OH YES, IT'S TIME TO BAKE PUMPKIN RAISIN COOKIES

We will be driving to St. Louis for

Thanksgiving joining our daughter

in law's family.  I will be taking

some desserts so today was the

day to get that done. 

Those that have followed this blog

have seen these cookies before.....over

and over.

I got this recipe many years ago

from Bev Meller

in Colorado Springs.

You can find the recipe

here at the bottom of 

the page.

This week I made myself another tea

cozy using a piece of antique bobbin

lace I purchased many years ago. I have

been learning a little about the hundreds 

of types of antique lace by following

a site called "The Lace

Museum" on Facebook.

  

 Here is 

the back side of my cozy:

So - if you have a need for a

dessert - be sure and try these

cookies:  I got 42 medium large

cookies out of this batch.

And so I wish you all a very

Happy Thanksgiving and say

I am thankful to the Lord

for His many blessings.

COOKIES, TEA AND BOOKS

 Winter is such a perfect time to go back and

take a fresh look at some of those great

books you purchased in your past.

I have been enjoying reading many

of mine and had forgotten how

much they were capable of taking

me on a journey.

I baked us some Oatmeal Cookies

earlier today and they are big ones.

This first book above left is "The Heart of England" and is one of the older Victoria books from 1999 which is wonderful.  I started reading the first pages and was smitten with interest.  The book on the right

(Tea Time Journey's) is old too and has wonderful recipes.

I have shared this book. before.  It was

written by Kathy Thiessen and is in my

opinion, one of the loveliest books around.

This book (above) is full of recipes, seasonal

and everyday decorating ideas,

history and love of family.

I am sure you have

some books on your shelf that you have long forgotten about - we just do that it seems.

"The Heart of England" has so many

interesting chapters including this one

about the Bronte sisters. (below)

My friend, Lou Ann gave me this

recipe back in the 80's and today I

made large cookies so the recipe

made 17 cookies:

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes for small or 11 minutes for large cookies

Mix: 1 C brown sugar, 1 C white sugar,

3 C oatmeal, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 C flour

Mix: 1 C melted butter with 1 tsp vanilla

and 2 eggs

Add: 1 Cup raisins (I used mostly

dark and the rest yellow)

Mix dry and moist ingredients and

raisins,  Shape into balls and press down on

parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Don't over bake.

We got some fresh snow yesterday:

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN BAKERY

 

I attend a Bible Class for Seniors each week and frankly am glad to have this opportunity to "unload" a lot of calories.  I love to bake so this gives me a place to try things out and keep learning.

I tend to write short recipes without details because I figure if someone is going to bake

something I post - they probably already have a basic understanding of baking:

The Cranberry Bar Recipe is right here.

Click and follow the link to Taste of Home

I think Sugar Cookies are required to

deal with life:  I suggest you always 

keep an assortment of seasonal cookie

cutters on hand for EVERY season!

Age old tried and true recipe for

Sugar Cookies:

You will need 1 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 ½ cups sugar, 3 eggs, 3 ½ cups sifted flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar ½ tsp baking soda if using icing (1 tsp if not using icing) ½ tsp salt

This makes about 36-40 medium sized cookies

Use a kitchen aid to mix dry ingredients – if not a big bowl and a mixer works too.  In a separate bowl cream the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs together and ad this a little at a time to the dry mix.  Some people refrigerate their dough now – I just keep going.  Using a floured surface – roll out to about ½” and cut dough with cutters.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes (less if convection)

Decorate when cool Icing:  Mix together 2 cups confectioners sugar, 2 egg whites, food coloring if desired – can be messy!

COOKIES AREN'T JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

 When I was a teenager my Mother was a

waitress at a restaurant and worked the dinner shift. On Fridays and Saturdays 

I went to work with her and helped out.  I refilled the coffee makers and made ice cream desserts.  The restaurant was in Newport News, Virgina and was called Mr. B's. Their logo was a big bee.   Mr B had passed away

but Mrs. B (Velma Bane) still ran it and was

in her senior years.  Her daughter and son

and law helped her.  She had an Italian baker

in a side kitchen who made all the pies.  I would go back and help her by washing her

dishes.  She talked and I listened.  She

 told me "you always put everything away after you use it and exactly in the right

 place". I remember drying the measuring cups and spoons and then putting them in a special drawer.  She had her own baking

 area off the side of the main kitchen.  I have been thinking about her lately - Pearl Cardamone was her name.  Her pies were amazing.  I think she was the one who influenced my love of baking.

I am so glad that we can bake whatever

we like whenever we like.  For example,

Gingerbread Boys aren't

 just for Christmastime.

Here is my recipe which I have

 had for a very long time.

Gingerbread Boys

Use appropriate cookie cutter and I

used the small (not the tiny one though)

This recipe made 60 small cookies which could be iced although I did plain

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 egg, 1 cup molasses, 2 Tb Vinegar, 5 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 Tb ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cloves and cinnamon dots for eyes and buttons

Thoroughly cream the shortening, sugar and salt, then stir in egg, molasses and vinegar.

Add dry ingredients together and add to shortening mix.  Chill 3 hours (I need to say I did not do this but my kitchen was not hot like in the summer)

On a floured surface - roll out cookies a hand full of dough at a time.  I rolled mine about 3/8" deep.  ***Press the cinnamon dots into the dough before baking.  BAKE AT 375 degrees about 7 min regular oven - 6 min convection

If you are going to

ice the cookies - put the 

cinnamon candies

on last.

And if that isn't enough, what about some

Pecan Sandies.  I just made these using

Pioneer Woman's recipe:

I did add 1/3 cup of water to the recipe

 - not sure why I needed it but the dough

 was much more manageable.

LITTLE WOMEN RECIPE BOOK for "Tea In The Garden"

Welcome to a "Little Women

Tea In The Garden":

A darling cookbook I ordered recently came in the mail. It was published in 2019 and I was reminded why I love this type of cookbook.  I adore cookbooks that are historical and those that feature recipes to do with classic books and movies.

Have you seen any of the Little Women movies?  I have at least three.  I prefer the one with Winona Ryder in it but enjoy them all. I feel I need to actually read the book because

I can see from the cookbook that there is of course much more to enjoy about the March family than what is presented on the screen.

So The Little Women Cookbook by Wini Moranville is really sweet. Many of you will remember when Amy March said that Pickled Limes were all the rage at school and her sister Meg felt sorry for her. She gave Amy the rag money so that she could buy some to trade or give away with friends.

 

"Amy's Pickled Lime Sugar Cookies"

suggests you purchase a market sugar

cookie mix and add the icing.  I took my own sugar cookie recipe and reduced the quantity.

 So here is the recipe I made for todays "Tea in the Garden".

Sugar Cookie Base 

if you want homemade:

makes 2 Dz medium cookies

1 stick butter - 1/2 cup , 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 med eggs, 1 3/4 cup sifted flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt

I prefer to roll this out and cut it with a medium size scone cutter or round cutter

Bake 375 degrees for about 8 minutes

in a regular oven or 7 1/2 convection

Cool completely and then ice

Icing here:

1 1/2 Tb butter unsalted/soft, 1 1/2 Cup confectioners sugar, 4 1/2 tsp lime juice. 1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, little milk if need to thin, green food coloring, 8 small jellied line green candies sliced into 4 pieces each

I could not find the lime slices but found something else that worked....be flexible right?

I hope this has been fun and I would suggest it for a tea time with little girls or teens

and especially with a "Little Women" tea themed party.

Late note: Now I am in therapy twice a week

and will be doing exercises three times a day.

As you may be surprised to see this post and

me out setting it up - I am not one to sit but

I am moving slow and easy!

JUST BEFORE AN AUGUST RAIN STORM for "Tea In The Garden"

This will be one of those really quick posts

but I am glad to do one as I have missed out on blogging lately.  Today I baked some cookies for my Grand kids so I have some to share with you.  I made both Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter Cookies for them. 

Right as I was setting up the sky began

to rumble so we will move right along.  This has sure been a challenging time

 with Corona Virus. Our city of 

Columbia has mandatory masks in public places.   I have kept busy in the garden and

sewing and baking.

I am sharing one of two fun Victorian spout tea strainers that I purchased 

earlier this year.  They are sterling

 silver and very interesting.

I am already missing the spring bulbs in the garden but for now we have lots of pretty hydrangeas.  

Here is the recipe for the cookies!  

We are ready for the flooding rain with

our little dry creek which really does help.

I made a bouquet with flowers from the

garden.

So we have had plenty of hot weather lately.  Camping out has really been popular here because of covid.  I never was much of a camper - sorry to say!

I enjoyed sharing this little tea time

with you and hope you have a 

healthy "rest of your summer"!

THREE LADIES FOR TEA for "Tea In The Garden"

Welcome to my weekly tea
related blog party and welcome
to "Tea in the Garden".

Here in Missouri - the heat
is on outside around 
95 degrees
everyday now!

We are having a lovely summer
just the same but I do my
"getting out in the garden"
earlier now to beat the heat.

I have set up a little tea time
under the patio and am sharing
some lovely cookies.  The recipe 
for these Strawberry-Orange
Thumbprint Cookies came from
the July/August 2013 issue
 of Tea Time
Magazine.

I hope you'd like a cup of tea
though as now is the time before
it gets too hot.  Please help your-
self to the cookies too!

I am sharing a few new vintage
finds today - a quilt and another
lady vase (the beige one) 
which brings my total of these
 little Japanese vases to three.

I am also enjoying some lovely
bouquets as of late.  It is fun
for me to make them up for my
posts as you may know my Hubby
has allergies so they must stay 
on the porch rather than
inside the house.

Recently I was watching some 

YouTube videos about English 

Gardens and Victorian more formal
 gardens.  If you watch them you 
will find them lovely!  I really 
enjoyed the series called 
 The Victorian Flower Garden 
featuring the 
late gardener,  Harry Dodson. 

Here are some articles too:

How to Plant An English Cottage Garden

and

The Victorian Garden

After watching the video series - I know I
am not a "formal garden" girl but rather
I am drawn to the more casual English
Cottage Garden style.

Here is the recipe for the Thumbprint 
Cookies with permission from Tea Time:

Strawberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies: 
 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes baking time

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup salted butter, softened, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup firmly
packed light brown sugar, 2 large egg yolks, 1 Tsp fresh orange
zest, 1/2 tsp orange extract, 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam 

 preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment
 paper and set aside

I combine all dry ingredients in my mixing bowl and then
added the other ingredients except jam

I made small balls in the palm of my hand and put this on
the baking sheet - pressing the center and then placing 1/2 tsp or
so in the center where the thumbprint went.  Bake them
around 13 minutes depending on your oven.