(O: Mary's Tea Room Favorite Recipes and other Tea Tidbits!! :O)

I've taken the liberty of compiling all of the recipes and other interesting 'Tea Tidbits' that can be found in Mary's Tea Room. The tea guests have offered a wealth of fantastic recipes, some great information on selecting teas, serving them and tips on "Proper tea etiquette" :O) They have also shared some beautiful thoughts through song, prayer and poetry!

Who would have ever thought when Mary first dreamt up the idea of a "Cyber Tea Party" that it would become a place where her guests would continue to visit regularly. Her "Tea Room" has become a treasured haven for ALL the guests! It is a place where you will find peace, comfort and camaraderie in abundance! We've come to know each other quite well and Newbies are always welcome to join us at the table and enjoy a soothing and relaxing 'cuppa'! We always have plenty of tea and goodies abound in "Mary's Tea Room"! :O)

My hope is that you will find some enticing little morsel amongst all these pages that will satisfy your palette and your frame of mind!

It's likely gonna take me a few days to get all the info. I've gathered posted! There's a LOT of great 'stuff' to share! :O)

(o:Kay:o)

Special thanks to Mary and ALL the 'Tea Angels' for all they've shared!

Contributors to date : 3/29/07

Atchan (Judi)
BJ_MS (Jean)
casslepier (Kim)
CHEFCAROL (Carole)
ckathynot_ca (Kathy)
cooknchic (Amy)
cookygram
emr (Elza)
Flicker13 (Bethany)
Germanlady
HDMac_in_WA (Marcia)
jinnielou01
Katts_OH (Bonnie)
KC10 (Kay)
LisaFaye (Lisa)
marymitten (Mary)
Mimosa2 (Anne)
MissK_MI (Karen)
mixedberry23 (Tina)
Omatje_calif (Susan & Marcella)
pinky120 (Sandy C. - deceased)
savorlife_MN (Pat)
sdmoore (Shirley)
shiftlessIN (Paula)
socaldeb (Debra)
susiecreamcheese_MI (Susie)
zakons

Please feel free to add whatever interesting treats and info. you care to share!!

(After I've posted all the recipes and 'tidbits' I will post an index listing everything shared in this post by page in the event you might want to print it out to know where to find a particular item! I will also add new information as it pops into the Tea Room!)

MARY'S INVITATION TO TEA

Posted by: marymitten - Posted on: 3/10/2007

So without further ado lets
Hot the Pot
and drink the lot.
Share a smile
and laugh a lot!
Welcome to Tea.

Your grateful hostess and friend,
Mary

THE STORY OF THE TEA CUP

Posted by: socaldeb - Posted on: 10/27/2006

Debra says, "Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do. And What Beautiful Works (Tea Cups) We All Are!!!! Love and Hugs! Here is the Story...."

The Story Of The Tea Cup

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in a beautiful antique store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially tea cups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."

As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the tea cup spoke, "You don't understand" It said, "I have not always been a tea cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me, pounded and patted me over and over, and I yelled out, "Don't do that. I don't like it!" "Let me alone," but he only smiled, and gently said, "Not yet!"

Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. "Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!" I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly. "Not yet." He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then...

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. "Help! Get me out of here!" I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, " Not yet."

When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! " Ah, this is much better," I thought.

But, after I cooled, he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. "Oh, please, Stop it, Stop it!!" I cried. He only shook his head and said. "Not yet!"

contd..............

Then suddenly he put me back in the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out again placed me on the shelf where I cooled and waited....and waited, wondering what's he going to do to me next?

An hour later he handed me a mirror and said "Look at yourself." remember And I did.
I said, "That's not me; That couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!"
Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember." Then," he said " I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up.
" I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled."
"I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked."
"I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you would have never hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in the second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you."

contd...........

The Moral of this story is this:

God knows what He's doing in each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us , and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will.

So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this.....Brew a cup of your Favorite Tea in Your Prettiest Tea Cup, sit down and think of this story and then, have a talk with the Potter.

TURNING THE TABLE

Posted by: marymitten - Posted on: 9/27/2006 1

Mary says, "Have you ever heard the term "Turning the Table?"

What this refers to in the tea world is that with the first couse the Hostess will speak to the guest on her right...as all the guests do the same. The second course the hostess will excuse herself from the guest on her right and begin a conversation with the guest on her left and all the guests follow that cue....third course...back to the right and so on. As I was reading this practice [ which is common in formal settings, such as dinners of state] the thought that occurred to me was...how funny that would look if you were perched on the chandelier! And then it occurred to me that we are indeed lucky in this tea party to not know who is on our right or on our left! I hope all our ladies and gentlemen of state get to have a cyber tea party so they can really enjoy their conversations. I enjoy our everyday conversations and look forward to hearing the news of the day..or just what you have come across in your travels. I hope you find the same in me.

Mary in tea!

Recipe categories are:

Bars/Cookies
Beverages
Breads/Coffee Cakes/Muffins/Scones
Breakfast Fare
Entrées
Misc.
Sides
Sweet Treats

ALMOND BARS

Posted by: Germanlady - Posted on: 2/15/2007

Germanlady says, "The above recipe is what I made for my DH yesterday. It is indeed one of his very most favorites. He has many!
I posted it back in June of 2003...my, that seems so long ago. Anyway, I think it was first posted on "Jaxon's" Almond Society thread. We sure had a lot of fun with that one. Loads of GREAT recipes are there and ALL almond related. Now I don't care to eat almonds but I really like almond paste and almond bars, almond flavoring and the like. But I don't like to eat the nut. Okay, try this one if you haven't. It is so simple to put together."


ALMOND BARS

(submitted by Sandy Kerrison - Quick Cooking 2003 annual.)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter (no substitutes), melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 t. almond extract
Confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon colored. Add the butter, flour and extract; mix well. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: 2 dozen

----------------------------------

Germanlady suggests: The only changes I've made from time to time - used jumbo eggs and not the regular size and used 2 tsp. of the almond extract. Yum! The recipe originally calls for 4 eggs but it doesn't specify what size and so I figure they mean large. Well, we buy the brown eggs and their large doesn't come close to the jumbo size I've been used to using with the white eggs. So next time, when using the brown eggs, I will add an extra one and see how that works.

ALMOND TRIANGLES

Posted by: KC10 - Posted on: 10/7/2006
Originally Posted by: salsarose - Posted on: 12/18/2005

Kay says, "I'm not sure if these should be called cookies or bars!! These are the ones I made and sent to Judi out in CA in her tea pkg. They are wonderful with tea!! Must be the shortbread-type crust!!"

ALMOND TRIANGLES

1 lb. room temp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. almond extract
2 3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. honey
1 lb. sliced almonds (about 5 1/4 c.)

Line 15x10 jelly roll pan with foil. Beat 1/2 pound butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and almond extract. Beat in egg and then flour. Press dough into pan and push up sides. Refrigerate. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prick dough with fork and bake 10 minutes. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, 1/2 pound butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to boil without stirring and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and almonds. Spread over crust. Bake until bubbling, 15 minutes. Cool and cut into triangles.

ANISE BISCOTTI

Posted by: KC10
Posted on: 11/14/2006

Kay says, "Since we've been having a bit of discussion about biscotti, I thought I'd share my favorite biscotti recipe. This one is a bit different than most in that it is rather sticky and can be a bit difficult to shape the loaves!! But boy is it worth the effort!! Using wax paper helps!! Our family has some good Bohemian blood running through our veins. I've always been told that "bohunks" really like anise flavor. I don't know if that's really true, but our family DOES love anise........"

ANISE BISCOTTI

3 c. flour
2 tsp. ground anise (a generous 3/4 tsp. anise extract may be substituted. Add with other extracts. Personally? I use anise SEED and the extract!)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 large lemons (finely grated zest)
1/2 tsp. anise extract (generous 3/4 tsp. if you aren't using ground anise or anise seed)
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease large baking sheet. Sift together dry ingredients (4). In large mixing bowl, combine butter & sugar. Beat well. Add eggs, lemon zest, extracts. Beat until light & fluffy. Gradually beat or stir in dry ingredients. Dough is batter like in consistency. Divide in half. Shape each into log about 11" X 2". (Shaping is easiest if rolled in waxed paper before placing on cookie sheet. Yes, unlike other biscotti, this one is a bit sticky. If you use the wax paper, you can wrap it in the paper & transfer it to the pan and just unroll the wax paper right onto the cookie sheet.)
Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool completely. Cut each log into 1/4" - 1/2" slices. Lay slices flat on baking sheet. Toast each side in oven 4-6 minutes. Cool.

ANNE'S BISCOTTI

Posted by: Mimosa2 - Posted on: 11/12/2006
RePosted by: CHEFCAROL - Posted on: 2/11/2007; 2/23/2007

Carole says, "This is a really good recipe to play with. I have added different things to it and used different flavoring to get the tasted I crave. Enjoy!"
(Carole's changes follow......)

ANNE'S BISCOTTI
(Means Twice Baked)

1 Cup butter (no substitute)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs

Flavoring Choices:
1 tsp. pure vanilla & 1 tsp. anise extract or 1/2 tsp. anise oil (preferred over the extract, very strong anise flavor).
Or - 1 tsp. Fiore di Sicilia & 1 tsp. pure vanilla.

3 Cups Flour (I usually have to add more flour)
1 Tb. baking powder
1/2 Tsp. salt

Optional: 1 Cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts. Note: chopped or sliced almonds or hazelnuts can be used, but they are difficult to cut through to make neat slices.

Cream butter, sugar until very creamy, smooth and light. Beat in eggs one at a time, stir in your choice of flavoring. Continue beating until well blended. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (except nuts) and add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if using. Dough is heavy and moist. Pick up some of the dough with your fingers to see if you think it would mold into a loaf. I usually have to add more flour at this point until it looks somewhat 'grainy', then I know it will hold up into a loaf shape. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

contd...............

Spray or butter a large cooky sheet. Divide dough in half and form into 2 loaves about 12"X 3". Sprinkle sugar over tops and rub in lightly with fingers to spread evenly. Leave space between loaves as they will spread while baking. Bake @325 degrees for about a half hour or until light golden and firm (use middle oven rack). Sometimes tops will crack slightly, which is OK, but don't over-bake. Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes before slicing. Don't allow to cool completely before slicing or slices will shatter. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice on the DIAGONAL, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Place cut side down back on cooky sheet and return to oven to toast about 15/20 minutes. You decide how toasted you might want them - can leave in oven for longer than 15 minutes. I usually increase heat to 350 for toasting so it doesn't take so long to toast them until golden or a bit darker. Cool. Store airtight.
Keeps well for few weeks. Can be frozen.

Carole's Tweaking - This is what I change to make the Cranberry Almond Biscotti.
I used 1 teaspoon each of vanilla and almond extract. then I added about 1/2 cup of chopped dried cranberries. and about 1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds.

BROWN RIM COOKIES

Posted by: ckathynot_ca - Posted on: 10/28/2006

Kathy says, " Enjoy!"

BROWN RIM COOKIES

1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted

Combine shortening, salt, vanilla. Add sugar, then add eggs and beat well. Add flour and mix well. Drop from tip of teaspoon on greased baking sheet. Let stand a few minutes, then flatten cookie with a glass covered with a damp cloth. Bake 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Frost with maple frosting: BUTTER/POWDERED SUGAR/MAPLE FLAVORING/MILK

BROWNIES

Posted by: Katts9_Pa_53F - Posted on: 2/13/2007

Bonnie says, "This is not from scratch but, it is so easy and good I think. Can be tweaked, with the use of nuts and chocolate. DH and the GK's love them so do I very easy and moist."

BROWNIES

1 box chocolate cake mix ( not with pudding, cheap is good)
1 small box instant Chocolate pudding
2 cup milk
nuts and or chocolate chips

Mix pudding with milk about two minutes. Add cake mix and nuts and chips mix will be lumpy and stiff. Pour in 9x13 sprayed with pam . Bake at 350* for about 30 to 35 minutes.