Here’s my very own House of Creativity, all decked out for Valentine’s Day! Wouldn’t it be great if I could make smoke rings in the shape of white hearts come from the chimney? (Someone should invent a Valentine heart chimney insert!). Right now, snow is pouring down outside my window, big heavy flakes, a little bit heart-shaped, filling the sky . . . Of course, there is perfect music for this . . .
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
See my windows full of hearts? Our house is at the end of a long street; people come to a stop sign here and face my house, just like this. Because of all the one-way streets, pretty soon everyone has to pass this stop sign in order to get where they’re going on this island. ♥ I feel a certain responsibility to provide a some entertainment for people when they get here; it’s perfect for the short attention span! So I decorated my windows with leftover spray snow from Christmas. I made heart templates, little and big, from a piece of clear acetate. I’ve also made templates from cardboard, but they get a little soggy after about the twentieth heart! You could probably do it all faster with heart doilies!
We got a Valentine from a very special person yesterday! She knows who she is! (Thank you 1000 times ♥) Here it is, on our kitchen wall this morning, before the sun came up. This will be here from now on, every Valentine’s Day, forever! ♥ I love it!
What, I asked myself, can I give the girls this snowy Saturday that has it All? It needs to be sweet and Valentiney, it needs to include chocolate (yes, of course it does), it needs to be delicious enough to give away to someone they love, but simple enough so it’s not a lifetime in the kitchen; it needs to look good on a tea table; it needs to make the kitchen smell good; and it would be very handy if the ingredients were in my cupboard NOW. I thought about my chewy, bendy chocolaty Brownies (so here’s the recipe for those, particularly appreciated by kids, in case you are so inclined ♥) but I was looking for the true Valentine coup de grace, I wanted something heart-shaped. And, so, Voila!
ORANGE and CHOCOLATE CHIP TEA BISCUITS!
I love the flavor of orange with chocolate . . . this is an easy-to-make heart-shaped tea biscuit with melty chocolate chips, the perfect little thing to put on a saucer next to a cup of tea.
Here’s how it’s done; a concise recipe will be waiting for you at the bottom of this post, (if you make it through this whole thing 🙂 and actually, that’s not all that’s waiting for you at the bottom!)
Preheat the oven to 400°; put softened unsalted butter and cream cheese into a deep bowl . . .
Add grated orange zest (P.S. I hope you have one of these wonderful zesters! They’re like razor blades you drag lightly across the fruit, easy, painlessly, gathering the zest in the tray; then pop into your recipe! Best new invention since a MacBook Pro!)
Excuse me, time out: Water came to a boil, need to stop and fill my cup!
OK, toss the orangy goodness into the bowl . . .
Use a hand mixer to beat everything together until smooth . . . mmm, cream cheese, butter and orange . . .
Scrape down the batter in the bowl . . .
Add sour cream for richness and tender crumb. BTW, Don’t you think that when the world lost Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald that an overall mistake was made? Don’t you want to say, please, put them back? They left us music divine.
♥ H E A V E N ♥
Stir in two tablespoons of granulated sugar . . .
Gradually beat in a little flour until well blended . . . Oh-oh, check out the top of the refrigerator, we have company . . .
Speaking of Valentine’s! ♥ ♥ ♥
More beating of the flour . . .
Add mini chocolate chips — if you like walnuts, which I do, you can add them here too . . . which I would if we hadn’t run out! Almost had all the ingredients; but trust me, with them or without them, the word is Y U M.
Stir well, my little darlings . . .
Put a heaping tsp. of dough into each cup of an ungreased miniature muffin pan (I took this photo to show you what a heaping tsp. looks like) . . . I used my black-iron heart muffin pan, which I’ve had for a hundred years — I’ve truly gotten my money’s worth out of it! When it’s not in use, it makes my pantry wall look cute by hanging there. I know a secret about this muffin pan, I’ll tell you at the end of this post!
You want to fill the cups completely down into the little points, around the curved tops, so you have good shapes, and level the surface of the dough.
And bake 15-17 minutes until light brown . . .
Now look who showed up . . . Girl Kitty! Speaking of heaven!
We are complete: we have Beauty on the table, Beast is on the fridge, biscuits are in the oven, and all’s right with the world.
♥ ♥ ♥
Have a basket ready, line it with a clean tea towel . . . pop the biscuits right out of the pan into the basket, you don’t have to let them cool first.
Beautiful and delicious, they can bake as you put on the tea water, and be done by the time the tea has steeped . . . the orange is what you smell first, the chocolate melts on your tongue, and you are happy. ♥
I’m only tellin’ it how it is.
I tried them with this delicious new honey I put on everything these days (it came from Door County by the way, Pat, and all you others who know about and love that neck of the woods — you have the market cornered when it comes to butter burgers and honey!) — but I have to say, although it was delicious, it was gilding the lily; these tea biscuits are good just as they are, straight from the oven; you don’t need butter, you don’t need jam or syrup; you need nothing more. If you are looking for additional cuteness, and who isn’t, you can always sift over a little powdered sugar!
Serve one of these tea biscuits next to a cup of breakfast tea; put them in a basket for a tea party; or if you have a fun Valentine’s tin — they are a wonderful surprise, arranged on a lace doily and dropped by a friend’s house.
And, the secret I had about this muffin pan? Are you ready? OK, this pan, along with the heart-shaped Emma Bridgewater tin in the picture above — they are my Valentine gift to one of you. We’re having another drawing, and even though every one of you is totally deserving, one lucky girl is going to walk away with these two memories of Valentine’s Day 2012! Just leave a comment below (click on the tiny gray letters that say “comment” and you’ll be entered! I figure if I do this often enough and long enough, sooner or later, every one of you will win something with love from the heart of the home and me! That’s my plan.
♥ ♥ ♥
SATURDAY MORNING MARTHA’S VINEYARD
XXXXXOOOOO
Have you heard Paul McCartney’s new Valentine song? Go get a tissue, this is wonderful. I hear love for his new wife in this song, but I think I hear a bit of yearning for Linda too. ♥ Sad. 🙁 But Beautiful.
Bye for now girls . . . have a wonderful weekend!
ORANGE & CHOCOLATE CHIP TEA BISCUITS
- 1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 – 3oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- grated zest of one orange
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 c. self-rising flour
- 1/3 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 c. chopped walnuts (opt.)
Preheat oven to 400°. In a deep, medium-sized bowl, using a hand mixer on slow speed, beat together butter, cream cheese, and zest until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, add sour cream and sugar and beat well. Gradually beat in flour until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Put a heaping tsp. of dough in each cup of an ungreased miniature muffin tin (heart-shaped if you have it, but just as delicious if it’s round), filling the space completely and leveling the surface of the dough. Bake 15-17 minutes until light brown. Pop biscuits out into a basket lined with a tea towel … cover to keep warm. Can be reheated. Makes a dozen tea biscuits. Make these for you and someone you love. ♥
Were you ever an elementary school teacher, Susan? Your hearts in the windows of your home reminded me of the days before all the testing where the children could decorate the classroom to their heart’s (and mine) content!
Thanks to your listing of your favorite blogs, I think I made a new friend today. Her name is Joann. We have corresponded via personal email and appear to have so much in common – starting, of course, with a love of all things Susan Branch.
I received your first cookbook because I collected hearts. Thank you very much for sharing yours!
Hugs,
Susan
No, but I was an elementary school student! Can’t you tell! 🙂 I know Joann — if it’s the one in Colorado — she is wonderful!
So happy to find your heart pan in your shop. I’m ordering one! I have a daughter born on Valentine’s Day (turning 22 this week – holy cow), so hearts are always in style at our house. Thanks for the contest, too. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe and the kitties!
Love your blog, love your books, love your drawings, love you. Happy Valentine’s Day!
I had to share Louis & Ella with my hubby via e-mail. He’s in NJ hard at work and will not be home for V Day. But those delish biscuits will be here with me tomorrow morning! Thank you for the blog. You and all the girlfriends keep me company.
Well, don’t these look delicious? Thanks for the recipe!
My favorite shape in the world is a heart, I would love to make these scones in the heart shaped pan!! I “heart” hearts!
It is raining today here in California’s Central Valley and I would LOVE to make these biscuits! Especially heart-shaped ones!! I love everything hearts and when I saw the picture of that muffin tin the first thing I said to myself was, “I’ve got to have one of those!”
Thanks for warming up my day 🙂
I am going to try this recipe but in place of chocolate chips I plan to use dates. I am not a fan of chocolate in biscuits, pancakes or muffins… but dates – YUM! I will let you know about the outcome. <3
I don’t think you could go wrong with that!
I love to see the pictures of your kitties. Jack is very cute! I see he has chosen the top of the refrigerator for his window on the world. Or is it because he thinks he is the king and must be above it all and know everything that is happening in his kingdom. Your biscuits looked so good, I tried to reach out and take one!
love all the hearts..would love the cast iron heart pan …since I don’t have it I’ll use my cast iron shell pan….since we live at the beach I use a bowl of olive shells and U’s (I LUV U) on the table!
Loved today’s post, kitties adorable, music terrific, great recipe to make for tomorrow’s breakfast and SNOW. I have been a fan of your books and other items for a very long time, but just discovered you had a blog last fall – thanks for all the great reads!
Thank you Susan! My sis and I live hundreds of miles apart, but we have such fun ‘connecting’ through this blog. I’m going to fb message her right now and ask if she is going to make these yummy treats for her hubby and 2 sweet boys, (2 blessings that came along after 40!).
OH Susan, you just saved me from a terrible mistake……..I’ve been baking little tea cookies today in preparation for a Valentine Tea on Monday with my girlfriends. Amazingly, I don’t have any chocolate in any of these little cookies……cinnamony Lily sliced, tart lemon, raspberry jam filled, pecan tassies. Goodness Gracious……Valentine’s Day……no chocolate…..am I crazy?? Your orange chocolate tea biscuit recipe arrived in the NICK of time to bring me to my senses. You’ve got my back, girlfriend!! Thanks! I’m going to the kitchen right now to make a batch of brownies to add to the tea party stash out on the frozen sunporch. Will make your biscuits right before everyone arrives Monday afternoon…..won’t that make a welcoming smell?
As always, DonnaRay
It will be wonderful!
Wow! Didn’t know I was going to read this post this evening after doing some baking this afternoon. I baked your Cream Scones (plain ones to eat with lemon curd and cinnamon chip ones, too) – HEART-SHAPED, too, because I was also thinking about Valentine’s Day coming, even though I’m actually taking some to my sister’s tomorrow to have a little Tea Party with her before her next round of chemo for leukemia. [I posted a photo of the scones sitting on the cover of my SB recipe book on FOSB page and Susan Branch the Cutest (FB Group)] Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Give my love to your sister at your tea party!
Thank you, Susan! We had a lovely afternoon!
Looks so wonderful, love the muffin pan too!
I can’t wait for each new post. I start my day checking out your blog and website. The scone recipe is now on my counter. I will definitely be making them for Valentine’s Day. I would love to the tin and heart-shaped muffin pan….maybe for next year!
Thanks for your muffin recipe! I bet they taste better baked in a heart shaped muffin pan! Stay warm!
This one looks easy enough that even an non-cooker can be successful – THANK YOU!
Not only successful, but actually renown, as all good biscuit makers are.♥
Oh, I just love your house! I used to decorate for every holiday….I still should even though the kids are gone. You encourage me to get things out. It can stay up all month. I seriously thought of spraying snow on all of my windows for the winter months….you see, I love snow…and I have been stuck in San Antonio for the last 12 years. Ugh. I thought if I sprayed my windows with snow it might make it seem like winter as long as I was inside! I wish I could click my heels and live back in St. Louis! I do like your idea of spraying the valentines. Do you remember glass wax stencils? I remember as a child getting to stencil with it around Christmas time. It was pink. Now to your recipe and the pan and tin! Looks yummy and I must try the orange with chocolate! Hope I win!
Elaine, I remember seeing glass wax stencils! How fun. Oh! Do keep decorating your house. It’s work but it’s fun and so much a part of you. I remember when I was younger, and single I dreamed of having kids… lots of them. Life never turned out that way, but i never knew that then and I decorated up a storm… just for me!!! Good luck with the recipe. I’m hoping to make it too. I just love the combination of chocolate and orange with a nice cup of tea!!!
Mmmm! I love that heart muffin tin SO MUCH – it’s adorable. I look at my jumbled up life and dream of one day being able to fuss about pretty details the way you do. Until then, I let the kids decorate – they are delighted to and I love their enthusiasm.
As it should be! xoxo
Your blog always makes my day!
What? Are you kidding me? YOUR very own heart shaped muffin tin? Someone is going to be one very lucky girl!! I sure hope it’s me. 🙂
Love the muffin pan and heart tin – thanks for the giveaway – I follow the blog and always enjoy the yummy recipes!
Valentine’s Day came early with this post from you. Not only a great recipe to try but the bonus was the beautiful Paul McCartney “My Valentine”. It has lifted my spirits for the day. Thank you so much. I’ve admired you for many, many years and have so many of your books and some fabric too! I wish you’d tell us the special story of how you and Joe met – that would be a great Valentine!
I’ll do that soon!
It’s snowing and blowing in Michigan but visiting you always makes me feel warm and cozy. I love your pink potholder, your pink spatula, and your pink check dish towel. Of course, your kitties are just too cute. No pun intended.
Love your blog. We too have snow in MD. Would love to win the EB tin and heart muffin tin. Can’t seem to outbid anyone on EBay for Emma Bridgewater items.Stay warm!
OH! SUSAN! you’ve done it again! You made Saturday PURR-FECT! The recipe is delightful! You keep us cooking! You keep love in the heart of our homes, too! Thank you!
They look great!
Thank you for yet another delicious recipe. Chocolate and orange. Yum!!! I got all my valentines done and decor up. I am such a heart freak. LOL
Thank you so much for sharing your snow day with us! I live where there is never any snow so it was neat to see it coming down. And I love the videos of your kitty’s!!!
Susan,
Thanks for the Tea Biscuit recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Happy Valetine’s Day to everyone who reads the blog!
I love that you decorate your house for special days throughout the year. I do too and it’s so much fun to have special dishes and cute things to put out for those times.
Oh I am so happy I found you again. Your blogs just make my day!!
Thank you for being you!!
Thank you for saying that!
I’ve taken to opening up your blog fully to read it Susan instead of trying to read it all squished in the email I receive! I love to take in the whole experience at once, with the music and atmosphere of the way it all looks and feels. I aspire(crave!) to be as organised and home savvy as you seem to be, but at the same time you are your own woman, who has such a love for everything you do in your home and out of it. If that makes sense?
The read leaves me with a feeling of ‘comfortness’ (much like a big ole snuggly blanket in cold weather), and also melancholy sometimes for what is not in my life yet. But most times a feeling that if I begin to make those changes I know I need to make within and without myself, then I’ll get there.
Thanks for being who you are and the inspiration to keeping trying! 🙂 x
p.s. I haven’t left this comment to enter your lovely giveaway. I think it would be a bit heavy to send to Aust. I just felt drawn to comment this time as I have.
And I’m glad you did! xoxo
Thank you for all the smiles you’ve given me through the years!
My heart belongs to a furry boy named Wolfie the Great Hunter.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. I enjoy it so much. Jack is darling! Girl kitty is so dignified and serene.
Hi Susan,
Hearts! Who doesn’t love them? Thank you for the give away. Wishing you a good valentine’s day! Mary A
Susan, each post is like a mini-vacation for me and today’s is no exception! Sweet music, cozy pictures and just the perfect recipe to make as a treat for my smocking students this week. Thanks for sharing so much of your heart with us!
Thanks for the recipe. I bet they taste even better when they’re heart-shaped;)
Orange and chocolate together? What could be better? How nice those biscuits look in the heart shaped pan! Thank you for such a warm and cozy blog. I look forward to reading it every time.
Delightfully delicious delicacies…superbly sublime snowfall…charmingly curious catbabies…very voluminous Valentines. Love love love it!
This would just cheer me up so much to win something so so lovely and cheerful! Thanks Susan you made my day:)
Is it wrong for me to eat them all myself? 🙂 OK, I have just the girlfriends to share them with–they’ll be sooo excited! Snow here, for a bit, in the great middle today. Still waiting for a big slambam snowstorm. Tulips, daffodils, even the iris are up. Soo confused, they’re sure it’s April. Love u lots! xo
Love your heart-shaped muffin tin – I think I will decorate my windows with heart shapes tomorrow with the grandkids. Great idea!
Linda
One can feel the love in this posting! The loveable kitties, the heartwarming music, the heart-shaped baking pan and tin…thank you, also, for sharing the falling snow…I was transported just for a minute, like a back-door neighbor, sharing your view, waiting to come in for a tea biscuit and cuppa…hopefully, with a cat warming my feet under the table! xo
xoxo Laura!
What a treat to visit your kitchen on a snowy Saturday! Thanks for sharing that scrumptious sounding and smelling recipe. Hope I win the heart shaped pan, but if not, your blogs are the prize that cheers me up every single time!
Oh, it’s always a happy day reading this blog. What could be more charming! I have the Tea Biscuit recipe copied and ready for baking! Thank You!
Hi Susan! Thanks for the great recipe and for sharing your snow with us. I hope we get snow too, I miss it! I LOVE your beautiful kitties!! Happy Valentine’s Day!! Your heart shaped pan is great!!
Susan,
My friend and I have made most of your recipes and shared with each other the goodies. We may have to fight over which one of us makes these biscuits. Thanks for tempting us each time.
Oh my dear Susan…I think you can’t outdo your last giveaway and then viola….here you go again…smile… Oh my gosh I would absolutely “love” to win this pan & that “lovely” tin! I just “love” all of her works!! (Do you believe I “love” this giveaway? lol)
Oh Jack and Kitty are so precious….how I would enjoy playing with them one day! (or more…smile…) Your Valentine decorations are really attractive! Am sure everyone checks them out as they come to the stop sign! bless you…..
Oh…BTW Tom wants one of those zesters. So…. smile….
Blessings,
Gert
He will love it Gert! xoxo
Susan I just love your blog,its the first thing I do in the mornings
.please do more videos,love looking at your house coverd in snow
Oh boy… chocolate and orange combo – one of my favorites! As a child I remember the occasional treat of a Dutch candy bar with the same flavors. I can’t wait to make these biscuits. My order arrived (happy birthday to me shopping!) yesterday and I love the Emma heart breakfast cup and plate. As always, such fine quality and the plate is a great size as well as being nice and heavy. I’ve bought several of your Emma offerings and love using and displaying them. The rug (alphabet with dots) is so much fun (also great quality). Since I’m a teacher, the alphabet is darling with the little house (I think of it as a school house) and sailboat (I love the sea and sailing). Last Christmas a friend who was visiting me over the summer remembered how much I love your things and surprised me with the sailboat pillow. It was to remind me of my trip to Martha’s Vineyard. It was such a hit, I ordered the star pillow right away. Then came the rug! I also love the other items that came with this order but my comments are much too long already. I just want the girlfriends to know how great your products are (in particular the Emma and rugs/pillows) in the event they are thinking of getting them. Happy Valentine’s Day (day of love and friendships) to all.
You are a doll Carmel! Thank you!
After a tough day, it was especially welcome to read your heart-warming post late this afternoon. If I never win one of your tangible gifts, I will always be grateful to have known you through the recipes, photos, and thoughts that you have shared. Thank you for the gift of yourself.
Wishing you a peaceful happy evening and sweet dreams!
I love your homemade valentine hanging in the kitchen. A little boy down the street made me one and it’s my favorite thing. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the cute kitties. Happy Valentine’s day Susan!
I was just wondering what to have for dinner. Thanks Susan for deciding for me ~ tea and biscuits (you know, chocolate is not just for breakfast anymore!!!) Oh, my heart is happy, my morning started with a finch sitting on the fence outside my bedroom window singing to me and ending with these delicious biscuits, thank you!!!! <3
Perfect day!
Valentine’s Day – my very favorite holiday! The anticipation of being the recipient of a valentine from a secret admirer lasted from first grade until my marriage. And I never did have a secret admirer during all those years – what an optimist! I would cherish your heart pan and EB tin. Sweet memories. Thank you.
I never had a secret admirer either, and I really wanted one too 🙂 funny! Comes from watching too many movies I think!
I love the homemade Valentine hanging in your kitchen. The little boy down the street made one for me and it is my most favorite thing. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the photos of the kitties. Happy Valentine’s Day, Susan!
Thanks for the biscuit recipe! Have to take some to the girls at work 🙂
Looks really yummy! Love the videos of Jack and of course, Miss Kitty is so cute.
hi susan!!! the house looks adorable for sure..we LOVE valentine’s day around here..i just delivered our valentine goodies to our four grand-kids and they were thrilled with the chocolatey cookies and heart sugar cut-outs… but really liked the PEZ candy dispensers and the old-fashioned Goo Goo bars!!! who knew!?!?! tonight i am trying my hand at heart-shaped whoopie pies….red velvet…with cream cheese filling…how bad could that be??? now inspired..it’s orange chcolate chip biscuits for breakfast tuesday morning…perfect choice!! thanks susan( again)….. hope you and joe have a wonderful valentine’s day..it’s a great day to celebrate love with family and friends and kitties!!!…xoxoxox love, cindy
Mmmm…can’t wait to try out the biscuit recipe– sounds wonderful!!
Karen in Breezy Point
Loved all the beautiful pictures especially the kitty!
Oh my goodness….I just made blueberry muffins for Sunday tea drinking/paper reading/napping and then saw this post. While reading it I thought, I really want one of those heart shapped muffin tins, I hope Susan tells where to get one, ooh, like the idea of hanging it on the wall when not in use, yeah, have to make those tea biscuits next week, keep on reading…WOW, Susan is giving a heart shaped pan away !! What a Valentine treat ! Hope I win, but whoever wins will feel the love ! Thanks !
I’m hope, hope, hoping I am chosen to win the heart shaped pans..have I got plans for them!!! I’m thinking a big pot of chili with heart shaped cornbread…what could warm the cockles of my husband’s heart better than that??? I’m saving the orange and chocolate chip tea biscuit recipe for another cold, frosty day when we need a pick-me-up. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe..and our senior citizen kitties; Gizmo and Lucy send purrs to Girl Kitty and Jack!! <3<3
Kitty kisses to Gizmo and Lucy!
how funny! you had cats, “gizmo” and “lucy” and i had two dogs with the names “gizmo” and “lucy.” “gizmo” looks just like “gizmo” when lying on her back with ears out (she’s a shih tzu” and “lucy” was the smartest bichon frize ever! )
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, your husband, and fuzzy friends. Thanks for the cheerful, cozy posts!
Yummy! I love seeing pictures around you kitchen and of course that sweet little cat. Happy Day!
Thanks Pam!!
I am certainly going to give these biscuits a try in my plain ole muffin cup tin, would love to win the heart shaped one………..thanks for your site!
Happy Valentine’s Susan, Joe, Jack and Girl Kitty! With all the snow hearts in the windows and the yummy tea biscuits in the kitchen, your house is truly filled with love. What a way to celebrate Valentines Day. May many hearts, lovely flowers and lots of chocolate come your way on Hearts Day.
love love love the videos and photos of your cats…just adorable.. love love love the recipes…. love love love everything about you……..you capture all that is good in life… happy valentine’s day… : )
Hi Susan! Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thank you! We are visiting St. Augustine, Florida today. Not snowing but cool and breezy. We spent the afternoon in several antique stores and found a wonderful rare and used book store. Ten rooms of books and ephemera! I am so excited to have found The Stillmeadow Road by Gladys Taber. I am wondering if you have been to St. Augustine.
Also, thanks for sharing your trip to NYC.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cindy
Wishing you and your sweetheart, your sweet kitties, and all your friends and family a SWEET Valentine’s Day.
I am so jealous of your snow. We are supposed to get some Monday, guess that will have to do. Meanwhile, loving the kitties in the kitchen and those tea biscuits – YUM! Hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day! Raquel XO
OH!!! I need to win!!!! My mom will be 90 on Valentine’s Day! So that means, I came out of a real Valentine! I’m having a party for her tomorrow, and I did put dollie hearts in my windows, and along the front of my fireplace mantel! I had fun decorating today. I made my ever popular decorated heart-shaped sugar cookies too! Love that Jack kitty. He would make EVERYONE want a kitty!!!! I LOVE your Valentine. Really unique! Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe!
Happy Birthday to the Original Valentine! xoxo
How delightful!! The tea biscuits are a must do (and my little girlies will love them :-)) Thank you for the joy you share xo
Okay, don’t kill me. I’m just passing along what I saw on The Chew on Thursday. Daphne Oz was using a microplane grater to grate some orange and she asked, “Is it okay to grate the orange with the microplane so that the zest ends up on top (in otherwords instead of zesting the orange so that the zest fell into the bowl, she wanted to know if you could put the orange on the bottom and zest it so that the zest ended up on the underside of the grater). Michael Symon said, “It is not okay to zest it like that. When you do you end up pressing harder and you get the pith along with the zest, and the pith is bitter.” That’s me paraphrasing…it’s not verbatim. So Susan, as shown in your picture, you might unintentionally get the pith while you’re zesting. Why take the chance. Use your microplane zester and zest with the orange on top and the microplane on the bottom. You can either zest on to wax paper or something like it, and then measure what you need and put it into the bowl with your other ingredients, or simply let the zest fall into the bowl on its own.
Okay, that was my little suggestion, but it definitely was not a complaint. I can’t wait to try these scones or biscuits as you call them, and I might have to go out and see if I can find a cute pan to put them in. Thanks for all your many wonderful recipes.
You can do it either way, because there’s no pressure involved with the Microplane; just drag it lightly across the fruit — it’s SO sharp, the zest comes right off. You would really have to work to get any pith! I like to gather it all in the top as it gives me a little more control of the tool and it’s less messy. But everyone has their way of doing things, probably no “right” way; you have to find what works best for you! I always love to hear different perspectives, never stop doing that! Thanks Suzanne!
I like to use my microplane on the top, also, as I can see exactly how much zest I have gratedand I find it is so sharp that there is no pith that gets in it. I think it is safer for fingers, too! 🙂
I really think it was designed to use that way . . .
Thanks for this lovely post, with recipe. And, of course, winning the heart baking pan and tin would be the ultimate! A very Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe and the kitties!
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! Thank you, Susan, for the recipe and especially for the video of the snow. Here in North Carolina, there’s not been any snow yet.
What a perfect ending to today! We had snow too and it looked beautiful while it lasted. This was a special peek into your day 🙂 Girl Kitty and Jack, the kitchen filled with music, and wonderful aromas, hearts on the windows, snow outside, valentines, fun papers, tags and bags, red foil chocolates all ready for special surprises 🙂 I LOVE the pink and white crochet pot holder and the tea towel! I have to guard my tea towel collection. My Joe is Italian (need I say more)… to him, a towel, any towel is simply to be used for cleaning spills and wiping the counter. I remember the first time I saw him wiping sauce from the stove with my vintage tea towel, I about had a heart attack (he did too!).
I love the earlier comment about living next door and stopping by to share some tea and a fresh baked biscuit! That is what you do for us, you know. We all just dropped by your busy heart filled house today and you welcomed us all and made us feel right at home! XOXO Georgie
I’ve GOT to get one of those zesters with a tray!!!
It’s a silly thing to say, but it some respects, it will change your life! 🙂
I ordered one!!! I can’t wait!
Georgie, what a perfect way to describe what Susan does for each of us with every post – just like dropping in next door and enjoying the delights she has in store to surprise and nourish us every time!
oh I would love the tin but I would reallly…… love the heart shaped muffin tin
Happy valentine’s day to you. Love the heart shaped pan,and your blog! Your the best!!!!! Love to your adorable kitties as well. Thanks, Kim
Thanks for the recipe Susan! These biscuits sound absolutely delicious!!
Thank you for another yummy recipe. I want to make the hot milk cake & have a couple of queries. Does it use plain or self-raising flour? Here in England we have single, whipping & double cream – where does heavy cream fit into this, please?
Don’t include me in the draw – I do have a heart-shaped bun tin, & postage would be very expensive to England.
England is wonderful with milk. I love milk and at Waitrose I saw something called Breakfast Milk. I had to have it. I don’t think I ever figured out what it really was, but anything with the name of Breakfast Milk, had to come home with me. The cake uses plain flour . . . and I’m just guessing with the cream — heavy cream is our heaviest cream, so I would imagine it would be your double cream. Any nice rich cream will work. Even what we call half and half would be OK, just a bit thinner.
Thank you so much, Susan, for taking the time to answer my queries – I do appreciate it. My girlfriends will get Hot milk Cake next Monday!
I would LOVE to win this pan so that I could make those most wonderful heart biscuits for my Valentines… my husband and my 3 kids!! Thanks for the chance!! And please send some of that snow our way – we only had a few flurries. 🙂
Mirabeau – “Love has the power of making you believe what you would normally treat with the deepest suspicion.”
Happy Valentine’s Day to all you love and those who love you!
Jenny
Love that . . . Thank you Jenny!
Your snow is just beautiful. I, however, just put a flat of ruffled pansies and hot pink primroses on my patio table here in central California to prepare for “love day.” Thanks for all the great recipes! I use the same recipe for my brownies, but then I fold in 1 cup of mini marshmallows before baking. Talk about heaven! Give it a try with your next batch and tell me what you think. Sending rainy, sunny, springy, California love your way.oxoxo
Feelin’ it! Thank you!
Thank you! These look decadent!
I am in love with Valentine’s Day! and I so enjoyed your comments today. In January, on Twelve Night, I take my Christmas decorations off of our tree (which is artificial because I put it up on the first of November!) and replace them with my collection of Valentines from many years. The white lights and the happy Valentines cheer up the entire downstairs of our old house. When I take the tree down (finally!) the week after Valentine’s Day for a well-earned rest, the days are noticeably longer and I know that Spring is next on the agenda so I can say “adieu” to the tree without feeling sad. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
i love the heart biscuits! I make chocolate chip scones that sound very similar…but they aren’t heart shaped!!! So pretty, and I love your Valentine cup 🙂
Thank you for sharing these with us!
Love the muffin pan, and the muffin recipe, looks delicious! Happy Valentine’s Day, Susan! I love how you love life! 🙂
Ummm…. the heart shape tea bisquits look delicious!!!! I will have to give them a try on Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. How lovely it would be to have the heart shaped tin to bake them in.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you girlfriend.
Love you!
Yum! I’m hosting tea club for a Valentine’s tea tomorrow and these might be perfect with the salted caramel brownies I am making from the newest issue of the American Country Living.
Hi, thanks for the recipe! I am going to make them for Valentines Day and we will take them to my Mom’s. She is getting her feet back under her (literally) since she was very ill in December and January. Valentines Day is her favorite, so I am going to go all out with red, pink, silver, little things in bags, cards, balloons and these wonderful treats. I have the perfect heart shaped hat box to put them in. What fun! Thanks so much.
You are a wonderful daughter . . . give her my love too!
What a wonderful blog post! All valentiney! I LOVE watching Jack grow! This recipe looks yummy, and I’m going to make them for Valentine’s day morning! Thank you for the recipe! It would be such fun to win the heart shaped pan and the awesome tin! Someone will be very happy!
Xoxo!
Love hearts!
Every time you show a recipe, I want to make it, but can’t always because of the time. They all look so delicious!
So many times I have wanted to comment on a post, yes sometimes to enter a contest, but more often because your words have struck a happy (usually) chord. And I couldn’t find the little comment button. Silly me…. it isn’t there when I read you in my email. So I popped over to the real blog complete with happy background paper and I’m so glad that I did. From now on this is where I’ll come to enjoy!
It’s better — I kind of feel bad that we encouraged people to sign up for the email — because not only is there no place to comment, the videos don’t show up!
How just like you…sweet Sue…to “entertain” people looking at your house at the end of the road…I know everyone who gazes at your house has a smile on their face~looking at all those hearts in your windows…thank you for the recipe…I bake my hubby a treat each year for Valentine’s day and I’m always looking for something new…Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Joe…
Love your blog and the way your senses are open to everyday beauty. Thanks for sharing. Happy Valentines Day, Susan!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!!!!