RECIPE: PUFF PASTRY PALMIERS ARE BETTER THAN THE BAKERY!

Who doesn't love those crispy little "elephant ear" cookies you find at the bakery? I am in love with them. But you don't have to go to the bakery anymore. These are so easy and even more delicious when you make them with puff pastry.

Store bought puff pastry, found in the freezer section of the store, will become your best friend once you discover its many uses! No need to go to the bakery for Palmiers, now you can make them at home!

PUFF PASTRY PALMIERS

INGREDIENTS

1 egg

1 T water

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 cup raw sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 box puff pastry, thawed according to package directions but not thawed completely or it will be too difficult to handle

 All-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the two sugars together in a small bowl.

Make an egg wash by beating the egg with the water. Set aside.

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin with flour.  Sprinkle the work surface with 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture.

Open the first sheet of pastry and unfold it on top of the flour and sugar.

Add the cinnamon to the sugar. Sprinkle about half on top of the puff pastry. Use the rolling pin to lightly roll to press the sugar into the pastry.

Working with the short side of the pastry, fold the top towards the center. Repeat with the bottom of the pastry but leave a 1/4 inch of space in the center.

Sprinkle with more of the sugar and gently roll it into the pastry. Fold the top over the bottom. You will have a 4-layer narrow rectangle. Brush all of the seams with the egg wash.

Using a sharp knife, slice into 3/4" strips. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Place the strips 2" apart, cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack.

PARTY THEME: HOST A BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S PARTY

The party was a spin on the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany's. Brides-to-be enjoyed a yummy breakfast buffet among the diamonds and dishes as they met with area wedding professionals to get wedding planning ideas and information. Attendees dressed like the legendary Audrey Hepburn character Holly Golightly had a chance to win a strand of cultured pearls and all of the brides got gifts and won prizes, too. It was tons of girlie dress-up fun for everyone and a unique party theme for an engagement party, bridal shower or your next girl's night party.

THE HOW-TO:

Have guests dress up in their favorite little black dress and strands of pearls as you watch the movie, drink champagne or martinis and blow off all of your wedding planning stress. You can even start the party with a trip to your favorite jeweler to ohh and ahh over the diamonds or ask someone to come host a jewelry party at your home. Be sure and tip off your friends if you plan to hit them up to make a purchase. You can create an invitation online or order pretty printed invitations like these from FineStationery.com

THE DECORATIONS Our friends at Oriental Trading Company have a wide selection of Breakfast at Tiffany themed items including a full sized Holly Golightly cut-out. You can also find turquoise boxes, crystals, pearls on a spool and lots more to make decorating very simple.

THE MENU In the movie, Holly Golightly daydreams in front of Tiffany with a coffee and a croissant wearing her iconic little black dress, a tiara, loads of pearls. For breakfast or brunch, you menu can be as simple as an assortment of pastries and different coffees. You can even pick those up at Panera Bread if you don't want to bake... their chocolate croissant is divine. If you want to make some of your own treats, use sheets of frozen puff pastry to create some amazing homemade items like Napoleons or Palmiers. You can make a quick Pate a Choux dough to make cream puffs, Profiteroles, or bake some lovely popovers. All of those recipes are on my blog. Serve with a big bowl of cubed fresh fruit like cantaloupe, honeydew, cherries, grapes, kiwi, or pineapple. Toss it with vanilla yogurt and a squirt of lemon. That menu will make everyone happy and you can do it in record time.

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If you want to go all out, have your favorite baker make individual "Tiffany" cupcakes or mini cakes. Or you can have someone make one like this!

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Give prizes for the best dressed, that always encourages people to dress up. Prizes can be anything from DVD copies of the movie or movie tickets to a piece of jewelry.

RECIPE: MINT SWEET TEA

I am not sure I can say anything about sweet tea that has not already been said... but on the chance you have no idea what it is... it is our life's blood in the South.

Well, just about. If you go to a restaurant here and order "tea" the waitress will respond: "sweet or unsweet" .... that meaning sweet tea or unsweetened tea. The "iced" part goes without saying. Everyone in the South has their favorite sweet tea. It might be your mama's, your aunt's, your Nana's, or a restaurant down the street. No matter who makes your favorite sweet tea, you will never forget it and on a hot summer day, you will just about do anything for it. I grew up making the tea at our house. Mom would tell me to put the water and sugar on to boil and then add the tea bags.

These days, I make my sweet tea a little differently, opting to make a simple syrup so guests can add a little or a lot to their own taste. In the Spring and Summer, when I have wild mint growing on the side of the yard, I always add mint to the simple syrup to make mint tea. Anyone who has tried it says it is their favorite and it is just so refreshing. Here's how I do it....

Summer in the South: Mint Sweet Tea with wild mint from the yard is a treat on a hot day!

MINT SWEET TEA

For a quart of tea you need a 1-quart tea bag and 4 cups cold water. Put the water in a pot or large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Drop in the tea bag. Let steep for 7 minutes. Discard the tea bag and let the tea cool completely.

For a "Double Mint" version- my niece Sarah likes this one- we add a few sprigs of mint to the hot tea so we flavor the tea and have mint in the syrup, too.

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP
(simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water)
1 cup sugar
1 cup cold water
25-30 mint leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat. Stir it once and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir again, making sure the sugar is totally dissolved. Add the mint leaves. Allow to cool completely. Strain the simple syrup into a mason jar. Discard the leaves.

To make the tea, pour 1 quart of tea into a pitcher with 1/2 cup mint simple syrup. Stir. Serve over ice with a sprig of fresh mint.
FYI: I don't dilute the tea with water because it will be too weak when you serve it over ice.

The ratio is 8 parts tea :1 part simple syrup or to your own taste.
For 1 gallon of tea, add 2 cups simple syrup.