Mother and my sister popped by for a visit...
I put the silver service into action and took out some pretty china teacups.
I made gingerbread for tea this afternoon.
I made the recipe in a pie plate so that I could serve small wedges of this delicious treat.
You can serve this with a dollop of whipped cream or a good Greek yogurt if you so desire.
Gingerbread Squares
1/2 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c.molasses
1 1/2 tbsp. coffee
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. dried apricots chopped
1/4 c. chopped candied ginger
2 tbsp. icing sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 9X9 pan. (or 9 inch diameter pie plate)
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in egg, molasses and coffee until well blended.
Mix or sift dry ingredients together, then stir in wet batter. Mix in fruit. It will be sticky. Press into pan.
Bake 20 -30 minutes until the top starts to crackle.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and slice when cool.
I got some great prep bowls last year from Santa......
they are so handy when you are baking up a storm in the kitchen.
They seem to reduce the mess on the counter and leave little room for forgetting to add all the ingredients.
They seem to reduce the mess on the counter and leave little room for forgetting to add all the ingredients.
measuring is easy peasy.....
At tea today we caught up on all the things that my sister was doing in Rancho Mirage,
it is a tony neighbour to Palm Springs.
She shopped El Paseo, rode horses in the desert, walked her dog and swam...
all while her significant other played golf.
They have a townhouse in a gated community and have bought several acres outside of town with thoughts of building a great southern retreat.
I think that they have what it takes to make the classic Canadian Snowbirds.
Meanwhile I have had a house full of electricians and the lower level is in controlled chaos!
Things are progressing at a healthy pace and the reno is in full swing.
The downstairs is not Pepper friendly so we have been keeping her upstairs and safe while the work crews are here.
I am slightly under the weather with lower back pain....
not to complain too bitterly but it is not my favourite way to live.
I have no idea what I have done either, I woke up this way.
I am calling out for the big guns in pain relief
Epsom salts, Voltaren
and ALEVE!
To give me a boost of energy I am colour blocking.
I am wearing a red tunic top with my charcoal wooly tights and my boots.
Style and Co. red tunic
which is above my knees
by about 3 inches!
I might be pushing the best before age limit here with this top...
what say the fashion police?
23 comments:
As long as the tights are thick and the boots are high and the legs toned from walking (and we all know you've been walking!) I think that three inches above the knee is just right!
My father and stepmom live in the same area as your sister. I wonder if they live in the same gated community? Shopping on El Paseo is so very fun. They have some great shops and the people watching is A++.
I have those very same bowls in that very same color. And I bought a deep red set, too. They are quite handy.
I hope you feel better soon. xo, A
adrienne is right, the people watching on el paseo is so great. the rl store there is to die for too. too bad the prices will kill you too. hope your back is better in no time. xo janet
Ouch - to be understood in multiple ways.
First, I can relate to your pain, I´d ROLF, if I could ;)
And I just wrote, that I am so up to recipes - but You make the exception, as recipes and flowers are so much of what you and your blog are about, amongst many , many other things. So keep them coming.
A tiny request: Sometime in the future, could you write down the simplest of the simplest pie/cake/cookie recipe for me. One, that takes only 15 minutes to make ; )?????? Thank you.
Back pain is such a blight, mine is the bane of my life but that red is so enervating.
I must say, gingerbread and tea sounds perfect, we're being lashed with 90mph winds today.
The sweater is perfect. Fashion police say walk this way, ma'am.
I love that you had a proper tea with your mom.
Try a quad stretch for your back. (Google Images - quad stretch) I do hope this works for you as it does for me.
I love your clothes.
Sheree
Your afternoon tea sounds lovely. I wish I had a silver tea service! Hope you feel better quickly. I'm a big fan of the red dress and tights!
I feel your reno pain! I did it all year but with a 3 year old - I deserved every splash of Bailey's I put in my coffee!
Feel better soon!
It's such a pretty red! I think as you're wearing tights, the hemline is just fine. It's not that much different than a tunic and leggings, really.
Your gingerbread sounds wonderful. I am just not a good cook. Too many ingredients itimidate me.
Hope your back feels better soon. I have times like that where I cannot put my finger on what caused my pain.
I love the red sweater top and I think it is fine to wear it with tights. I saw an older lady yesterday wearing something similar and she looked great. I know you looked great too.
What a great idea for tea, gingerbread! It looks delicious. Sounds like you had a cozy visit with your mother and sister. And I love your red top and skirt. I always think shorter is ok if we wear tights. Enjoy the holidays!
Your gingerbread pie looks fantastic -- I bet it smells pretty terrific in the humble bungalow too. I have some gingerbread dough chilling in the fridge as I write this. Back pain is miserable; hope you are feeling better soon.
the gardener's cottage- I went to that RL shop a bazillion years ago when El Paseo was new and they offered my husband champagne and a chair to sit down on while I shopped! Little did they know we had very little spare change, I bought cashmere socks and a polo tee shirt which I wore until it fell apart!
metscan- I will look through my recipe box and see what I can find! Hope that you are feeling better.
Sherree-I am off to google that now...thx!
Dear HHB,
Lt. Blk. Slashacrosstheeyes here. First let me express a Precinct-wide appreciation of your requesting a ruling prior to setting off in public in possible infraction, FP-spasm inducing attire. Let’s check the AAA (Code of Age Appropriate Attire) regarding wearing a tunic over a tights/boots combo whilst serving cake make with butter.
Sec. 13c(IV) of the Code appears a little vague in this instance in that while it contains clear infractions, they are of an interchangeable nature. Such as you may have committed a fashion faux pas but could be exonerated by any action(s) or non-action(s) performed (or not) whilst committing the alleged faux pas. For example, wearing pajamas to the RX for emergency Retinol tightening cream and/or chocolate mallowmars. While Pajamas in Public are a faux pas, they are not when worn with a Purposeful Stride and/or purchasing chocolate. See what I mean? It’s confusing so let’s review your evidence:
1. You state you have worn a tunic that you claim falls 3” above the knee, with tights and boots. Now, you’re already familiar with Sec. 7b(i) ". . . any fishnet, windowpane or thick & thin style/type ladies stocking is and will be allowable”, etc., etc., so we won’t cover that again. By the evidence presented on your post it’s a little difficult to make a true determination of a boot-to-knee-to-tunic ratio infraction here. Nor does this evidence reflect having your feet in the air in the manner of prior exhibits. (Mmmm….)
2. You have presented evidence of a cake that is a) is home baked, b) contains a ½ cup of REAL butter (or more; more butter is always better), c) you served said cake on china with the added extravagance of silver service to a senior female member of your immediate family Who Went Through Labor For You, and d) you claim you did not leave the house. Bonus points given in your favor if any of the following were on the Hi-Fi whilst waiting out cake baking time:
Blue Christmas Miles Davis
Walk This Way Aerosmith
Santa Lost a Ho Those Darn Accordions
Now, I think Item 2d. above is really the deciding factor here. You make no mention of going out in public and since I’m The Decider in this action, I’d say you and that cake are Off The Hook and therefore exonerated of any perceived crime. This time. The fact that you did not try to bribe The Decider with a piece of home-baked, butter-laden, pretty-please with a cherry on top cake in the hopes it would keep you out of Solitary Confinement (aka the Juniors Dept. of Penney’s) does not bode well because in this instance you really should bribe the FP. See what I mean about it being confusing? You better go have another piece of cake. It'll make your back feel better. That’s an order.
Lt. B.S.A., 5th Pcnt, U.F.P.
You must be petite! Your tea menu is marvelous and even if your house is torn up, the fragrance of gingerbread baking makes everything comfy-cosy!
Lt. B.S.A., 5th Pcnt, U.F..P.- I am so happy that you popped by as I was hoping for some honesty....I actually DID GO OUT OF THE HOUSE in this outfit!
If you email me your address I will send you a something and it will not be a bribe and it may include some home baking and there will be something just for you.
Duchesse- I am a tad above 5 foot which makes me very very short!
I need those cute prep bowls Hostess to reduce the mess I create in the kitchen. Sadly I'm far too impatient which is a poor excuse I know.
The outfit is super and as another commenter wrote if your tights are thick I think it's all good.
Could you possibly have strained your back in your new job if the role involves lifting or supporting students? Do hope it's 100% very soon.
xx
I just love the cheery red color of the tunic, I think wearing above the knee styles is one of the very few perks we 'shorties' enjoy in the fashion world, so go for it!
Red Roses- No I have done this before and it takes a few days to get better. I must have a weak spot in my lower back that pops out of alignment on occasion.
Love the red sweater and I'm sure you look great with the tights and boots. Gingerbread looks yummy too
For your back try some cat curls or roll yourself backwards over a large pilates ball, it sorts mine. BUT be careful!!!
Loving the red and black ensemble.
This sounds delicious with a dollop of cream - a lovely wintery dessert which I must try - Thanks for the recipe!
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