Sunday Afternoon Tea

I love the idea of tea on a Sunday afternoon...  The clinking of pretty tea cups, lively chatter from sweet family members and the smell of a freshly baked cake, all make for a charming and delicious atmosphere of enjoyment...

This morning I thought I would put my skills (and patience) to the test and conjure up a lovely looking lemon meringue pie for our Sunday afternoon tea...

 Recipe to follow...

Shortcrust Pastry

250g all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

125g butter, chilled and cut into cubes

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 ½ - 2 tbsp cold water

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. 

2.  Add butter and rub together using fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

3.  Add egg yolks and water and mix through by hand.  Gently knead until a smooth ball forms.  Do not overwork the pastry.

4.  Shape into a disc and wrap in clingfilm.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

5.  Dust surface with flour and roll out dough until 3mm thick.  Wrap pastry around a rolling pin and transfer to tart tin.  Press tightly the corners and trim off excess pastry.

6.  Dock the base of the pastry with a fork.  Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

7.  Cover pastry with a sheet of baking paper and fill either with ceramic baking beans, dry beans or rice.

8.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry has set.  Remove the beans and baking paper and return tart shell to the oven for 5 minutes or until the base is golden.

Makes 1 x 24cm tart shell or 4 x 10cm tart shells.

Lemon Meringue Pie

For the Filling:

1 x 385g tin condensed milk

3 egg yolks

Juice and zest of 2 large lemons

For the topping:

3 egg whites

110g castor sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  In a bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest until well combined.

2.  Pour lemon mixture into a prepared pastry shell and bake for 7 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.

3.  Reduce heat to 150 degrees Celsius.  To make the meringue topping, whisk egg whites until soft peak stage.  Slowly add sugar and continue to beat until thick and glossy.

4.  Spoon dollops of meringue mixture onto baked lemon filling, return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until meringue is set and golden brown.

Hmmm...  Perfect!

What family traditions do you enjoy on a Sunday?

Linking up to:

~ She is like merchant ships, bringing her food from afar ~

Thoughtful Thursday

 

“Our conduct has a direct influence 

on how people think about the gospel. 

The world doesn't judge us by our theology; 

the world judges us by our behavior. 

People don't necessarily want to know 

what we believe about the Bible. 

They want to see if what we believe

 makes a difference in our lives. 

Our actions either bring glory to 

God or misrepresent His truth.”

  

Mrs. Carolyn Mahaney 

~ Let your light shine, that others may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.  Matthew 5:16 ~

Blessings,

Kelly-Anne 

Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup

This deliciously spicy soup, served with crusty bread, is perfect for a chilly autumn afternoon!

 

Serves:  4

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cooking time:  30 minutes

60ml Olive oil

2 Small onions

2 Garlic cloves, crushed

15ml Cumin seeds

15ml Balsamic vinegar

5ml Sugar

2x 400g Tins chopped tomatoes

1 Litre homemade vegetable or chicken stock

500g Cherry tomatoes, halved

Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.  Heat 30ml olive oil in a large saucepan, cook onion for 10 minutes or until soft and golden.  Stir in the garlic and cumin seeds, then cook for 1 minute.  Add the vinegar and sugar, cook for 2 minutes.

Pour in the tinned tomatoes and stock and simmer for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes into a roasting tin, drizzle over the remaining olive oil and season well.  Roast for 10 minutes.

Put the tomato soup into a food processor and add half the roasted cherry tomatoes.  Process for 1 minute, until just smooth and season to taste.

Spoon into bowls, add remaining tomatoes and garnish with chopped basil or parsley.

Serve straight away with homemade crusty bread and enjoy!

Have a blessed week lovely readers,

Kelly-Anne

~ Despise not the day of small things.  Zechariah 4:10 ~

He is Alive!

 

“Mary, however, stood there and cried as she looked at the tomb.  As she cried, she bent over and looked inside.  She saw two angels in white clothes.  They were sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying.  One angel was where Jesus' head had been, and the other was where his feet had been.  The angels asked her why she was crying.

Mary told them, “They have removed my Lord, and I don't know where they've put him.”

After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there.  However, she didn't know this was Jesus.  Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying?  Who are you looking for?”

Mary thought it was the gardener speaking to her.  So she said him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I'll remove him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

Mary turned around and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!”  (This word means “teacher.”)

Jesus told her, “Don't hold on to me.  I have not yet gone to the Father.  But go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

Mary from Magdala went to the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord.”

She also told them what he had said to her.

Scripture passage taken from John 20:11-18, God's Word Translation

We read this passage as a family this morning around the breakfast table.  I couldn't help wondering how Mary must have felt, seeing Jesus standing before her when she had witnessed him dying on the cross...  Yet she believed Him and ran to tell the disciples the Messiah was alive!  He had risen just as He said He would. 

Easter blessings

Kelly-Anne

~ "The men asked the women, "Why are you looking among the dead for the living one?  He's not here.  He has been brought back to life!"  Luke 24:5-6 ~