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

Mock Clotted Cream

So a few years ago when I went to visit my college friend she took me to a teahouse she had visited and knew I would love. She was right, I thought it was beautiful, had great food, and since then have gone back every time I return to that area.

The first time I went was the first time I had ever had clotted cream. I thought it was amazing and that scones were one hundred times better with it. In fact it made me just want to keep eating.

Or scones

Since then every time I make scones I wish I have some clotted cream to go with them.

Well you think, that’s easy-just head to the store.

Majorly

You can’t get it in any store around here. I’ve looked online, but it will take ages and you have to order a ton of it.

So after all that, I decided that I would just try to make my own.

This recipe comes from my sister blog, MysteriousEats.wordpress.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup of Sour Cream (Can substitute with Plain Greek Yogurt)
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons of Confectioner’s Sugar (Powdered Sugar)

 

Directions:

1. Fold vanilla into sour cream (or yogurt).
2. Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold the sugar into the cream.
4. Fold this mixture into the vanilla/sour cream (yogurt) mixture.

It was delicious and a perfect addition to tea time.

For more recipes, go to Irish Blueberry Scones

For more posts on tea, go to Cozy & Comfy Tea Time

Harlem Tea Room Cheddar-Thyme Scones

So this recipe is borrowed from my sister blog, MysteriousEats.wordpress.com. Anytime she has a recipe that goes with Jane Austen (being time period or great to eat with her books/films) I’n going to post it on here.

So this comes from the same magazine that the Harlem Tea Room Baking Powder Scones were in, an old O- the Oprah magazine.

The article gave three versions of the recipe: Baking Powder Scones, Cheddar-Thyme Scones, and Raisin Scones. As I already did the Baking Powder, I thought I would try out the Cheddar-Thyme ones.

Ingredients:

• 8 Tbsps (1 Stick) of Cold, Unsalted Butter, Cut into Small Pieces, Plus Extra for Baking Sheets
• 3.5 Cups of All-Purpose Flour, Plus Extra for Later
• 2 Tsp of Baking Soda
• 2 Tsp Cream of Tartar
• 1/2 Tsp of Salt
• 2 Cups of Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Tbsp of Fresh Thyme, Chopped
• 1.5 Cups of Sour Cream or Buttermilk
• 1 Egg, Beaten, or Milk for Brushing Scones

Directions:

1. Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Coat two baking sheets with butter.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt into a large bowl.
4. Add butter, using fingertips to combine until mixture takes on texture of fine cornmeal.
5. Stir in 1.5 cups of grated Cheddar cheese and 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh Thyme into mixture.
6. Add sour cream or buttermilk and stir until flour mixture is just moist and dough begins to stick together.
7. Gather dough into a ball and knead lightly until fully integrated.
8. Place dough on floured work surface and roll with a floured rolling pin to 3/4 inch thick.
9. Dip a 2-inch cutter into flour and cut out scones as close to one another as possible.
10. Place on prepared baking sheets with space in between.Let stand ten minutes, then brush the tops with egg or milk.
11. Sprinkle tops with an additional 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese before baking.
12. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 mins.
13. Serve warm with butter, clotted cream, fruit preserves, or jam.
14. Makes about 1.5 dozens.

THOUGHTS AFTER BAKING:

Were very good. All they need was a bit of butter

NOW

However, the thyme took forever. Like an hour to chop, but I made them another time with dried thyme and it wasn’t as good as fresh. It may take a long time, but it is worth it.

Absolutely delicious and I will make again and again.

And eat all by myself

For more scone recipes, go to Harvest Pumpkin Scones

For more on Peter Pan, go to It’s Always Tea Time  

And for weekly recipe reviews, go to Mysterious Eats

The song for today is As Long As There’s Christmas from Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.

This song was written for the film by Rachel Portman and Don Black; and sung by the cast.

The thing I like about this song is the message it brings, no matter what as long as we celebrate Christmas we celebrate the hope the holiday brings.

For more on Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, go to 25 Films of Christmas

For more Christmas Carols, go to Xactly Why I Think Beastly is An Xcellent Story