EASY PEEZY Tea Party February 1

Let's bring back the Tea Party! Theme for this month: Valentine's Day

You're invited to my Tea Party.

Remember when you were a little girl and you seated your dolls and Teddies around your table and all of you enjoyed tea and treats? Remember the joy? The fun?

Let's bring that back.

And I'd like to show you how to have an enjoyable, memorable, tasty tea party without destroying your budget, spending three days trying to prepare it, or being exhausted when it's finally time to open your door to your guests.

1. After choosing a date and time that works for you, send out invitations. This month, a Valentine is the perfect invitation.

Your Valentine invitation doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to tell your guests when and where, as well as what dress is expected. Now Formal Teas are just that - Formal. But this is the Easy Peezy Tea Party and you can have your guests dress accordingly. If it's casual, advise them. If you want them to wear red because it's Valentine's Day, tell them. If you want them to wear white gloves and hats just like you put on your dolls when you were a little girl, let everyone know, so that no one feels out of place or left out.

2. Plan your Menu. There are generally three courses of a Formal Tea. But again, this is the Easy Peezy Tea Party. I'm just giving you ideas. The first course is a scone. For my Valentine's Day Tea Party, I'm serving Chocolate Chip Scones, with butter and whipped cream because chocolate and Valentine's Day go together, right? And who doesn't like chocolate chip anything! I used a cookie cutter to make them heart shaped.

   
   

   

   This is a generic scone recipe. I added in 3/4 cups of mini chocolate chips after everything else was mixed together. I mixed the batter in a Ninja dough bowl with dough blades. Mix together:

   2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

   1 TBS baking powder

   A dash of salt

   1/4 cup sugar

   Cut in: 6 TBS cold butter until resembles crumbles

   Mix together: 3/4 cup cream or half and half

   1 egg

   1 tsp vanilla extract

   Add wet mixture to dry ingredients. You can substitute dried fruit, berries, and/or nuts for the chocolate chips, whatever is your favorite.

   On a floured surface, Mix the dough by hand until it's soft and pliable, pat it out in a circle, cut shapes, circles or triangles. Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with sugar.

   Bake at 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes until golden on the edges. Serve warm with butter, whipped cream, honey, or your favorite jam, whatever is easy Peezy!

3. The next course is generally something savory, a sandwich, a quiche, a sausage roll, but make it easy. You can buy small or pie size quiche at places like Sam's. At my tea today, I'm serving up chicken salad sandwiches on ciabatta rolls. Presentation is the key. The food can be simple. And use your favorite dishes. They don't have to match. Wouldn't it be cool to give everyone a Different teacup?

   
   

   

4. The third course of a Formal Tea finishes with something sweet. Again, keep it simple. Keep it easy Peezy. Store bought is fine, make it pretty.

   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   

   

   
   

   

   
   

5. The main event of the easy Peezy Tea Party is the TEA! Today I served English Breakfast and served it hot with cream and sugar. But please serve your favorite.

6. But the MOST important part of any party - enjoy time with those you love!

Happy Valentine's Day!