Coconut Macaroons

from Sue Whitbeck, The Tea Cart, Berryville, VA

Makes: 16 cookies

3 large egg whites
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 cups)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Vigorously whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until glossy, foamy, and the sugar is mostly almost dissolved. Fold in the coconut, stirring until evenly combined.

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the batter in mounds (about 2 Tbsp. each) 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; let cool completely. The macaroons will keep for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

Chilled Strawberry Soup

from Laurie & Roger, Cross and Bluebird Tea & Gift Shop, Gettysburg, PA

1 cup apple juice
1 cup water, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 8-oz ctn. strawberry yogurt Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine apple juice, 3/4 cup water, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves
Bring to a boil over medium heat
Remove from heat, cool
Place strawberries and remaining water in a blender. Process until smooth
Pour into a large bowl, add apple juice mixture and yogert
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled

Makes 6-8 servings

Friendship Tea

1 1/4 cup Tang
1/3 cup instant tea mix (with or without lemon)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup sugar
dash of salt

Mix all ingredients well. Store in a airtight container. Use 2 rounded teaspoons per 8 ounces of hot water. This tea is sometimes called Russian tea. Enjoy!

Earl Grey Cream Tea Jelly

from from Raejean Beattie, Hopsewee Plantation and Tea at River Oak Cottage

1 oz loose Earl Grey Cream Tea leaves
2 cups water
1 cup apple juice
2 oz pectin
3 cups sugar

Steep loose tea in 2 cups boiling water. Strain liquid into a preserving pan or suitable saucepan. Add juice and pectin. Boil hard for one minute. Stir in sugar and boil until jelly sets. Test by placing a little jelly in a small dish and let it cool. If it is still runny, continue to boil and test again. While jelly is boiling, sterilize jars and lids. Ladle jelly into sterilized jars and place lids and bands on jars. Listen for the tops to pop so you know your jars are sealed.

Italian Tomato Sandwiches

from Rose Ortel, Lavender and Lace Tea Socials

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 onion diced small
Italian Tomatoes
Italian seasoning
White bread

Mix the onions together with the mayonnaise. It’s best if this sits in the refrigerator overnight. Spread mixture on bread, place slice of tomato on top, sprinkle with Italian seasoning mix and enjoy. Very easy, but great flavor.

Mamie Eisenhower’s Million Dollar Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar 2 Tbsp butter
1 pinch salt
1 can evaporated milk
12 oz semisweet chocolate bits
12 oz German sweet chocolate
1 pint marshmallow cream
2 cups chopped nuts

Heat the sugar, butter, salt, and evaporated milk over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a low boil and boil for six minutes. Put chocolate bits, German chocolate, marshmallow cream, and nuts in a bowl. Pour the boiling syrup over the ingredients. Beat until the chocolate is melted, then pour in a pan. Let stand for a few hours before cutting. It is better the second day. Store in a tin box.
Note: “Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge” was a favorite of American housewives after her recipe was printed in publications all over the country. It became a staple at the conclusion of formal White House meals.

Cayenne Shortbread Cookies

from the National Cathedral Tea Room

Mix:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup whipping cream, buttermilk or milk

Roll out very thin and cut into desired shape. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Ribbon Bread

from Nancy Reppert, Sweet Remembrances

Mix:
Filling: 2 packages (3oz each) cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 egg
2 tsp grated orange peel

Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour in a small bowl. Add egg. Mix to blend. Stir in orange peel. Set aside.

Bread: 1 cup cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1+1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1+2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans

Make bread by combining pumpkin, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon, flour, baking soda and pecans. Mix to blend.

Pour 1/4 of the bread batter into 2 greased and floured 7+1/2″ x 2+1/3″ loaf pans. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture over batter. Add remaining batter, covering filing. Bake at 325 degrees for 1+1/2 hours, or until bread tests done with a wooden toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Store in refrigerator. Makes two loaves.

Strawberry Bavarian Torte

from Marian Miller, Lavender Patch B & B

4 pkgs. strawberry gelatin
2 c. boiling water
4 pkgs. frozen sliced strawberries, slightly thawed
1 pint heavy cream, whipped (or whipped topping)
2 angel food cakes, cut in cubes
Whipped cream or topping to decorate
Fresh berries to decorate

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add partially thawed berries and allow to partially thicken. Fold in 1 pint whipped cream. Toss with cake cubes and place in a greased springform or large mixing bowl. Chill torte overnight. Turn out on platter and frost with whipped cream. Garnish with whole berries.

Champagne Fruit Salad

from Brandi Bolger, Apple Blossom Tea Room

1/2 cup strawberry syrup
1/2 cup orange Juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. orange zest
4 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 lb. container fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup champagne

In a small saucepan, combine strawberry syrup, orange juice, honey, and orange zest over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes; pour over fruit. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. To serve, pour champagne over fruit mixture; stir gently. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.

Creamy Spring Soup

from Brenda Lucas, Anna’s Tea Room

1-1/2 boxes of Swanson reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
6 baby carrots, julienned
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 dashes garlic powder
2 dashes pepper
1-1/2 cup cooked ditalini or other small pasta
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or to taste
3/4 cup fresh baby spinach, optional
3 dashes of Lea & Perrins chicken marinade
1/4 cup of cream sherry

In a saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the pasta, cream, spinach and marinade; heat through. Serves 4.

Martha Erwin’s Tomato Pie Recipe

from Charleston SC trip

Martha Erwin was the fantastic guide we had on our Charleston trip. One of the very many ways she made the trip special was by giving us this recipe. Some of the ladies enjoyed it while we were at the First Flush Festival at the Charleston Tea Plantation.

5 fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 and 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheese
salt, pepper and sugar to taste
1 pie shell, baked for 10 minutes at 400 degrees

Peel and slice tomatoes. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute, than drain in colander. for 15 minutes.
Put a layer of tomatoes in crust. Then basil, onion, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Mix mayonnaise with 1 cup of cheese; spread over tomatoes
Repeat another layer of tomatoes.
Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup of cheese over top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Coca-Cola Cake

another Recipe From Charleston

A bit after our return from the trip to Charleston, I received this recipe from Dawn Kubo. It was given to her by one of the desk clerks at our hotel. He said it was his specialty.

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 sticks butter, divided
6 teaspoons cocoa. divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup plus 8 tablespoons Coca-cola (not diet), divided
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 package Confectioner’s sugar

Cake: Mix flour and sugar well.

In saucepan, put in 2 sticks of butter, 3 teaspoons of cocoa, 1 cup coca-cola and marshmallows. Cook over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Pour over flour/sugar mixture. Mix well.

Over this mixture, pour beaten eggs, buttermilk, and baking soda. Mix well and then add the vanilla, mixing again. Pour into 13 x 9 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Icing: Place one stick of butter, 3 teaspoons cocoa and 8 tablespoons coca-cola in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over confectioner’s sugar. Pour this over hot cake. Sprinkle with pecans, if desired.
Enjoy!

Sharon’s Bacon Crackers

One of the dishes I brought to the Covered Dish Luncheon (in 2008) was Bacon Crackers. I have never had so many requests for a recipe. Here it is for those of you who couldn’t attend or did not know who to ask for the recipe.

Place club crackers on a cookie sheet. Layer each cracker with a quarter slice of raw bacon. Sprinkle generously with brownulated sugar. (Make sure to use brownulated and not regular brown sugar.) Bake at 225 – 250 degrees (depending on how hot your oven runs) for two hours. Enjoy.

Scrumptious Crabcakes

(from Brenda Lucas, Anna’s Tea Room)

Crabcake:
1 lb lump crabmeat
12 finely crushed saltine crackers
1/2 teaspoon regular mustard
2 – 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Old Bay
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Mix all together; roll into 8 – 10 balls

Topping:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 – 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Mix together until smooth texture.
Spoon a dollop of topping on each crab ball.
Sprinkle top with Old Bay.
Broil 5 – 8 minutes or until brown on top.

Butternut Bisque

(from Nancy Reppert, Sweet Remembrances Tea Room)

1 large onion, diced
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 butternut squash (2 lb.), peeled and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 c. chicken broth
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
Garnish; chives, seeds, nuts.

Saute onions in butter until softened, about 10 mins. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in tomato paste, and stir until mixture begins to caramelize and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add squash, chicken broth, 1 tsp. salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until squash is very tender, 15 – 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. Stir in cream and maple syrup, add more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives, seeds and nuts, if desired.

 Lemon Chive Pepper Muffin

(from Nancy Reppert, Sweet Remembrances Tea Room)

2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon peel, zested
1/4 c. chives, fresh chopped
3/4 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups (or 24 mini cups) with paper baking cups. In a medium bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; mix well. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, oil, and egg. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fill muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, (9 – 10 minutes for petite muffins). Yield: 12 muffins

Sweet Remembrance Chilled Strawberry Soup

(from Nancy Reppert, Sweet Remembrances Tea Room)

2 – 16 oz. bags frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
1 cup sour cream, plus additional for garnish
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sugar, or to taste
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and puree in food processor until smooth
Cover and chill.
Garnish with fresh strawberries.