English Tea Scones (aka Alfred Cakes)

My son came home with an assignment to make "Alfred Cakes" for a school history class. They are very delightful! They taste just like English scones- all warm, fluffy, and filled with fruit. They even have currents which I have never baked with before. (Very much like a cross between dried cranberries and raisins. In fact, you can just use raisins or cranberries because they are cheaper.)

English Tea Scones


2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C. currants or raisins, or Craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 C. dates, cut into small pieces

6 tbsp. butter, cut up

2 eggs
1/4 C. heavy whipping cream
1/4 C. orange juice

Set oven to 425 degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, bkg. pwd, salt, nutmeg.)
Cut in the butter until mixtures resemble breadcrumbs.
Add dried fruit and mix together.
In smaller bowl mix eggs, cream, and orange juice together.
Add wet mixture to dry and mix carefully until just incorporated. Do NOT over mix!
Pour contents of mixing bowl out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dry ingredients are mixed into the wet.
Gently roll or pat out the dough until about 1 to 1 1/2" thick. Using a cup or your hands, form dough into circles and place on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops are lightly golden brown.

Put a small spoonful of glaze on top of each scone and gently spread around the top.  Enjoy!

Orange Glaze

1 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. orange juice
Mix together until all lumps are gone. Mixture should not be too runny. Add more sugar if it needs to be thicker.  Pour or spoon over scones.

 

Spinach and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole

I love breakfast casseroles- they're easy to throw together, and so great to just put in the oven and enjoy on a lazy Saturday morning. This one will make the non-meat eaters happy, and the rest of us, as well! I couldn't keep from sneaking the mushrooms as I was cooking them, though. *My sister-in-law gave me this recipe and calls it Spinach Stuffing, because it uses breadcrumbs. But, with my modifications, I prefer to eat it for breakfast!

                                                                                                       picture taken from  open.salon.com

Spinach and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole   adapted by Erin Taylor from Laura Webb's recipe.

 

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup butter

1/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 cup diced celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 cups fresh bread crumbs

1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese

4 egg

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp Poultry gravy mix

1/8 teaspoon pepper

 

1. Squeeze spinach dry with paper towels.

2. In 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot butter, cook mushrooms, celery and onion until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.

3. Add remaining ingredients and spinach; mix well.

4. Bake in an uncovered, greased  9 x 13 casserole  at 350F for 30 to 45 minutes.

Party Punch

This punch recipe was given to me by a lady in church and it is fantastically delicious! I poured some of it out into small containers and froze them to use as ice for the punch so it wouldn't get watered down. Make it today! (This recipe makes a LOT of punch- 5 gallons!)

Party Punch  from  Dorothy Astill

5 packages of each:

Cherry Kool Aid
Orange Kool Aid

8 cups sugar

1 can (46 oz) Pineapple Juice
1 can (between 48 and 64 oz) bottled Orange Juice (not fresh or frozen, but on the shelf)
1 tsp banana extract (I used about a Tbsp cause it tastes so good!)

In very large cooler, pour contents of both juices into cooler and add all packets of Kool Aid. Stir around until mixed well. Add water to equal 5 gallons. Add sugar and banana extract and stir thoroughly.

Chill and serve!

(2 gallon batch:)

2 pkgs each:
Cherry and Orange Kool Aid

3 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp banana extract

approx. 18-24 oz Pineapple Juice, canned
approx. 25-32 oz. Orange Juice, canned

Pour juices into a 2 Gallon pitcher and add Kool Aid mixes and sugar. Add banana extract, and fill the rest of the pitcher with water (to equal 2 gallons).

Stir thoroughly and enjoy!