Travel Meeting to Daphne

      The Monroeville Garden Club traveled to Daphne on March 9, 2023, to the new home of our member, Patsy Wadlington, for a wonderful brunch.  Carolyn Hutcherson was the co-hostess.

     An Easter theme was carried out with delightful food presentation.  The menu included Ham Croissants, Pineapple Cream Cheese Finger Sandwiches, Coffee Cake, Fruit Kabobs, Nassau Grits, Easter Chocolates, Bucky's Brunch Punch, coffee and water.  

     As members enjoyed the brunch, Deborah Marriott, a Baldwin County Master Gardener, presented a program on "Making Beautiful Floral Arrangements Using Backyard Foliage".  She had an assortment of greenery collected from her yard and demonstrated how to build a base for an arrangement and then accent with flowers purchased at the grocery store.  Deborah gave members a hand out listing types of greenery that work well in arrangements as well as several books she recommended for instruction on making arrangements.

     Patsy and Carolyn gave members a favor of bagged snacks as they left.  Attending the meeting were the following:  Laura Bodiford, Dianne Bond, Evelyn Bond, Sharon Brewton, Bev Colquett, Sherri Eubanks, Carolyn Hutcherson, Charlotte Lambert, Emilie Martin, Martha Moorer, Ann Pridgen, Jeanne Sewell, Jean Singleton, Patsy Wadlington, and Nancy Ziebach.

     After leaving the meeting, members visited Corner Copia Gardens and other points of interest.

D

Deborah Marriott, Baldwin County Master Gardener

Principles of Flower Design and Flower Arranging Workshop

 

The Monroeville Garden Club met February 9, 2023, at the Monroeville Presbyterian Church.  Judi Burns , hostess, along with co-hostesses Emilie Martin and Scarlett Strom, provided members with a delicious array of finger foods:  Chicken Salad Croissants , cheese and grape hors d’oeuvres, miniature cheesecake squares, chocolate covered strawberries, sugar wafers dipped in chocolate,  cheese straws, punch and water.  All were served with a Valentine motif on a table adorned with a gorgeous centerpiece of tulip tree blossoms.

Charlotte Hamm, a Baldwin County Master Gardener,  presented a very informative slide show and talk concerning the art of arranging flowers.  Members learned the principles of design which included balance, proportion, rhythm, scale, contrast, emphasis and unity, along with basic design shapes.

Buckets of flowers, greenery, and vases, to be used by everyone as each member designed and created her own arrangement, were placed on several tables.

After admiring each creation, the meeting adjourned.  Judi and Emilie delivered several of the arrangements to The Meadows to be used on their dining room tables. (Submitted by Sammye Long)

Tea Party Recipes

                     

                                                   Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches

                                                           (From Tea Time Magazine)

12 slices firm white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Style

2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken, pulled from a rotisserie chicken

1 cup chopped strawberries

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained and chopped

1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing (recipe follows)

Garnish:  Sliced Strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Using a 2 1/4 inch square cutter, cut 2 squares from each bread slice.  Cover with a damp paper towels, or store in a resealable plastic bag to keep from drying out.  Set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, combine chicken, strawberries, pecans, celery, green onion, mandarin oranges, and poppy seed dressing, stirring to blend.  Refrigerate, covered, until cold, approximately 4 hours.

3.  Place approximately 3 tablespoons chicken salad on a bread square.  Top with another bread square. Garnish with strawberry slices if desired.  Repeat with remaining bread and chicken salad.

                                                            

                                                            Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs. champagne vinegar (or rice vinegar or white balsamic vinegar may be substituted )

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, poppy seeds, sugar, salt and pepper, whisking to blend.

Cover and refrigerate until needed.

                                                           

                                                  Shortbread Tea Cookies with Lemon Curd

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

lemon curd (homemade or store bought)

fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Make the shortbread.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and vanilla and mix until combined and the dough comes together.

2.  Shaping round shortbread.  Divide the dough in half and form it into 2 logs, 7 to 8 inches long.  Place the dough in the center of a large piece of parchment or wax paper.  Fold the parchment in half over the dough.  Then, hold the bottom half of the paper and with your other hand, press a bench scraper or ruler into the crease between the dough and parchment.  Move the scraper back and forth along the length of dough log to even it out.  Roll the dough into the parchment, firmly twist the ends, and tie to keep secure.  Refrigerate the dough inside a paper towel roll or a bed of raw rice to keep its shape.  Chill until firm; 1 to 2 hours.

3.  Bake:  Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Slice the chilled shortbread cookies into 1/4 inch rounds and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12-13 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

4.  Garnish:  Spoon lemon curd onto each shortbread cookie and top with a fresh blueberry.  Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

                                                                    Lemon Curd

1 cup sugar

finely grated zest from 2 lemons

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 egg yolks

3 large eggs

4 ounces salted butter (1 stick) cut into cubes

Instructions:

1.  In a large microwave safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt until smooth .  Add butter cubes.  Microwave on high power 45 seconds.  Remove and stir vigorously with a whisk.

2.  Continue to cook 45 second intervals, stirring after each interval.  It will take 4-7 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.  Lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon.  You can also check it with an instant thermometer.  It's done when it reaches 175 degrees.

3.  Remove from the microwave and whisk well.  Add lemon zest and stir.  Allow the curd to cool at room temperature.  It will thicken as it cools.  Cover and store in the refrigerator.

                                           

                                                   Easy No Bake Cheesecake Bites

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbs. vanilla

3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

30 mini shells

Raspberries/Blueberries/or strawberries for garnish

Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.  Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until well blended.  Fold in whipping cream.  Use a decorating bag to fill the shells with the cream cheese mixture.  Top with desired garnish.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  (Note:  I used mini tart shells (shortbread and chocolate ones) found in Walmart in the section where you find graham cracker crusts aisle A15)

                                                  Easy Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

4 slices white bread

1/4 English Cucumber

1 tbs. salted butter, softened

2 tsp. chives, finely chopped

Instructions:

1.  Make chive butter by mixing chopped chives and butter.  (set aside)

2.  Slice cucumber.  Blot cucumber slices with paper towels.  The cucumber needs to be cut into two different thicknesses.  Use a mandolin slicer to cut cucumber into 2 sizes.  4 slices at 1/8" and 4 slices at the thinnest setting so that it's paper thin.  After slicing the cucumbers, place them flat on paper towels and clot to make sure they're dry.

3.  Use a round cookie cutter that's the same size as the sliced cucumber.  

4.  Cut circles out of the bread using the cookie cutter.  Avoid cutting the crust.  Cut 8 bread circles

5.  Assemble tea sandwiches.  Spread a thin layer of chive butter on the top side of the bread, add a slice of the 1/8" cucumber, then top with a piece of bread that is buttered on the side that faces the cucumber.

(Yield: 4 tea sandwiches)

Tea Party Themed Meeting

      The Monroeville Garden Club met on January 12, 2023, at the home of Ree Smith, hostess.  Co-hostesses were Bev Colquett, Pat Hendrix and Nancy Ziebach.

     Although the weather outside was wet and stormy, inside was a festive and cheerful atmosphere of a tea party with decorative hats of all types and sizes.  In lieu of a designated program, each member decorated a hat in a delightful motif, predominately flowers, in anticipation of spring growing season!

     Club members discussed the needs of the flower beds around the courthouse square and downtown areas.  Plans were made to work in the rose garden and to discuss, with the mayor, the need to remove the old flower pots from the square, the need to clean out flower beds, prune crape myrtles, and refurbish the Christmas lights in the crape myrtles.

     After the business meeting, delicious refreshments were served on a beautiful table and side buffet.  Club members enjoyed hot spiced tea, water, strawberry chicken salad sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, cream cheese tarts, shortbread lemon curd cookies, fruit and cheese kabobs and cheese straws.

     Bev Colquett surprised each member with a china teacup transformed into a fragrant candle before the meeting adjourned.  (submitted by Sammye Long)