Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Dragon Cheddar and Tomato Scones

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, but i couldn’t keep up and that’s why I’m two years behind. All recipes are now going to be titled Books, Tea, and the Trinity.

After we finished The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; A Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, the next book was The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Today we continued our discussion of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We had Golden Tip Lapsang Souchang tea, Dragon Cheddar Scones, Roast Beef and Watercress Sandwiches, BLTs, Pizza Balls, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.

This scone recipe comes from the Cookipedia

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3.5 Tablespoons of Dragon salted butter (or regular butter if you can’t find the dragon brand)
• 1 egg beaten & 3.4 fluid oz cup of milk mixed together
• 8 tablespoons of Dragon mature Welsh cheddar cheese or other Cheddar Cheese
• 2 tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained weight)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or mixed herbs
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425° F
2. Sieve the flour with baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
3. Run in the butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Sprinkle in herbs and black pepper, and stir in sun dried tomatoes and cheddar cheese
5. Gradually add egg & milk mixture until you have a dough, if this seem too wet do not add all the liquid.
6. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth.
7. Flatten out to approx. 3cm deep and using a round cutter stamp out scones.
8. Bake on a tray lightly dusted with flour for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

These scones were delicious and eaten up so fast just like the recipe said.

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

For more scone recipes, go to Dark Chocolate Peppermint Scones

For more recipes, go to Radish-Dill Canapés

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

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: Cheese Potato Crisps

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 make-but I haven’t gone through them as quickly as I hoped.

When we completed The Magician’s Nephew and 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 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.

Party time!

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 Kellogg’s Cookbook.

These are better than French fries! We guarantee that once you try them, you’ll make these cheesy potatoes a standard at your table. Using different cheeses such as Monterey Jack, American, Swiss, or grated Parmesan cheese, and a bit of chili powder easily adds variety and keeps the dish interesting.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
• 3 Large Baking Potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
• Salt to taste
• 1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Paprika
• 1/4 Cup of Sliced Scallions or Green Onions
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. Place the corn flakes in a reusable plastic bag.
2. Seal the bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the flakes to a medium crumb.
3. Open the bag and measure the crumbs, you should have 1 cup. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.
6. Lay the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly coat with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.
7. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt to taste.
8. Sprinkle each potato with some of the cheese.
9. Top with corn flake crumbs and a sprinkling of paprika.
10. Bake in the preheated oven, without turning, for about 25 mins, or until potatoes are cooked through and golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter.
12. Serve with scallions or green onions.

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!

They may not be boiled but they are most excellent indeed!

For more from our Books, Tea, and the Trinity tea times, go to Rice Krispies Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more potato recipes, go to What Excellent Boiled Potatoes

For more recipes, go to Hummus and Veggie Sandwiches

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

Books, Tea, and the Trinity: Savory Meat Hand Pies

So every Wednesday, starting in October, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). This week we had Cinnamon Bun Scones, Curry Egg Salad Triple Stack Sandwiches, Savory Beef Hand Pies, Cranberry Feta Pinwheels, and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies.

I though it would be able to post these faster, but I have really fallen behind. I’m trying to catch up though!

So my friend had made some meat pies a few weeks earlier and they were amazing! I begged and begged her for the recipe but she couldn’t give it to me as she didn’t really have a recipe. She just kind of throws things together.

So I instead went searching online and found a site called Longbourn Farm, and I was like “Longbourn”? Do you mean this Longbourn?

Pride and Prejudice’s Longbourn?

So of course I went with it. I ended up using my pie crust recipe from my apple pie recipe.

Ingredients: Pie Crust

• 2 Cups of All-Purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt
• 3/4 Cup of Shortening
• Ice Water

Filling:

• 1.5 lbs of Ground Beef
• 1 Cup of Chopped Onion
• 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Thyme
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Oregano
• 1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
• 1 Cup of Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1 Teaspoon of Water

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix up the shortening and flour. Add in water, a tablespoon at a time until dough is more malleable. If you add too much and it is too liquid-y, then just add a bit more flour to firm it up.
2. Put dough aside.
3. In a medium frying pan on medium heat, add ground beef and spices.
4. When ground beef is brown, about 8 mins, add onion.
5. Cook until the Ground Beef is completely cooked through and the onoions are translucent.
6. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
7. Roll out pie dough and cut circles out of the pie crust, they should be about 4-6 inches in diameter. You can use a large cookie cutter or biscuit cutter or just trace a drinking glass if you don’t have a cutter.
8. Divide the Ground Beef and cheese up evenly between the circles.
9. Fold the circles in half and press the edges together gently. Crimp them firmly with a fork.
10. Whisk the egg and water together.
11. Brush the egg-water mixture onto each beef hand pie.
12. Place the beef hand pies on a lined or greased sheet tray.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

So these weren’t as good as my friend’s hand pies, but they were extremely delicious.

I did run out of pie dough though, and ended up having to buy more (I just bought the premade frozen ones).

For more from The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club, go to Cinnamon Bun Scones

For more recipes, go to Easy Fruit Tarts

For more pie recipes, go to Mini Apple Pies

For more tea posts, go to Brisket and Slaw Roulades

The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club: Ham, Cheddar, and Apple Tea Sandwiches

So every Wednesday, starting in October, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). I also need to catch up on these recipes. Week three we had Organic India Tulsi Masala Chai Tea, Parmesan and Chive Scones, Cucumber Aioli Canapés, Ham and Green Apple Sandwiches, Cranberry and Brie Bites, and Mini Pumpkin Creme Brulee.

I couldn’t share the recipes in October as I was in the middle of Horrorfest IX, so I am catching up and of course next is sandwiches.

Tea first!

This comes from Tea Time Magazine’s Teatime Celebrations. I couldn’t find my cutter, and instead used my knife and cut the sandwiches into triangles instead.

Emma (1996)

Ingredients:

• 6 Slices of Pumpernickel-Rye Swirl (I couldn’t find any and instead used a light rye bread), frozen
• 1 Tart Apple, such as Granny Smith
• 2 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons of Spicy Brown Mustard
• 6 Slices of Thin Deli-Style Smoked Ham
• 6 Slices of Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
• 1/3 Cup of Baby Arugula ( I substituted with Baby Spinach)

Directions for Sandwiches:

1. Using a 2-inch square cutter, cut 12 shapes from frozen bread, discarding crusts.
2. Cover with damp paper towels, and let bread thaw (about 15 mins).
3. Core apple, but leave whole and unpeeled.
4. Cut 6 (1/4-inch) crossway slices from apple. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard, stirring well.
6. Spread mayonnaise mixture in an even layer on each bread square.
7. Using 6 bread squares (mayonnaise side up) as a base.
8. Assemble 6 sandwiches, stacking ingredients in the following order: arugula/spinach, ham slice (folded into quarters), cheese slice, apple slice, and another bread square (mayonnaise side down).
9. Garnish each tea sandwiches with arugula or spinach leaves, if desired.

These were delicious and a wonderful addition to the night’s tea.

For more from The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club, go to Cucumber Aioli Canapés

For more recipes, go to Parmesan and Chive Scones

For more Tea Time Magazine Recipes, go to Heirloom Tomato Tart

For more sandwich recipes, go to Turkey-Apple Tea Sandwiches

For more ham sandwich recipes, go to Tea Time Magazine’s Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwiches

For more tea posts, go to How to Clean Your Tea Infusers