Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea

Carnival of the Recipes

This week's Carnival is up for viewing at World Famous Recipes.  Have a gander at these Christmassy recipes:

• Melt-in-your-mouth Peppermint Meringues - must try these.  They sound delish.
• Deep Dish Apple Pie - mouse waddling!
• Apricot Gelt (Chocolate-Dipped Apricots) - Chocolate is always good for holidays
• Chocolate Spoons - great treat for kids.  Ahh, if only the spoons themselves were edible...
• Wheatless Peanut Butter Dark-Chocolate Kiss Blossom Cookies - made with dark chocolate kisses, how can it go wrong?
• Small Chocolate Cake - from Mama Squirrel

There's much more over at WFR, go have a look!  Next week's carnival will be hosted at Chicken Recipes and will be dedicated to Recipes for Chicken. Submit your favorite chicken recipes by email to [email protected] by noon CST on Saturday, or use the Blog Carnival submission form.

Countdown to Christmas

Recipe News!

Before I forget, the Geek Family is hosting this week's Carnival of the Recipes.  Hop on over and check out the lineup of great post-Thanksgiving recipes.  I know, I know, you're too full to think about new recipes yet, but some of these are definitely worth saving for later.  Next week's carnival will be at World Famous Recipes.  Get yer recipes in by Saturday!

I've added the new Blog Carnival widget to my sidebar in hopes that even if I forget, the info about the carnival will be available.  But I'm not sure if I'll keep it.  Something is slowing down my blog, and I'm thinking that might be the culprit. 

More new stuff...  I am actually getting ready for Christmas, cooking-wise.  In an effort to get both home and blog organized, I made a new page for all the recipes I like to keep handy for various holidays: Holiday / Seasonal Recipes.    The recipes can all be found in other categories as well, but this way I can see all my Christmas recipes in one place.  I'll be posting some of the new Christmas recipes I'm trying soon!

Carnival of the Recipes - Brekky/Brunch

I wish I had known this was going to be a breakfast / brunch edition!  That'll teach me to read my emails.  Shoot! Slap me on the butt and call me Frankie. 

This week's Carnival is hosted by Men in Aprons.  And oh boy, oh boy, there are some great recipes to add to my brunch box.  There are so many, I had a hard time choosing just a few to mention.  I wanna try them all!  But top of the list has got to be KeeWee's Bacon & Egg pie.  I kiped her picture, so you can see how delish it looks. 

Pie is really not my thing; I never seem to get the crust right.  But this starts with a "packet of puff or flaky pastry", so me lousing up the "from scratch" part won't be a handicap!

Along similar lines, and second on my list to try, is World Famous Recipe's Country Style Breakfast Casserole.  This sounds delish.  And Shawn of Everything & Nothing has posted a recipe for Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes that will go great with anything!

Go check out the rest of the great recipes!

Carnival of the Recipes #116

I forgot to mention that the 116th Edition of the Carnival of the Recipes is up for viewing at RDoctor Medical.  Go have a look and see what's on the menu this week.  I totally forgot to submit a recipe last week, and I've been so busy I haven't had time to peruse the recipes on this edition, but I will, soon.  Hopefully tomorrow! 

Carnival of the Recipes Halloween Edition

Welcome to the Halloween Edition of the Carnival of the Recipes, otherwise known as CotR #115. 

With Halloween just around the corner, we have some really scrummy (that's scrumptious AND yummy, in case you're wondering) recipes for you to try in this week's roundup. 

For those of you who don't do Halloween, pardon my zeal, but I won't be decorating the house this year, so this is kind of a blog-substitute.

Now, on with the show!

Seriously Trick or Treat stuff for Serious Halloweenies:

Renata Vincoletto presents Giant Twix. Now THAT's a big treat. Or is it a trick?

More sweets and treats from KeeWee of KeeWee's Corner with a recipe for Witch's Weakness.  I don't know any witch who could resist!

Shawn Lea of Everything and Nothing presents a bunch of stuff for your Halloween party!  This is great fun.  Serve up some Cheesy Goblin Head, Dracula's Eyes (ewwwww!), and try one of these Boo Brew ideas.  For atmosphere, Make spooky glowing water.  After the pumpkin carving, be sure to make some Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.  Sounds like a great party!

In the Pumpkin category:

Audrey - the coffee sage presents Pumpkin Spice Latte ( compare to Starbucks ). YUM, I was hoping somebody would come up with this recipe.

John of EclectEcon presents his special EclectEcon Pumpkin Scones, and Firefly presents a recipe for Pumpkin Ginger Scones. I always say you can never have too many pumpkin scone recipes to try. 

Mama Squirrel from Dewey's Treehouse presents Two pumpkin recipes, one a pie, and one for Pumpkin Gingerbread LoafCakeMuffin. Try 'em both!

And don't miss my very own Pumpkin Spice Dessert.  It'll curl your toes!

Other Fare:

In the soups and starters category -- David at Third World County presents a recipe for his favorite chili - all in one place, thank you very much!  Joel Fuhrman M.D. shares three disease-proof soup recipes.  And Joe Donnachie presents SuperSoup, maximum nutrition in one bowl.

Breads and stuff (to go with the soups of course) -- cehwiedel at Kicking Over My Traces presents a recipe for Oat Bread that sounds really delish.

For main dishes and sides, we have Thelly at Chicken Recipes serves up a delicious recipe for Chicken Breast in Herb Mustard Cream Sauce.

Kevin of Seriously Good is seriously making my mouse waddle with Chicken with 33 Cloves of Garlic. Ohmigod.

Adam of Men in Aprons offers a recipe to go with these chicken dishes, or ... well, almost anything: Spicy Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Orange.

Riannon of In the Headlights presents Spaghetti Carbonara, complete with mouthwatering pictures.

Maureen from Trinity Prep School presents Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Triticale - the wheat / rye guy has a recipe for Pizza Meatloaf that I'm sure my hubs would love.

DeputyHeadmistress of The Common Room presents Chile Relleno Quiche. Sounds dangerous! Dangerously delicious!!

Whew!  After all THIS food, be sure to check out the Kosher Cooking Carnival hosted at me-ander

In the non-recipe category: Wenchypoo presents Is A Freezer Right For You? posted at Wisdom from Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.  And from RightWingNation, a great How-To called Stock Basics.  No, not stocks and bonds, silly.  Chicken stock, beef stock ... you get the picture.

Next week's Carnival will be hosted by RDoctor Medical. Send your recipes or links to [email protected] by noon CST on Saturday.  If you're interested in hosting a future carnival send a message to the same address with the word host in the subject line.  For a line-up of future Carnivals , visit our Carnival of the Recipes page on Blog Carnival. You can also review all past Carnival of the Recipes there too.

Carnival of the Recipes #114

The 114th edition of the Carnival of the Recipes is up for viewing at NerdFamily.  (Heh, I typo'd Nerfamily, and got an instant visual of a tiny blue family.)  Check out the recipes for this week, some good stuff!

I'm glad I'm not the only one overloading on pumpkin stuff.  Here are a couple more pumpkin people:

• Here's a post from Motherload with a whole lotta pumpkin recipes and destructions for making your own puree.  I've never heard of pumpkin pasta.  Must try that.
• Triticale the wheat guy gives us Jamaican Pumpkin Curry.  Exotic!

And for some healthy stuff:

• KeeWee's Banana Oatmeal Bread - I bet I could turn this into a non-healthy treat right quick.  But it sounds good just as it is.
• A Weight Lifted brings us a healthy recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread.  Mmm, I gotta try that orange glaze.

And basic skrumminess:

• ohmigod does this sound good: Marinated Swine Butt, otherwise known as Cider-Soaked Baked Ham With Honey-Rum Glaze, from the Baboon Pirates.  Definitely goes on the list for holiday recipes.  Maybe I'll volunteer to do the ham this year. 
• D at Third World County has a great slo-cooker recipe for Fast, Super-easy Rice-cooker Omelet.  Easy and flexible too!

Don't forget next week is the Halloween edition of the Carnival, and I'm hosting!  Submit your Recipes de Halloweeny to [email protected] or use the submission form at  the Carnival of the Recipes page.

Carnival of the Recipes #113

Boy, oh boy, there are some good recipes on this week's carnival.  Top 'o the list:

• Cranberry Apricot Loaf from Dewey's Treehouse.  This recipe sounds really delish, must must MUST try
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes from In the Headlights.  I'm not sure I'm up to this.  Sounds like a 3-dot recipe which, for a 1-dot gal, might be a bit much.  But I do want to try!
• Mocha Fondue from Everything & Nothing.  Yes, yes and YES.  My invitation to this fondue party is in the mail, right?  Shawn?  Right?
• How to Make Apple Pie - from Lookin' at Cookin' - now this is really cool.  A video that shows you how to... it's that technique of making the crust that I need to watch over and over again.

There are plenty of healthy recipes too, if you're into that sort of thing.  Heh.  Cough ... ermm, excuse me while I wipe the chocolate off my hands so I can keep typing. 

Many thanks to our host this week: Peggy at Blabber Heads did a great job.  Oh, and thanks for the tips about the crepes, Peggy!  Next week's Carnival will be hosted by Nerd Mom at Nerd Family. Send your recipes or links to [email protected] by noon CST on Saturday, or use the submission form at the Carnival of the Recipes page.

And don't forget, I'll be hosting the week after that.  Yes, that's right, a Halloween edition of Carnival of the Recipes, right here.  So get out your favorite Halloween recipes!

Carnival of the Recipes #112

It's up, it's up!  Go see the great collection of recipes for this week's Carnival, hosted by Cecelia at Kicking Over My Traces.  There are some yummy sounding recipes to try.  I just have one question for Cecelia.  Are those puppies at the end of the post part of a recipe?  Puppy pie?  Eeeewwww!

Sorry.  Sick sense of humor at work on a Monday morning.  I really am an animal lover.  Really!

Next week's Carnival will be hosted by Peggy at blabber-heads. You can send recipes or links to [email protected] by noon CST on Saturday.  Or visit the Carnival of the Recipes page and use the submission form there, where you can also check the line-up of future Carnivals. You can see all past Carnival of the Recipes there too.

Cranberry Harvest Tea

It's finally cooling down enough (although we're still in the triple digits) that I can have my tea in the afternoons again.  Yesterday I gave myself a treat - I pulled out this new rose china cup and saucer and my little tea-for-one teapot that I got from The English Tea Store and made some special, unique, made-to--my-own-taste tea.  I know, you can buy this kind of thing, but I wanted it NOW, and I had the makings on hand, so ... here's my version of the harvest tea:

Christine's Cranberry Harvest Tea

Start with your favorite black tea.  (I used Black Dragon Golden Yunnan the Tea Fairy sent me.)

Add to the infuser:
5-8 dried cranberries (cherry or orange flavored are great!)
Cinnamon stick (how much depends on how big your teapot is.  I used a 1 inch piece)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp orange zest
Steep for 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Be sure to visit this week's Harvest Edition of the Carnival of the Recipes, hosted at Booklore, where you'll also find a really cool coffee icon-ette called Pumpkin Spice.  Too cute.

Carnival of the Recipes #110

Nice round number for this week's Carnival, hosted at Men in Aprons.  There are two chicken soup-ish recipes I absolutely must try: KeeWee's chicken & dumpling soup and Stephanie's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup with Wild Mushrooms.  Both made my mouse waddle, it must be getting close to dinner time.  And Audrey the Coffee Sage has a yummy sounding recipe for Hazelnut Choco-Espresso Cookies that I have got to try.

Next week's Carnival will be a Harvest theme, hosted at by Bernadette at Booklore. Get yer Fall-ish recipes in to mailto:[email protected] by noon CST on Saturday.

Then... mark the date - Halloween weekend - yours truly will be hosting the Carnival.  So get out your best Halloween recipes, treats or tricks!