Be back Soon

As many of you know my sister Janette has been very ill with Leukemia. This Tuesday afternoon she passed away and went to join our Lord and Savior.  It is with great sadness that I must say goodbye for a few weeks.  Janette loved a great coffee or tea party.  She had the gift of gab and enjoyed great conversation.  She was an avid pet lover and advocate for the prevention of cruelty to animals.  She had been a pet groomer for more than 40 years.  She loved to play bingo, and she and our mother avidly enjoyed each others company while also enjoying their favorite pass time.  They had there little lucky charms with them while they played.

We shared some great fun in our younger days, and spent many a weekend dancing away.  She made me laugh.  During those younger days Janette was a member of a band and sang what most said sounded just like Patsy Cline.  She often sang Patsy's songs and could bring tears to your eyes.  Janette had many talents but none more than the gift of loving children.  She had one daughter and two grandchildren, and loved her niece Oriana who she often took care of during her  infancy.  She loved the others as well and could never give enough.

She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.  She will be missed by me more than words can say..

Dedicated to Janette

Stay Strong little Sister, we are all praying for you.  We'll have a big party for you when you get home. This cancer has nothing on you, we are going to send it packing.  Take heart and Take Care, You may be entertaining Angels unaware.  We Love You!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oma's Streusel Coffee Cake decorated with Edible Flowers

STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE DECORATED WITH EDIBLE FLOWER
Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,138166-235207,00.html Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. Dough: 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 pkg active dry yeast 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt 3 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine 1 teaspoon sugar with 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Stir in yeast and allow to sit for 10 minutes.In a small saucepan, scald the milk. Heat milk until tiny bubbles begin to form along the edge, then remove pan from heat and set aside, undisturbed, to cool. Skim off and discard any protein skin which rises to the top or accumulates on the edges of the pan. Stir yeast to dissolve, and add lukewarm milk (about 100°F). Be sure to allow the milk to cool sufficiently; if it is too warm it will kill the yeast and the batter won't rise). Add 1 1/2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and allow to sit in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk. This will take 1 to 2 hours, (or less on a warm day), depending on room temperature. In a separate bowl, cream together butter, salt and remaining sugar. Stir in the yeast batter gradually. Add remaining flour and beat until thoroughly mixed. Butter or spray two 7x11x11-1/2 or 9 in, springform pan well. Spread batter evenly in the two pans. Sprinkle top generously with the crumbly Streusel mixture (see below). Let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake at 375°F-400°F, reducing temperature after the first 5 minutes if the top is browning too quickly. Remove from oven when cake tests done (about 18 minutes) and allow to cool. Variations: Drizzle with confectioners' icing, if desired, or sprinkle with chopped nuts. Streusel may be made with or without cinnamon. Coffee Cake freezes well. Cool 3-4 hours before freezing. Yield: 2 Coffee Cakes Streusel Topping: 1/2 cup flour 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional) Combine ingredients. Taste and adjust cinnamon to your liking. If mixing in a food processor, 4 tablespoons whole nuts or ground almond or coconut meal may be added for extra texture.Whole almonds or macadamia nuts make a wonderful topping. Add a drop of complementary flavoring (such as a few drops of almond extract or almond flavored liqueur or amaretto, or walnut liqueur if using walnuts). Sprinkle Streusel topping over coffee cake before baking.

The picture of the gift basket was a donation from a friend.  She is a wonderful hostess and thoughtful guest.  What a beautiful gift to present to your hostess when invited to a kaffeklatsch or tea. This is just one of many thoughtful ideas.  Please share with us a memorable gift that you have presented to a hostess, or perhaps one that was presented to you.

~Take Heart and Take Care, You may be Entertaining Angels Unaware ~ Love and Hugs, Anne

Happy St Patricks Day

A St. Patrick's Day Wish For You

May your life be long
May your heart be true
May your path be clear
and your skies be blue

May your soul be happy
and your spirit light
May you know deep joy
May your dreams take flight

May God bless you
on this special day and always!

Orange Citrus Cupcakes

poppy seeds, plus extra to sprinkle 2 eggs 1/2 cup warm milk 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, sifted 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (for citrus frosting) 3 tsp finely grated orange zest 3 cups confectioners' sugar (for citrus frosting) 3/4 cup superfine sugar 3 tsp finely grated orange zest (for citrus frosting)

Preheat oven to 350 F Combine poppy seeds with milk and set aside for 15 min. Line standard cupcake pan with liners.
Combine butter, orange zest, super fine sugar, eggs, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until combined, add poppy seed mixture beat on med for three minutes until thick and pale. Devide into liners and bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack,
For Frosting
Combine Butter, Confectioners sugar and zest beat until smooth and frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with reserved poppy seeds.

A Tea Party To Remember

Make your next kaffeklatsch or tea party an afternoon to remember. Make it an outdoor theme. Use a couple of small tables, decorated with your prettiest linen and coffee or tea service.  Instead of your normal center piece make individual center pieces with small contianers of specialty tea or individual single pot coffees, tied with pretty ribbons and add a sweet note with their place card. Ask that they dress up and wear a garden hat and if possible gloves. Make it an occasion. We seldom dress up to the nines anymore, but believe me when I say you will feel extra special.  Another theme could be to invite your daughters or granddaughter, girls always love to dress up and what a wonderful way to make them feel special and make a lasting memory. Invite a photographer or maybe you have a friend who is an amateur, and make lasting memories with pictures of the occasion. 

Take Heart and Take Care, You may be entertaining Angels Unaware..~Love~ Micki                                                                                                                                             

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

Source:

Medrich, Alice. Cocolat. Warner Books. New York: 1990.

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte Recipe:

1/2 cup (70 grams) hazelnuts

1/4 cup (30 grams) all purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

6 ounces (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar (divided)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Chocolate Ganache: (optional)

8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

1 tablespoons cognac or brandy (optional)

Note:  Cream of tartar is used when whipping eggs whites to help stabilize them, and to prevent them from drying out and being over beaten.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateHazelnutTorte.html#ixzz1GpowrmjP

A Time Of Renwal

Spring a time of birth and renewal.  These swans are a reminder of what is important in our lives. ~ LOVE~ Love of friends, children, country, family, the season, flowers, of good wine, great coffee, and wonderful sweet indulgences. 

Take the time to bring a little love into someones life.  Invite them to lunch or out for a sweet and coffee or tea.  Put out all your finery and invite them to dine in your wonderful smelling abode or your lush backyard.

Time is short and precious, make the most of it and remember. You may be entertaining Angels Unaware.

Love, Micki 

It's Begining To Look A Lot Like Spring

Everywhere we look we can see the birth of Spring. The Daffodils, and Tulips are blooming, and we smell the heady fragrance of dogwood trees, an tulip magnolias and today I saw my first redbud tree show off it's lively color.

This is my favorite time to sit in the garden and enjoy coffee or tea. This isn't the time for timidity. Deck the table in your finest linens, bring out a beautiful vase and fill it with Tulips, and use your best china and silver. Make the Lime Pound Cake with Coconut and invite a few of your closet friends.

This is the time of making memories and who knows you may be inspiring the next generation to do the same.

Take Heart and Great Care You may be entertaining Angels Unaware. 

Love, Micki

White Chocolate Cake with Ginger

Ingredients                                                  16                         Portion (s)

Ingredients

250 g chocolate, white (aka chocolate)
200 g butter, soft
100 g sugar
4 pcs eggs
1 pinch (s) salt
100 g flour
25 g cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cream
50 g grated coconut
80 g ginger, preserved in sugar syrup
20 g pistachios, chopped
50 g coconut chips (Health Food)
1 tablespoon mint leaves

Per serving as:
279kcal
23g F
18g KH
3g E

Preparation time in minutes:
25
Koch-/Backzeit:

And how it's done

1. 150 g chocolate chop, melt in water bath and cool down a little. Butter and sugar until creamy. Separate the eggs. Egg whites with salt until stiff. Flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Alternating with the yolks and stir the melted chocolate to the butter cream. Add the cream and stir. including raising the coconut and fold the beaten egg whites.

2. 60 g ginger from the syrup, take some leave to drain and chop coarsely. Fold into the batter. Into a box lined with baking paper form (30 cm long) or fill semicircular shape parfait. Bake in preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes baking. Let cool and then run to the wire rack.

3. 100 g chocolate chopping and boiling water. The surface of the cake to coat it. Sprinkle with pistachios and coconut chips. The remaining 20 g ginger Drain and cut into slices and place on the cake. Garnish with mint leaves.

Notes and cooking tips Electric oven: 180 ° C, 350 F gas mark 2, convection oven: 160 ° C
Baking time: 45-50 minutes
You can take for the dough a little fresh ginger. For this, a shell about 4 cm long piece of ginger into it and rub directly on a fine grater in the dough.

Lime Pound cake with Coconut

Cakes and pastries                     -                     Vegetarian

Ingredients                                                  15                         Portion (s)

Ingredients

4 pcs Bio-lime
10 medium eggs
200 g sugar
1 pinch (s) salt
180 g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
120 g cornstarch
200 g butter
100 g icing sugar
3 tablespoons coconut milk
3 tablespoons shredded coconut (aka coconut curls)

Preparation time in minutes:
20
Koch-/Backzeit:

And how it's done

1. 3 limes, rinse and rub the hot pan. Squeeze out the juice. 6 eggs, 4 egg yolks, 130 g sugar, salt, 4 tablespoons lime juice and zest over a hot water bath until creamy. Flour, baking powder and cornflour mix. About Eicreme beaten egg whites fold in seven. Melt the butter and stir into the warm dough.

2. This into a greased loaf pan (30 cm) and fill in the preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes Bake (electric oven: 200 ° C, 375 F gas mark 3, fan oven 180 ° C). cut after 10 minutes baking time the cake with a knife. Loosen After baking the cake edges with a knife and turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

3. The remaining sugar and lime juice to a boil. The lime syrup over the warm cake drizzle.

4. Powdered sugar and coconut milk to the casting mix. The sand and pour over cake to get together to the grated coconut or lime slices and decorate.

Notes and cooking tips Preparation time: 20 minutes with no waiting time
Cooking time: 50 min
This pound cake is pretty easy, fat and sugar should be pitched carefully. Also should not miss baking powder. Or else the cake will be slightly soggy.

Ingredients                                                  12                         Portion (s)

Ingredients

350 g flour
0.5 tsp baking powder
300 g sugar
2 package (s) vanilla
220 g butter (aka margarine)
1 medium egg
1.5 tsp cinnamon
2.5 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 kg sour apples
50 g raisins
2 tablespoons sour cream

Preparation time in minutes:
60
Koch-/Backzeit:

And how it's done

1. For the dough 2 / 3 of the flour, baking powder, 120 grams of sugar and half the vanilla and mix well. With 120 g of cold, cubed butter and egg and knead smooth. Then the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. For the streusel mix remaining flour, 100 g sugar and 1 / 2 teaspoon cinnamon. Other soft butter. by working with your hands or a fork until fine crumbs arise.

3. Two thirds of the dough roll around. The bottom of a greased springform pan (28 cm diameter)(9in) interpret it, piercing several times. Remaining dough into a roll. Laying on the inner edge of the springform. pull with the thumb, so that an approximately 3 cm high Prick the sides is produced. Bread crumbs evenly on the floor.

4. Peel apples, quarter and remove seeds, cut into thin slices. Raisins, sour cream, remaining sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and mix. Pour into the dish and add the crumbs evenly over the filling. Bake in preheated oven on the lowest rail bake about 1 hour (hearth: 200 ° C, gas mark 3, fan oven: 170 ° C). 350 degrees

Notes and cooking tips Baking time 60 min

Rememberence of Those Goods Days With Friends Over Coffee

Many a good day were spent with friends over coffee and cake.  Just like the Golden Girls we had our cheesecake moments too.  There were stories of ALL kinds.

It all started in Germany, I was born in a little house on the Freudenberg Hills, the war had been over for several years and people were settling in to a time of new growth, and prosperity.  As an Army Brat we traveled alot but I was never as as Happy as I was in that little old house. From there we would go down to the River Rhine and walk the colonade.  We would eat in outdoor dining and watch the boats go by, and sometime we would go to the coffee houses where we would enjoy the most sumptuous cakes and pastries.

This little bog is going to be dedicated to just that. Coffee, Conversation and Sumptuous cake recipes.  So I hope you will all join me, share your stories and recipes.  Love to you All, Mecki