Eggs Over Evie: Pies and Quiches

      What's a pie? Is a quiche a pie? Wait, let me do some "research"... Yes, according to my dad it's some sort of pie. Then why call it a quiche? You know, my favourite pie is actually Mcdonald's Apple Pie. I wouldn't touch anything else. Yes, some say I'm a picky eater. But maybe I am.

Simplicity is one of the most fundamental

keys to preparing food well.

~ Mario Batali

Hot Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Refrigerated egg pastry

(makes enough for two or three double crusts)

5 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups butter or canola oil

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Ice water

Pie filling

12-15 green apples such as Granny Smith

(About 8 cups sliced)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

How to Bake

Refrigerated Egg Pastry 

Blend flour salt and baking powder, and shortening with a pastry blender to a mealy consistency. Mix the beaten egg with vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1 cup liquid. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add just enough liquid to form a dough. Mix with a fork and add liquid gradually; you may not need it all. Form dough into 2 or 3 balls; roll in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator.

Pie filling

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Peel, core, and slice apples (not too thin, in a large bowl). Add lemon juice to keep from browning. Toss with sugars, salt, spices, and flour. Cut a ball of pastry in half and roll out one half to form bottom crust; line deep-dish pie plate. Arrange apples in crust. Dot with small pieces of butter. Roll out top crust pastry and cover pie with it. Crimp edges together; cut slits in top crusts to allow steam to escape. Place on baking pan to catch juices that bubble over. Put in preheated oven; immediately. Reduce heat to 350 F. Bake for about 1 hour or until crust is golden brown and juices bubbling over. Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 deep-dish pie.

Kitchen Tip #11

To keep baked edges of your pie crust

from getting too brown, cover the edges

with foil after the first fifteen minutes.

...

Serve hot food on hot plates,
and cold food on cold plates.
~ Sarah Moulton

Quiche, Just Quiche

Ingredients: 
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn with peppers,drained
2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


 

How to Bake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 9-inch pie pan. Combine bacon, cheese, onion and corn in the prepared pan. Place remaining ingredients in blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute. Pour this mixture over bacon mixture in pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting serves 8 to 10.

Kitchen Tip #12
To chop onions without crying,
hold peeled onions under water as
you cut them.

      I'm not sure how to end this off, so I think that's all for now. :) Bye!

Eggs Over Evie: Snacks and Desserts

      Hey! I just found this really awesome song: Curiosity ~ By Carly Rae Jepsen. It's super AWESOME!!! You know, when you find a really nice song you like, its almost impossible to stop listening to it. You can view it on my video bar. And while you're at it, please comment and answer the question at left side bar. Thanks:)

It can be hard to control the heat.

~ Bobby Flay

Blueberry Muffins with Granola Topping

Ingredients:

(Muffin Mixture)

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sour cream
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen blueberries
(do not thaw)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

(Granola Mixture)
1/4 cup granola
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

How to Bake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin tins or line them with cupcake papers. Using a wooden spoon, cream sugar into melted butter in a large bowl until mixture is pale and creamy and drops off spoon easily. Combine with rest of muffin mixture ingredients; do not over mix. Spoon into muffin tins. Combine granola mixture ingredients, mixing well. Sprinkle on top of each muffin. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 12.

Kitchen Tip #9

To keep muffins from burning around
the edges, leave one muffin cup empty
and fill 2/3 with cold water before baking.

...

There are a million things you can do in advance

to make cooking less stressful.

~ Ina Garden, The Barefoot Contessa

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

1 large lemon

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

pinch salt

1/4 cup plus 1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cups cold water
4 eggs separated
1 tablespoon butter
1 well-baked 9-inch pie crust
pinch cream of tartar

How to Bake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grate the zest from the lemon and set aside; juice lemon and set aside. In medium saucepan combine the cup of sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Beat egg yolks slightly, using wire whisk, then add them to the pan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Spoon hot filling onto crust, then gently smooth top. ~ In a small mixer bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in cream of tartar and remaining two teaspoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue on top of hot filling, starting at outside edge, and continue into center. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Rotate pie every 5 minutes to make sure it browns evenly. ~ Cool on wire rack, then refrigerate until cold before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Kitchen Tip #10

If you want the best volume for whipped

egg whites, select smaller eggs. Smaller

eggs have less water content and the

white is more concentrated.

      Feeling much better now, I'm almost cured from my sickness :) Still have a little bit of a headache though, Did I ever tell you about my future dream? Don't worry, that's another story. Maybe in the next entry.

Eggs Over Evie: Deviled eggs and Beef Lasagna

      Hi... I'm sick today... I feel horrible... Bleagh! I hate being sick. I had to stop writing for a while because school has started again. But today I'm staying home. Forgive me, for my writing may not be as good as when I'm well and healthy. Right now I feel like a used, shriveled up old tissue that has been carelessly thrown on the side walk. Here are today's recipes from Eggs Over Evie:

Anything home-baked really

personalizes a meal.

~ Ann Clark

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

3 tablespoons mayonnaise (or miracle whip)

How to make

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Slip out yolks, place them in a bowl, and mash with fork. Add salt, pepper, mustard and mayonnaise . Stir to mix well. Refill whites with egg yolk mixture, heaping it up lightly.

Kitchen Tip #7

To keep hard boiled eggs from getting that green 

ring around the yolk, use a pin to poke a tiny hole

in the large end of the egg before boiling. Some say

this also makes the egg easier to peel.

...

Get your windows open,

and your kitchen fan on!

~ Emeril Lagasse

Beef Lasagna 

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pounds of ground round or sirloin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 (14.5-ounce)  cans diced tomatoes
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
10 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked
1 and 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to make

Brown meat slowly in heavy skillet. Add garlic powder, half of the parsley, the basil, half of the salt, the tomatoes, and the tomato paste. Simmer uncovered on low heat about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, follow package directions to cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. ~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large lasagna pan with no-stick spray. In large bowl, combine ricotta with beaten eggs, pepper, grated Parmesan, and the remaining parsley and salt. When meat sauce is ready, begin assembling lasagna. ~ Place a layer of cooked noodles on bottom of pan. Spread half of cheese mixture over it. Add a layer of mozzarella slices. Top with half of meat sauce. Repeat all 4 layers. When assembled, you may cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake, or bake immediately for 30 minutes Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting. ~ Serves 6-8.

Kitchen Tip #8

To take any bitterness out of your meat

sauce, add a spoonful of grape jelly.

      That's all for now, folks. I suggest you read Eggs Over Evie, it's an excellent egg-cellent book. I'd better go and rest now. See you soon. Bye :)

Eggs Over Evie: Pizza Party

 Food is about nurturing.

~Ina Garden, the Barefoot Contessa

      Hi again! Have I mentioned what my absolute favourite food in the world is? PIZZA!!! I love pizza. Homemade or from a fancy restaurant, as long as there's pizza bread with tomato sauce and cheese, then I'm happy. :) This pizza's just as good as served in a restaurant, try it for yourself!

  

Heavenly Homemade Pizza

Ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

3 1/4 cups all- purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon oil

1 (6-ounce) can tomato, paste, diluted with

6 ounces of water

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

dash oregano

dash basil

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 table spoon olive oil

How to make:

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water, mixing well. Set the yeast aside for 10 minutes. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Gradually work the yeast mixture into the flour. Flour your hands and use your knuckles and fists to work the dough until it is smooth and elastic.form the dough into a ball and wrap it loosely in a cotton cloth. Leave it in a bowl in a warm, sheltered place to rise, or cover the bowl with a cloth, for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven tom 450 degrees F. Oil a rectangular or a circular pizza pan and use your fingertips to gently stretch out the dough to cover the bottom.Spread diluted tomato paste over the dough spread the grated mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato. Sprinkle with the salt , basil, oregano, and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the olive oil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Kitchen Tip #5

If you eat uncooked yeast, it will

continue to grow inside your intestines.

You do not want that to happen!

      Oh my gosh I think I'm drooling... That looks sooo good. It's perfect for a pizza party! Here's a little snack you can have afterwards, Chocolate chip with a twist. Check it out:

The most important things to

a chef are his tools.

~Tyler Florence

Chocolate Chip Cookies

with Pecans and Coconut

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 and a half cups all-purpose butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 twelve-ounce pacjage semisweet chocolate pieces
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut

How to bake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds, or until softened. Add about half the flour to the butter. Then add brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat till thoroughly combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat or stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces. Then stir in nuts and coconut. Drop dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or till edges are lightly browned. Removed the cookies from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack makes about 60 cookies.

Kitchen Tip #6

If you want your cookies to stay soft,

put a slice of apple in the cookie container

before tightening the lid.

      Alright, that's all for now. Oh and if you want to comment, scroll down to the bottom the post and click 0 comments and you'll be able to comment. Please do, I really want to hear your views. Look for more recipes here from Eggs Over Evie. :)

Eggs Over Evie: Breakfast&Tea Set

      Hi! (That's the only greeting I can think of at the moment). Today we'll have something sweet and salty... Ah! Forget it! Lets just cut to the chase. Today's menu: Savory Swiss Mushroom Omelet and Scrumptious Red Velvet Cake for dessert with a side of generous side of cooking quotes and Kitchen Tips. Bon Apetite!

 Do not crowd the pan.
~Tom Colicchio

Savory Swiss Mushroom Omelet


Ingredients:
Omelet:
2 or 3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
Filling:
one tablespoon vegetable oil
6-8 ounces
white mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

How to bake

Omelet: Whisk eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Spray omelet pan or small skillet with non-stick spay. Add butter and heat over high. Heat until butter is foaming but not brown. Pour eggs; keep pulling edges, up with fork or spatula, until all liquid is set. ( If you like the interior of your omelet well-cooked, you can flip the eggs before adding filling.)  

Filling: Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and onion until golden brown, stirring constantly, until tender. Sprinkle mixture on top of the cooked omelet; add shredded cheese. Fold and roll out onto serving dish. Serves Two. 

Kitchen Tip #3

To test to see if an egg is fresh, immerse it

in a pan of cool salted water. If it sinks,

its fresh. If it floats, throw it away!

... ... ... 

Organise! Prioritize! 
~Bobby Flay 

 

Scrumptious Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar 

2 eggs

2 ounces red food coloring

2 heaping tablespoons cocoa

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

Frosting:

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

How to bake

Cake: Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs with electric mixer. make paste out of food coloring and cocoa. by hand, add cocoa mixture to egg mixture. Add buttermilk alternately with flour and salt. Add vanilla. Mix baking soda with vinegar, then add the bubbling mixture to the batter, branding instead of beating. Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, then cool on rack to room temperature before frosting.  
Frosting: On stove top, cook flour and milk over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Mix sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Blend milk and flour mixture into sugar mixture. Spread on bottom layer. Place second layer on top, and frost entire cake,using a butter knife dipped in warm water. Mix 1/8-inch, 2- layer cake to serve about 10.

Kitchen Tip #4

To test a cakes doneness, poke it with

a piece of raw spaghetti. If it comes out

dry, the cake is done!

     Hi guys, really sorry I didn't type much of and intro. I've been doing a lot of Literature homework and its really wearing me out. Anyway thanks to my siblings for helping out with the recipe typing. (Try their blog: cheeshawhur.blogspot.sg ) And look out for more recipes from Eggs over Evie.

Eggs Over Evie ~ Alison Jackson

      Whoohoo!!! :D I have found another baking book with recipes!!! Yay!  I saved! I was starting to feel a little lost without The Secret Ingredient and was about to show you a recipe with Ritz crackers. Haha! Wow! Okay enough exclaimation marks for now...

      So, I went to the library earlier on and my sister found me this fantabulous book! Its called Eggs Over Evie by Alison Jackson, Illustrated by Tuesday Mourning. You see, Evie is the main character in the book. I don't really know what the book is about since I only just started reading it, but instructions on the inner cover state:

Recipe for

Eggs Over Evie

 Ingredients

1 girl, age thirteen

2 parents, divorced

1 dog, big and friendly

1 cranky old neighbor

1 stepmom expecting twins

1 cute cooking partner

Lots of eggs

Pinch of salt

 

Combine all ingredients without crowding the pan. And don't for get sprinkle in a quirky looking cooking teacher, a missing cat and a snob dinners with chef dad. Stir gently!

      Ooh! Oooh! And there are cooking quotes too!!! This is too good to be true! Our first recipe will be: Evie's Mount Vesuvius Omelet Souffle' and after that will be Epicurean Biscuits. There are also Kitchen Tips at the end of each recipe.

There is fabulous cooking, good cooking, 

mediocre cooking, and bad cooking.

~James Beard

Mount Vesuvius Omelet Souffle'

Ingredients

1 teaspoon water

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion 

 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 
dash salt
dash pepper
dash cayenne pepper
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
a few drops lemon juice

How to bake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine water with the onions and pepper in a medium sauce pan over a high heat. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook on high heat for about 5 more minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until very thick and light in colour. In another large bowl beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until stiff peaks form. Stir the vegetables into the yolks, then add the whites. Lightly coat an 8-inch souffle' dish with vegetable oil and spoon in the souffle' mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffy and browned on top. Serves two.

Kitchen Tip #1

The faster the souffle' rises, the faster it falls.

      And now we shall try the Epicurean Biscuits. Personally, I don't know what Epicurean means, but I'm sure the biscuits will taste good anyway. Happy baking! :)

 Cut and chop a lot of onions at one time

and get the misery over with.

~Heloise 

Epicurean Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons cold butter

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup fetecheese, rinsed and crumbled

1 egg yolk, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

How to bake

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Quickly cut the butter into the mixture. With a pastry blender, Until it resembles coarse oatmeal. Pour in the milk, add the cheese and stir by hand for about 30 seconds to make a soft dough. Knead the dough quickly for another 30 seconds on a lightly floured surface. Press tho dough flat and fold in half. Repeat pressing down and folding 6-8 times. Roll out  with a rolling pin to about half inch thickness. Cut the dough onto 1-or 2-inch rounds with a cookie or biscuit cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and brush with the egg-water glaze. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Makes about one dozen biscuits.

Kitchen Tip #2

Instead of using a cookie or biscuit cutter,

you can drop dough by the spoonful

on to a baking sheet. These are called

"cat-head" biscuits. 

      I hope you found these recipes delicious and try them yourselves. Read the book too. Just like the two previous books, its marvelous. Look forward to more recipes from Eggs Over Evie. :)

The Secret Ingredient: The Winning Recipe

      Greetings! Today I'll be sharing the Winning recipe from The Secret Ingredient. Unfortunately, this will be the last time I'm sharing from this awesome book. It seems I have run out of recipes to share with you, but I'll try to come up with some of my own. Anything for my readers. :)

      My aunt found this awesome song that I really like now. It's Jessie J ~ Domino. View it on my video bar if you will. And you see, after I finished reading The Secret Ingredient, I started reading this other really great book called, guess what?! SCONES and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland. Ha ha SCONES! What a coinkidink! (That means coincidence for those of you who are lost.) But this book does not have recipes I can share with you. Oh well, too bad.


      The book is about a romance obsessed girl, Polly, who works in her family's bakery. She believes she has talent for match making and is determined to bring lovers, of all ages, together...whether they want to be or not. It's a great book even without recipes and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. On the back cover of the book, it states:

To Read:

Mix heaping cupfuls of romanticism

with two quarts of laughter.

Blend well.

Add a splash of sadness, a dash of utter

despair, and four cups of heart warming fun.

Bake at 350 degrees for one evening.

Best enjoyed with a cup of tea, a warm

scone, and a dainty lace handkerchief...

preferably embroidered.

      Believe me it's a great book, but now I think it's time for the winning recipe: Toffee Apple Tea Scones! Yay! But before that one of my favourite tea quotes!!!

Teapot is on, the cups are waiting. Favourite chairs anticipating. No

matter what I have to do, my friend there's always time for you.

~Unknown

Toffee Apple Tea Scones

Ingredients

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of tea

3 tablespoons Lurpack butter

1 fresh egg

3/4  cup fresh buttermilk

1/2 cup green apple (chopped)

1/4 cup English toffee pieces (chopped)

1/4 cup of milk

For the glaze:

 2 tablespoons brewed black tea (cooled)

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (more to texture if necessary)

2 tablespoons whole milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Bake 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix the dry ingredients together first, then cut the butter, toffee, apples, and egg. Slowly add the buttermilk to form a thick dough. Knead the dough on a board, roll to a 1-inch thickness, and cut the dough into 2-inch triangles. Place each triangle on a greased cookie sheet and brush the tops with milk. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes in  the oven until golden brown. While the scones are baking, brown the butter in a saucepan and add the brewed tea. Mix in the confectioners' sugar with a whisk. Add the milk until you have a thin glaze. Whisk in vanilla extract. Drizzle on top of the scones when they've cooled slightly; serve. Makes about 12 scones.

Oh my dear fellow...Should you not be asking,

"Would the tea like the cup?" 

~Oscar Wilde

      And that is the last you will hear of  The Secret Ingredient. Unless you read the book yourself of course, and I really hope you do also please try SCONES and Sensibility they're both fantastic. 

XOXO

An Lyn .

The Secret Ingredient: The Best Things in Life

The hour of tea is half past five, and my buttered toast

waits for nobody.

~Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White

       Dear readers, I'm terribly sorry. I know I haven't updated my blog until today. I've been really tired so I decided to take a break for the weekend. All of you have probably been waiting for the next scone recipe (shared from The Secret Ingredient of course) so here it is! But first, an intro:

      The best things in life are...scones? Nope! The best things in life are always the simplest. That is why today I'm sharing with you the simplest scone recipe there is. Plain scones are my absolute favourite kind of scone, as I have mentioned in my previous entries. They are best served warm and fresh, split open and topped with either lemon curd or jam and clotted cream. Usually served during tea-time, coffee works too.

Plain Scones

Ingredients

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons Lurpack butter

1 fresh egg

 2/3 cup fresh buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon secret ingredient

1/2 cup whole milk

How to cook

Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix the dry ingredients together first, then cut in the butter and egg.  Slowly add the  buttermilk to form a thick dough. Add  the secret ingredient. Knead the dough on a board, roll to a inch thickness, and cut the dough into 2-inch triangles. Place each round on a greased cookie sheet and brush the tops with milk. Bake for about 12 to 15 min until golden brown; serve warm with jam and clotted cream. Makes 10 scones.

 Tea...is the religion of life.
~Okakura

       And now a refreshing drink to wash down that creamy scone. This Orange Strawberry Iced Tea is perfect for a hot day. And easy to make too!

Orange Strawberry Iced Tea

Ingredients
2/3 cup brewed green tea
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sliced strawberries
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup ice cubes

How to Make

In a large pint glass, place ice cubes. Add tea, juice, and sugar. Stir, add sliced strawberries and enjoy! You may like to add a little flair by placing some mint leaves or a slice of strawberry on the rim of the cup. Maybe even a tiny umbrella!

 I am so fond of tea that I could write a whole dissertation on
its virtues.
~James Boswell 

      See? I told you that iced tea would be super easy to make! Anyway guys, the next entry will be my final entry from The Secret Ingredient. I will be posting the prize winning scone recipe and that will be all. I hope you all are looking forward to it.

Cheers, :)

An Lyn

The Secret Ingredient: Extra-healthy Tea time Snack

 

 I shouldn't think even millionaires could eat anything nicer than

bread and real butter and honey for tea.

~Dodie Smith

      Dear readers, I hope you've enjoying the recipes I've shared with you. But I seem to be running out of recipes to share with you. See, I have read more of the book and there have become less recipes to share.  But don't worry, I have a few more to last me another couple of entries. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But for now, instead of scones and sweet treats, today I'm going to share a healthy tea time snack of Veggie Sushi and Tea Smoothie. A wierd weird combo, but I suggest you give it a try.

Veggie Sushi

Ingredients

4 cups water

2 cups short-grain white rice

1 cucumber 

1 avocado

1/2  cup rice vinegar

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 package of pre-toast nori  sheets

1/2  cup soya sauce 

1 tablespoon prepared wasabi paste 

How to make

Bring the water to a boil and add the rice. Lower to a simmer and let cook for about 35 min. peel and cut the cucumber and avocado up into small strips; set aside. Mix the vinegar and brown sugar together and add to the rice once it's finished. Let the rice mixture cool. 

Lay out a nori sheet on a clean surface or bamboo mat. Put a clump of rice the size of a small apple in the center of the sheet and use your hand to press the rice to the edges of the sheet so it covers the whole thing. It works best if you keep your hands moist while your doing this. Next, place a row of sliced cucumber and avocado pieces in the center of the sheet and firmly roll the nori into a tight roll. Slice the roll into 6 pieces. Repeat with all nori sheets. Makes 4 to 5 rolls.

Serve the sushi pieces with soy sauce and wasabi paste.

Tea is the new tea.

~Unknown 

      And while you're at it, why not whip up a simple yet refreshing tea smoothie to add to your veggie sushi. It works great for breakfast or a snack. Its not hard to make either, so enjoy!

Extra Healthy Tea Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate-flavored black tea 

1/3 cup organic whey ( The acai-flavored whey from tera's

whey in Reedburg, WI,is awsome ) 

1/2 cup blue berries

1/2 cup strawberries

1 banana

How to make

Add all ingredients into a blender. Blend on low for 1 minute. Then, Increase the speed and blend on high for 1 minute. M akes 2 delicious smoothies.

It's always tea-time.

~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

      If you still liked the scones better, then keep your eyes open for the next entry. I will be posting the recipe for Plain Scones and Iced tea, perfect for a hot day! All from the extremely awesome: The Secret Ingredient. 

TTYS,

An Lyn

The Secret Ingredient: The Perfect Set

It was fortunate that the tea was at hand, to produce a lull and 

provide refreshment...

                                           ~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

      Howdy! Today I've posted the recipe for Cookies & Cream Scones and a Matcha Frappe to go with it! The perfect set for your afternoon tea! All from The Secret Ingredient of course. Happy Baking (and eating)! :-)

Cookies & Cream Scones

 Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

  tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons

1 egg 

1 cup chopped chocolate sandwich cookies

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon secret ingredient 

1/4 cup milk 

How To Cook

Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix the dry ingredients together first,then cut in the butter. Stir in the cookie pieces. Slowly add the  buttermilk to form a thick dough. Add  the secret ingredient . Knead the dough on a board, roll to a inch thickness, and cut the dough into 2-inch rounds. Place each round on a greased cookie sheet and brush the tops with milk. Bake for about 12 to 15 min until golden brown serve warm. makes 12 scones.

The cup of tea on arrival at the country house is a thing which, as a rule,

I particularly enjoy. I like the crackling logs, the shaded lights, the

scent of buttered toast, the general atmosphere of leisured cosiness

~P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters

      And while you're waiting for the scones to cool, why not whip up that special Matcha Frappe to go with it? Matcha is basically powdered Japanese green tea. Its loaded with antioxidants and is delicious. You buy it in little tins, but don't need too much to make an awesome frappe. The recipe is simple and the steps are easy. You will love it once it touches the tip of your tongue!

Matcha Frappe

Ingredients

1 cup of ice

1 cup of milk( 1 use 2 percent)

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of matcha powder

Add the ice, milk, and sugar to your blender, and blend on low until the mixture is nice and frothy. Add the matcha powder and blend on low for another min. The drink will be a lovely green color. Mix one shake. Enjoy!

One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight,

beyond the bliss of dreams.

~John Milton

         I've been thinking, maybe I should change my blog's name to My Not-So-Secret Recipes during this period of sweet treats. And I have posted a question which I think you guys should answer, its at the bottom of my blog page (just scroll down, look to the side and answer the question). I hope you liked the recipes. Look forward to more right here!

xoxo <3
An Lyn

The Secret Ingredient: Tea Tips and More Treats

      Hi! I've got more recipes for you guys, as well as Tea Treatment tips. But let me bore you for a minute with a few things about my personal life. I don't mean to, but this blog can't be all about Tea and Crumpets, can it?

      I've been out the whole day today and haven't had much time to to my homework so this one's going to be a quickie. ;) Okay, well, right now I'm in a room full of kids, and they are not quiet kids either. So I have to put on my head phones and turn the music up high in order to drown the sound out. And even that can't get me to focus completely.

      Yesterday, my sort-of uncle told me that Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga were following him on twitter. Since I don't have a twitter account myself, I wasn't sure if it was a big deal or anything. But LADY GAGA and JUSTIN BIEBER?! Now that's a big deal. I was a little skeptical at first because I had no idea why these super-famous-celebs would follow my uncle on twitter. But I'm still going to find out. OMG wouldn't it be so cool if Katy Perry, Taylor swift and Selena Gomez followed my uncle (on Twitter) too? I would just DIE!!! But I would definitely somehow get their autographs first!

     And now, Tea Time! Shall I give my opinion? Yes, I think I should. Well, first of all, my favourite tea is Peppermint, with lots of sugar and no cream. It really helps me cool down, to relax and de-stress. And the closest thing to a scone I've ever eaten is the Popeyes famous "biscuits". Yeah, scones are hard to find in Singapore. But I'm telling you, those "biscuits" are THE BEST IN THE WORLD! I love eating them with butter or jam (or both) or just by itself. Eating it with Peppermint tea is the best of course.

      Okay, time for some Tea Treatment tips from The Secret Ingredient! But before that, my promised Tea quotes:

Come oh come ye tea-thirsty restless ones - the kettles boils,

bubbles and sings, musically.

                       ~Rabindranath Tagore

 

Tea Toner

Steep a generous portion of green tea in 1/2 a cup of hot water for 4 minutes. Mix together with 1/2 cup of aloe gel (look for soothing aloe gel near the sunscreen at your drugstore or grocery store). Apply this mixture to you face in the morning or at night. It's great for sensitive skin!

Herbal Tea facial

Steep a table spoon of peppermint tea in a large teapot. After 2-3 minutes of steeping, pour the tea into the bowl. Hold your face directly over the bowl and place a towel over over your head and the bowl. You can soak up the steam as long as you feel like it. Your pores will clear out, and the peppermint aromatherapy will wake you right up!

To kiss is like drinking tea from a tea-strainer -

you always want more.

                        ~ Old Chinese saying

      Hoped you found the tips useful. now here's something you can actually munch on. Oh, and I read more of the book and found out that the secret ingredient is actually tea leaves! But I have no idea how you put that in a scone. So, here ya go!

Delicious Bacon Scones

Might sound weird, but taste delish!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes,diced
1/2 cup crispy bacon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon secret ingredient
1 table spoon milk

How to cook

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix the dry ingredients together first, then cut in the butter. Add the secret ingredient. In a small bowl beat one egg. Stir the beaten egg and add cheese, tomatoes, and bacon. Slowly, add the buttermilk to form a thick dough.You may need slightly more than 3/4 cup. Knead the dough on a board, roll into 1-inch thickness, and cut the dough into 2- inch triangles. Place each triangle on a greased cookie sheet, beat the remaining egg with milk, and brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for about 12 to 15 min until golden brown; serve warm. Makes 12 scones.

Make tea, not war.

             ~Monty Python

       I hope you liked that recipe, those tea treatment tips and the tea quotes. If you did, visit my blog again for another savoury recipe from The Secret Ingredient. :D

The Secret Ingredient ~ Laura Schaefer

     As I might have told you before, I'm a bookworm. At the moment, I'm reading this super fantastic book about a girl who works as a barista at her grandmother's teashop, The Steeping Leaf. Annie (that's her name) is battling a fierce competition in a scone bake-off sponsored by one of their tea suppliers. Her food blog starts attracting mean comments and there's a whole matter of a stolen kiss with her sworn enemy Zach Anderson in the stock room. With the help of her two best friends, Annie has to come up with an awesome contest entry and sort out her love life by the end of the summer. Its called The Secret Ingredient.

      Laura Schaefer is the author, she has also written The Teashop Girls. The Secret Ingredient is the second book in this series. Also, I'm going to be posting some quotes related to tea also taken from this magnificent novel. Here's the first one: 


                        We live in stirring times - tea-stirring times.
                                                          ~Christopher Isherwood

     Really, its a great book, especially since I love baking (although my kitchen is too small). You should try it, I'm sure it will be in any library near you. The author is Laura Schaefer. So, over the days, I'm going to share with you some scone recipes from the book that you could try at home. If your kitchen is big enough of course. Here goes:

 

Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients

 2/3 cup of sugar

  2 cups of flour

 1 table spoon of baking powder

 1 cup of mini dark chocolate chips

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 3 tablespoons cold butter

 1 egg

 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2  tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon secret ingredient*

1/4  cup  whole milk

How to cook

     Preheat your oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, mini dark chocolate chips, and salt. Cut in cold butter. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, vanilla, the buttermilk. Slowly at the wet mix to the dry mix and stir to combine until even. Add the secret ingredient. Knead the dough together a few times until the dough is one solid ball. Roll out the dough into a circle, about an inch thick or less. Use cookie cutter to cut out small circles. Place scone circles on a greased cookie tray. Brush with milk. Bake for 15 to 17 min until golden brown. Makes 12 scones. Serve warm!

*I have no idea what the "secret ingredient" is so don't ask me.

We'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place.

~Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Parmesan berry scones

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cold butter

1 egg

2/3 cup butter milk

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup strawberries

1/2 teaspoon secret ingredient

1/4 cup whole milk

How to cook

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Mix the dry secret ingredients together first, then cut the butter.
Stir in one beaten egg and add cheese and berries. Add the secret ingredient. Slowly add the buttermilk
to form  a thick dough. You may need slightly more than 2/3 cup. Knead the dough on a board, roll to a
1-inch thickness, and cut the dough into 2-inch  triangles or rounds. Place each scone on a greased cookie sheet and brush the tops with milk. Bake for 12 to 15 min until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm. Makes about 12 scones.

Tea was such a comfort

                     ~Edna ST. Vincent Millay

     Many thanks to my brother and sister for so eagerly volunteering to help me type the recipes out. And to my readers: Please read my previous blog entry Swimming, Pizza, and Chubby Bunnies, and also look out for more recipes from The Secret Ingredient. Thank you.

Swimming, Pizza and Chubby Bunnies

     Hey guys! :D So how are ya? I'm in a super good mood today. That's because yesterday was practically the best day of my entire school holidays(so far)! Squeee! Okay maybe not the best day, but you get what I mean. I'm sure many of you wouldn't care at all about what I did yesterday, but I'm going to write about it anyway. Take that! Ha!

     Okay, so first, I went to meet my friends at the public swimming complex near my house.There were five of us in total. I was a little late so by the time I got there they were already swimming. But I didn't mind. Okay, maybe I was just a little jealous...

     Anyway, when I got there, I had to buy the ticket to go in. I observed the man before me. It was a machine that would dispense an entry-card to allow you pass through. You had to press either one of the buttons on the screen, Adult $1.00, Child $0.50, and Senior Citizen $0.30. I was a little jazzed up and probably not thinking straight so I pressed the "Adult" button and inserted the coins in to the little slot. Later my friends told me that I could have paid for the "Child" ticket. Gah! I mean how was I supposed to know that I could have paid for the child ticket? Usually when I go to restaurants, they consider me an adult. There was no button for Teens anyway. In fact, I could have paid for the Senior Citizens' ticket and no one would notice. Oh well, too late now...

     So after I bought the ticket I had to slot in the card through this other machine in order to be able to push one of the metal handle bar thingies to get inside the swimming complex. Sounds pretty simple right? The thing is, I couldn't find the slot to insert the card. So, I stood there like a fool trying to find the slot. Then when I looked up, I realised that part of the machine was for exiting the pool. Oh, thought I. How stupid could I have been? The answer is: VERY.

     So I finally managed to get in. It was a little cloudy that day so the pool was rather empty. It was perfect since I hate crowded pools. So I went to change into my slick black one-piece. And jumped in. We splashed each other and played games. Totally fun. After a while my fingers got a little pruney from being in the water for so long, so my friend and I got out to shower and change first while the others stayed a little while more. When we got out of the showering room, they were still swimming and reluctant to get out. So my friend and I had to drag them out. Haha! I was being sarcastic we actually hauled then out of the pool and forced then to go bathe.

    We were hungry so we decided to head over to my friend's place to order Pizza Hut Delivery for lunch. Pizza is my all-time favourite food! Its just so darn delicious. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week and not get tired of it. So you could imagine how happy I was. We walked to her Condominium  and ordered a large seafood pizza and a regular Cheesy 7 pizza when we got there.

     While we waited, we joked, gossiped, played games and basically had fun. But the best part was when we played Chubby Bunny. My friends had bought a pack of large marshmallows and the aim was to stuff as

many marshmallows we could into our mouth. Each time we put a new one in, we had to say "Chubby Bunnies". And the rule was that you could not chew the marshmallows. Once you did, you were out of the game.

       After about three each in our mouths, we started cracking up at the way we sounded. "Chubby Bunnies" now sounded like "tubbie-mummies" and soon morphed into "mmffy-mmllffs". Half the time we were laughing our heads off. But that's kinda hard to do with your mouth full of marshmallows and your spit about to escape from your mouth. Gross, but loads of fun!

     Soon after, the pizza came and we all pigged out. I took 4 slices of the Cheesy 7 pizza not because I was greedy but because I was allergic to the mayonaise on the Seafood pizza. OMGosh it was soooo good!!! Yes the pizza deserves three exclaimation marks. :D

       After that, we danced Roly-Poly by K-POP group T-ARA . If you had read my previous entries you would understand. Then we went down to the condo pool to dip our feet in the jacuzzi. We sat there for about an hour, then went back up. I left at about 6.30, and thanked my friend before I left. All in all, it was really fun. But now its back to homework and projects. 

Please follow my blog!
An Lyn :)