<p>Don’t forget the lemon curd with your scones and cream. You can buy it in jars near the jam section at the grocery store–yummy!!!</p>
<p>I love liver pate’ on small slices of pumpernickel. I can’t stand store-bought. It’s wicked easy to make. I’ll be happy to post the recipe if you’re interested.</p>
<p>The tiny eclairs from costco are very yummy and just the right size. They also have tiny creme puffs. I buy both and stack them on a plate. People that normally say ‘no thank you’ to dessert will snack as they are so small and are ‘finger food’.</p>
<p>yes, by all means, please post the recipe Blue.</p>
<p>Pate’</p>
<p> 16oz chicken livers
2 small onions
2 bay leaves
4 oz mushrooms
6 rashers bacon
12Tbs butter
2tsp port wine
2tsp brandy
2Tbs sherry
1C cream
Dash thyme
s&p</p>
<p>Saute’ livers in butter with finely chopped onion, thyme, bay leaves, chopped mushrooms & bacon, 7-12 minutes
Places mixture, including pan drippings into blender with cream. Blend until smooth. Stir in alcohol and season with s&p. Place in desired serving dishes. Refrigerate. Top with French fried onions. Pate’ should be made the day before. Can be frozen.</p>
<p>*I serve with melba toast or heavy crackers as an appetizer, or as an open face sandwich on pumpernickel or whole grain bread.</p>
<p>Don’t forget the “presentation”. The most simple items (even store bought) can look even more scrumptious when arranged nicely on nice plates or trays. Use inexpensive paper doilies, too. If you don’t have something that’s tiered, you can elevate some plates resting them on inverted bowls.</p>
<p>I love teas! You’ll have a great time and your sister will love it, too!</p>
<p>Your tea sounds like it will be lovely. Do give some thought to the tea itself. You’ll want a good loose leaf tea, and perhaps two pots to alternate as they empty. I gave a tea for some friends last year and found that tea warmers were really helpful. These are little stands with tea light candles that you set your tea pots on to keep warm. I found mine online- I just ordered the $9 ceramic ones, and they really saved me from running in and out of the kitchen worrying about lukewarm tea.</p>
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<p>Great idea ,blueiguana to do both the eclairs and creme puffs. I can just unfreeze what we need and leave the rest in the small freezer in the basement. Since I am coming from out of town, that would be easy to pick them up at their local Costco ,which is only a couple of miles away. Does anybody happen to know if Costco ever carries scones? I know I’ve seen croissants there. Are frozen scones hard to find in stores? Are they any good? I know the frozen croissants I’ve had have been fine. I love lemon curd too, ilovedcollege. I was thinking of doing lemon or raspberry curd with small bites of Sara Lee poundcake (trying to keep things as simple as I can) but I think I’ve got enough going on already!Thanks for the reminder.
Great idea, lilmom and moonchild. I am going up to Pittsburgh a week early so my sister can leave for a few days to visit my son at college-our 86 year old mother is at the point that she cannot be left alone for any period of time. So, I will be able to see all the china, teapots,etc. that my sister’s neighbor has while my sister is away. Then, I can go from there in terms of what I still need to get.The neighbor is really into tea and collecting china,etc. so I think she has a good bit of stuff we can use.</p>
<p>I don’t remember scones at Costco, but if they have a Wegman’s they have wonderful scones!</p>
<p>I don’t know about Cosco, but the various Starbucks where we live carry scones. If you only have 8-10 people, you could use them in a pinch.</p>
<p>Sticky Fingers makes a very good mix. I’ve used them several times for the family and think they are as good as made-from-scratch.
They sell them in some of the smaller specialty markets, and you can even find them online.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Fingers-English-Scone-Poppyseed/dp/B000IHVGMQ[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Fingers-English-Scone-Poppyseed/dp/B000IHVGMQ</a></p>
<p>Don’t buy frozen scones. They won’t taste good, and they won’t be the right size. Use a mix if you must (though scones are pretty darn easy to make from scratch) but don’t buy frozen scones.</p>
<p>are you flying? I have made the scone batter and kept in refrig…cut and baked as needed. you might try making and freezing now, and then defrosting baking to see how if comes out - at least you at home family will get a real treat! then you could try taking it frozen on trip. </p>
<p>Go to the dollar store and see if they have champagne flutes - almost as cheap as plastic…(which can be pretty darn expesnive!!) or as to borrow from the guests/neighbors.</p>
<p>Yes, memphismom, I’m flying. I will definitely check out the dollar store. I love the Dollar Tree here and they have one about 5 miles from their house . I am hoping they might even have doilies. I like their gift bags alot so will probably pick up a couple of those. I travel light ( no suitcase so don’t want to try to transport any of the party stuff on a plane) as I keep lots of things in Pittsburgh (and can wear some of my mom’s and sister’s clothes and shoes) as I have spent many weeks at a time there off and on over the last 4 years because of medical issues with my mom. Hoping my mom stays healthy for this! Last year she ended up in the e.r. on my sister’s birthday ( I wasn’t there) so definitely hope for no repeat of that! I vowed to my sister last year that this birthday would be better and that we would be together. My birthday is 2 days before hers and our crawlspace was flooded om my birthday by a nor’easter(thousands of dollars in damage but at least we had flood insurance) and then 2 days later my sister spent her birthday in the e.r with my mother. Figure it can’t get much worse this year! That is one of the reasons I want this to go well. Husband and kids pick me up at Thanksgiving so will have a ride back home but unfortunatley have to fly up there.</p>
<p>Scones can be frozen and baked later. I’ve done that and they’ve turned out really well. For another tea sandwich make nut bread or banana bread or date nut bread, slice thin and spread with cream cheese, very easy.</p>
<p>If you have a Teavana around they have great loose teas. You can buy a couple of varieties.</p>
<p>well, even with carryon, frozen scones are neither liquid, gel or aerosol!</p>
<p>Irish soda bread with raisins can be a nice substitute for scones. I make mine with whole wheat flour so it is healthier and also tastes better. It slices beautifully and looks gorgeous on a tray.</p>
<p>I recommend a plate with truffles. Chocolate is never out of place.</p>
<p>Miniature quiche (can be found frozen) are nice for the savory. They’re tiny and look really pretty.</p>
<p>Mini muffins are nice, too.</p>
<p>I also love small cheesecake tarts.</p>
<p>Hm. See my drift? Miniatures let people taste more and look very dainty and “tea-like.”</p>
<p>Earl Grey is a good tea that seems to be a favorite of most folks.</p>
<p>China can be matched or unmatched.</p>
<p>Happy birthday to your sister. Have fun.</p>
<p>I am very untraditional and sometimes use mini-bagels. Always a big hit, if not very English.</p>
<p>Thanks! I was out this morning and went to our local Dollar Tree and they did have doilies but I may try to run by Wiliams-Sonoma or someplace like that when I get to Pittsburgh to see if they have nicer ones. Our local Target didn’t have any. They are very close to a Macy’s so may be able to get some last minute things there. I’ve used the little Nancy’s quiches before (for my mom’s 80th birthday). They’re good so may end up using that idea again.deb922, I actually do have a Teavana thing that my older son got for me last Christmas. He got me a mix of white ayurvedic chai and samurai chai mate . Very good but probably too strong for this purpose. I probably will use Earl grey and probably 2 others (is that pretty standard-2 or 3 different teas)? I know the teas I’ve been to they give multiple choices but I want to stick to no more than 3. Those nut and banana bread ideas sound delicious. I definitely had planned on chocolates. Thanks for reminding me,mythmom!</p>
<p>I saw small sized scones at Whole Foods yesterday in the bakery area. Several to a bag.</p>
<p>Thanks so much ,abasket,I’ll keep that in mind. The Whole Foods though is not very close and I’m not sure I can fit in a trip to it on top of all the other places I’ll have to run to. I may have to bite the bullet and actually make some scones if my sister’s neighbor does not offer to do it(she brought up the scones, clotted cream,etc and said she could help me prepare some of the things but did not specifically say she would do the scones). You would think I would know how to make a proper scone as my dad’s parents were both from Scotland. Try Lyle’s Golden Syrup if you haven’t already, it is delicious!</p>
<p>All the talk of scones, bread, bagels made me think of the fresh Irish butter they sale with the specialty cheeses. All sounds yummy.</p>
<p>I love butter, rom828. Have always thought of trying some of the European butters I see in the stores but usually just settle on Land o Lakes unsalted. Is this the Kerrygold?</p>