We had a lovely time at our 2017 High Tea at the Scholls Valley Lodge! Thank you so much for coming! We had many requests for the recipes we used and we are happy to oblige! Below please find the recipes for the scrumptious offerings we featured at this year’s tea:

CHILLED SUMMER SOUP
Makes 3 1/2 cups.

2 cups      cucumber, washed and chopped  (1 large)
1/2 cup      avocado  (1 small)
2 ea          green onion, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup      mint
1/2 cup      ice water
1/2 cup      plain yogurt
1/4 cup      honey
1/4 cup      lemon juice
1/8 tsp       table salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth about 2 minutes. Two day shelf life.

SUMMERTIME CHICKEN AND ORZO SALAD
Makes 12  1/2 cup servings

3/4 cup       uncooked orzo pasta
1 1/2 cans  chicken, drained
1 medium   cucumber with skin, chopped
1/2 small     red onion, chopped
1/4 cup       fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 Tbls         lemon juice
1 Tbls         olive oil
1 tsp           salt
1/4 tsp        pepper
1/3 cup       crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. In large bowl, combine cucumber, onion, parsley and drained chicken. Add drained pasta and mix in.In small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken orzo mixture and toss to coat. Just before serving sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve warm or cold.

CURRIED CHICKPEA ON CUCUMBER SLICE
1- 15 oz can   no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1 1/2 cups)
Flesh of one large ripe avocado, chopped
1 tsp             extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbls.          fresh lemon juice, or more as needed
1/4 cup         finely chopped red onion
4                   baby dill pickles, finely chopped  (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup         finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbls           curry powder
1/2 tsp          kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp          finely ground black pepper
Cucumbers

Combine the chickpeas, avocado, oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined but still a little chunky. Stir in the red onion, pickles, parsley, curry powder, salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon, salt or pepper as needed. Put a teaspoon full on a sliced cucumber.

ORANGE CURRANT SCONES
Makes 20

3 cups      flour
3/4 cup     sugar
1/2 tsp      baking powder
1 tsp         baking soda
2 tsp         grated orange zest
1/2 cup     chilled butter – cut into 1/4″ pcs
3/4 cup     currants
3/4 cup     buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease large baking sheet. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and orange zest. With pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until particles are size of small peas. Stir in currants. Add buttermilk, stir just until mixed and moistened. Flour surface, knead gently 10 times. Roll out dough to 1/2″ thick. Cut into rounds. Push scraps of dough together so edges join to be able to make more. Space 1″ apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake 15 – 18 minutes or until golden brown.

ORANGE BUTTER
1/2 cup     butter
1 tsp         grated orange zest
1 Tbls.      powdered sugar

Cream butter, orange zest and powdered sugar until well blended.

WHITE CHEDDAR CHIVE SCONES
Makes 20 – 22

2 1/2 cups       flour
1 1/2 Tbls        sugar
2 tsp                baking powder
1/2 tsp             salt
Generous dash ground red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 cup            butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup (4 oz)     shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup               heavy cream
1 to 2 Tbls       chives, finely snipped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment. In a food processor, combine dry ingredients. Pulse 4 or 5 times to blend. Add the butter pieces and pulse until mixture is texture of coarse meal. Remove mixture from the processor to a medium bowl. Stir in shredded cheese, using fingers as needed to distribute evenly.

Add heavy cream to the dry ingredients and mix together, just until blended. If dough is too dry, add a bit more cream. Using a spoon, drop dough onto baking sheet in 2 TBLS mounds, about an inch apart. Bake 18 – 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack.

CHOCOLATE TEA CAKE
2 cups     flour
2 cups     sugar
6 Tbls      cocoa
1 cup       hot water
2 cubes   butter
1 tsp        vanilla
2              eggs
1 tsp        baking soda
1/2 cup    buttermilk

Pour flour and sugar in mixing bowl. Bring water, butter and cocoa to a boil. Pour hot mixture into flour and sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, soda and buttermilk and beat until smooth. Pour into 10 x 15 jelly roll pan or large rimmed cookie sheet. Bake @ 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Make frosting while cake is baking.

FROSTING
1 cube    butter
4 Tbls     cocoa
1/3 cup   milk
1 tsp       vanilla
4 cups    powdered sugar

Bring butter, cocoa and milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat. Spread on cake while still hot.

BUTTER DROP COOKIES
Makes 50 – 60

1 cube       butter
1 cube       margarine
1 1/2 cups  sugar
3                egg yolks
1/2 tsp       lemon flavoring
1/2 tsp       vanilla
2 1/2 cups  flour
1 tsp           cream of tartar
1/2 tsp        baking soda
3/4 tsp        salt

Cream together butter and margarine. Add sugar and beat well. Beat in egg yolks. Add lemon flavoring and vanilla and beat in. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Roll into small balls, then roll balls into sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet 10 minutes at 375 degrees. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

We hope you enjoy and we very much hope to see you at our next annual High Tea, which will be in Spring 2018. If you’d like to be added to our Tea Mailing list please email us at schollswomensclub@gmail.com.