I hosted a Valentine-themed tea in my home and thought I'd share some of the things I did to fit the theme. My desire was to have each item be either red or include a heart-shaped food item. The recipes can be found at the end of this post.
The tablecloth was red with hearts of different sizes woven into it. I used heart-shaped dishes and doilies as well as lacy dishes, which made me think of Valentines I had made as a child. The teapots with poppies on them held the signature tea, which was made using Earl Grey tea, then adding cranberry, apple and lemon juices. In the cup it was a very pretty red liquid. The white teapot held hot water, to be used with an assortment of teabags that were avalable.
The sugar bowl held sugar cubes that I embellished with Royal Icing hearts I had purchased at the local cake decorating store. I made a "glue" using powdered sugar and water, applied it to each sugar cube and placed the heart on top. When the sugar cube melts in the tea, the heart floats to the top!
For the salad, I purchased an Romaine American Blend in a bag, but added cute little red bell pepper hearts to dress it up. This is easy to do if a bell pepper which is more flat on the sides is used. Also, cutting through the skin side first makes this much easier. I served a raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing on the side, as it was a red dressing!
It wouldn't be a tea without scones! (Picture from a different tea) I made the scones with dried cranberries using the recipe found in my friend, Nan Taylor's book, "The Graceful Art of Tea" (visit www.teagraces.com to purchase your own copy). The recipe calls for heavy whipping cream or buttermilk; I always use Trader Joe's Heavy Cream.
With the scones I served Smucker's Raspberry Jam, homemade strawberry curd, and Devonshire cream (see later post for Devonshire cream recipe).
I found this recipe on Pinterest for an Egg Sandwich with Beet Garnish. It originated at rosemaryandthegoat.com. After boiling the eggs, I soaked them in the beet juice for a couple of hours to get the deep pink ring. Cutting the beets with a small heart cookie cutter was easier than the bell pepper. These need to be assembled at the last minute so the bread doesn't dry out and so the color from the beets doesn't bleed into the egg. The most flavor came from the fresh basil that was mixed with mayonnaise and spread on the bread.
I had found some heart-shaped crackers, but needed to find something red to put on them. Just in time for my tea, my Feb./Mar. 2012 Simple & Delicious magazine arrived with a recipe for a Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Spread. I chose to taste it before adding the red pepper flakes, as I wasn't sure the heat would be a welcome addition to a tea food. After the taste test, I decided to omit the red pepper flakes and to double the amount of sun-dried tomatoes. It was very tasty and my guests deemed the second favorite dish I served.
This recipe was also discovered on Pinterest. These Queen of Tomato Hearts originated on winosandfoodies.com. These were easy to prepare using store-bought puff pastry, a little Dijon mustard and tomatoes. Two sizes of cookie cutters were used to get the desired effect. These were well received, but most ladies said they would like to try them with a different filling the next time.
This next item was the favorite of the group. The recipe for these Chicken, Pear & Gorgonzola Tarts came from my Dec./Jan. '09 Taste of Home magazine. It uses store-bought mini phyllo tart shells. The only ingredient I couldn't find was dried pears, but the final product was great without them! The red came from the bacon sprinkled on top.
These bright red Raspberry Balls were a colorful addition to the dessert selection. My mother has made these coconut balls (almost exact recipe) for years using strawberry, lime, and/or orange Jello depending on the season. I found this recipe on Pinterest (it originated at homesteadinghousewife.blogspot.com) and decided to make the raspberry version because I had already planned another strawberry dessert. I omitted the almond extract, as I felt it was not needed and it was not part of my mom's recipe. I was pleased with the flavor and the color as they are more of a vivid red than when strawberry Jello is used.
One of the ladies in my tea group told me once that there should always be a chocolate selection offered at a tea. I don't think this is an "official rule," but one she made up as a chocoholic! I always have something chocolate to offer, and this time it was Oreo Truffles. I got this recipe from my baking buddy Lori Duncan. The trick with these is to put the balls in the freezer for at least 1/2 hr. before dipping in the chocolate. It makes them easier to handle and the chocolate sets much more quickly.
My final selection was a Lemon Cheesecake Tart with a fresh strawberry heart on top. I found this recipe several years ago in the Sunday paper on an ad for Dickinson Lemon Curd. Depending on the event, I've made these using raspberries, slices of Kiwi, pineapple, and a small dollop of mint jelly. This time I omitted the mint flavored apple jelly as I didn't want to add any green to them. No matter what fresh fruit I use, these are always well received. This recipe also uses the mini phyllo tart shells.
The event was a smashing success! The table was beautiful, the food was good, and the company was excellent!
I swethered (an Irish term for going back and forth in my mind) about how to type up the recipes. Should I present them to you in their original form, or exactly how I made them because they were successful that way. I finally decided on the latter, so if you want to know how the original recipes were written, please visit the websites listed above. Below are the recipes just as I made them, which I guess makes them mine! Enjoy!
Valentine Tea
5 Earl Grey tea bags 3 cups cranberry juice
5 cups boiling water 1/2 cup sugar
4 cups unsweetened apple juice 1/3 cup lemon juice
Place the tea bags in a large heat-proof bowl; add boiling water. Cover and steep for 8 minutes. Discard ea bags. Add the remaining ingredients to tea; stir until sugar is disolved. Serve warm.
Yield: 3 quarts
Scones
2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl. With a pastry cutter, work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Work in the eggs and cream, until mixture is tender and moist. Drop the dough by generous 1/4 cup portions onto a greased cookie sheet (can be turned onto lightly floured surface and knead into a circle about 3/4" thick; then cut into wedges). Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until scones are golden in color. Scones may be made a day before and stored in an airtight container, but are at their best served fresh and warm. Yield: 12 scones
Egg Sandwich with Beet Garnish
1 can sliced beets Mayonnaise
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled Fresh basil, chopped fine
White bread cut into 2" circles
Drain juice from beets; put in a small bowl. Place cooked, peeled eggs in beet juice for at least 2 hours to infuse the edge with color. (If you want the whites to turnpink all the through, let them stand about 7 - 8 hours.) Cut the bread using a 2" circle cutter. Mix mayonnaise with fresh cut basil and top the bread circles with this mixture. Slice the eggs carefully so you dont lose any of the yolk. Top the bread slice with a slice of egg and then using a very small heart cutter, cut a slice of beet to go on top. You don't want to put the beet heart on too soon or it will start to dye the yolk.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Spread
4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
1/4 cup sour cream 1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 1/8 tsp. pepper
patted dry and chopped finely
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Place all ingredients in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Chill until serving. Spread on crackers or toasted bread of your choice.
Tomato Tarts
1 box frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Dijon mustard
Tomatoes, cut into thick slices, then into hearts using the smaller cutter
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. You will need 2 heart-shaped cutters in 2 sizes for this recipe. For each tart, cut out two of the larger hearts. Using the smaller cutter, cut a heart from the center of one of these larger hearts. You should have the same amount of solid hearts as you have cut-out hearts. Using your finger, brush a little water around the edge of each solid heart; place the cut-out heart on top. With a fork, prick the exposed dough from the bottom solid heart (in the well created by adding the cut-out heart). Spread a little Dijon mustard on this inner well area. Using the smaller of the 2 heart cutters, cut the tomato hearts; place one tomato heart in the well of each tart. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until puffed and a beautiful golden brown. I also baked the small cut-out hearts to be used at a later time as a garnish on soup!
Chicken, Pear & Gorgonzola Tarts
8 bacon strips 2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. pepper
2 (5 oz.) cans white & dark chicken in water 2 pkg. (1.9 oz each) frozen mini phyllo tart shells
1/3 cup pear nectar 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3 Tbsp. apricot preserves
Place bacon in a baking pan; broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until crisp. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over bacon. Broil 1 minute longer or until bacon is glazed and bubbly. Drain on paper towels. Cool and crumble.
In a small skillet, combine the chicken, pear nectar, preserves, butter, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickened. Place tarts on a baking sheet; spoon about 1 teaspoonful of filling into each tart shell. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 - 7 minutes or until heated through, serve warm. Yield: 30 tarts
In a small skillet, combine the chicken, pear nectar, preserves, butter, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickened. Place tarts on a baking sheet; spoon about 1 teaspoonful of filling into each tart shell. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 - 7 minutes or until heated through, serve warm. Yield: 30 tarts
Raspberry Coconut Balls
1 large bag flaked coconut
1 small and 1 large box raspberry Jello
1 can sweetened condensed milk
In a large bowl, toss the coconut with the large box of Jello powder. Add the can of sweetened condense milk, mixing thoroughly. Pour the small box of Jello powder into a small, shallow bowl. Roll the coconut mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll in the Jello powder to coat the outside. Place on a cookie sheet for approximately 1 hr. until they stiffen a little. Store in an airtight container.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
In a large bowl, toss the coconut with the large box of Jello powder. Add the can of sweetened condense milk, mixing thoroughly. Pour the small box of Jello powder into a small, shallow bowl. Roll the coconut mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll in the Jello powder to coat the outside. Place on a cookie sheet for approximately 1 hr. until they stiffen a little. Store in an airtight container.
Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. Oreo sandwich cookies
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. milk chocolate chips
In a food processor, crush 7 of the Oreos until fine crumbs; set aside in a small bowl. Add the remaining cookies to the food processor and crush until fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and process until completely mixed. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for at least 30 min. Melt the chocolates in a double boiler. Dip each Oreo ball into chocolate, coating completely and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a small amount of reserved crushed Oreo crumbs. Hint: Because the balls were in the freezer, the chocolate will harden quickly, so you'll want to sprinkle with the crumbs after every two balls are coated in chocolate.
Lemon Cheesecake Tarts
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup lemon curd
1 cup whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip)
2 pkg. (1.9 oz.) miniature phyllo cups
Fresh strawberries, hulled, cut in half and notched at the top to resemble hearts
In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese until smooth; add the curd and mix until combined. Fold in the whipped topping. Place in a piping bag fitted with a star tip; pipe mixture into each phyllo cup, filling to the top. Place a fresh strawberry heart on top of each tart. Refrigerate until serving. Hint: I've used 1/4 of a kiwi slice and a raspberry with a little mint jelly at Christmas time and used the kiwi, mint jelly and pineapple for Green Bay Packer colors for a Super Bowl party. No matter the fruit I use, these are always a huge hit!
Yield: 30 tarts
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