Chef Kristi and Chef Rich closed our Second Winter Session with a celebratory springtime tea party! The cuisine, though dainty, was delicious and a very loveable lunchtime treat for our Taste Buddies’ kids. Try the following recipes at home as way to have some fancy fun with your little Miss or Mister! Make tea, ice tea or another favorite drink to fill your little tea cups.
Taste Buddies meets on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Lincoln Park Whole Foods!
Chocolate Chip Scones
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup of sugar
- ½ a bag of chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease miniature muffin pans. Mix the flour and butter together, add the sour cream and blend well. Place spoonfuls of the batter into the muffin pans. Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Sweet Strawberry Dippers
- Fresh strawberries washed and dried
- 1 cup sour cream, crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup firmly-packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup crushed graham crackers
Arrange strawberries in a large bowl or arrange on a large platter. Combine brown sugar and crushed graham crackers together in a bowl. Put yogurt or cream into a separate bowl. To serve, let each little chef dip a strawberry into yogurt/cream and then into brown sugar/graham cracker mix.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
For the spread:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 10-½ oz. mild goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1-½ tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
- ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
- Fresh dill
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp. milk, half-and-half or heavy cream
- ¾ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the sandwiches:
- 2 loaves 7-grain bread, thinly sliced
- 1 hothouse cucumber, not peeled
For the spread, place the ingredients in a bowl and using a mixer or masher, blend together until smooth. To make the sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with the goat cheese spread. Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and arrange on half of the bread slices. Top with the remaining bread. Press slightly, trim off the crusts and cut the sandwiches into halves, thirds or triangles. Make these sandwiches in the morning, then cover with damp paper towels and plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cut just before serving. Yields about 40 appetizer sandwiches.
