Afternoon Tea Avocado & Bacon Sandwiches
It’s still Afternoon English Tea Time here at Tiny New York Kitchen. Here are some delicious Avocado & Bacon Sandwiches to snack on with your 4 o’clock tea.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Pound Bacon Slices
1 Ripe Avocado
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Large Slices of Either White Bread or Whole Wheat Bread
Coarsely chop the bacon and put into a skillet over a medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels. Peel the avocado but make sure not to remove the nice bright green flesh just inside the skin. Cut in half and remove the seed. Mash the avocado in a small size bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Add the kosher salt and pepper. Butter the bread and then spread the avocado mixture onto the buttered sides of two of the pieces of bread. Sprinkle the bacon over the avocado. Cover with the other two pieces of the buttered bread (buttered side down). Press the sandwiches together and with a knife cut off the crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles or into horizontal fingers and arrange them on a serving plate. Makes 8 tea sandwiches.
Honey Madeleines
It’s still tea time here at Tiny New York Kitchen. On Monday a wonderful old friend came to visit me and brought me the most delicious black and rose tea. It was absolutely delicious and I think Honey Madeleines make the perfect tasty tea time treat. If you don’t have a madeleine pan you can use tartlet pans.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Softened Butter
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Preheat your oven to 375º F. Lightly grease a madeleine pan that holds 12 madeleines. In a large size bowl beat the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the honey. Sift the flour and baking powder onto the egg mixture and fold in. Spoon the batter into the prepared molds. Bake for 10 minutes. You will want them to be a light golden brown color. Remove from the oven and leave them sit in the molds for 2 minutes. Turn the madeleines out and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or serve them plain. Makes 1 dozen.
Ancho Chile Brownies
Most brownies have roughly the same ingredients: chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and flour. By adding the ancho chile I added a unique flavor that you get at the end of eating the brownie. It really is good. Give it a try and see what you think.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
3 Squares Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 Cup Flour
3 Teaspoons Ancho Chile Powder
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan. Place the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Over simmering water melt the butter and the chocolate. Stir in the sugar until incorporated and then remove from the heat and cool. When the chocolate mixture is cool whisk in the egg until it is just incorporated. Mix in the flour and the ancho chile powder. Make sure not to overmix. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The middle should look a bit soft. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. Cut into squares and serve. Makes approximately 2 dozen.
Mango Upside-Down Carrot Cake
This cake is easy to make and the bonus is that you don’t even need to own cake pans! First, just as with pineapple upside-down cake, cook the butter and brown sugar into a caramel in a cast iron skillet. Then top with mango slices. Instead of pouring the typical yellow cake batter over the top I used carrot cake batter. To remove excess liquid,, drain the mango slices on layers of paper towels.
INGREDIENTS
Topping
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Cups Mango Slices (Packed in a Jar)
Cake
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
5 Eggs
1 Cup Olive Oil
3 Cups Shredded Carrots
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over a medium heat. Stir in the 3/4 cup brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off. Place the mango slices all around the center and edges of the skillet. In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt. In a large size bowl beat the sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and eggs with a mixer until thick and creamy. With the mixer running, slowly add the oil. Beat until combined. Stir in the carrots until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat for 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the skillet (over the mango). Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the skillet for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a serving platter and serve either warm or at room temperature. Serves 8
Afternoon Peach Cake
It’s about that time of year when I start posting “Tea Time” recipes. My mother-in-law was from England and always liked to have her cup of tea around 4pm accompanied by some sweets. My children grew up having their grandmother’s tea time and the black tea they drank was always served with milk and loads of sugar. You can imagine what I thought of that!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Canned Peach Slices
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
Grated Zest of 1 Orange
4 Room Temperature Eggs
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Powdered Sugar for Garnish
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Drain the peach slices and chop them into coarse pieces. In a large size bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the orange zest and beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the sour cream and the peaches. Combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt in a medium size bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture into the batter. Pour into your prepared bundt pan and place into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. You may need to add 5 more minutes depending on your oven. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sift the powdered sugar over the cake and serve. Serves 8
Super Chunk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Unless you are allergic or hate chocolate then you will fall in love with these cookies. Try to eat just one! For the broken pieces of dark chocolate take a large dark chocolate bar and break into pieces.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Broken Pieces Dark Chocolate
Preheat your oven to 375º F. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. In a large size bowl beat the butter, with an electric mixer, until nice and creamy. Add the sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture and mix for 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and broken dark chocolate pieces, Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies
Tostadas de Pollo
This dish is popular in Mexico City and the state of Puebla. It has a smoky chipotle chile sauce that transforms the plain chicken into something addictive.
INGREDIENTS
Tostadas
Vegetable Oil
8 Corn Tortillas
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Minced Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
1 1/2 Tablespoon Pureed Canned Chipotles In Adobo
2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
Garnishes
1 Cup Thinly Sliced Cabbage or Head Lettuce
3/4 Cup Pico de Gallo
1/2 Cup Crumbled Queso Fresco (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese (Optional)
1/2 Cup Diced Avocado (Optional)
1/2 Cup Diced Tomatoes (Optional)
1/4 Cup Crema
Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat until shimmering. Cook 2 tortillas at a time. Turn once and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until a deep golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and set aside. Repeat until all of the tortillas are cooked. Puree the contents of the chipotle can in a food processor or blender. In a separate large frying pan add 1 tablespoon of the hot oil. Add the onions, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and sauté for 90 seconds. Stir in 3/4 cup of water, tomato paste, chipotle puree and cook over a medium high heat for 1 minute. Add the shredded cooked chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add more water if you need to. Place the tortillas on a very large serving platter. Place the chicken onto the tortillas. Garnish with cabbage, salsa, queso fresco, cilantro, Pico de Gallo, shredded cheese, avocado and tomatoes. Drizzle with crema. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Mexican Shrimp Sauté
This Mexican seafood dish is so easy to make and is low calorie as well.
INGREDIENTS
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
2 Cups Cooked Shrimp
8 Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Pimientos (Cut Into Strips)
1 Tablespoon Parsley Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Large Ripe Avocado (Cut Into Thick Strips)
Heat the olive oil, over a medium heat, in a large sauté pan. Add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes until fully heated. Add the tomatoes and pimientos. Sprinkle in all of the spices. Add the lemon juice. Give a good stir. Add the sliced avocado last and cover with a lid. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and give one last stir. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately. Serves 4
Huevos Rancheros
Mexican food is often imitated but nothing compares to authentic Mexican dishes. Here is a great Mexican weekend breakfast favorite.
INGREDIENTS
8 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
8 Mini Corn Tortillas
Salsa
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
8 Eggs
In a large skillet heat the oil and soften the corn tortillas on both sides by dipping them in hot oil. Drain and set aside in a warmer. Fry the eggs sunny side up and then place the eggs over the corn tortillas. Top with salsa and garnish with cheese. Serves 4
Salsa
4 to 5 Stewed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Diced Onion
1 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
4 Ounces Diced Green Chiles
Chop the tomatoes and combine with the onions. Heat in a saucepan with the oil and salt. Cook over a medium heat until well blended. Mix in the chiles and cover to simmer. Serve hot over your Huevos Rancheros.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
These cookies are so scrumptious that you won’t be able to stop eating them. The secret to the great taste is to use a high quality butter and pure vanilla extract. Make sure to stay away from imitation vanilla as it is made from glycoside that is found in the sapwood of certain conifers or from coal extracts.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans
Additional Powdered Sugar For Rolling
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large bowl cream together the butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and combine well. Mix the flour and kosher salt together and then add to the butter mixture. Sprinkle in the chopped pecans and blend well. Form into 24 balls and very lightly flatten. Place onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before rolling in additional powdered sugar. Place onto a pretty cookie plate and serve. Makes 2 dozen
