Bridal Tea

Suggested June Menu
Bridal Tea

Watermelon Basket with fruit
Nuts in bell shaped cup
Puff Shells of Chicken Salad
Pimento and Cheese Bell shaped open face sandwiches
Tea Pot shaped cake
Tea Punch


Tip: June is an excellent time to honor the bride-elect and groom-to-be with a shower or tea. Since people love to give advice for a successful marriage, Christians may like to give a Bible ceremony and presentation with advice for the engaged-couple. A shower of gifts could follow the presentation. Decorate with the bride’s wedding colors or household decor. (A Bible Ceremony is available from author of this blog.)

Food for Thought:
Timely advice is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket. Proverbs 25:11LB

Family Meal Planning

Eating Well for Wellness

There are many eating disorders that can affect wellness. A bride’s concern about her appearance in her wedding gown, a man’s or woman’s desire for career advancement that seems tied to looks, a boy’s sport restrictions can trigger eating disorders. Some eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating. When left untreated these can lead to death. Such disorders are hard to treat and often unsuccessful. However, with faith and proper medical help, people can correct eating disorders. When family meal planners suspect a family member has an eating disorder, they should work with a medical professional to plan nutritious meals. As the affected individual begins to grow in his/her faith that nutritious, but wholesome meals are necessary for wellness, they will begin to improve. Faith in God, belief in foods that are necessary for sustaining life, and care and concern of family are all part of recovery for a person with eating disorders. Family meal planners should work closely with the medical profession and the individual to develop their faith. Start with the belief that God wants everyone to be as healthy as possible. Talk about the foods that He created for us and discuss the benefits of nutrition for maintenance of health. Express gratefulness to God for making the individual and stress the positive qualities of the person. Pray with the person to thank God for making him/her and for giving us life. With development of faith, a wholesome attitude toward one’s self, advice of knowledgeable experts, and love and compassion of family, eating disorders can be overcome so that the individual can “become all that God has planned.” Romans 5:1-5LB

Watermelon

From the beginning of Bible times, fruits have been a part of the diet. In the summer a favorite fruit is the watermelon. The quantity, richness of the color, the flavor, as well as the easy edibility with the fingers account for its popularity. Although watermelons are notorious for the seeds, seedless varieties are now available. Watermelons may be red or yellow fleshed. The taste is about the same. Although thumping has been the popular method of getting a good watermelon, there are many other ways as well. Inspect the melon to avoid spoilage. A bald or white spot on the bottom is on most melons and does not affect the flavor. Do not purchase a dirty melon unless you are positive of the source. Avoid melons with sewage smells. Melons are excellent sources of vitamins A and C as well as many other vitamins and minerals. After cutting, store the watermelon in an airtight food storage container until served. As a treat for a sick friend, place in an attractive gift food basket and make a visit.


From the Nutritionist: A bridal party is a time to use the fancy linens and china or bridal paper ware. There is a minimum of cooking for this menu. Scalloping the edge of a watermelon rind makes a watermelon basket. Use a melon scoop to make melon and other fruit balls. To keep the fruit from oxidizing use a fruit wash. Make the nut cups into bridal bells. Cut the bread into bell shapes with a cookie cutter and top with pimento and cheese. May top with a tiny pimento heart shape. Make chicken salad and stuff into the shells for the protein. The fruit provide vitamins and minerals. The nuts are also protein. The cake may be a large round layer. Cut into a shape of a teapot and freeze. Frost the teapot with a white frosting for the light, sealing coat. Refreeze and frost. Decorate with the colors of the bride’s choice. A slice of cake, one shell and one sandwich bread are two bread exchanges. Use a tea based punch recipe for the beverage. Any fruit juice used will add to the vitamins and minerals. The menu can be converted for special-need dieters or diabetics by using diet or diabetic recipes.

Recipes

Watermelon fruit bowl

Hollow a watermelon and scallop edges. A handle is made by leaving an oval strip of the rind attached to the watermelon. Use a ball maker to shape fruit balls of watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Grapes, strawberries or pineapple cubes may be added for color. keep covered with plastic wrap and chilled until time to serve. Place the watermelon bowl on a glass serving dish or mirror.

Nut Cup

Place mixed nuts in any shape of nut cup that goes with the theme or decor.

Chicken Salad Cups

Use 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast. Mix 1/4 c. pickle relish, 1/4 c. fresh onion (may use mix greens with onion), 1 c. salad dressing or mayonnaise, 1 chopped, hard cooked egg. Toss and place in pastry shells. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Pimento and Cheese sandwiches

with cut out hearts or bells

Spread pimento and cheese mixture over 1 bread square with crust removed. In top layer cut out a mini heart or bell shape. Layer the slice with the cut-out on top. May use cut outs for other type of finger sandwiches.

Teapot shaped cake

Make a square cake with favorite batter mix. While baking and cooling, cut out a teapot shape on a piece of wax paper. May freeze layer then cut into shape of teapot. Use frosting of colors of the theme. May make marzipan flowers or use garden flowers sprayed with sugar water. Frost while layer is frozen, if desire since edges will crumble easily.

Tea Based Punch

Mix orange and pineapple juice with tea. Sweeten, if needed. May float fruit ice ring in shape of a bell on tip of punch bowl.