Ladies Tea Party! (minus the tea!)

I hosted a book club recently and we got to discuss Anne of Green Gables... my favorite!!!  So of course, we needed to have a ladies tea.  I don't drink tea, but we didn't miss it a bit!  White linens with floral table runners, white china dishes, fresh flowers in the middle, and feminine serving platters make for a fun ladies tea!  A few of us even dressed with "puffed sleeves" or lovely ladies hats and beads.  Such a fun night with some sweet ladies. Many selections and small portions make a ladies tea menu just right.  Most of these recipes are make ahead, so I did most of the desserts a couple days before and put them in the freezer, the sandwich fillings the day before, so the day of, you don't have much to do except dress the table. 
I would like to share with you our menu...
Drink:
Peach Citrus Punch
Ice water with lemon slices
Main:
Chicken Salad Sandwiches on Croissants
Cucumber Salad Sandwiches on Rye
Fruit and Salad:
Strawberries Romanov
Fruity Poppy Seed Salad
Dessert:
Mini Lemon Cupcakes
Mint Brownies
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

I will share all of these recipes, but will make them separate posts so that I can find them again!  Click on each menu item and it will link you to each of the recipes.
I hope you will host a ladies, or little girls, tea party sometime.  It was so much fun!

Layered Oreo Dessert

This dessert has been in the family for years and we have enjoyed it on many a family gathering nights.  My friend made it as well for a Book Club years ago but she "adultified" and "beautified" it so I have used her version many times as well.  Not a lot of work, but the freezing between layers needs some time.  Make it a day before, or make the faster version for an equally yummy, just not quite as fancy version.  Great for summer BBQ's but also a fun dessert for December using pink peppermint ice cream and adding chopped up candy canes to the top!  The most memorable time I served it was when we had the local LDS missionaries over for dinner and when I got the dessert out, one of the Elders said, "Oh, your kidding!  We had this all the time at home and I haven't had it for 15 months."  He needed a little TLC that night, so I was glad I could provide it in the way of dessert!

Bottom Layer:

2 cups (about 2 rows in the package) finely crushed Oreos mixed with 6 Tbsp. melted butter, (can do this step in the food processor really fast) pressed firmly in bottom of 9x13 pan.

2nd Layer:

1/2 gallon peppermint, green mint, vanilla, or other ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened enough to spread on Oreo layer.  Freeze.

3rd Layer:

12 oz. Cool Whip spread of top of ice cream layer.  Freeze.

4th Layer:

Drizzle chocolate sauce to form a thin layer of chocolate on Cool Whip.  Freeze.

5th Layer:

Sprinkle crushed Oreos (chunks) on top of chocolate layer. Freeze. 

Keep in freezer, removing about 10-15 minutes before serving to soften. 

Faster version:

Bottom Layer:

2 cups finely crushed Oreos mixed with 6 Tbsp. melted butter, pressed firmly in bottom of 9x13 pan.

2nd Layer:

1/2 gallon ice cream mixed with 12 oz. Cool Whip gently folded.  Fold in crushed Oreo chunks and spread over Oreo layer.  Sprinkle top with more Oreo chunks and freeze until ready to serve.

Note:  The trick is to get the ice cream and the Cool Whip at the right softness to spread.  I generally find that on a hot summer day, right when I get home from the grocery store and unpack everything, they are generally softened enough, but NOT melted and it is when they are ready to go!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

One of my favorite birthday treats is a cookie cake from Mrs. Fields, but these can get a little pricey, so I usually make them now.  This has been a favorite at many Ludlow birthday parties.  It can be decorated with frosting or covered in hot fudge next to some ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

6 T. granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1-2 cups chocolate chips (I always use semi-sweet)

Sift flour, soda and salt…set aside.

Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugars for 1 minute.  Add egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute.  On low speed add flour.  Mixing until just incorporated.  Add chocolate chips, mixing in by hand.

Use fingers to spread dough evenly over the bottom of prepared pan (10 inch spring form, buttered and lined with parchment). Bake at 350° until top turns golden, but center is still soft. Cool on rack.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few years ago we started a family tradition we call "Cookie Sunday."  Each week we make a batch of cookies and deliver any leftovers to family and friends.  Some weeks we are left with only one plate to pass out.  My little ones love it, my thighs do not.  This is a recipe I came up with after a little trial and error.  It is simply a combination of a few staple recipes I have been using for years.  Please use good quality chocolate and parchment paper to line your cookie sheets.  Finally, for the love of all that is holy, do not overbake them. Happy Sunday!

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use unbleached)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1-1 1/2 cup oatmeal (measured and then ground fine in a blender or food processor)

1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 12oz. bag good quality chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and ground oatmeal.  Beat butter and sugars until well combined (2-3 minutes).  Add eggs and vanilla, and mix only until

incorporated.  Add dry ingredients and mix just until no flour can be seen.  Stir in chips and nuts by hand to avoid breaking them into pieces with the mixer.  Using a small ice cream scoop drop onto parchment lined baking sheets. 

Bake at 375° for 8-11 minutes.  I like to take them out when the tops almost look raw and the edges are just turning golden.  The cookie continues to bake while cooling on the pan. 

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

So these little babies are making their appearance in the blog world, so I thought I would introduce you to them if you haven't met them yet. You REALLY need to meet them. I don't know what it is about Nutella, but it was definitely a love at first sight relationship. Have you tried it on pretzels, toast, licked off your index finger? You need to at least try it in these cookies. You can find Nutella at any grocery store in the jams and jellies section or at Costco now which makes it actually pretty affordable. I of course added MORE chocolate to the recipe in the form of chocolate chips. You can always use more chocolate, don't you think?

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2/3 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract (you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you can’t find or don’t like hazelnut extract)
1/3 cup Nutella
1/3 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips (I like to mix semi-sweet and milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 325°
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set the mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the extracts (I just used 2 tsp vanilla, I didn't have hazelnut extract and they were still awesome) and beat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the Nutella and beat until smooth.

With the mixer running, add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the milk, mixing until combined completely, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix completely. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (and as long as 2-3 days).

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat (this is important so they don't get too flat). Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet, allowing about 2″ between the dough balls. Don't let the dough get to warm or it gets way too sticky to work with. If this happens, just stick it back in the fridge for a while (or freezer if you're impatient like me!)
Lightly press the dough balls with the bottom of a drinking glass and then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are crackly on top and soft, but starting to set. Remove from the oven and allow them to stand for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Original recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod.

Chocolate Mini Cakes

Chocolate Mini Cakes

Jill and I were asked to cater a mother and daughter event recently for 150 ladies. They wanted to recognize these girls for their achievements in the LDS personal progress program and wanted to create a tea party type atmosphere complete with a tea party type dessert. We took the challenge and decided that it had to be chocolate and it had to be PINK! What we came up with were some chocolate mini cakes decorated with a pink frosting flower and pearl center on top, a strawberry in a dollop of Ready whip, colored chocolate mint candies sprinkled around the plate, and pink lemonade to drink. Of course we forgot to take a picture (yes, we are not the brightest of the bunch when it comes to remembering to take pictures...it could also have to do with the fact that my picture taking devices are either my cell phone or my camera that is held together with duct tape!) Anyway, here are the chocolate mini cakes that we served. Not too hard to make even though it takes a few recipes combined to make each part of the cake just right, (you will recognize each of the recipes as ones we have used before!) but go and make someone feel special by making these cutest little cakes today! You can even make them the day before your event and keep them in the fridge! ENJOY!

Chocolate Mini Cakes
Otherwise known as upside down cupcakes using our favorite chocolate bundt cake recipe!

1 devils food cake mix, Duncan Hines is favorite (do not make according to package)
1 (4 serving) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup warm water
½ cup vegetable oil
Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Generously grease and sprinkle cocoa to coat 24-30 dark non-stick muffin tin cups. (My favorite is to actually use the cooking spray that has flour in it, expensive but worth it!) Spoon batter into the muffin tins filling only about 1/2 or so full. Bake at 350 for 13-14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached but not wet batter. Let cool in the pan for about 10 mins and then using a knife, carefully remove the mini cakes and invert "bottoms up" on a cooling rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before filing, but if not using immediately, they need to be put on parchment paper in an air tight container as soon as they are cool so they won't dry out.

Filling:
Otherwise known as Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

6 TB flour
1 cup milk
1 cup real butter (MUST be good quality butter!)
1 cup sugar (granulated, not powdered sugar)
2 tsps vanilla extract
In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk. Heat on medium heat whisking continuously until it starts to thicken. Stir and cook until you barely start to see streaks of the bottom of the pan (it should still be mostly liquid though) and quickly get off the heat still stirring. Put a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer and stir with a rubber spatula to push it through, cleaning off the bottom of the strainer when you're finished. You should end up with a nice, smooth mixture. Put mixture in fridge and let it cool completely. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and the sugar a couple of minutes until fluffy. Use the whisk attachment on an electric stand mixer. Then while beating, pour in the cooled milk mixture, then the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down bowl. It will look goopy and lumpy at this point! Just wait...beat on medium high for 7-8 minutes, longer if needed. After 7-8 mins. it will have transformed into a gorgeous and fluffy, light and silky frosting or filling!

Use a long (Wilton Bismarck) tip and put tip 3/4 of the way into the center of each cake, filling and lifting out of the cake until you can see the cake "plumping" (oooh, is that a word, if it is, I certainly hope that "plumping" is never used in a sentence to describe this girl!) and starting to come out the top hole. You can also cut out a piece of the cake and replace after filling, but the decorating tip is much faster and easier I think.

Helpful notes:*Use real butter that is a good quality, cheap brands do weird things!*If after 7-8 min. it's not fluffy, keep going and increase your mixing speed.*Store at room temperature, it may separate in the fridge, can store overnight in a well sealed container. *This recipe really isn't as hard as it sounds, just follow the hints and give it a try, you will LOVE it!


What a better way to "frost" these mini cakes than with real chocolate!...
Chocolate Ganache
3/4 C heavy cream
2 T real butter, melted
8 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped (or use good quality chocolate chips)
Put chocolate pieces in a bowl. Pour melted butter over it. Place cream in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes- it needs to be at a simmer. Immediately pour over chocolate and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 3 minutes and then stir until smooth. Let it cool until it's a good spreading consistency and then spread on top of filled mini cakes. Use about a tablespoon chocolate and drop in the center of each cake. Then use the back of your spoon to spread the chocolate around the top, allowing the chocolate to lovingly drip down the sides of the cake. If your chocolate in the bowl gets too thick to spread, just put it back in the microwave and reheat for about 30 seconds or so.

Decorating the mini cakes:
Make sure the you give the ganache time to cool and set before decorating or else you will have a melty mess! To decorate the cakes, we used just a regular buttercream frosting (you can even just buy that stuff in a can if you want!) and added pink (3 or so drops of red depending on how much frosting you have) food coloring to it. (Try two drops of red and 1 drop of yellow for a pretty peachish-pink color too!) Use a trusty Wilton 1M Star tip and decorating bag and hold the tip upright, just touching the center of the cake and squeeze! It will come out a beautiful flower if you just let the petals form and gently release and lift when the desired flower size is achieved.


These cakes are such a hit, they are worth the extra time and effort we promise! If you want to simplify, just use silver metal cupcake holder cups and make them into cupcakes, or just don't fill them...but we insist you use the fabulous chocolate GANACHE!