Take some time this Mother’s Day to spend an afternoon with your favorite princess and throw a Princess Tea party! I came across this adorable book and had to try some things out! Author Janeen A. Sherman has given some pointers for the perfect Princess Tea party this May and there are some super cute recipes provided below from the Fairy Princess Tea Chapter, the book also has great little crafts to make, such as how to make fairy-tale books and magic mirrors!
Little girls are crazy about princesses! With Princess Tea, party-planning parents of their own little princesses can pull together nine different enchanting tea parties. Vibrant color photos provide inspiration, and brief instructions make simple crafts, decorations, and dainty edibles easy for anyone to accomplish.
From Lotus Princess Tea to Cowgirl Princess Tea, each themed party is paired with recipes for tea, snacks, and dessert. Fairy Princesses can make their own magic wands, while Underwater Princesses feast on Buttered Sea Shells. Princess Tea is full of fun, fresh, and festive ideas to help grandmothers, mothers, and friends spend quality time with their little girls to plan, create and host magical birthday, holiday, or any day parties that a little princess will never forget.
Janeen gave me some great tips for your Mother’s Day Tea this May: “First thing to consider when planning a mother/daughter tea party in May (which is the perfect time for such an occasion,) is to keep it simple and appropriate for the venue. Depending on the age of your daughter and time, you can make the living/dining room or the porch festive simply by cutting a few branches of cherry or apple blossoms, placing them in vases for ambiance. OR you might want to make it elaborate with hand crafted flowers with bows and ribbons. In either case, bring out your prettiest plates, cups and saucers and pick up some pretty pink napkins to make the party a special one.”
Little Princes can also have a wonderful time with Mom and Sister! Janeen has both a son and a daughter, “Both have often had tea around the coffee table in our living room as kids growing up. I might add that as grown up’s they have also continued the ritual of tea in the afternoon… my grandmother is smiling down at them I’m sure.”
Photo by Sheri Giblin, from Princess Tea
Magical Fairy-Dusted Brownies
Makes about 4 dozen 2 1/2-inch brownies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease and flour an 11-by17-inch jelly-roll pan. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool, about 10 minutes. Working with a wooden spoon and a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla. Beat in the butter-cocoa mixture. Sift the flour together with the salt and stir into the batter until just blended. Pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake until the top is dull looking and a toothpick barely comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and let cool on a rack. Cut into squares when cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar again just before serving.
© Janeen A. Sarlin, Princess Tea: Parties and Treats for Little Girls, Chronicle Books (2009)
Angel Wing Turkey Croissants
Makes 6 sandwiches
Pick up fresh croissants at the bakery or supermarket. To Create an angel, you’ll cut eh finished turkey-filled croissants in half to form wings on a plate and use the Airy Egg Salad Cream Puffs (recipe follows) for the bodies.
6 croissants
About ½ cup mayonnaise
or soft butter
6-8 slices roast turkey – cut to fit the croissants
6 green lettuce leafs – cut to fit the croissants
6 Airy Egg-Salad Cream Puffs (recipe follows)
6 cherry tomatoes
12 small sweet pickles
Cut each croissant in half horizontally, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise inside, add the turkey and lettuce, and replace the croissant top to make the sandwich. Cut the sandwich in half across the middle. Arrange the halves in wing fashion on individual plates. Place and egg-salad cream puff between the wings to form the body. Add a cherry tomato on top for a head and 2 sweet pickles for legs to form an angel.
© Janeen A. Sarlin, Princess Tea: Parties and Treats for Little Girls, Chronicle Books (2009)
Airy Egg-Salad Cream Puffs
Makes about 2 ½ cups egg salad
You can make your own cream puffs (there is a recipe in Janeen’s book), use pre-made cream puffs from the bakery or substitute for small soft rolls
8 eggs, preferably organic
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
About 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 stalk celery, peeled and minced (optional)
2 scallions, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Place the eggs in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for only 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10 minutes. Drain hot water off, and immediately run cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking process. Crack the shells of the eggs on the side of the pot. Let the eggs stand in the cold water until they are cool enough to handle, 10-15 minutes. Carefully peel off the shells. Chop the eggs, transfer them to a mixing bowl, and season with sal and pepper. In a small bowl, stir the mustard into the mayonnaise until well blended. Add just enough of the mayonnaise mixture to the eggs to bind them. Stir in the celery, scallions, and parsley (if using). Taste and adjust the seasonings. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until assembly. Remove the tops of the cream puffs or small rolls, spoon 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of the egg salad into the bottoms and replace the tops.
© Janeen A. Sarlin, Princess Tea: Parties and Treats for Little Girls, Chronicle Books (2009)
