Homemade & Handmade

I'll not say, "I'm back to blogging," just in case it is weeks before you hear from me again. However I sure have missed blogging and all of you.

 

These past weeks I've had the opportunity to discover the true meaning of "Handmade"

Everything at Grandma's Tea Room is Homemade however not always made by hand. My Kitchen Aid left me in a lurch and so therefore I've had to experience handmade.

 

It should be back together soon with a new gear and a spare on order.

This means my homemade scones for two weeks have been also handmade, as well everything I baked for the Queen Street Farmers Market the cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, rolls, bread and pretzels have all been made by hand. You don't miss something until its gone, funny I should say that when my French Gardener is out of town this week leaving me high and dry as my kitchen aid did. I miss them both, not equally but both.

back to the bowl and roller

 

 

I almost had forgotten what dough felt like.

 

A special request for these pickled eggs for the farmer's market this sunday is finished

 

I was able to get around to a few blogs to find out Sandi from Rose Chinz Cottage hosted our little tea room on her lovely blog Tea Time Tuesday, thank you Sandi. I had a nice visit and next visit I'll have you for my famous scones, I promise.

 

So I'm trying to keep the KISS method and perhaps I'll be back more often If I just "Keep It Simple Sweetie" so I'll say good-bye for now.

Cindy

 

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Lunch Special PEI Toonie Tuesdays

Thank you for stopping by Grandma's

Today we posted a sign on the Confederation Trail and our Trail Lunch is Chili & Chips all day special for $2.00. Come by Grandmas and taste what Island cooking is all about - Meatless Chili and Chips for TOONIE TUESDAY

 

See you soon

Yummy borrowed photo

cindy

 

 

 

~00~ Grandma (aka Cindy) or Crafting - http://scrapandwrap.ca

 

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Lunch Special PEI Toonie Tuesdays

Thank you for stopping by Grandma's

Today we posted a sign on the Confederation Trail and our Trail Lunch is Chili & Chips all day special for $2.00.  Come by Grandmas and taste what Island cooking is all about - Meatless Chili and Chips for TOONIE TUESDAY

See you soon

~00~ Grandma (aka Cindy) or Crafting - http://scrapandwrap.ca

After the Rain

Hi my friends! I know I haven't been great at getting around to ya'll lately but I think of you each and every day. In between those hours I have been roasting coffee, pulling weeds, printing menus and watching my rhubarb grow. Yes, I'm all out of rhubarb chutney and rhubarb juice I'll have to share those recipes, you'll love them.

 

Ok, so the coffee -- The French Gardener and I received this larger than life box at the post office and got home to open it up and found there were 30 pounds of 6 varieties of coffee from Rwanda of various different washing stations - growing altitudes - soils and average temperatures. These are Fair Trade beans, rare & ethically-sourced coffee and as I sit the beans are still de-gassing and popping in front of me.

 

This morning I made a fresh ground coffee and headed out to walk about my garden. Amazed at how fast things are growing and popping out of the ground. I stood by the pond and noticed something rather unusual - last night we had a spraying of rain and although the walkway was just damp the air was magnificient. It forced me to deep breath and just caught me in one of those Aha moments where you don't hear a thing around you - the air smelled like fresh cut watermellon and new rubber boots and I couldn't get enough of it. I refilled my coffee and headed back out to take a few pictures to show you some of the aha moment.

The clematis is coming along nicely

The magnolia is almost done dropping her pettals but that big ole propane tank still haunts me, lol

Perfect fence for a paint brush while the solomon seal looks on

II've been working at getting green between the rocks and looks like this year it worked

Only a couple of the fairy gardens are out but so are the checkered tulips behind

 

Excuse the barn door it just seems to always be open. I made a garden planter for my purple wave petunias and the French gardener drilled larger holes for the wave and smaller ones and I put new strawberry plants in those

 

The pond got her spring cleaning - we won't go there it is a messy smelly job

Asparagus is weeded and growing up nicely. I have 5 coming to Grandma's Tea Room today for Afternoon Tea and they requested a Vegetarian Tea, so fresh asparagus rolled around garden herb cream cheese is on the menu

 

Speaking of the menu - got that done and also the placemats , this year they are peach and I've added 8 new recipies to the placemat and printed some nice recipe cards to sit on the table. Our tea sniffing bar has three new tea varieties

Sticky buns were also part of my week as Victoria needed to take a treat to the girls at the doctor's office.

 

Well I should get a move on. After my tea, I might have a couple of hours to play in my mini fairy gardens.

Bye for now,

Cindy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Real Key Lime Pie

I miss the times I visited Key West. On just about every street corner was a bakery, cafe, or Key Lime Pie specialty dessert and coffee shop. I have been trying to get the real key lime pie flavoured pie ever since I visited back in 2003. I guess it is time to revisit or just settle for my key lime pie.

Graham Wafer Crust

 

Graham Cracker Crust

I use the whole crackers so you will need to crush 16 of them

1/2 cup of butter

3 Tbs of brown sugar

I heat the butter and brown sugar in a pot on the stove then add the crumbs and spread into a pie plate.

 

 

The Key Lime

4 egg yolks

14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup fresh squeezed Key Limes

2 tsp green zest from the lime

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

If you use limes call it a lime pie, however if you use the itty bitty limes those wee little bitties are key limes and really you can't call your pie a key lime pie unless you use them, otherwise you'd just have a lime pie.

Juicing key limes can be challenging - that is when a husband who is always handy the computer comes into your rescue. He strolls into the kitchen and say's, "Looks like that is an almost impossible job!" Me, "you're not kidding." husband, "look why don't you try using your garlic press it might work." Me, "the key limes are to big for that." husband, "I'll cut them into four and you try it." IT WORKS!

 

 

 

Putting it all together

1. With mixer beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they are thick (don't over mix)

2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until incorporated, add 1/2 of the lime juice and zest until all blended, then add the rest of the juice and continue to mix until blended.

3. Pour the pudding into your cooled pie shell (that was pre-baked for 12 minutes at 350)

4. Bake 350 for 12 more minutes until the egg yolks set and thicken.

5. Remove from oven, cool then refrigerate for about 2 hours until set.

I don't like to waste, so those 4 egg whites got whipped up and I added 3/4 c of sugar gradully and then 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar and made a meringue for the top. You could use whipped cream or leave just the key lime pie as is to enjoy as it is traditionally served. I guess I could have made some meringue cookies, but was feeling topless so added it to the pie instead.

I sprinkle white sugar on top and it crystalizes just nice

Here is the pie just out of the oven, the house smells of key limes

 

 

There you have it, Grandma's Key Lime Pie Recipe.

I like to make little tarts and add the key lime pudding into the centre and put these itty bitties in the tea room on a three tiered tray because they look so inviting and looks like I've been working for hours to juice these little bitty key limes and the compliments wow!

 

Enjoy,

Cindy

 

 

 

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Add A Little Spice To Your Life

I can't imagine what all has kept me away from blogging and the computer for so long but I'm sneaking my way back slowly.

Lets see it would have been somewhere around January 12th when I returned home from our drive across Canada and I just fell into a rut you can say. Oh, I thought about blogging daily but then found other things to do to keep me business is all. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and I sure do miss all my blog world friends and probably have lost a great deal of you by now. Truth is, this drive across Canada although a world experience it was caused a great deal of the width in my behind and to sit in front of the computer when I got home and start it all over again...sitting that is - just worried me into anxiety. I got a lot done while I left the computer off I sure did. Worked in the shop most days building product for the Island Made Gift Shop here in PEI, I also checked into about 20 new recipes I would like to give a go at the Farmer's Market on Queen street this year. I helped clean out the garage and tackle yet another one of those ideas I had, this time it is a summer kitchen. As well I subscribed to the food network and while I was busy in the kitchen I had something to listen to these long days waiting for the snow to melt.

The snow isn't melting fast enough for me so I went to town anyway yesterday with good reason this time. I have two lovely children here on the Island with me who have a tendancy to borrow small bits of things here and there and well they think I'll not miss them, but I do. One thing I miss most often and it drives me crazy is spices and bake ware. We won't go one about the bake ware just in case they are watching and remember I hid them and that is why I had to replace them.

Everyone ventures to the dollar store and purchases these glass bottles with white lids on them 3/$1 and why not it is a good deal.

If you look closely my spice bottles say, "Grandma's Kitchen"

It is for good reason these have my name on them....see I keep finding them over at my son's place or at my daughter's house. Yes, I've been told I keep jolly karting my spices over when I visit each time, but I can't remember the last time I packed the dog and my spices to head over for a visit.- sure!

Nevertheless, look at what I found!

Don't these look just like something your grandmother would have?

Cute little jars with red gingham bows all tied up around the top.

Guess where? You guessed the dollar store. These are jam jars and they come 4 to a package for $2.50 and they fit 4 across my pantry door. They don't come with a shaker, but I'm a pincher when it comes to spices not a shaker. Now, these cute little bitty ones on top have three different sized shaker holes and they come 2 to a pack and are $1.25. I got out my return address labels and printed labels and put them on the top and the sides of the jars.

This was a big job, took me all of the morning and into a half an hour of my lunch to get this job done but it sure does feel good knowing it is done. I think these are just too cute to walk away, don't you?

Oh, look! I even made room for a few more if need be.

My pantry was full of baggies and packages as well as the 3.1$ jars

Now that I have the spice in my life organized I'd better get on inside the pantry and organize because it looks like I put the groceries away with a snowblower the last time I returned home from the grocery store.

Maybe I'll leave that for another day, I've done enough already.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you have a number of jobs pressing on you the best thing is to pick the hardest one and get it done first, makes for a big smile on your face and the other things that seemed they were big tasks get smaller as well as the list of things to do.

Enjoy your weekend my friends and sorry I've been away this long.

Cindy

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Christmas Specials

Hello Everyone,

Merry Christmas. I know I have been on Santaès naughty list ever since we landed in North Carolina. But hear this I have 8, head count, Makayla, Anna-Grace, Tyler, Savannah, Emily, Avery, Gavin and Logan reasons to stop and play for awhile and so this is where Iève been at.

I made a short Christmas list, yup,

1é scotch shortbread

2. snow

3. someone to shut the french keyboard off

4. Youè all to have a Very Merry Christmas.

Ièm about to take a short blog break until I get back, please look after yourselves and donèt be eating as many treats as Iève been having lately - itèll go straight to you know where.

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

I have a tree to share with you all

It started out lovely and bright,

then the elves got into a fight,

on a cold Christmas night.

Those bad little elves,

they should stay on their shelves,

and everything might be all right.

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas

Iève remembered the milk and the girls and I baked sugar cookies

A couple of Christmas candies and we are almost ready

In the event you are listening these are the cookies I love

 

 

To all my family and friends a very merry christmas in Canada and the United States,

Peace, Joy, Love & Happiness

Cindy

 

P.S. somehow these two just have a way of making Christmas Special

Elf Troubles

 

 

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