Cherry Cobbler From Back Yard to Table

For the last week I have been watching the tree in the yard produce the most plump, sour cherries and I simply could not resist picking a few from the yard to make some Cherry Cobbler for my afternoon tea. It is recipes like this one that make me miss my dad so very much, I know he would have loved this in his hay day. The tart cherries, made the most delicious cobbler and while I could not share it with him, I did take one of the pans to my upstairs neighbor.

I harvested only the ripe ones and only about 1/3 of the tree. I washed &pulled out the pits, and then made a simple syrup with water and sugar, and placed the cherries in the pan to boil and reduce in the syrup for about 5 mins.

I assembled the other ingredients and in under an hour, the most fragrant and bubbly cherry goodness came out of my oven, mind the mess I think tomorrow will be the clean out the oven day...

Here is the recipe if you would like to try to make your own. It can also be easily done with a tin of fruit.


Fruit Cobbler
Preheat the oven to 350
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 tsp of baking powder
1 can of fruit or Two cups of fresh fruit brought to a boil in one cup of simple syrup

In your baking dish melt the butter. While it is melting place your flour, sugar and baking powder in a medium sized bowl and mix well. Add your vanilla to your milk and add that to the flour mixture stir until incorporated and pour the batter into the pan over the melted butter. Top with the fruit in the syrup if you are using fresh, or the entire can including the juice over the cake mixture. DO NOT STIR.
Place in the oven and bake for about 50 mins or until golden brown and butter bubbling. Serve it with ice cream if you wish, whip cream or on it's own.
Thank you for joining me for a tea time recipe today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Irish Tea Cake With Warm Blueberry Sauce and Chantilly Cream

I have not baked much at all during the Covid 19 pandemic, however I have been stock piling recipes and yesterday while I was looking for something to christen my new kitchen aid mixer, I decided in honor of my Irish heritage and as a salute to my Irish Mother, I would make the Irish Tea Cake recipe from Let's Dish Website.
To make it my own I made Lactose free Chantilly Cream and used the last of my blueberries to make a warm blueberry sauce.
I parred it with my Petit Point Royal Albert china and my favorite Murchie's Vanilla tea.
I also took it out of the oven flipped it on my plate hot from the oven, topped it with the blueberry sauce and the cream, took a photo and dove right in. I ate three pieces, which is why I am wearing jogging pants for the foreseeable future, totally worth it.
If you want to try this recipe on Let's Dish, Click Here

Irish Tea Cake from Let's Dish Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup butter, softened
2. 1 cup white sugar
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
6. 2 teaspoons baking powder
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 cup milk
9. Powdered sugar for dusting
10. Fresh berries and whipped cream, for topping (optional)

For the method, click here for the recipe on the website....

A huge thank you to websites like Let's Dish for keeping us inspired and busy during this Pandemic Time.  

Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a cozy tea time recipe. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Cinnamon Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread...

“Imagine all the wondrous things your arms might embrace if they weren’t wrapped so tightly around your struggles.”-Sheila Burke

Saturday I made this blueberry banana loaf from a recipe I was directed to on a friends Facebook page. Now  I used to bake everyday and I have not in quite sometime. I am also very conscious of using supplies I currently have on hand and rationing things so that I do not waste. I had three bananas in need of use and all the ingredient on hand so I proceeded with the recipe from  Crazyforcust.com

This recipe surprised me in that it only used two eggs and no baking powder. Also it did not have brown sugar in it either. It is a very dense and rich banana bread and one I am sure I would make again.  
For the recipe from the website crazyforcrust.com please click here. 

Thank you for joining me here today I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's White Bean and Spinach Soup A Left Coast Crime Gala Dinner Copycat Recipe

I am still honestly in awe from the Left Coast Crime Conference that was held in Vancouver last month at the Hyatt. I was as impressed with the venue as I was with the amazing talented room of writers I shared the evening meal with on the Saturday evening.  The gala dinner and lefty awards were hosted in the ballroom of the Hyatt and the 4 course meal was outstanding. I had the vegetarian meal and it was something I am still dreaming about.

The sit down meal I fully enjoyed and the dinner conversation as well. One of the items that stood out most for me was the soup that was served to us upon sitting. I asked what it was and was told it was a white bean cream soup.

It was the oddest shade of green, buy something I fell in love with as soon as it hit my tongue. I regret not asking for another bowl! I found it hard to concentrate on the conversation at the table as I was trying to deconstruct the soup in my mind so I could make it again. This past Saturday I did just that, in my own way. I am sharing the recipe with you on the chance you might also enjoy it as well. I know I will make this soup again.

Karen's White Bean and Spinach Soup
2 cans of 19 oz white kidney beans
1/2 a frozen package of chopped spinach
1 lt of Chicken Stock
1 cup of water
1/2 a large white onion
2 stalks of celery
2 tsp garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt and Pepper to taste (I added Slap yo Mama Spice instead)
1 tsp thyme
*1/2 cup sour cream (I used lactose free) as a garnish or blend in the soup

In a large pot, with 2 tbsp of butter melting over medium heat place 1/2 of a finely chopped onion and 2 chopped stalks of celery.  Saute over medium heat three to 4 minutes until the onions and celery start to turn translucent. Add your 2 tsp of chopped garlic and stir until evenly distributed and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add your chicken stock and water, Bringing the broth upto a boil, add your 1/2 package of frozen spinach. Boil over medium heat until all the spinach is combined, stirring and breaking up the spinach as you go. Turn off heat and use an immersion blender (or regular blender)   once the beans, broth and spinach are combined spoon into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

I loved making and eating this soup, I hope you will too.
I even used my childhood bunnykins bowl to eat from.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a recipe today I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's Easter Potatoes and a bit of family history and mystery...

It is just a month since my father passed away and like all survivors, those of us left behind have the responsibility to go through the material items that are left behind. If you are new to my blog my dad passed away in March and my mother before him in September of 2010.

My sister and I were going through his worldly possessions and this overwhelming task was made somehow a bit lighter in finding one of the many notes my father would leave my mother everyday of their marriage.  My father would often leave before my mother and leave her a quick note in the most beautiful handwriting, on the table beside her book so that it would be the first thing she saw when she sat down. These were sometimes scribbled on scrap paper, the back of receipts or envelopes and often discarded at the end of the day, so how in the midst of my sadness and grieving this one particular love note survived not only the passing of my mother, but also my father and ended up in a box of photos destined for my place.  As I flipped through the old family photos this one particular note caught my attention, I smiled at the memory of note, and as I unfolded it I found a recipe of mine, in my mother's handwriting on the back for Easter Potatoes.  I don't think I had made them since 2005 when the recipe was copied down by my mother after a telephone call we had.

Having this once loved recipe was a particularly exciting find, how it ended up in the box is a mystery but one I am happy to have stumbled on. So I made it again and thought I would share with all of you....

 Karen's Baked Easter Potatoes

1 package of thawed frozen shoestring potatoes (I used two boxes of dried that I got a costco and rehydrated them)

1/2 a white onion

1 cup cream cheese

2 cups sour cream

2 cups of grated medium cheddar

1 can of cream of chicken soup

2 cups of corn flakes

1/4 cup Butter

Salt and Pepper (*I have since discovered Slap ya Mama spice so I used that instead)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375

Thaw or rehydrate your hashbrowns and add to a large metal bowl. Use a box grater to grate half a large white onion and add that to the bowl. Use a spatula to add and combine cream cheese and sour cream. Mix well until evenly distributed. Add one cup of the cheese and combine. *Add some of salt and peper Open the can of cream of chicken soup and stir that into your mix.  In a 9X13 baking dish that has been sprayed or greased spread out your potato mixture. 

In a medium sized bowl place your cornflakes and the remaining cheese. Melt the butter in the microwave and add to your cheese and cornflake mixture. Stir until combined and place on top of the potato mixture and spread evenly. 

Place your baking dish into the oven and bake one hour or until the potato mixture is golden and bubbly. 

Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a recipe. I look forward to sharing more with you again soon. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's Snowflake Shortbread

I love to bake. Shortbread is one cookie I learned to make and store in logs of batter in my fridge so that when someone stops by I can pull it out and slice and bake some while the kettle boils. This year I decided to add one of my new favorite holiday teas that we have at Murchie's to my dough and the result is spectacular.

In order to make these shortbread I had to pull out my coffee grinder give it a good wipe down and added 1 tsp of the Snowflake tea, (You can use any loose leaf tea you think would pair nicely, such as an Earl Grey Tea, just make sure you grind the tea leaves finely). Our Snowflake tea has coconut and Almond with black tea and is on its own quiet something to sip, I paired a pot of the tea to go with the shortbread and it was to die for!

Here is the recipe:
1 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp of  loose leaf tea of your choice (mine was Snowflake from Murchie's) ground finely

In a mixer place your butter and whip it until it is light and very soft, add your icing sugar and continue to whip it to combine. Slowly add your flour 1/2 cup at a time, making sure to check that it is absorbing into the butter before you add more.  Final step is grind your tea leaves, add them to your batter. Mix together until it is all incorporated.

Tear off some parchment the size of your cookie sheet and place it on the counter, spoon half the dough onto the parchment paper and log roll it, I form mine into more of a square and mold it with the paper as I go. Repeat on the remaining dough. Place them in the fridge to harden up for at least two hours.

When you wish to bake them, preheat your oven to about 350 pull out one log at a time and slice the cookies to your desired thickness, I did mine 1/2 inch thick.
Place them on a lined baking sheet and bake until the edges start to turn a light golden brown. Cool slightly and then place them on a pretty plate and make yourself a cup of tea in a beautiful cup and enjoy!

Think you might like to try Murchie's Snowflake Tea? Click here for the Murchie's Website. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a tea time recipe. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Baking From The Heart and Family History...

Recently I have started to get back to baking, something I so enjoy but had truly stopped doing regularly. Encouraged by a good friend to start up again with some of my most favorite recipes, I picked my Gramie Gibson's Cocoa Czechoslovakian Cookies, though growing up we called them Chocolate Checks.  These are a thumbprint cookie that has a bitter sweet chocolate outer shell cookie and a tart raspberry filling. Though my sisters make it with strawberry, my go to is always raspberry.

We used to have these cookies at Christmas, Gramie would bake and freeze them in Quebec (then later from Ontario), then ship them 3,000 miles to us. They are my dads favorite. When she passed away I got the recipe card from her box and it is one I treasure. If I could ask her about any of her recipes this would be the one.  While I was making this batch up for the photos, I ran out of raspberry jam and used peanut butter instead. While the raspberry jam is my go to, I still enjoyed the peanut butter center as well. 

I did not grow up near either set of my grandparents but they did come and visit us. My paternal grandmother was an amazing cook and award winning baker. Having this recipe and making it reminds me of her, of the fun holiday times we did get to spend together . My Gramie passed away 18 years ago this coming January. My oldest son was 5 days old when she passed. It was a long while before I could bring myself to make these. This is the second time in a month I have made them and each time I do I feel just a little bit closer to my Gramie.

Gramie's Cocoa Czechoslovakian Cookies
3/4 cups Soft Butter
2/3 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
3/4 Tablespoon Vanilla
9 oz Flour

Raspberry Jam
Icing Sugar for dusting
In a mixing bowl cream your butter and sugar. Add the cocoa and vanilla slowly add the flour until incorporated.  Roll out into small balls, place them on a lined cookie sheet,  then use your thumb to press down in the center.  Bake at 325 F for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and then re dent with your thumb.
Spoon raspberry Jam into the center of the cookies one after another then with a fine strainer dust the cookies with icing sugar.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cookie recipe today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Cookie You Must Try Making! Beth's Foolproof Madeline Cookies!

Two months to Christmas and I thought I would take today to share a holiday recipe with you. I love baking and I had not made these cookies in more than 20 years. What held me back was not having a pan. In September though one of my local Facebook groups I was gifted a Madeleine pan. I was so excited to have the pan and went to look for my recipe and could not find it. I did however find and love this youtube tutorial from Entertaining with Beth and mine turned out spectacular! 

One of the things I love about these cookies is how soft and cake like they turned out to be. Her recipe was spot on and I loved making these.

Truly the secret to making these is really in refrigerating the dough overnight and using a small scoop to fill your tray.

These are best enjoyed with a great friend and a great cup of tea.
To find the tutorial on youtube please click here.
I cut and pasted her recipe for you to enjoy! Watch the video though it is amazing!

BETH’S FOOLPROOF MADELEINE RECIPE

Makes 18 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 (7.5 ml) tsp orange zest

3 eggs

2/3 cup (130 g) sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder

1 cup (120 g) flour

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt

1 tbsp (7 g) powdered sugar

6 tbsp (60 ml) melted butter

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350F/(176C).

Whisk together dry ingredients add to the egg mixture gently, until just combined. Then add melted butter.

Beat eggs with sugar until pale yellow. Add zest.

Refrigerate the batter at least 1 hour! Or overnight. This is really critical for getting the “hump” of a Madeleine, the traditional mark of this classic French cookie.

Lightly coat a non-stick, Madeleine pan with baking spray using this technique. Spray the baking spray into a small bowl and with a pastry brush lightly grease each well.

Bake 7-8 mins until slightly golden around edges and centers look set and slight hump has appeared. Allow to cool slightly and remove from the tin and allow to cool.

Spoon 1 tbsp (15 ml) of batter into the center of the well and don’t touch it. It will spread out by itself and keep a more uniform shape that way.

Once cooled completely and dust with powdered sugar and serve!

These are best eaten the day they are made. Batter can be made 2 days ahead of time.

Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a great holiday cookie recipe! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's Almond Meal Vanilla Scones...

For the last few weeks I have been doing something for me I have not done in years and that is believing in the fact I can and will make better choices in my eating. While I was with my sister in Montreal, she and her husband have been exploring a low carb, low sugar lifestyle and at first I thought there is no way I can do that. I love my chocolate (hourly) and my cookies (by the sleeve) and there is my favorite all time thing to make scones.

I am thrilled to say this was a great way to learn about myself and my eating habits and that I have not had Chocolate, or cookies in more than 11 days. I actually have not even missed them, but I did miss scones. Honestly though I feel so much better, I am less tired, my clothing is fitting much looser and I don't have heartburn anymore that I was constantly plagued with. I am amazed at just how much more energy I have and how much calmer I feel.

That being said,  Fridays I like to have friends over in the morning for tea and scones, yesterday I tried a recipe that I found online but I made it my own.

Karen's Almond Meal Vanilla Scones. *

2 cups of Almond Flour (also known as Almond Meal, Ground Almonds)
1/4 cup of cold butter (cut in small squares or chopped finely)
1/4 cup of Steeva
1 tsp Vanilla
1 egg
2 tsp Baking Powder


In a medium bowl measure out your Almond Flour but do not pack it down, add your butter and cut the butter into the almond with your pastry blender. Try not to pack the dough you want to get as much air into it as possible. If you over mix it you will end up with a tough dough. Add your Steeva, and vanilla. crack the egg into the mixture and combine. Add the baking powder. Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Next use a medium sized ice cream scoop to form your scones. You can pack them if you want but I did loose scoops. I placed them on a piece of parchment on my cookie sheet and baked them at 400 until the edges were golden brown.
I picked some early raspberries from the yard and enjoyed a few with my scones and butter. I also delighted in sharing them with friends.

Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a recipe. Let me know if you make them and how you like them.

*The original recipe I found had more almond meal and milk, however I found that I did not need to add the milk as my mixture was already soft enough.

I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Simple and Sweet Strawberry Scones...

Last week my niece Beth came to stay with a few friends overnight to see a concert in Vancouver and then head home to Vancouver Island. It has been months since I last baked scones and I was so excited to have the girls here, perfect excuse to make some. I was going to do simple scones and just serve jam and cream but I had some fresh strawberries and decided to throw them in with some extra vanilla, these two ingredients took a very simple scone to extraordinary.

Simple Sweet Strawberry Scones...

2 3/4 cups of Flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup of white sugar
2/3 cup of margarine (butter or shortening)

2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 tbps vanilla
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries.

In a bowl place your dry ingredients and  combine. Add the margarine, and mix until bread crumb texture with a pastry cutter or forks. Make a well. Crack two eggs into the center add your milk and vanilla. Fold in your ingredients until all the mixture is moist. Fold in your strawberries.

Scoop the scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop. Place in a preheated oven of 400 until they are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve with whip cream or devonshire cream if you can find it.

Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a scone recipe. I best get back to reading now so I can share a cozy review with you soon! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's Recipe For Indoor S'mores

I have been busy as you may know this weekend with some houseguests from Japan. My son wanted me to make Indoor S'mores. Something I have been making since 1991!

5 cups of Golden Grahams Cereal
4 cups of marshmallows
1/3 cup of margarine
1 tsp vanilla 
1 cup of chocolate chips.
Melt the margarine in a large pot over med heat add the marshmallows and stir, then add vanilla once the marshmallows are melted add the cereal and then the chocolate chips. Stir and then put the mixture onto a greased cookie sheet or a greased 9X13 pan. Cool and then cut and serve. I love these bars and they never last!

These bars did not last at all, and now I am wishing I made a 3 times the amount I made, I think I will make these again next week and try to get a photo with tea so you can see how pretty they look. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy recipe. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Merry Christmas Day and A Cookie Recipe To Share...

Merry Christmas to you and yours from my family to yours. Today I am sharing my Grandmother Gibson's Chocolate Czechoslovakian Cookies. They are a thumbprint cookies my dad, sisters and I love.

 Chocolate Czechoslovakian Cookies
9 ounces of flour (1 cup and 3 tbsp) white flour
2/3 cup of margarine
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup of white sugar (though my grandmothers recipe says 1/8 cup, I always add 1/4)

Jam (I use raspberry, my sisters use strawberry)
powdered sugar or icing sugar

In a mixing bowl add your margarine and sugar, beat together and add vanilla. Add your coco powder and then flour, work this mixture with your hands and roll small balls. Place on cookie sheet and use your thumb to press the centers in. Bake for 10 mins at 325, remove from the oven and re-dent the center. Add a tsp of jam in the center and use a small strainer to sprinkle icing sugar over the cookies while they cool on the tray. Serve with your favorite tea or store in an air tight container.

Hoping you are enjoying your celebrations, and that you can steal away some reading time and enjoy a cup of tea today. I look forward to sharing more with you again tomorrow. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

2 Cozy Cookie Recipes Options For My Cookie Exchange

"Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts that's the way the season starts!" Now that things are progressing in my current new adventure, I have turned my thoughts towards my up coming cookie exchange in two weeks. This is an annual event where we all bake several dozen of our chosen recipe and then package and swap with about 10 others. I have tried out two recipes and have one to go before I decide which I will do for my swap. Pictured above with Jean Flower's Death Takes Priority a great book I am currently reading is my sister Bre's recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies. Light and crispy these are a favorite of mine and when she visits me at my new kitchen in a few weeks I may need her to make me more!

Karen's Sister Bre's Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup of Margarine
1 cup of Peanut butter
1 cup of White Sugar
1 cup of Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Eggs
2 Cups of Flour
*Optional add 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all by hand until all combined. Roll or scoop small balls of dough and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 mins, remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Karen's Dad's Favorite Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macrons

Cookie
1 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 14 ounce bag of Unsweetened coconut Flakes
2 tsp Vanilla

Chocolate Drizzle
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 tbsp margarine

Pre heat the oven to 350. In a large bowl place the coconut flakes and vanilla, open the can of condensed milk and pour over the flakes. Use a spatula to get all the milk out. Fold the milk into the flakes until combined. Drop spoonfuls batter equally onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
In the microwave place the chocolate chips and the margarine, melt on high at 25 second intervals, stirring the chocolate in between until it is melted to the consistency of liquid so you may drizzle it over the cookies, or you could dip them.
Allow to dry and serve and enjoy!

Still at least one more recipe I want to try before my party on the 26th. I hope you enjoy these to recipes today. Check back with me soon for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com.

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A Cup Of Tea, An Anticipated Cozy Mystery And A Soup Recipe

After a few days straight of rain here Saturday I broke out the soup pot. I have Pumpkin on the mind as one does this time of year and as my Uncle was in town visiting us I made him my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake, that left me with 14 ounces of Pumpkin to use, so I decided to make it into a rather tasty soup.

Karen's Pumpkin, Black Bean and Bacon Soup
To make your own you will need:
-14 ounce can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
-4 cups of Chicken Stock
-1 14 ounce can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
-1 medium onion chopped
-4-6 pieces of bacon, rough chopped and rendered
-1 table spoon minced garlic
-1 1/2 tea spoon of Cajun Seasoning Mic ( I used King of the Cajun Louisiana Mix)
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Method: Heat a cast iron fry pan over medium heat and add your chopped bacon, render it slowly until crisp, remove the bacon from the pan and drain, reserve the drippings.
Add one medium chopped onion to the pan and 1 tablespoon of the drippings, saute until the onions are translucent. Add your garlic and continue cooking for one minute.
In a dutch oven or large soup pot place your pumpkin and chicken stock. Wisk them together and bring them up to a simmer, add your onions, bacon and the can of rinsed black beans. Add your seasoning, stir and bring up to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if you would like. If you find it too flavorful add some sour cream, if not add more seasoning.
Serve with cornbread, a cup of tea and a fall themed cozy mystery.

Click here to learn more about Kathi Daley and her Pumpkins In Paradise Mystery 
Enjoy!
Thank you for joining me for  a cup of tea and a cozy soup recipe today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Peach Sunrise Coffee Cake From The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen! A Book and Recipe From Karen MacInerney

I follow Karen MacInerney on Facebook and I subscribe to her news letters too. As a reward last week she sent her followers The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen Recipe Book.  My friend Sheryl over at Booth Talks Booksand I both have made this Peach Sunrise Coffee Cake and it is delicious.
I have asked author Karen MacInerney if I can share this recipe and she has kindly agreed!

Peach Sunrise Coffee Cake From  The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen by Karen MacInerney
Cake :
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons of Sugar
1/3 cup of butter
1 egg
1 cup milk

Base:
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups of peaches thinly sliced ( I used canned and I sliced each one in half)

Middle layer:
1/3 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Cake:
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar with a fork. Cut in butter. In a separate bowl, beat together egg and milk. Add to the glour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Set aside.

Base:
Combine melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; spread over the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan (I had a 8X8 pan). Next layer the peaches in four rows.  Spoon half the cake batter over the peaches.

Middle Layer: Combine sour cream and raspberry preserves in a small bowl. Pour over the batter in the pan. Then drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the preserves mixture and smooth it out.

Bake at 350 F for 50 mins, cool for 15 mins and then invert on a serving plate.

I loved all the recipes in this book and can not wait to try more, from savory to sweet there is something for everyone in this cozy cook book!

To order your own copy of Karen MacInerney's book The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen please click here
Learn more about Karen MacInerney and all her cozy series by clicking here
Thank you Karen for allowing me to share your recipes with my readers and for this wonderful book!
Thank you all for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery recipe book review! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Karen's Mini Strawberry Pavlova's and Tea

Today I am sharing my mini pavlova recipe that I have been making a lot lately (Okay at least once a week for the last three weeks) It is strawberry season where I live and it is hard to resist them when they are so sweet tasting and priced so well. I have also been growing strawberry mint this spring and I love how it enhances the strawberry flavor in my desserts. I also have been adding the strawberry mint leaves to my tea and I loved the taste.

 This recipe is one i have been working on for a while. The trick is to get a crisp outer shell and a spongy light as air center.

To make your own you will need:
-4 egg whites at room temp
-1 1/4 cups of sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp apple cider vinegar
-2 tsp corn starch
-*strawberries
-*whip cream or cool whip

Preheat your oven to 350
In your mixing bowl place 4 egg whites, allow them to come up to room temp as they will whip higher and fluffier if you do. With an electric beaters (or kitchen aid like I use) whip your egg whites until they are stiff , slowly add the sugar about a tablespoon at a time, it takes a while but it is worth it. Once the sugar is mixed in remove the beaters from the bowl and use a spatula to gently fold in your vinegar and vanilla and your cornstarch.
 Next line your baking sheet with parchment paper, depending on the size you want you can pile your egg white mixutre in the center, make 6, 8 or even 12 smaller versions, just space them evenly and equally, make a dent in the center so that you have edges to hold your cream and strawberries after baking. Place them in the oven with room to expand slightly.

Bake until  golden brown depending on the size for a large one about an hour, less time depending on the size, and then allow them to cool.

Serve with whip cream and sliced strawberries.
I cut up my strawberries and then I finely chop 6 large strawberry mint leaves and add them to the strawberries, you can sweeten with sugar if you want or leave as is.

I love this very light and sweet dessert, you can use any fruit you want with it, it is such a great dessert base!
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy recipe. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Super Sweet Start To Your Week Mixed Berry And Oatmeal Scones

Monday Morning, new week, new season and a new cozy on my kindle app. This morning I decided to throw a bunch of things in the bowl and made some mixed berry and oatmeal scones. Pre heat your oven to 400F

2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of quick oats
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of apple sauce
1/2 cup of milk
1 egg
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 cup blue berries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

In a large bowl place your flour, quick oats, sugars and baking powder. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into your mix. Add apple sauce, milk and egg. Mix until just combined. add your frozen fruit,fold in and then spoon on to a parchment lined baking sheet. I made 12 coffee shop sized scones but you can make them smaller and get 24. Bake until edges and tops are golden brown serve with a pat of butter or with Devonshire cream.

Serve with a healthy dose of cozy mystery or your favorite poetry and a great cup of strong Irish Breakfast tea.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea a cozy mystery and a scone recipe.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Raisin Scones and Irish Breakfast Tea With Karen Mom of Three

As St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner I thought you may like my raisin tea scone recipe to pair with your Irish Breakfast Tea. I picked up a lovely blend of loose leaf tea from Davids Tea here in Canada but you can also find it in the USA by clicking here.

To make my raisin scones you will need:
-3 cups of white flour
-1/2 cup of sugar
-1 cup of raisins
-1/2 cup of butter (room temperature is fine.)
-2 tsp. baking powder
-1 egg
-2/3 cup of milk
-1/2 cup of boiling water
-3 tbsp. Irish Whiskey (or more you decide)

Step one pre heat the oven to 425 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a baking sheet.
Bring your water to a boil, Place raisins, milk and whiskey in a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the mixture and allow the raisins to plump while you get the rest of the batter together.
In a larger bowl place your flour, sugar and baking powder. Next using a fork or a pastry blender add in your butter, add your egg. Slowly add in your raisin mixture and fold it all together you should have a sticky dough that forms, mix until almost all of the flour is incorporated. Next drop 12 equal spoonfuls of batter on the cookie sheet and place in your pre heated oven. Bake until the scones are golden brown.

Sever while still warm with your favorite Irish Breakfast Tea and enjoy!

Add to your enjoyment with a wonderful Irish Themed Cozy! 

Click here for Murder in an Irish Village 

Escape to an Irish Castle with Kathi Daley's Shamrock Shenanigans by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a raisin scone recipe today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com