Friday, March 19, 2010

FRIDAY FLICKR INSPIRATION: OH BABY!

I've been working on making receiving blankets for babies and adding a crochet trim on the edges for my etsy shop...so I couldn't help but browse the babies goods on Flickr! What inspiration they are!!

Hope you're having a blessed Friday!

Hugs,
Sheri





Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Tea on Tuesday: Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
* 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
* 1 egg white, slightly beaten
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* Nonstick cooking spray
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins, if desired. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine egg white and buttermilk. Add all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. On a lightly floured surface knead dough 10 to 12 strokes until nearly smooth. Shape into a 7-inch round loaf.

4. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray Place bread dough on baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make 2 slashes in the top to form an X.

5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Makes 1 loaf (16 servings).

~~ yummy recipe and photo from: BHG~~

Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday Flickr Inspiration: St. Patty's Tea Luncheon Ideas

Let's have a tea party on St. Patrick's day! And here's some great ideas I've found...We can start by decorating and hanging a wreath!

the felt mouse

We'll put cups of shamrocks out too!

Of course it's St. Patrick's Day, so we'll get out our shamrock tea set!


Now if you need some ideas on the table setting, here's a few grand ones...



We can have cupcakes!

Or maybe shamrock cookies?

creativesun

This would make an awesome cake!

Or we can have a chocolate-mint cheesecake!
Betty Crocker Recipe found here...

I hope you've gotten some ideas here for your St. Patty's Day celebration. Here's my wish for you!
Wishing you all the best,
Hugs, Sheri

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

HUMP DAY HUMOR :)

UMMM.....too tired or too lazy to walk the dog??

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Tea on Tuesday: Oatmeal Shortbread

Ingredients:
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Stir in rolled oats. Form mixture into a ball and knead until smooth.

To make shortbread wedges: On an ungreased cookie sheet pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch circle. Make a scalloped edge. Cut circle into 16 wedges. Leave wedges in the circle. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bottom just starts to brown and center is set. Cut circle into wedges again while warm. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 16 wedges.

To make shortbread rounds: On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 1-1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut 24 rounds. Place them 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the 325 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 24 rounds.

To make shortbread strips: On a lightly floured surface roll dough into an 8x6-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife, cut into twenty-four 2x1-inch strips. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the 325 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 24 strips.

~~recipe.com~~

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tea on Tuesday: Lemon Meringue Cake

Ingredients:
* 1 sifted cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, (not self-rising)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
* 3/4 cup superfine sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
* 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* Pinch of cream of tartar
* Lemon Curd
* Swiss Meringue

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt twice. Set aside.
2. Place egg yolks in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high until pale and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, beating until very pale and puffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add oil in a steady stream. Add zests; beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium low, and add flour mixture alternately with juices, flour in 4 parts and liquid in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl, whip egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and increase speed to medium high. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, and beat for 1 1/2 minutes, or until whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.
5. Stir a quarter of the whites into the flour-yolk mixture. Fold in remaining whites carefully, trying not to deflate the batter. Gently pour into an ungreased 7-inch tube pan. Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
6. Remove cake from oven, and invert immediately. Cool completely in pan. Run a knife around sides to loosen, and remove outer part of pan. Run a knife along bottom and around tube to loosen and remove tube. Turn upside down onto a cake round slightly smaller than the cake, and slice horizontally into 3 layers using a serrated knife.
7. Spread half the filling on the bottom layer, and cover with the middle layer. Spread remaining filling on middle layer, and cover with top layer. Refrigerate overnight, or until set. Brush off excess crumbs with a dry pastry brush.
8. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare meringue, and spread it all over cake, swirling with an icing spatula as desired. Set cake, still on cake round, on an oiled baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake, watching carefully, until meringue is brown around edges and beginning to brown elsewhere. Transfer to a serving plate and serve as soon as possible. Slice using a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.

Serves 8 to 10

~~yummy recipe and photo from: Martha Stewart Living, April/May 1994~~