Pots and Pins

High Tea...

I saw on the telly the hundreds (probably thousands) of "Royal Wedding" parties going on across the country on Friday...I knew of two just in my neck of the woods...one I was invited to and one I was not (?!?) but I planned to spend the morning watching the grand event with the girl, eating crumpets and sipping tea...well, you know what they say about the best laid plans...and one thing led to another and at the last minute I was hosting my own high tea, only I called it Quilt Group!

Since it was truly last minute, I didn't have time to round up any British paraphernalia...I did make a mad dash to the The British Pantry in Redmond, hoping to find something...and what I found was a tiny shop crammed with other ladies looking for something, too!  (I didn't buy the Kate and William Tea Towel for $20 or the British tin for $50, I actually left empty-handed!)  Oh well, I made do and when the ladies arrived in high style, with their fabulous quilts (those pics will be posted tomorrow), the party was off and running!  They even wore pearls, gloves and Fascinators!  However, theirs were nothing like Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice's Fascinators - which were hilarious!!  I meant to get a photo of the group in all their finery, but I was too busy getting all the food on the table and straightening my tiara and forgot!  Along with tea, we had a delicious array of special High Tea delectables, starting with a fresh, homemade batch of Orange Marmalade Jam, said to be the Queen's favorite and Paddington Bear's favorite, too!  Surely you know Paddington traveled all the way from Darkest Peru just to eat marmalade jam with the Queen! 

 

 

 

 

Cream Cheese and Jam Cups, Lemon Bars, hot-from-the-oven Butter-Cream Scones (slathered with jam and butter and cream...oh my aching aorta!!), and that was just for starters!

 

 

 

(Cindy!  Notice the runner?  I love it!)  We also dined on Cucumber and Cheese finger sandwiches, Raisin-Pecan-Cheese finger sandwiches, Spinach Tarts With Orange Cream Glaze and my Spicy Brunch Cups...but that's not all!

 

 

 

We had Mediterranean Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes, Fresh Strawberries with Lime Curd and sweetened Marscapone Cheese, Feta and Roasted Sun-dried Tomato Spanakopita, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana- Chocolate Tarts and last but not least...Crumpets!  I'm probably forgetting something - we certainly had a spread!  Thanks to Lori and Ardith for their help!  Recipes for the dishes not high-lighted will be up soon - they're all keepers and you're going to want them...promise! 

It was a wonderful day spent with great women/great friends!  We were all so happy the fairy-tale wedding went as planned and truly hope the new Duke and Duchess live happily ever after!

Carrot Cake - Like Nobody's Bizness...

Years ago I had a party and Shelly brought a carrot cake.  Shelly is one of the sweetest, gracious and most fashionable people on the planet but I didn't know she was a baker...not until I tasted her cake.  I couldn't believe how wonderful her cake, made with a vegetable, could be!  I asked for the recipe, and she happily obliged, copying it out of a book.  When I saw the recipe I had to smile, it was from a Susan Branch book, Sweets To The Sweet, which is one of my very favorite baking books and the carrot cake was probably the only thing in the book I had never made! 

 

 

 

 This past weekend the girl and SIL attended the memorial for the SIL's grandfather, who passed away at the grand age of 104!  Think of all he saw in his years on Earth!!  Mind-boggling!  Anyway, I wanted to take something, and I wanted it to be special and above all, good...and this cake was the perfect thing!  (The mister and I had planned to attend this memorial, but that morning the mister woke up with a headache and a tummy ache and just couldn't bring himself to get on a ferry and cross the pond on a BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY!  The ONLY sunny day we've had in FOREVER!  His timing is SO bad!  So we stayed home and the girl, SIL and Max took the carrot cake for me and said it got rave reviews!)

   

This is a beautiful, tall cake - three layers with a cream cheese frosting in between the layers and toasted coconut on top - it is a show stopper for sure!  I have made this cake over and over and it always turns out great with a flavor that can't be beat...I was so sad to see the cake leave, oh, and the girl, SIL and Max, too, that I made another one just for us and it was the perfect ending to our Easter meal.  This cake would also make a perfect birthday cake - it's moist and has a wonderful rich crumb, plus it's full of nuts and fruit and it defintely gets 5 dangs on the ol' meter!  Coma worthy for sure! 

 Carrot Cake - Adapted Slightly From Sweets To The Sweet by Susan Branch (and shared with me by Shelly Jones)

 4 eggs, well beaten

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

3 cups finely grated carrots

1 cup flaked coconut

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Frosting recipe below

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.  Set out 1/2 cup butter, and 1 (8 o.z) package cream cheese to soften (for frosting).  Put pineapple in sieve to drain while you begin to mix the batter.  Beat eggs in large bowl of electric mixer.  Add sugars and beat till light and fluffy.  Add oil and mix well.  Put in the dry ingredients and beat until just barely smooth.  Remove blade from mixer and by hand, stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour batter into greased and floured pans.  Bake in 325 degree oven for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted in center of cake.  Cool completely, then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 teaspoons milk

6 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted

Mix all ingredients together and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes on high.  Frost between layers of cake and on top.  Top with toasted coconut.  (Frost sides if desired.)

 

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus...

Last week I had the good fortune to attend the bridal shower of a bonafide foodie.  It was an over-the-top shower thrown by two of the most creative women I know...let me give you an example...they had a a waffle and  bacon "chandelier" over the table and a fresh fruit curtain at the entrance to the kitchen!!  Along with the beautiful gifts the bride to be received, and the amazing food, there was a competition of sorts...an "Iron Chef" competition and yours truly was on the winning team!  I was paired up with two women I didn't know...however both were geniuses in the kitchen!  There were four teams and each team was given a basket with 5 items in it, which we had to use.  We were also able to add in other ingredients that were in the pantry/fridge and we added a bit of apple juice.  Our basket had thick cut bacon, dates, coconut, asparagus and Parmesan cheese.  We knew immediately what we wanted to do...we made a paste with the dates, spread it on the bacon, sprinkled coconut on top and wrapped it all around the asparagus spears.  When they were broiled to perfection we have them a light sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.  I can't remember what the other teams did...although their food looked beautiful...but our creation was awarded the prize as the best of them all!!  I would have jumped for joy but I was so stuffed I couldn't get off the ground even if I'd been hooked to a hundred helium balloons!

 

 

 

 

While I liked our creation a lot - I felt that it could be a bit sweeter...so once back in my own kitchen, I began to tinker - I exchanged the dates for raisins, which were pureed with orange juice, coconut and brown sugar...then slathered this mixture on regular cut bacon (thick cut bacon took too long to cook, almost burning the asparagus) then wrapped the bacon around fresh, thin, asparagus.  I baked/broiled the spears for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, and when they came out of the oven, caramelized, with crisp-tender asparagus, well, it was like candy...veggie candy...and one of the best appetizers I've ever had!  No WONDER we won!!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus - Pots and Pins (Inspired by/with Wendy Hanson and Megan Leavitt)

6 pieces bacon (regular thickness, do not use thick cut)

12 asparagus spears, rinsed and dried, with ends snapped off

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup raisins

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a food processor or blender, combine coconut, raisins, and brown sugar.  Add in 2 tablespoons of orange juice and puree to make a paste; add in additional tablespoon if needed, and process until smooth.  Cut bacon in half, (it tends to stretch a bit as it's pulled off into individual pieces and you don't want to overlap the bacon as you wrap the spear) and spread each piece of bacon with some of the pureed mixture, covering evenly.  Wrap one piece of bacon around an asparagus spear (again, don't overlap bacon!) and place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, then put under the broiler and broil until bacon is cooked through and crisp, turning frequently, and watching carefully so it doesn't burn, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Allow to cool until able to handle, serve warm or at room temperature.  Makes 12.  

 "When you're in my house you shall do as I do and believe who I believe in.  So Bart, butter your bacon."  ~  Homer Simpson

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One year ago:  Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

Two years ago:  Dutch Baby

Three years ago: Hair, Depression and My Oven

 

 

Tea Cozy Tutorial on Stash...

                                   Cheerio!  Pip! Pip! Tally-ho!  Today I'm guest posting over at Sew We Quilt/Stash Manicure...and I'm doing something I've never done before...I'm posting a tutorial for this dahhhling Tea Cozy...it will take you ONE hour to make, and then, come Friday morn, when you turn on the telly to watch the Royal Wedding, (you ARE going to watch, right?!?) you can sip tea, eat scones and use your new Tea Cozy like any proper Englishman/woman! 

Head on over to Stash to check it out!  And come back and visit me tomorrow for the most incredible bacon/asparagus appetizer you've ever tasted!  No lie!   You'll be gobsmacked for sure!  (I plan to use every British word I can think of between now and Friday...you've been warned!)  In the meantime, click here for the best dang Butter Cream Scones you'll ever taste...slathered with jam and butter and Devonshire cream, you'll be all set to watch the Royal Wedding this coming Friday!!  Now quit faffing around and head on over to Stash!

Happy Easter 2011...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing you a Happy Easter - with lots of Chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and carrot cake! 

My Easter Quilt is Done!

The quilt makes me smile - it's dang happy!  It's also soft - perfect for wrapping up Baby Max!  I used Hobbs Heirloom batting, and the quilt is machine appliqued, machine stippled and measures 52x52-inches.  Now, am I going to get all of Max's loot into his Mickey Easter Basket?!? 

The backing with Easter Eggs on it was the perfect find!  I added bows to the bunnies - they needed to be dressed to do their job!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our last day in California we went to the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Nigel to celebrate our anniversary.  The Ritz is right on the beach and has the most fantastic view of the Pacific!  We sat outdoors on the balcony and had ourselves a little "toast"...the waitress saw us and asked if we were celebrating something so we told her it was our anniversary, and just like that she disappeared but was back in a flash with cheesecake and happy wishes for us!  The grounds of the Ritz were decorated for Easter with giant (about 10 feet high!), hand-painted Easter eggs, so, so cute!  As we strolled around the grounds we noticed little brown bunnies everywhere...do you suppose the Ritz had them brought in just for Easter week?!?  Sheesh!  If you ever get a chance to go there, do - now I know what "puttin' on the Ritz" means!! 

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P.S.  I just heard about a great giveaway...with SIX prizes!  A few years back I was asked to submit a few recipes for a new cookbook, The Worldwide Ward Cookbook, and it sold like crazy and has since had about several sequel books hit the market!  Now there is yet another one...The Worldwide Ward Secret Recipes Cookbook - which promises to be just as wonderful as the others!  Click here to go to the Worldwide Ward Cookbook Blog to enter for your chance to win one of SIX great prizes!!!  And Happy Easter!

 

Cream Cheese and Jam Cups...

It truly was the happiest place on Earth!  We had SO MUCH FUN with Max and MIckey and the gang...hated to come home!  We loved every second of it!  Even the mister had fun...until he went on a ride, which I'm not allowed to mention, but it went around and around at high speeds (3-G's) and even upside down, and when the big, strong Marine   got off the ride that I can't mention, he did something that I'm not ever to speak of...as it was quite embarrassing for him...so since I can't upchuck any more info about it, I'll just show you how it ended:

 

Do you suppose the mister was trying to tell me something with his upraised finger???  Naw, I'm sure he was just waving at me, to let me know he was okay, that he wasn't having a heart attack at Disneyland!!!  Yep, I'm sure that's what he was saying!

We had picture-perfect weather...sunny and warm for most of our trip and then a few clouds rolled, just to make us feel at home.  Got to hand it to California, it's quite seductive with it's palm trees and blue skies, almost had me thinking I wanted to live there...until I got on the FREEWAYS!

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at the blue sky in the pic above left - that's the REAL sky!  The green mountains are fake background - but doesn't the sky look fake, too?  That's how perfect it was!  Max loved driving Mickey's car...but his very favorite ride was the ferris wheel at California Adventure!  Okay, enough Mickey-ing around, let's get to the recipe - which is dang good my friends!  It's so good that I thought it might have a chance in the Pillsbury Bakeoff this year...it's one of my four entries...of course, I think it's prize-worthy, and I'm hoping you will, too!

 

 

 

Purchased Pillsbury pie crust is cut into circles, pressed into mini-cupcake tins, and filled with a delicious cream cheese mixture that bakes up light and puffy...the center slowly sinks in a bit when it comes out of the oven, making a perfect little indention for a teaspoon of Apricot jam...YUMMY!!

Cream Cheese and Jam Cups - Pots and Pins

1 package Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (you will only use one crust)

1 jar (10 oz.) Smucker's Apricot Jam or Preserves

1 1/2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top

3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter needed

Mini-cupcake tin (24 hole pan, only 16 are used)

Remove one roll of pie crust from refrigerator and let come to room temperature on counter, about 20 minutes.  Unroll and using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 16 circles of dough, rerolling dough as necessary.  Place one circle of dough into each mini-cupcake tin, pressing onto bottom and up sides, crimping a bit around the top edges.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, vanilla, egg and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed until blended.  Fill the pastry lined cups with the cream cheese mixture, almost to the top.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffed up, golden and a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  The tops will sink slightly as they cool.  Fill center of cups with about a teaspoon or so of the jam.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.  Makes 16.  Keep in refrigerator.

Spicy Brunch Cups...

The mister informed me the other day that he's "just about had enough."  It happened to be Tax Day...the day he puts together our tax information for the accountant...it was ugly folks, no other way to say it, just plain ugly.  He stomped around the house, slamming doors, barking orders and told me, "I think I'm just going to throw all this crap out the window and go live on the beach in Vietnam."  And I don't think he was kidding.  He LOVES Vietnam and is constantly telling me how cheap we could live over there...and I point out that it's a Communist country and thousands of miles away from my children and grandchild...something he fails to consider...and while it might be nice to visit, there is no way I would ever live there.  But maybe that's his plan?!?

 

 

 

 

 Fortunately, I was able to calm the savage beast with a delicious brunch...he soon forgot about the Tax Man, piles of receipts, and whatever strange lure the beaches of Vietnam hold for him...he happily ate these Spicy Brunch Cups until he could eat no more...and then watched golf on TV (it seemed to have a mind-numbing effect on him, so after thirty minutes of TV golf he was calm and rational and in a trance-like state as he walked back into his office like a pig on the way to becoming bacon.)

Over the last few weeks I have made these Spicy Brunch Cups about a dozen times...perfecting the recipe as it was one of my entries in the Pillsbury BakeOff!  (I entered four different recipes this year...hope springs eternal!)  I enter the BakeOff every year...aside from being fun, it's also exciting...for a few months I get to dream of winning and fantasize about how I would spend my million dollar prize...and then reality slaps me straight when I notice the BakeOff is on TV and I'm not!  Oh well...one day!

These really are good...no matter what the Pillsbury Judges decide...Pillsbury pastry crusts filled with Canadian bacon, eggs, cream, green onion, cilantro, shredded cheese and topped with jalapeno slices...in a word?  MillionDollarFirstPlacePrizeWorthy!! 

Spicy Brunch Cups - Pots and Pins

1 package Pillsbury Pie Dough (you will use one roll of pastry)

1 package (6 oz.) Canadian Bacon, sliced

4 eggs

1/4 cup cilantro, stems removed, loosely packed

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 large or 2 small green onions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup Pepperjack cheese, shredded

1 large jalapeno, cut into 12 thin slices

Special equipment:  4 1/2-inch round cookie cutter and a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Remove pastry dough and allow to sit on counter for 15 minutes.  Unroll dough and using a 4 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out six dough circles, re-rolling dough as necessary.  Place dough circles into a regular sized cupcake tin, pressing into the bottom and up the sides (dough will stick up above the rim of the cup) and crimping slightly around the edges. (Do not use cupcake liners.)  Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out six circles of Canadian Bacon, removing any rind, and place one piece into each piece of pastry, it will fit nicely into the bottom.  Reserve the scraps of Canadian Bacon to use in another recipe. 

In a large bowl combine the eggs, cream, cilantro, green onion, salt, pepper and mix with a whisk until blended.  Carefully pour egg mixture into each cup, filling almost to the top.  Sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese and place two slices of jalapeno on top of each egg cup.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until center is set and the pastry is lightly browned.  Tops will puff up as they bake.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing.  Serve hot or warm.  Makes 6 servings.

(We are at the happiest place on Earth today...Disneyland!  It's sunny and warm and my heart is racing with excitement...Max is going to meet Mickey and Donald and Minnie and Daisy and for a few short hours all will be right with my world!!) 

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One year ago:  Favorite Quilt

Two years ago:  Pecan Coconut Pie

Three years ago:  Lemon Pound Cake from Trisha Yearwood

 

New Roll-Out Kitchen Drawer...

Just one, so far, but it's a beauty!  I have my bakeware, some pans, and lids all in the cupboards under my island...it's one giant headache to retrieve anything!  Thanks to The Container Store, I discovered I could install pull-out drawers myself!  They said they were EASY to attach...and anyone could do it...which meant the mister didn't have to get involved...no ranting or raving about all the stuff I didn't need which was making it necessary to install drawers, no trip to the emergency room because he mashed his thumb with something...no drama...I installed this beauty myself...and it works like a charm!!!  Although I did have two screws left over...I'm sure they were extras, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I wasn't entirely sure I had the right size (I forgot to measure ahead of time!) I only purchased one roll-out drawer.  I'll be going back for the other FIVE soon as they are all ON SALE!  It is absolutely amazing - open cupboard, pull out drawer, select lid, continue on....as opposed to - open cupboard, have something fall out and hit me on the toe!  I don't know why I didn't do this before!  Now it's a pleasure to open my cupboards and look for a lid! 

One down, five to go!  This is almost as good as going to Disneyland...that's how much I love it!  And speaking of Disney...while you're reading this I'm walking in the front gate...it's better than I remember...after all, it IS the happiest place on Earth!

Mustard-Apricot Ham Glaze...

With Easter coming, I wanted to try out a new glaze for the ham - something a bit different.  I love mustard on ham, but I also like sweet glazes; when I came across a recipe that combined both the sweet and the savory I knew I was on to something!  I loved how this turned out...it's got a nice little kick to it and will really make our Easter ham into something special!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mustard-Apricot Ham Glaze - Adapted from Claire Robinson, Food Network.com

1 cup apricot or fig preserves, or a combination of both 

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup bourbon

** Can of 7-Up Soda (12 oz.)

Mix preserves, mustard, vinegar and bourbon in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.  Reserve 1/4 cup of glaze to use in a "gravy" and baste ham with remaining glaze.  Baste 30 minutes before ham is due to come out of the oven.  After basting, do not cover with foil.  Read below for instructions on how to make "gravy" out of the remaining glaze. 

** This is how I'll make my ham this Easter (it's how I cook my ham every year, whether I use the glaze that comes with the ham or this glaze):  I purchase a bone-in ham (about a 10 lb. ham or close to it), put it into my baking dish, cut cross-hatch marks into the rind, making a diamond pattern, and pour a can of 7-Up over the ham.  Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove foil and brush with glaze, forcing it into the cross-hatch cuts.  Most of it will run down into the drippings and 7-Up but that's okay.  Leave the ham uncovered and bake for an additional 30 minutes.  When the ham is done, remove it from the oven, drain all of the juices into a sauce pan, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of glaze and boil it.  After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken up a bit.  Then pass this "gravy" along with the ham.  It's going to be good!!!