A Soup Luncheon

I've been cooking lately. No, really, I have.
I know. I've been a horrible blogger here. I know you want more pictures of the food that I make. And more formulas for my culinary experiments. I have been cooking a lot lately and haven't gotten anything written down.
I will try to get something interesting written down and posted, so that any of the people who read this blog and are getting bored will have something to look at/read. :)
This week my sisters, my cronies and I had a little luncheon.
I'm already plotting the next one, I need an excuse to make little party favors and new recipes.

On the menu for this weeks party:

*Roast Beef stew (I braised the beef before putting it in the slow cooker for 24 hours, and deglazed the pan when I was making the stock, this is a just a little more effort than I usually go to. Many times I'll just toss the beef in without doing anything to it. The resulting stew was worth every extra little detail, I will definately make it again. It also had portabella mushrooms and yellow onions, and some carmelized tomato paste: very, very good stuff)

*Split Pea and Ham Soup (this soup had almost miraculous self-thickening agents, talk of starch. I kept adding more liquid everytime I reheated the stuff and it never got any thinner. This soup was a lovely combination of 2 lb split peas, cooked according to package+2 c. diced ham+salt+black pepper+a little bit of cayenne pepper {it makes a difference, the soup isn't spicy, but it just add a little something more to the flavor}+a lot of dried marjoram {approx 1 T., I know that seems like a lot, but it's not overpowering in the least, it just brightens the flavor of the soup} and some chicken stock. I had the last of it for a midnight snack last night {why I was hungry then I don't really know, I'm not usually hungry. Period. I am the queen of whole grains and veggies and fruit, which makes for my feeling quite full after a meal})

*Roasted Garlic Bread (I made some fresh whole wheat bread {someone prod me and get me to click out and post my new and vastly improved all-whole-wheat bread recipe, which is so good} and tweaked the recipe just a little. I added some white vinegar to the mix, which is what my grandma adds to her rolls. It created a nice echo of sourdough in the final loaf. If I want a really deep, yeasty, tangy flavor, I'll have give it more time to do it's thing in the bowl. I then roasted some garlic with a little olive oil and salt. I then blended it up with a little more olive oil and spread it over the bread and toasted it in the oven. The resulting bread was a milder alter ego of garlicy garlic bread. It was very good, but next time I think that I was just a little more kick from the garlic)

*Orange Punch (one part frozen 100% orange juice concentrate to 3 parts club soda)

I served up some lovely strawberry ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in old-fashioned waffle cones for dessert. I'm kicking myself in because I forgot to take pictures of the dessert etc. Oh well. :)
The place setting.

Favor No. 1.

I will be posting the FREE TEMPLATE HERE: http://thegildedbee.blogspot.com/

Cardstock: Martha Stewart crafts/scrapbooking cardstock

striped bakers twine: http://www.caramelos.etsy.com/ in chocolate and white.

A color I passionately adore.

Tiffany blue.

This is even brighter than the pic shows.

This is one of my favorite ribbons of all time, it's a wide satin that I got in a close-out sale. I bought all the ribbon they had left in this shade and I'm rather hoarding it. I should find another source for this gorgeous stuff.

The top.

I don't really know what these are. They're little sticks of wood that I decided to use as tags.

I *adore* these little tubs of cotton candy. They have cute labels.

I try to keep a weather eye out for pretty or unusual candies+sweets.

All the little tubs in a row.

The lush stripey ribbon is also from http://www.caramelos.etsy.com/

Be sure to stop by Monica's shop, it's my idea of a little bit of crafty paradise.

Little chocolate candies.

I wish that you had smell-o-vision right here for this pic, or perhaps scratch and sniff.

When I opened up the package of candy all of the heady essence of chocolate, caramel and peanut butter was so good.

The FREE TEMPLATE for this box will be posted next week on http://thegildedbee.blogspot.com/ . I know you can't wait. :D

The final favor that I made for this party. I filled them with the little foil wrapped chocolates.

More from Sarah's Birthday Party

O.K. I finally posted these pics from December!
Yipes, this is overdue. I should post more often.
(Above: the partiers, I appear to be swirling my grape juice in an intellectual manner)
The birthday girl+cake. Shaina did Sarah's hair up in a fancy woven style.

Balloons from heaven.

Bubbly. Cheers.

Lovely+sparkling+sweet.

A fruit salad that I made: Lots of apples and white grapes+some raspberries which turned the salad pink.

Buttery candy cane cookies.

Shaina+balloon.

Shaina+Rachel.

Blow.

We had a lovely feast.

I *love* kringle. I want some now.

Happy Birthday to us! Tea Party

I decided to throw a birthday tea party for myself, my sister, and My cronies the Frenchs (hi Alex! :)).

I love an excuse to air the fancy china. My Mum bought some books on fancy table setting and napkin folding, I need to delve into them for ideas. I should also make or purchase some nice linen napkins, to make it extra special.

Carrots, cucumbers and red grapes. To balance the party nutrition. :)

Cordial Cherries: I need to have a perfume made from these.

Some miniature French Vanilla cupcakes with milk chocolate frosting. We found some lovely little paper liners during our adventures in the grocery store.

Some miniature chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting.

Slices of Swiss cake rolls.

Marble cake with black raspberry icing.

Along with all of these sweet-tooth charmers, I served some salads and chips, and little sandwiches, and of course some fine tea. I have just posted the recipes.

Tuna and Green Onion Salad

Tuna and Green Onion Salad

Combine in bowl:
6 oz. can Albacore tuna, drained
1 t. lemon juice
2/3 c. chopped green onion
salt+pepper

I served this with some scoops corn chips.

Miniature BLT Sandwiches on onion bread

To Assemble these sandwiches:
Cut one slice of onion bread into triangles,
On one side spread a thin coating of tomato paste,
then add a little slice of crisped turkey bacon,
and finally some romaine lettuce.


Onion/Garlic Bread

Step 1:
Combine in bowl:
1 1/3 c. warm water
1 ½ T. dry yeast
1 T. Honey
Cover with plastic wrap, let proof for 10 min. in a warm spot.

Step 2:
Combine in large mixing bowl:
4 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 t. garlic powder
2 t. dried minced garlic

Step 3:
Combine proofed yeast mixture into the flour mixture,
Add:
1 2/3 c. water
½ yellow onion, minced
Cover, let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 4:Transfer dough (it looks more like batter at this point), evenly into 2 oiled 4 by 5 by 9 inch loaf pans (a really fool proof way to get the loaves out of the pan neatly is to line them with parchment paper)

Step 5:Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool before removing from pans

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Combine in bowl:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ c. fresh corn kernels
½ c. chopped green onion
2 t. lemon juice
salt+pepper
I served this with some scoops corn chips.

Cucumber Dilly Bread Sandwiches

These are about as straightforward as a sandwich can get: layer thin cucumber slices onto some 1/2 slices of the dilly bread:

Dilly Bread
Step 1:
Combine in bowl:
1 1/3 c. warm water
1 ½ T. dry yeast
1 T. Honey
Cover with plastic wrap,
let proof for 10 min. in a warm spot.

Step 2:
Combine in large mixing bowl:
4 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 ½ T. Dill weed
1 ½ T. Dill seeds

Step 3:
Combine proofed yeast mixture into the flour mixture,
Add:
1 2/3 c. water
1 c. ricotta cheese
Cover, let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 4:
Transfer dough (it looks more like batter at this point), evenly into 2 oiled 4 by 5 by 9 inch loaf pans (a really fool proof way to get the loaves out of the pan neatly is to line them with parchment paper)

Step 5:
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool before removing from pans