Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Party Pinwheels

Another recipe for the would-be hostess who doesn't cook or bake. So simple but these are such a festive and tasty dish.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 package (.4 ounces) ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 cup minced sweet red pepper
1/2 cup minced celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
3 to 4 flour tortillas (10 inches)

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and dressing mix until smooth. Add red pepper, celery, onions and olives; mix well. Spread about 3/4 cup on each tortilla. Roll up tightly; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into 1/2-in. slices. Yield: 15-20 servings.

Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Thai Crab Cakes

There are five common varieties of crab that we use in the US. Blue crab is our local variety here on the East coast and it really is blue before it is cooked. Dungeness crab is found in the waters of the Pacific, from Alaska to Mexico. King crab is known for their foot-long legs. Rock crab live among the rocks deep in the ocean. And finally Stone crab is found in the waters surrounding Florida. They have large, lobster-like claws full of meaty goodness.

¼ cup flaked coconut
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
¼ cup bottled red peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint or basil
2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
2 teaspoons lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound crabmeat, picked over
2 tablespoons cooking oil

Chop coconut in a food processor until it is fine; set aside. In bowl, combine egg, ½ cup of the bread crumbs, mayo, ¼ cup green onions, peppers, chili sauce, cilantro, mint, lime peel, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add crabmeat and mix gently. Shape crab into ¾-inch balls.

In a pie pan, combine coconut and remaining ¼ cup bread crumbs. Dip crab cakes into this mixture. Place crab cakes on waxed paper and chill for 1 to 24 hours.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add crab cakes, spacing 1-inch apart, as space in the pan allows. Cook about 6 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Turn only once. Keep warm in a 300º oven while cooking the remaining crab cakes. Serve warm. Makes about 24 crab cake balls.

Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Orange-Poppyseed Scones

While I love lemon, orange seems more like Christmas to me. Each year at Sunday School, every kid received a Christmas gift of a little box of candy and an orange. I always buy extra special oranges at Christmas and put one in the toe of my husband's stocking.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly flour heavy large baking sheet. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour, sugar, poppy seeds, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in 2 teaspoons grated orange peel. Whisk egg and 2 tablespoons orange juice in medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently until smooth. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into 3/4-inch-thick round. Cut each round into 6 wedges.
Arrange wedges on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 scones.

Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Cherry Pistachio Scones

Don’t use the pistachio nuts in the red shell because they’ll bleed into the dough. Use the tan shell nuts.

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter
¾ cup dried cherries
½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
½ cup milk
1 egg, separated
4 teaspoons coarse white sugar

Heat oven to 375º. Line baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, mix flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder and cinnamon. With pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cherries and pistachios.

In small bowl, blend milk and egg yolk. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

On floured surface, gently knead dough several times. Divide dough in half; place on cookie sheet. Pat each half into 6-inch round. Cut each round into 6 wedges; do not separate. In small bowl, beat egg white, Brush tops of each round with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake 17-22 minutes or until golden brown.

My World Wednesday: Dog Days

Last fall, when my husband was on vacation, his mother suffered a ruptured appendix and was in the hospital the entire time he was off. I had a root canal that went bad a day after the procedure, leaving me in agony. To say it wasn't a good vacation is putting it mildly.

My husband is on vacation again this week. So far no human illnesses but we have two pups in treatment. Mr. Seamus has had a terrible tummy ache. I won't go into details but we've almost depleted the household paper towel supply. He's getting more rest than usual as you can see from the photo below.


Now for Miss Maggie, she caught her toenail in the metal strip that goes across the bathroom threshold. I should have known something was wrong because she was hiding underneath the bed and Seamus was under there too trying to see what was going on. What a mess!

My husband is quite the emergency medical person. He had Maggie inspected and bandaged in a few minutes. After lots of cuddles in a warm bed with Mom, she, uh, we, stopped shaking and fell asleep. Doesn't she look like the saddest little girl in the picture?

I'm thinking, maybe my husband should just work year round. :)

Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Blueberry Orange Bread

This recipe is so easy; it doesn’t even take a mixer. It is a nice change from the usual Lemon Blueberry bread. You can make this in mini loaf pans if you prefer just as yesterday’s bread could be baked in regular loaf pans. Just switch the timing between the two.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine egg, orange juice, water, butter and orange peel. Add to dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased and floured 8”x4”x2” loaf pan.

Bake at 350º for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Progressive Christmas Tea Party: Little Lemon-Cranberry Loaves

This festive bread is not only great for the Progressive Christmas Tea Party but it also would be a wonderful Christmas gift for friends. The recipe makes 4 mini loaves, 6 slices each.

2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
Glaze:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, lemon juice and peel. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Pour into four greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. With a toothpick or skewer, poke 12 holes in each loaf.

For glaze, combine sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over loaves. Cool completely before slicing.