READY FOR BAKING

I am feeling happy and spoiled this week

as I just got new kitchen appliances.  Last
summer we got the counters and sink replaced.

When we moved into our house three

years ago, the appliances were less

than desirable.  The stove in particular

was "on it's last leg".  Now I have my
first ever convection oven.  Everything
came in handy last week for company.
My husband's friend helped him put up the
"fake" tin accents too and we really like them.

Our home is casual - not formal.

My refrigerator was a major upgrade too
and having a nice dishwasher.
For the last 3 years I have had none but me.

So I am celebrating because I
love to bake and cook but doesn't something
that actually works properly help us much.  
I appreciate the convection oven and Bosch
dishwasher that actually gets things clean!

CRAB STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Last week I had company and made all
sorts of things so I thought I'd bring this
recipe forward from 10 years back
as it was one of the items I served:

Here is your recipe which will make
 delicious mushroom appetizers:

Purchase 36 medium white or 18 large
 portabello mushrooms. I did only 18 
medium so I froze 1/2 of my "stuffing" 
after I made it!

You will also need:

 1 12 oz package lump crab meat, 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs, 2 shallots or cut up 2 green

 onions, 1/2 of a diced green pepper, 1/2 of

 a diced red pepper, 2 eggs, pinch of black

 pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 

1/4 cup Romano, and mixed together: 1/4 cup

 lemon juice and 1/4 cup of melted butter 

which will be poured over the tops at the end.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees......in a medium
 bowl place clean diced crab meat, add peppers, onions, bread crumbs, pepper, garlic salt, eggs and Parmesan and Romano cheese. After stuffing mushroom caps by hand, pour lemon juice and butter over all. I like to finish with a cup of shredded Mozzarella and Colby cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

You've had them in restaurants....make them at home!

SATURDAY IN THE GARDEN

After days of rain and rain

 we finally

see sunshine again:

I do have some Queen Anne's Lace in my

front yard and I hope to "manage" it.

So far, our weather hasn't been as

hot as usual for June but we have had

 a lot of rain.

This morning it poured so I hope

the ground will dry out and I will

try to do a "Tea In The Garden"

photo shoot this next week.  If I

see any others I will include 

a link to them.

The fences have a lot of

bittersweet growing on them.

This fall the berries will turn

colors and be pretty for fall!

Have a lovely weekend.

SISTERS TEA HOUSE

Yesterday we took friends to Sisters Tea House 

in Fenton, Missouri.  We had never been

there and it was near a very large antique

mall so we thought it would be fun to take

our company there.
  We enjoy going to
tea rooms.

My friend and I had their Afternoon 

Tea which they called "High Tea".  It

included 4 savories and 4 sweets and 

scones and soup and quiche.  The

men ordered off the menu which was

sandwiches, soups, salads, etc.

The tea house uses a dumbwaiter as

the kitchen is in the basement:

The house is a very old historic hotel:

This old church was right next door.

This is south of St. Louis, Missouri.

THE JOYS OF JUNE

We have been enjoying a very

mild June in Missouri and rain,

as many of you know.  I do feel

badly for those who have experienced

the terrible flooding of the Mississippi

and Missouri Rivers.

This year I have actually had to "remove"

plants from my garden which is fine with

me rather than not having enough.  

I am slowly learning to get plants in

the right places with the right amount 

of sunshine or shade.  I have always
adored Queen Anne's Lace even if
it is called a weed.  Yes, this is right
in my front yard and I did have to remove
some of the huge plants but left enough
to enjoy their beauty.  They are a 2 year
project to get to the bloom point so you
have to sow the seeds for several years
to get it going.  (like other biennials)

THE THREE TIERED AFTERNOON TEA TRAY - WHAT GOES WHERE?

What tea foods go on which level of the Afternoon Tea Tray? 

(You might want to copy this post for quick reference!)

Back in 2010, I went through a big stack of my special tea books and I was surprised how few of the authors addressed this and since I have seen photos doing it so many different ways I thought it would be good to come to some conclusions.  I tend to be from the school of do what you like.....except when it comes to calling Afternoon Tea by the term "High Tea" which is incorrect.  I am not very flexible about that.

First of all, a 3 tiered tray can be used to serve 2 + people with plenty of food for each.....a very large tray (such as below) might serve 3 people.

I have recently changed my order for the levels of tea foods for about the third time. This time was after I was influenced by Linda Jennings.  She has been to England (and lots of other places) many times and has really become an expert.

So here is my newest preferred order of the 3 levels which means I have come full circle back to what I first believed to be correct:  The smaller top level holds the sweets.  It's nice to have 3 types of finger sweets.

The middle level which graduates in size should hold the scones. Plan on about 2 scones per person unless they are huge! 

Bottom level is for savories such as savory tarts or finger sandwiches .   Allow about 4 - 5 savory finger size items per person.   It is nice to have variety - I like to make 3 different types of savories.  

So basically you are eating from the bottom up!

These really big plate servers work best on a tea buffet where people are walking by.  Always use a paper doily on metal, wood or painted surfaces.  

LEFTOVERS?  I recommend giving guests paper kraft handled bags which you could decorate with stickers or art or a poem to take the leftovers home - place a couple sandwich bags inside.

DEVONSHIRE TEAPOT for "Tea In The Garden"

With temperatures in the 70's and lower

80's we know we should enjoy this lovely

weather while we can so why not

 set up a little tea time in the garden?

I have set up our little tea
 on the patio
underneath the deck.

I have been so excited to recently

find my teapot I was looking for a long

time.  The pattern is Devonshire brown 

which was one of Johnson Brothers old

1940's patterns.  The transferware  design

is reminiscent of the 1870-1880 Aesthetic

 Period of the Victorian Era.  They were
recently featured in the March/April
issue of Victoria magazine.

My garden has left spring behind now and

is "recharging" for summer.  It is very green but now we are waiting for the hydrangeas to take off.   I have found some of the Endless Summer ones that are in the shade are starting to bloom.  They really aren't

 fond of the Missouri July and  August heat that stays in the mid to upper 90's.

The hollyhocks have come up by our mailbox:

There are pink, white, peach, and fuchsia ones!

I hope you enjoyed our tea in the garden today!

 We enjoyed seeing our Grandson

 Pete Canfield graduate  from High 

School recently with a full scholarship

 to the University of Missouri.

Out in blogland I saw at least

 one other lovely Tea In The Garden:

Karen had a Peony celebration tea: