4TH ANNUAL LORD OF THE RINGS MENU

8:30 am First BreakfastScones and jams (Carolanne and Ingred)Breakfast Scones for Mr. Frodo 

2 1/2 c. all purposed flour1 tbsp. baking powder1/4 c. sugar1/2 c. cold butter1 c. any kind of fruit yogurt(I like strawberry)

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender until crumbly. Add yogurt and mix Just Until It Forms A Ball of Soft Dough. (*swish* this is Sting...don’t overmix, or you’ll feel him this time!)Dump onto floured board and kneed 8-10 times Just Until Smooth *pats Sting at her side* Do Not Overwork the Dough!With your hand, gently pat down to 1 inch thickness and cut into desired shape (triangles are my favorite)Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 min.( or until light brown) on an ungreased baking sheet.Brew a pot of tea. Slice up some fruit. Boil some eggs. Place butter, jam, honey and cream on the table. Wake Mr. Frodo. Go! *scoot!*

Annnnd...after much mentioning in posts...The elusive healing tea appears!(this recipe is REALLY good for colds. I use it all the time :) )

9:00 am Start Fellowship of the Ring, Extended Cut, 208 minutes

10:00 am Second BreakfastFrench Toast

Thick sliced breadEggsCreamVanillaMaple syrupCinnamonNutmeg

Bacon and sausageFrogmorton FlapjackA good bite for the sweet-tooth from the 'real' Shire. 

½ Cup Porridge oats (quick oats)½ Cup Rolled oats 2/3 Cups butter 1/3 Cup golden syrup 1/3 Cup caster sugar (superfine)1 tsp. ginger (optional)

Heat the butter, syrup and sugar in a saucepan until all melted together, then mix in the oats. Place in a baking tray and cook for about 30 minutes at 175 oC. Then slice, and leave to cool.

11:00 am ElevensesElven Lembas Bread II

2 ½ cups of flour (I used bread flour but you can use all purpous flour too) 1 tablespoon of baking powder ¼ teaspoon of salt ½ cup of butter 1/3 cup of brown sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon ½ teaspoon honey 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream ½ teaspoon of vanilla 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and mix well till fine granules (easiest way is with an electric mixer). Then add the sugar and cinnamon, and mix them thoroughly.  Finally add the cream, honey, and vanilla and stir until a nice, thick dough forms. 

Roll the dough out about 1/2 in thickness. Cut out 3-inch squares and transfer the dough to a cookie sheet.Criss-cross each square from corner-to-corner with a knife, lightly (not cutting through the dough).   Bake for about 12 minutes or more (depending on the thickness of the bread) until it is set and lightly golden. 

Let cool completely before eating, this bread tastes better room temperature and dry. Also for more flavor you can add more cinnamon or other spices.

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 Cup soft margarine (1 tub) – Do not melt1 Cup Sugar2/3 Cup Unsulfured Molasses4 eggs, slightly beaten2 cups canned pumpkin (1 can)

Flour Mixture – 3 1/3 Cups White Flour or• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour• 2 Cups White Flour• 1/3 Cup Raw Wheat Germ1 tsp. Cinnamon½ tsp. cloves½ tsp. allspice½ tsp. baking powder1 tsp. baking soda2 tsp. salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9” x 5” loaf pans with cooking spray.Cream shortening (margarine), sugar and molasses until light and fluffy.Blend in eggs and pumpkin.Stir together remaining dry ingredients.Combine flour mixture with Creamed mixture and blend until dry ingredients are moistenedPour into two loaf pans and bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick comes out of loaf clean.Cool for 10 minutes and then turn out of pan and cool completely before slicing.Will also yield 8 “mini” loaves.

Dwarven Women's Pumpkin CakeNo beard required

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar 4 large eggs 1 cup safflower or canola oil 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned solid-pack pumpkin 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Butter a 13-by 9-by 2-inch metal baking pan. Line bottom with wax or parchment paper, then butter paper. (GS's notes: you can use two, 9" cake pans instead - and you don't have to butter anything, just put the wax or parchment paper on the bottom) 

Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in oil and pumpkin puree. Add flour mixture and whisk just until smooth. Pour batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. (GS's note: the two, 9" cakes took 20 to 25 minutes) 

Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge and invert onto rack. Peel off paper and cool cake completely. (GS's note: or not!) I made a butter/cream cheese frosting that was very good with it. I think this would also be very good with ice cream or whipped cream.

1:00 pm The Two Towers, Extended Cut, 223 minutes2:00 pm LunchCheddar Soup 

2 leeks 2 potatoes 4 carrots 4 tablespoons butter 6 cups vegetable broth 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon thyme powder 1/4 teaspoon sage powder salt and pepper to taste 1 cup milk 5 oz. Kerrygold Irish Cheddar cheese 

Clean, peel, and chop the vegetables. Melt the butter in a soup pot and saute the vegetables lightly for about 3 minutes. Stirring frequently. Add the stock, garlic, herbs, and seasonings. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Blend the soup in a blender and return to the pot. Add the milk and cheese. Reheat, but do not boil. 

What better way to warm up a batch of cold travellers coming out of the Wild?  Surely a staple of Barliman's or he was no proper Innkeeper.

Po-Tay-To Onion Soup 

4 Tbsp butter 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced 3 cups milk 5-½ cups canned chicken broth ¼ cups fresh chives, chopped ½ tsp celery seeds ¼ tsp dried thyme, whole 1 cup light cream salt, to taste black pepper (freshly ground, if possible), to taste 3 Tbsp cornstarch 3 Tbsp water ½ cup fresh chives, chopped 6 slices bacon, crisply fried and chopped 

In a large stockpot, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent (do not brown). Add potatoes, milk, chicken broth, chives, celery seed and thyme. Cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes. 

Mix cornstarch and water, stirring well. Add to soup, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes. 

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes into small pieces. (Or use food processor or immersion blender to puree soup). Add cream, salt and pepper. Heat about 5 minutes. 

Garnish with chives and/or bacon pieces.

4:00 pm Afternoon TeaStrawberries and Cream Bread 

1 3/4 c. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. sugar (or less) 1/2 c. sour cream 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. vanilla 1 c. strawberries, coarsely chopped 

Grease an 8x4 in. loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder/soda and salt. In mixing bowl, cream butter and add sugar. Beat until airy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Add strawberries, mix gently and turn into pan. Smooth the top and bake for 60 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool. 

Addictive! This only makes one loaf - I usually make four at a time. Freezes pretty well.Bilbo’s Tea Cake 

zest of one lemon (or orange if you prefer)3/4 c. butter1 c. sugar4 eggs

2 1/4 c. flour (any soft flour will do)1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. salt1/2 c. dried cranberries or currentsjuice of one lemon(orange)

Cream together butter, sugar and zest. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each. Add dry ingredients and lemon(or orange...) juice and mix Just Until Combined. Spoon into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. or until golden. Wrap and store overnight before serving to Gandalf for Afternoon Tea.-Note- To impress the Wizard (and the Dwarves...), glaze with a mixture of half a lemon(not orange) and 1/2 c. of icing sugar. Pour over the loaf before hiding in the refrigerator overnight. Perfect for unexpected parties.Seedcake for Gimli

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake tin. Sift 2 1/2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Cream together 4 ounces of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat 1 egg and add to the butter, then add 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds. Fold in the flour mixture, then gradually add enough milk (up to 1/2 cup) to make a smooth, thick batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before turning out on a cake rack.Merry's Spiced Chai

5 cups of boiling water1 teaspoon of ground ginger2 pinches of allspice3/4 teaspoon of peppercorns10 whole cloves1 1/2 cinnamon sticks1/8 cardamom seeds2 tea bags (black tea, English Breakfast, Earl Grey or Darjeeling)Mix all ingredients, then simmer and let brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and brew another 10-20 minutes more, depending on how spiced you like your tea. For a milder tea flavor, replace one of the tea bags with an apple cinnamon herbal tea bag, and use only 1 cinnamon stick. Tea is best served with milk and sugar. The spice mix can be used for 2x the recipe if longer brewing time is used. Leftover chai can be refridgerated for iced chai, or to be reheated later.Aragorn’s Athelas Tea Also known as ‘Sam’s Kingsfoil Brew’ 

Juice of 2 lemons3-4 1/2 inch coins of fresh Ginger1 clove of garlic (“You *must* trust Master..”)3 sprigs of Mint (approx. 7-10 leaves)2L. Filtered water, boilingUnpasteurised HoneyEchinaccia extract, liquid

Place Ginger, Mint and Garlic(peeled, but not crushed!) in a cheesecloth and tie off. Add to boiling water and cook for 5-7 min. Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Remove spices and transfer to an insulated tea pot. Into each cup, add a tsp. of honey(or to taste), and echinaccia extract to the bottle’s instructions.Rx: Serce to any Man, Hobbit, or Dwarf (Elves don’t get sick, remember?) suffering from congestion, sore throat, dry cough or Morgul blades.

5:00pm Return of the King, Extended Cut, 250 minutes6:00 pm DinnerBalin's Spiced Beef Something from the finer days, when he entertained his cousins in style.

In a big bowl put: 4-5 lb. chuck, shoulder or round roast covered with... Dry red wine Apple juice or cider One or two sliced white onions 1/2 a bay leaf 1 tsp. each of cinnamon and allspice 1/2 t. cloves 1 1/2 t. salt 1 t. pepper 

Cover and let marinate in the fridge 12 hrs. or more. Drain and reserve marinade. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Put meat in a roasting pan, heat half the marinade to boiling and pour it over along with about a cup of boiling water. Cover and simmer in the oven for about 3 hours.  If you like, you can add carrot chunks, sliced turnip and potato an hour before its done.

You can thicken the sauce like gravy, or have it au jus. Serve with roasted veggies, or noodles, or rice. Good hot or cold. 

Taters Boulangere

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. For 3-4 people you will need ~1.5 lbs of potatoes - peeled and sliced to about 1/4", a sliced onion, some rosemary (but dried herbs will do nicely), and a mixture of 1 cup of chickent stock and 1/2 cup of milk. It will scale quite nicely for larger/smaller dinners. Take an ovenproof dish and wipe it with butter so nothing sticks. Put in a layer of potatoes, a layer of onion, sprinkle over some bruised rosemary. Repeat. Top off with a layer of potato. Pour over the milk-stock mixture (may not need all of it) and then top off the dish with dots of butter and some rosemary sprigs (or herbs). Cook uncovered in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the potatoes are soft in the middle and brown/crisp on top. The original recipe suggested checking the dish and adding more liquid if it looked dry, but I've never had to. or roasted butternut squash...... 

1 butternut squash, about 2 lbs. 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon fennel 1 teaspoon dried oregano or tarragon 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. 

Warning: Butternut squash are smooth, hard, and round so absolute stinkers to cut without adding finger to the mix. Be careful! I want you still to be able to type. 

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cut the squash in half, scoop out & discard the seeds and goopy bits. Cut those in half and then half again. 

Mix the spices - grind them up if you are using whole spices and have a lot of energy. Blend with enough oil to make a runny paste. 

Place the squash, skin side down, on a baking tray. Baste/smear with the spice mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

8:00 pm Supper immediately followed by dessertREAL ENGLISH SHEPHERDS PIE!Printed from COOKS.COM

1 onion, diced1 tablespoon olive oil1 lb. lamb, minced1 clove garlic, crushed1 large carrot, diced1 beef stock cube1 lb. chopped tomatoes1 tablespoon corn flour3 tablespoons tomato pureepinch of salt and pepper2 lb. potatoes1 stick butterThis is how to make a real English shepherds pie, made with lamb. If made with beef, it would be known as cottage pie.

Firstly, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until soft. Add minced lamb and stock cube, then cook until the mince is brown and shows a crumbly texture. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree, and add the corn flour. Leave to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about fifteen minutes, or until thickened.

Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes and boil until soft, then mash them with the butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Put the filling into a deep dish, then top with the mashed potatoes and put under a warm grill (broiler) until the top is brown and crisp.

Delicious topped with melted cheese. Enjoy!

Mrs. Maggot's Cottage Pie

Slice a large onion and 2 carrots and sauté in bacon fat until the onions are limp. Add 1 pound of cubed beef, 1 tablespoon of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for several minutes, and then add 1/2 cup of beef stock and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Peel and quarter 1 pound of potatoes and boil until soft. Mash with 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter and enough milk to make a soft mash. Season with salt and pepper. Put the meat in a pie dish, cover with the mashed potatoes, and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Before serving, run the dish quickly under the broiler to brown the potato crust.

Rosie's Shire Pie 1 pound whole mushrooms1 pound ground sausage1 yellow onion, diced3 cloves garlic, chopped2 stalks celery, diced1 carrot, diced2 Tb. flour1/4 Cup dry white wine1 1/2 Cups chicken stock1 Tb. thyme1 teaspoon sageSalt & pepper to taste Clean mushrooms and cut into quarters.  Crumble the sausage & place in a large, deep pan.  Cook over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic, celery, and carrot, and cook about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more until vegetables are tender.  Stir in flour and cook and couple of minutes, stirring.  Add wine and half of the stock, stirring and working out any lumps.  Add remaining stock and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low, add herbs, salt and pepper and cook 10 minutes.  Pour into deep pie dish or 8x8 baking dish and set aside. Cornmeal Crust (makes enough for two pies)1 3/4 Cups flour3/4 C. yellow cornmeal1 teaspoon salt1/2 pound cold butter1/4 Cup shortening1/3 - 1/4 Cup ice water Mix flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter.  Add shortening and continue to work dough until texture resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle water over dough and knead with hands.  Refrigerate dough 30 minutes to 24 hours (can also be frozen).  Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.  Place dough over top of filling in pie dish.  

Bake pie at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or so, until crust is lightly browned and filling is bubbly.

Along with a green salad and warm bread, this pie feeds a family of 4 - 6 hungry little hobbits.

PWP (Pork Wrapped Pork)

Stuff a pork tenderloin with a mixture of butter, chopped garlic, fresh thyme, and peaches.

Mash a cup of butter, garlic to your taste, a large bunch of fresh thyme, and a can of peaches together by hand. Cut a slice in the tenderloin to make a pocket to stuff with the butter mixture.

Wrap pork in smoked bacon and place in a baking dish and cover with white wine.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 50 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes after removing from oven before slicing.

Mushrooms ala Gandalf 

This is an old British recipe with a few modifications of my own: 

~ Fill up a pan with cut mushrooms (portabella if you have them). ~ Add a 1/2 stick of butter. ~ Enough cooking wine (your choice) to cover the bottom of the pan. ~ Add pepper generously with a grinder. ~ Several shakes of nutmeg. ~ Add Worchestershire Sauce till everything turns black. ~ Cover and cook on medium. Cook them to death.  Use your staff if you have to.~ Reduce heat to warm when mushrooms have absorbed most of the liquid in the pan. ~ For the best taste, leave in pan and serve. 

Great with steak or on burgers. Makes good leftovers too.

DessertTipsy Puddings with Mulled Wine

FOR THE PUDDINGS:1 tbsp. butter1½ cups fine dry bread crumbs4 eggs, separated¾ cup superfine sugar1 tsp. finely grated lemon zestFOR THE MULLED WINE:2½ cups red wine⅔ cup superfine sugarWide strips of zest and juice from 1 lemonWide strips of zest and juice from 1 orange4 cloves1 stick cinnamon1 cup heavy cream, whippedINSTRUCTIONSFor the puddings: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease eight 2"-deep and 3½"-wide ramekins with butter. Evenly coat insides of ramekins with a quarter of the bread crumbs. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks, half of the sugar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. In another medium bowl, beat egg whites with clean beaters until stiff peaks form, 3–4 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar to whites and beat until well mixed, 30 seconds more. Add a quarter of the eggwhite mixture to egg yolk mixture and stir to combine. Fold remaining egg white mixture and remaining bread crumbs into egg yolk mixture until well combined. Divide batter evenly between ramekins and bake on a sheet tray until puddings are cooked through and golden, about 25 minutes. Allow puddings to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

For the mulled wine: Put wine, sugar, lemon and orange zest and juices, cloves, and cinnamon into a medium pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes more. Strain wine, discarding solids, and set aside to let cool.

Put puddings into an 8" × 12" nonreactive dish, drizzle with all of the mulled wine, cover with plastic wrap, and allow puddings to soak (they won't absorb all the wine), spooning more wine over each pudding occasionally, until moist throughout, 2–3 hours. Serve each pudding in a shallow bowl, sitting in some mulled wine and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Chocolate Whiskey Bundt Cake1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan1 1/2 cups brewed coffee1/2 cup American whiskey2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces2 cups sugar2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanillaSpecial equipment: a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped creamGarnish: confectioners sugar for dustingpreparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter bundt pan well, then dust with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

Heat coffee, whiskey, butter, and remaining cup cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.

While chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack.

cooks' note:This cake improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead and kept, in a cake keeper or wrapped well in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature. It can be made up to 5 days ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Smaug's Gems

Combine 1 cup of vanilla wafer crumbs, 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 1 cup of chopped nuts, and 1 tablespoon of cocoa Add 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1/4 cup of whisky. Mix well and shape into 1inch balls. Roll in confectioners' sugar and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Rivendell Banquet Black-Bottom Cheesecake Muffins

An Elven hors deouvres for the after-feasting nibblers.

Preheat oven to 350F

*mouse note; Double the amounts of the following 11 ingredients. that will give you double the base, whichimho works better, looks better, and tastes better.* 

Combine the following 6 ingredients in a large bowl :1 1/2 c flour1/4 c unsweetened cocoa1tsp baking soda1tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp salt1c sugarCombine the following 5 ingredients in a seperate bowl1 egg1c water1/2 c vegetable oil1TBSP vinegar2tsp vanillaadd wet ingredients to the dry ingredients spoon into greased muffin tins. fill 3/4 of the way

Combine the following ingredients and beat until slightly lumpy. Spoon onto center of the chocolate batter.1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened1egg1/3 c sugar1/4 tsp salt1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffin is cooked and cream cheese mixture is beginning to brown. Let cool in pan 2 minutes then carefully remove muffins. Enjoy on a mithril platter with miruvor while listening to hobbits recite poetry!

Ten Cup Ranger Cookies for Rangers in the field who only have one measuring cup with them.

1 cup butter 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 cup oatmeal 1 cup coconut 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup raisins or craisins** 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 cup self-rising flour 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Cream together butter and sugars, add peanut butter and eggs, beat until well combined. Add oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts, stirring after each. Stir in flour. 

Drop cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake for 13 minutes. 

NOTE: This is good as is, but you can play around with the amounts of oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, raisins/craisins and nuts, as long as the total of them comes to 5 cups. So, if you don't like, say raisins, then you could put another cup of coconut, or an additional 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup nuts!