Girl makes every effort to test new afternoon tea foods.  Today’s review features Barista Break and Bake Scones now available in three flavors at Super Walmart.  Break and Bake scones are located next to Nestle cookie dough products in the refrigerator section.

Break and Bake scones sell for around $2.50 and make eight  3 inch by 2 inch mini scones.  Scones come in chocolate chip, blueberry and almond flavors and take around 20 minutes to bake.

Here’s what I thought.  First off, I love the idea.  It is a fantastic option for a busy woman looking to offer a “fresh” afternoon tea experience without all the effort.

Unfortunately I wasn’t enchanted.   This may be an ok option in a pinch but be sure to let the scones cool before serving. When served hot these scones taste artificial.  Only when the pastries are completely cool do they begin to resemble the taste of a coffee shop scone.

My suggestion?  Freeze your own scones ahead of time.  Choose to use either a quality scone mix like Cupboard of Blessings or Iveta or make your own house recipe.  Once you have cut the dough into triangles place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer.  Freeze till hard and toss into ziplock bags.  The scones will hold for up to 3 months and be ready when you are.  Preheat your oven, bake the scones and YOU are a super star.  You saved time and effort and most importantly, the scones taste great!

Here is a simple scone recipe that you can freeze ahead of time:

 

Freeze Ahead Scones

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour ( I like pastry flour)
1 cup baker's sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter - chopped
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries, or raisens, or chopped mango

In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set the bowl aside till later. 
Preheat your oven to 350 and grease the cookie sheet.
Mix dry ingredients and cut in cold butter. Work till mixed. 
Stir in sour cream mixture and egg. Don't over stir. 
Turn the bowl over and knead the dough for a short time on a floured board. 
Pat the dough into a round and cut into 12 pizza like triangles.
Bake for 12 minutes or so.

 

 

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Grandma Hoerner’s Makes Tea Menu’s Easy

August 30, 2011 By
Grandma Hoerners

Grandma Hoerners

On a recent drive to Topeka (about 110 miles from my Tea Events office) I decided to stop at Grandma Hoerner’s Food & Factory located just off the highway in Alma, KS. Grandma’s big red barn glimmers in the sun beckoning cars to “stop by.” Well, let me say that I was glad I did. Inside the big red barn is a small showroom filled with award winning foods along with samples galore. Through a glass window you can watch the Grandma Hoerner team creating these classic recipes day in and day out.

Grandma Hoerner’s has an array of products from Big Slice Apple Sauce to assorted preserves, pie filling, sauces and more. My personal pick was their amazing Pumpkin Butter which I found perfect for a variety of tea time treats. (think scone topping, tart filling, drizzled on mini cheesecakes and more!) I also loved their line of Chutneys which would be a true delight in a variety of tea sandwiches.

Grandma Hoerners Tea Foods

Here’s grandma’s story

Yes, there was a real Grandma Hoerner. Mabel grew up on a farm in Kansas in the late 1800s. Her family’s farm included an apple orchard, and Mabel became known as a talented cook. Her apple sauce, made with thick slices of fresh apples, was a frequently requested treat from family and friends. Every autumn, she preserved the bounty of the orchard as it matured and ripened. Grandma never used an apple that wasn’t ripe enough. She peeled bushels of crisp apples and added cold spring water, freshly ground cinnamon, and pungent nutmeg. As the sauce cooked slowly over a low flame, the thick slices of apples grew soft and flavorful. The jars of applesauce sitting in the cellar were a vivid reminder of the summer bounty even on the coldest nights of winter.

All natural. The way Grandma used to do it.  

Mabel’s applesauce recipe was passed down to her grandson, Duane McCoy. Recalling the wonderful flavor from his youth, Duane worked hard to replicate Grandma’s recipe. Cooking batch after batch, he found that Fuji and Pink Lady apples were best at maintaining their firm texture and sweet-tart flavor, and made the sweetest applesauce. As Duane experimented he did make one change to Grandma’s recipe—he replaced refined sugar with natural juice concentrate. Today’s Big Slice™ Apple Sauce provides the health benefit of natural juice while maintaining the wonderful sweetness of Grandma’s tradition.

Duane searched the marketplace for something similar to Grandma’s applesauce but found nothing like it. In 1987, he started producing and marketing Grandma’s Big Slice Apple Sauce. From that first basic recipe, eight more fabulous flavors were developed.

As demand for Grandma’s wonderful applesauce grew customers also began to ask for other foods made with the same high quality, attention to detail, and all natural ingredients. Now, from sauces, jams and preserves, pie fillings, toppings, chutneys, and relishes to premium dry mixes, gourmet coffee, and candles, Grandma Hoerner’s stands for the old fashioned pure products Grandma Mabel would have made herself.

 

Grandma’s is available at Safeway and Super Targets. They are also available online at http://www.GrandmaHoerners.com

 

Here are a couple recipes that would work well at the tea table (there are more featured on their website) :

 

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

1 package (18-1/4 oz.) yellow cake mix
2-1/2 cups quick cooking oats
¾ cup butter, melted
¾ cup Grandma Hoerner’s Raspberry Preserves
1 tablespoon water
In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, oats and butter until crumbly. Press 3 cups of the crumb mixture into a greased 13-in x 9-in baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir the preserves and water until blended. Spread over the crust. Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Pineapple Ginger Chicken Lettuce Spread

Mix together 3 cups cubed cooked chicken, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup golden raisins, and 4-oz. Monterey Jack cheese (1/2” cubes). In a small bowl combine ¼ cup Grandma Hoerner’s Pineapple Ginger Chutney, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve on lettuce leaves.

 

Apple Struesel Bread

2 ½ cups Bisquick
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
4 eggs
1 cup Grandma Hoerner’s Big Slice Natural Apple Sauce
3 cups Grandma Hoerner’s Apple Pie Filling
3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
2/3 cup oil
½ cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the Bisquick, flour and apple pie spice.
In another bowl, combine eggs, apple sauce, apple pie filling, ½ cup brown sugar, and oil. Add to Bisquick mixture, stir till just moistened. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans.
Top each loaf with a mixture of the remaining brown sugar and the walnuts. Bake 55-60 min. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Wrap and store overnight for easier slicing.

 

Like this article?  Read these as well:

 Awesome Tea Menus For Summer

A Scrumptious Vegan Tea Party<

Tea Party Girl asks : Have you tried Grandma Hoerner’s before?

 

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Green Tea Souffles by Martha

August 25, 2011 By
Green Tea Souffle by Martha Stewart

 

Green Tea Souffle by Martha Stewart

If you are looking for a clever idea then look no farther than Martha Stewart.  This unique recipe would be perfect at an end of the summer soiree.   It was featured on the Martha Stewart website.  Martha has wonderful ideas so be sure to check her site on a regular basis at www.MarthaStewart.com   I always search under the word tea and find a variety of recipes, favors, crafts and table settings.

This is her recipe for a green tea souffle.  A soufflé (French: [su.fle]) is a light baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means “to blow up” or more loosely “puff up”—an apt description of what happens to this combination of custard and egg whites

Now your goal is not for your green tea souffle to “blow up!” but you do want it to great a nice peak over the container that it is served in.  Martha’s recipe for a green tea souffle uses a cold version rather than a baked cake to great the “puff” souffles are famous for.

Try it out and share your experience.  Better yet, send us a photo of your tea event!

Green Tea Souffles:

Here’s what you need:
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon powdered green tea (from www.TeaSouce.com ), plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon creme de menthe
Directions
1.Wrap six 2-ounce ramekins with parchment, extending 1-inch above rim. Secure with tape; set aside. Stir boiling water and tea in a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.Put sugar, egg yolks, and tea mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until lightened and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until cool, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3.Put cream and creme de menthe into the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Fold into yolk-tea mixture. Divide among prepared ramekins. Freeze at least 4 hours (up to overnight). Remove parchment. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving. Serve dusted with tea.



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