Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Radish-Dill Canapés

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through The Chronicles of Prydain. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, we have made-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped.

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and A Horse and His Boy; we moved on to book four, Prince Caspian. This book is one of my favorites in the series as I love Prince Caspian (although the Disney film version is horrible). Like A Horse and His Boy, this book did not mention a lot of specific foods, so we planned whatever we wanted to make.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes. 

The first week we had Apple Cinnamon Scones: Salmon Radish Cucumber Canapés, Cinnamon Bread-Honey-Cheese-Apple and Ham Sandwiches, Kellogg’s Cheese Potato Crisps, and Applesauce Cake; all paired with Caroline’s Coffee Roaster Princess Earl Grey (as we needed to have some royal-tea).

The next week we had lavender flowering tea, Irish Soda Bread, Tuna Salad, Twice Baked Potatoes, carrot soup, and Quaker Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips.

For our final discussion of Prince Caspian we had Earl Grey Lavender Scones, Salmon and Cucumber Sandwiches, Radish-Dill Canapés, Cheese Potato Crisps, and Buttermilk Apple Cake.

Today’s recipe is the Radish-Dill Canapés (as I can’t find the recipe for the earlier two foods) and comes from TeaTime Magazine.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup salted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 6 slices very thin wheat bread, such as Pepperidge Farm
• 6 radishes
• Garnish: fine sea salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine butter and dill, stirring until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
2. Using a serrated knife, trim crusts from bread slices to make 3¼-inch squares. Cut each square in half to make 2 rectangles. Cover with damp paper towels to prevent drying out, or store in a resealable plastic bag.
3. Using a mandoline or a very sharp paring knife, cut radishes into paper-thin slices.
4. Spread each bread slice evenly with dill butter. Lay radish slices in a shingled fashion on top of butter. Just before serving, sprinkle lightly with fine sea salt.

Make-Ahead Tip: Dill butter can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until needed. Let it come to room temperature before using. Canapés can be assembled an hour in advance and covered with damp paper towels. Sprinkle with salt just before serving.

This was delicious but I love radishes so anything with them is delicious.

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Twice Baked Potatoes

For more radish recipes, go to Radish Ruffle Canapés

For more Teatime Magazine recipes, go to Brisket and Slaw Roulades

For more recipes, go to Dark Chocolate Peppermint Scones

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: Alley Cat Cafe

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Scones

When my book club met to discuss The Secret, Book, & Scone Society, we also had to have snacks and not just any snacks we needed to have scones! Why scones? Because in the novel one of the characters, Hester, is a baker and makes comfort scones. These scones are based on what she thinks her patrons will be comforted by.

“I just ate the most amazing scone at the Gingerbread House, but the baker said the recipe couldn’t be duplicated because her scones are based on people’s fondest memories. She told me that she uses a basic recipe and adds certain ingredients after talking to each customer.” “That’s what I’ve heard as well,” Nora said.”

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams

Hester makes quite a few scones in this mystery but I decided to go with a peppermint chocolate one as she makes that for the character who gets murdered, as his death is the catalyst that brings our ladies together and what forms the The Secret, Book, and Scone Society

“Even though he ordered a comfort scone, I sensed that he didn’t think he was worthy of comfort. He seemed weighed down by guilt. When people with an untroubled conscience enter my bakery, their faces light up like a Christmas-tree star. If they’ve come to Miracle Springs to seek relief from cancer or arthritis pain or what-have-you, they still glow with that firefly light when the aroma of fresh-baked bread envelops them. That scent speaks of coming home…but this guy’s lips were practically zippered closed. I decided it would take a powerful flavor combination to coax a good memory to the surface, so I went out on a limb and chose a wintery recipe: Peppermint mocha.”

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams

As Hester doesn’t give an exact recipe, I went looking online and found this Peppermint Scone recipe from Domestically Blissful. In The Secret, Book, and Scone Society Hester mentions putting mocha in her scones, I don’t like mocha so I chose a recipe without it.

Ingredients for Scones:

• 2 & 3/4 Cups Flour + Extra for Stickiness
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 Cup of Cold Butter
• ½ Cup Half & Half
• ½ Cup + 3 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer
• 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
• 2 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer, optional

Ingredients for Icing

• 2–3 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer
• 1 Dash Peppermint Extract
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1–2 Candy Canes, crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, preheat your oven to 400° degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl sift together 2 & 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 pinch of salt.
3. Use a cheese grater to crumble 1/2 cup of butter into the dry ingredients.
4. Then stir the butter crumbles into the dry ingredients.
5. Next, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the 1/2 cup of half & half, ½ cup + 3 tablespoons French vanilla creamer, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.
6. Stir until combined and then form the dough into a ball.
7. Flatten with your hands and fold the dough in half. Repeat this process 3-4 more times to create layers.
8. Roll the dough out so that it is 2-3 inches tall then use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into scones.
9. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the top of each scone with French vanilla creamer.
10. Place the scones in your preheated oven and bake your scones for 12-17 minutes.
11. Let cool slightly and then top them with peppermint icing created by mixing 2-3 tablespoons of French vanilla creamer, 1 dash peppermint extract, and 1 cup powdered sugar to your desired thickness.
12. Before the icing hardens, sprinkle crushed candy cane on top of each scone.

These were absolutely delicious! We all loved them and were very comforted as we discussed our book. As we met in February or discuss this book, I had plenty of candy canes left to go on top.

For more scones, go to Sweet Cream Scones

For more recipes, go to Brown Butter Matcha Brownies

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Twice Baked Potatoes

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through the Lorien Legacies. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, we have made-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped. 

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew,The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and A Horse and His Boy; we moved on to book four, Prince Caspian. This book is one of my favorites in the series as I love Prince Caspian (although the Disney film version is horrible). Like A Horse and His Boy, this book did not mention a lot of specific foods, so we planned whatever we wanted to make.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes. 

The first week we had Apple Cinnamon Scones: Salmon Radish Cucumber Canapés, Cinnamon Bread-Honey-Cheese-Apple and Ham Sandwiches, Kellogg’s Cheese Potato Crisps, and Applesauce Cake; all paired with Caroline’s Coffee Roaster Princess Earl Grey (as we needed to have some royal-tea).

The next week we had lavender flowering tea, Irish Soda Bread, Tuna Salad, Twice Baked Potatoes, carrot soup, and Quaker Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips.

I originally wanted to make the Teatime Magazine twice baked mice potatoes in honor of Reepicheep entering the story; but when I went to the market they were all out of the small potatoes and I had to buy larger ones. I will attempt this recipe again, with small potatoes, and try to make them as nice

Ingredients:

• 1 (24-ounce) bag small red potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• ½ cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 24 (2½x⅛-inch) slices green onion, green parts only
• 24 sliced almonds, lightly toasted
• 2 black olives, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 18 minutes. Let cool on pan on a wire cooling rack.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut 12 potatoes in half lengthwise. Peel and discard skins from remaining potatoes. Transfer peeled potatoes to a medium bowl.
6. Using a ¼ teaspoon, scoop a small well from potato halves, adding pulp from wells to bowl with whole, peeled potatoes. Using a fork, slightly mash whole, peeled potatoes. Add cheese, sour cream, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add milk, beating until incorporated (mixture will be thick). Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with an open-star tip (Wilton #4B).
7. Pipe potato mixture back and forth into potato shells. Return filled potato shells to baking sheet.
8. Bake until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let potatoes cool to room temperature.
9. In a medium bowl full of cold water, place 2½-inch-long green onion slices to curl for tails. Blot dry on paper towels just before using.
10. To create whiskers, using a sharp knife, gently cut a slit at each end of ¾-inch-long green onion slices.
11. On each potato, gently press into place 2 almond slices for ears. Using tweezers, place 2 olive bits for eyes, green onion whiskers, and a green onion tail. Serve within an hour.

Notes: Potatoes can be prepared and filled up to 3 days ahead, let cool completely, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate. Up to 2 hours before serving, warm filled potatoes in a 375° oven. Let cool before decorating as mice.

So I did try to turn my large potatoes into large mice, but it just didn’t work out. Instead I had to admit defeat and just make regular twice baked potatoes.

These were delicious and like I said above, I plan on making them again. And even though they were not boiled, I do think Mr. Collins would have enjoyed them too.

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Applesauce Cake

For more potato recipes, go to Cheese Potato Crisps

For more Teatime Magazine recipes, go to Brisket and Slaw Roulades

For more recipes, go to Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: There & Back Again Cafe

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Applesauce Cake

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through the Lorien Legacies. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, we have made-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped.

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and A Horse and His Boy; we moved on to book 4 Prince Caspian. This book is one of my favorites in the series as I love Prince Caspian (although the Disney film version is horrible). Like A Horse and His Boy, this book did not mention a lot of specific foods, so we planned whatever we wanted to make.

As I wasn’t in charge of this book, there will be no discussion questions, just recipes.

The first week we had Apple Cinnamon Scones: Salmon Radish Cucumber Canapés, Cinnamon Bread-Honey-Cheese-Apple and Ham Sandwiches, Kellogg’s Cheese Potato Crisps, and Applesauce Cake; all paired with Caroline’s Coffee Roaster Princess Earl Grey (as we needed to have some royal-tea).

This recipe comes from my myrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup thick applesauce
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Glaze:

• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, line bottom with parchment and butter paper.
3. In one bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture.
5. In a separate bowl, stir baking soda into the applesauce.
6. In a third bowl mix the remaining ingredients
7. Add the second and third mixture to the first butter mixture in 3 additions; alternating between the two.
8. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top springs back when pressed, about 50 minutes.
9. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack.
10. Make the glaze by mixing the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar.
11. Spoon the glaze over cake.

These are so delicious. You can’t go wrong with potatoes and cheese! This is also easy to make, and doesn’t take that long to bake. I definitely recommend!

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Cheese Potato Crisps

For more cake recipes, go to Lemon Gingerbread Cake

For more dessert, go to Marmalade Rolls

For more recipes, go to Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: There & Back Again Cafe

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies

Back in 2020, some friends and I started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club; Books, Tea, and the Trinity. We met every Wednesday and worked our way through the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently working through the Lorien Legacies. When we started I resolved to share all the recipes, but have fallen behind in posting and are trying desperately to catch up.

After we finished The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; the next book in the series was A Horse and His Boy. This book was a bit harder to plan recipes as it didn’t have as many starting off points as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but that also meant we could make whatever we wanted to.

For the first week we had Cederberg Tea Co. Classic Red and Red Chai Tea. We also had Apple Cinnamon Scones, Heirloom Tomato Tarts with Basil, and a Healthy Waldorf Salad.

The second week we had veggies and Greek Yogurt Dip, Teatime Magazine’s Red Pepper Triple Stack Sandwiches, Zuppa Toscana, and Chocolate Covered Strawberries; with Vanilla Rooibos Tea

The third week of going through the A Horse and His Boy we had Tea Time Magazines’ Sweet Cream Scones, Homemade Strawberry Preserves, Tea Time Magazines Egg Salad and Cherry Tomatoes Sandwiches, Hummus and Veggie Sandwiches, Empanadas, and Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies; with Celestial Tea Devonshire Breakfast Tea.

I don’t have the empanada recipe as my friend made it and she winged it, but using a real recipe. As I don’t have that, I’m going to skip ahead to the next recipe, Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies.

This recipe I borrowed from my sister blog, Mysterious Eats and is one I LOVE to make over and over again.

“Not your traditional oatmeal cookie-an even better one! RICE KRISPIES add that extra crunch and the [chocolate chips] supplies the extra sweetness.”

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/2 Cup of Butter or Margarine, Softened
• 1/2 Cup of White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
• 1 Cup of Quick-Cooking Oats
• 1/2 Cup of Coconut or Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit
2. Lightly coat two large cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
4. Place the butter in the bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy.
5. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until blended, Add the egg and vanilla, beating to incorporate.
6. Stir in the flour mixture. When well combined, stir in the cereal, oats and coconut or chocolate chips.
7. Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonful onto the baking sheets, leaving room between the cookies.
8. Bake for 12 mins, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool.

These are soo delicious! I love making them and once you try them, you will love them too!

And get those cookies out of the oven!

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Hummus and Veggie Sandwiches

For more cookie recipes, go to Snickerdoodles

For more desserts, go to Marmalade Rolls

For more recipes, go to Egg Salad and Cherry Tomatoes Sandwiches

For more tea posts, go to Sweet Cream Scones