Join Me For A Spring Tea Party

Let your JOY burst forth

like flowers in the Spring.

Hello, lovely friends!

It's an absolute delight to have you here.

Won't you join my dear mother, son, and me

as we have a cup of spring tea?

Come, let us have some tea

and continue to talk about happy things.

The table has been set with an array of sweet treats. . .

and a bounty of beautiful spring flowers.

'Tis the little things we do

For others through the day,

With a kindly thought in view

That brighten all the way.

'Tis the little things we give,

Unspotted as the dove,

To others while we live

That make the bonds of love.

The little things that flow

With kindness through the year,

The little smiles aglow-

Bring happiness and cheer.

- H. M. Hopewell -

Let me pour you a cup of hot tea.

This tea brews up strong with a distinctive taste and aroma.

Full bodied and pleasantly blended with clove and orange.

Oh, it's delicious and my new favorite tea.

A dear friend from Kansas sent it to me.

And do you take milk and sugar in your tea?

Please, help yourself. . .

On the menu you will find:

Cucumber Sandwiches

{my favorite}

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 large cucumber

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

sliced white sandwich bread

sprigs of dill for garnish

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise 

until completely incorporated. 

Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chopped dill.

Spread on sliced sandwich bread and layer sliced cucumber on top.

Close sandwiches with remaining bread slices. 

Cut crusts from bread, forming square sandwiches. 

Then cut into rectangles or triangles.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I simply used Ghirardelli melting chocolate

and garnished a few strawberries with shredded coconut.

Dainty Tea Cakes

I got this idea from the lovely blog Pink Piccadilly Pastries.

Oh, what a glorious place to visit!

I could spend hours looking at her tasty creations.

The cake is a Sarah Lee pound cake

and the frosting is homemade buttercream.

Buttercream recipe:

3 cups Confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup {1 stick} butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large mixing bowl,

cream butter and Confectioners' sugar together.

Add vanilla.

Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Mix until nice and creamy.

Fresh Orange Scones

1/3 cup sugar

zest of one large orange

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen

1/2 cup sour cream

1 large egg

Orange Glaze

3 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2-4 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set oven rack to the middle position. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, 

gently toss flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Set aside. 

In a separate small bowl, 

whisk sour cream and egg until completely smooth. 

Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir sugar and orange zest together 

until sugar is moistened and zest is evenly distributed. 

Pour in flour mixture and toss to combine. 

Grate frozen butter into mixture. 

Using your hands, work in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. 

Gently stir in sour cream mixture until just about combined. 

Do not over work the dough! 

Again, very gently press the dough against the sides of the bowl 

a few times and form a ball. 

The dough will be sticky at first, but will come together as you form it.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface 

and lightly pat into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. 

Use a very sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles {like a pizza}. 

Transfer triangles onto prepared baking sheet

leaving about 1-inch between each one.

Bake scones for 15-17 minutes or until the tops begin to golden. 

Don't take them out too early or they will be too soft. 

Allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the pan 

before transferring onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. 

During this time, prepare glaze. 

Stir together melted butter, confectioner's sugar, 

vanilla and orange juice until smooth. 

Once completely cooled, 

go ahead and either dip the tops of the scones into the glaze 

or drizzle it on top with a spoon.

The original recipe can be found here.

Lemon Cream Butter Balls

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons lemon extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

Lemon Icing

1/4 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups Confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a mixing bowl,

cream butter and Confectioners' sugar.

Beat in extract.

Combine flour and cornstarch;

slowly beat into creamed mixture.

Gently roll the dough together with your hands

to make 1 or 2-inch balls

{the dough will be slightly dry and crumbly}.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 - 15 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

For the icing, in a small mixing bowl,

cream butter and Confectioners' sugar.

Beat in lemon juice and peel.

Spread the icing on top of the butter ball.

Sprinkle with Confectioners' sugar and enjoy.

Finally my winter fat is gone.

Now I have spring rolls.

-Unknown -

SPRING heralds the return

of the sun's warmth,

the renewal of life,

and the reappearance of green 

and color everywhere.

- Unknown -

Came the Spring 

with all its splendor.

All its birds

and all its blossoms.

All its flowers

and leaves and grasses.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow -

Springtime is the land awakening.

The March winds are the morning yawn.

- Lewis Grizzard -

Sweet friends and followers,

I want to thank you for visiting

and for joining my Spring tea party.

I hope you enjoyed yourselves.

Just a reminder. . .

the 12th Tea Cup and Mug Exchange will begin

next Wednesday, April 4th.

If you would like more information on the event

please visit this PAGE.

Love and hugs to you!