Plum Frangipane Tart

As I was looking back at the postings on my blog, I noticed that I gravitate towards tarts, both savory and sweet. I suppose if I ever do anything professionally in the far, far future, tarts might be my niche. I recently made this plum frangipane tart after having tried it at Restaurant Eve. Neil's first question was "what's frangipane?"...and his pronunciation was quite comical. The simple answer is that it's a french almond cream "cake-like" custard most often used in tarts.

As I mentioned, I tried a version of this tart when we celebrated our anniversary at Restaurant Eve.  It was one of our first nights out without our little Jianna and I think we talked about her the ENTIRE time :)  Makes me wonder what we ever talked about before! My sister and cousins gave me a gift certificate there for my baby shower.  How cool is it to get a gift for mommy AND daddy at a baby shower instead of a gazillion bibs and onesies!?! Well, we jumped at the opportunity to use it, and indulged in the 5 course tasting menu.  For the last course, Neil picked the plum frangipane tart, and poor thing only got a bite, b/c I was devouring it.  So, I had to figure out a way to recreate it...for Neil, of course :)  I've made frangipane before, so all I had to do was top it with sliced plums.  The end result was a success, not exact, but a success nonetheless.  The only mistake I made was that I should have gotten the plums VERY ripe.  They were semi-ripe when I made this, and I didn't get as much plum flavor as I would have liked.  Anyways, this recipe is versatile.  Thanksgiving is next month.....maybe I'll make it with apples :)  I don't want to get anyone's hopes up (you know who you are), so don't quote me on this!

I had extra crust for some scrumptious mini-tarts too!

See Plum Frangipane Tart Recipe!

See Pie Crust Recipe!

Zucchini Tart

On July 14, 2010, I was blessed with a healthy baby girl. Jianna has brought pure love and joy to our home and I can't even imagine how I was living a life without her. Everyday now is an adventure.  She definitely keeps me on my toes! Taking care of her has been quite a learning process and once I finally think I've got the hang of it, she throws me for a loop. I have a feeling this will continue well into her adulthood :)

My culinary activities have been almost non existent for now. I have to admit, that's the one thing I really do miss. I thought that once on maternity leave, I'd have loads of time to make food, but I was in for a reality check! Between the infinite feedings, poops, and crying, sometimes I barely have time to take a shower. Thank god I have both my mom and mom in law to make delicious meals for us. But, all is not lost...I have been able to sneak in a few treats here and there :) Neil took some time off as well, so I took advantage of one of those days and made this zucchini galatte and a sausage/mushroom "risotto" for dinner. I actually felt like "me" again. The zucchini galatte is straight from smittenkitchen.com. The only additions I made were to add honey roasted cherry tomatoes and the zest of one lemon to the filling. I absolutely love the recipe. The great thing was that I could make different components of it throughout the day, so I wasn't stuck in the kitchen for a long period of time, allowing me to tend to Jianna as needed.

As I get closer to a routine and better adjusted to my role as a mom, I hope to update this blog more regularly. I'll be sure to post the sausage/mushroom "risotto" pictured here soon too. It was my first time making a risotto with Israeli couscous (which is so much faster) and I'm definitely going to do it more often. I also have a backlog of recipes that I need to post from when I was pregnant!

I can't believe I'm already 5 weeks into my maternity leave :( Jianna's changing constantly, and I love seeing what she has in store for me next. She already has quite a personality and has us wrapped around her tiny little finger. I'm simply in love. I posted a couple professional photos below that we took when she was only about 2 weeks old!

  

 

Mushroom Tart

 

I made this savory mushroom tart a while ago and never got around to posting it. Tarts, savory and sweet make the top of my list of dishes I enjoy making and eating.  They can be made in advance, travel really well, look oh so gourmet, and somehow always taste better the next day.  This tart consists mainly of mushrooms, cheese, herbs, and custard in a buttery, flaky pie crust.  I go light on the custard part, so I call it a tart versus a quiche.  The crust is my staple pie crust I use for every savory tart.  This definitely isn't a quick one and making your own crust always takes some practice, but kitchen challenges are meant to be fun!  Posting these pictures is tempting me to make it again real soon.  I don't think it's in the cards given that D-day is only 3 weeks out, and quite possibly less!  Maybe during maternity leave if my peanut cooperates :)

See Recipe!

Onion Tart

This past Saturday, I got to visit my friend's family farm out in Shenandoah. It was a mini reunion of sorts, since she invited some of my best girls from VT. We were all thrown together at Shanks Hall freshman year, and have remained best buds ever since. We've come a long way from the awkward, overly eager freshman girls we once were...priceless memories. The farm was the perfect setting for our gathering. This isn't your typical farm. It's the wonderland of farms complete with fun farm animals, pumpkin patch, fire pits, an absolutely gorgeous house (w/ my DREAM kitchen), and random nooks/crannies throughout the land. The addition of fall foliage to the inherent beauty, made it all surreal. My description doesn't do it justice. We had a wonderful lunch out there, and walked over to the firepit for smores, petting the goats and donkeys along the way. I told Neil I want to retire on a farm until he reminded this "city girl" of farm duties. I suppose I'm better suited as a guest :)

To thank them for being invited, I made my holiday tart that I posted last year. Consisting of butternut squash, turnips, and parsnips, I thought it was perfect for this event and time of year. Well, making this tart turned into a bit of a fiasco. My oven died on me!!! I mean, it's completely shot...dead. I was able to bake my crust, and right after I pulled it out, it was over. The oven has been doing this periodically the last few weeks, so I knew something was wrong, but it usually turns right back on after 10 minutes. Well, it's Monday now, and it's still dead. Neil's desperately trying to do whatever he can to get it fixed. He knows that if we have to replace the oven, I'm going to coerce him into replacing other old appliances in the kitchen too....I've been dying for a 5 top burner. Hey, you always get a better deal if you buy more, right? That's what I'm trying to tell Neil :)

Anyways, I improvised and cooked the vegetables for the tart in a dutch oven versus roasting them in the oven. Then, I drove over to my mother in law's house to bake the assembled tart. I finally made it to the farm, tart in hand, only an hour late.

I had some leftover crust, so on Sunday, I made mini onion tarts in my toaster oven of all things! This tart, as pictured, consisted of a thick layer of caramelized onions, gruyere, and prosciutto. The recipe is very similar to the holiday tart, so if you follow those instructions, swap out the vegetables for more caramelized onions, and add prosciutto, you'll be set. If you're vegetarian, leave out the prosciutto and you won't miss a thing.

Ugh...I can't even make Halloween cupcakes without an oven. All of a sudden everything I want to make involves an oven :(

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Last week started off a little shaky with football and colder weather attacking me all at once, but the holiday weekend turned it around. I stayed in town and enjoyed the amazing weather, which btw, is the nicest weekend we've had all summer. I went to some wineries on Saturday, and ended the day watching the first VT game of the season. Even though I'm not a football fan, I can't help but root for my Hokies. Neil actually went to Atlanta to witness the disappointing loss :( Sunday, I spent time at the Georgetown waterfront, which I haven't done all summer. I'm trying to pack in all I can outdoors with the short time left!!

I've been frequenting the farmer's markets too, and the heirloom tomatoes have been calling to me. They come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and flavors. It's very confusing picking them out. I bought 3 different kinds from 3 different vendors. I don't even know the varietals I bought, but they were so pretty, and all tasty. I used them to make a tart, but these taste fantastic eaten plain with just salt and pepper.

I kept the tart simple, by layering tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, drizzles of pesto, and salt/pepper. I used my basic Pate Brisee "Flaky Pie Crust" recipe. I fully baked the crust, let it cool, and brushed a light layer of pesto. I then layered the cheese, sliced tomatoes, salt/pepper, and repeated the process. You could serve it immediately, or bake it in a 400 degrees oven for about 10-15 minutes. I decided to bake mine. Do keep in mind that the tomatoes are going to give off a decent amount of moisture which will keep the bottom crust from being perfectly crispy, but it's still delicious, so don't fret. Brushing with the pesto first helped. Another option is to roast the tomato slices separately first, and then add them to the baked crust. I didn't use any herb garnishes on this because I really wanted the tomatoes to dominate. Also, pesto already has basil. This tart was incredible! And just look at how gorgeous the tomatoes are! The markets are still selling them, so if you haven't experienced these yet, it's a must. Gotta end summer on a tasty note :) Go Hokies!!!

Goat Cheese Tart

I love tarts and I love goat cheese! I rarely ever get to make this because of Neil's strong aversion to goat cheese. It's all in his head! I've snuck in goat cheese on occasion, and he never noticed. Little by little I'm weening him in. But, he's not ready for this tart yet. Anyways, when I was asked to bring an item to my friend's party, I jumped at the opportunity. This is incredible for goat cheese lovers, and the presentation is really pretty for a spring party. Speaking of, the winter is still lingering way longer than it should be :( I had to bust out my winter gloves last week!

See Recipe!

Pecan Pie

Happy Holidays and happy eating!! Pecan pie is one of the easiest holiday desserts to make, yet it's also the easiest to ruin. I remember my first pecan pie...the recipe had minimal ingredients that were just mixed together and thrown into a pie crust. I thought there was no way I could ruin it. Well, it was a runny mess of goop. I ended up attempting 3 different pies into the late late night, and none turned out right! I learned from my mistakes and came up with some true tips along the way. Pecan pie requires more care and patience than what you may have read in the majority of recipes out there. I haven't ruined a single pie since, so I hope these tips posted in the recipe work out the same for you.

I made my own crust, but a store bought crust works out fine for this. Also, many swear by certain syrups for making pecan pie. I'm partial to Lyle's golden syrup, but if you can get your hands on some sugar syrup from New Orleans, go for it. If you can't find either, corn syrup is acceptable.

See Pecan Pie Recipe!

See Pie Crust Recipe!

Savory Holiday Tart

Last November, I had the most delicious savory winter tart at a Farmer's market in London on Portobello Road. It's that time of year again, and I wish I was in London right now. Not a possibility, so the next best thing is to try recreating that tart. I can't remember the exact ingredients of the tart I had in London, but I recall it having winter root vegetables and a delicious crust. Since I had Veteran's day off last week, I used the time to experiment with making this tart and a flaky crust from scratch. I was very proud of the end product, and it did take me back to that day in London. Neil was scared to try it at first when I told him that it had parsnips and turnips in it, but he ended up finishing almost half the tart! This recipe is definitely a keeper and a perfect addition to a holiday gathering. I'm trying to get my cousin go to make this recipe for our Thanksgiving this year. I would, but I've been tasked with desserts :)

See Savory Holiday Tart Recipe!
See Pate Brisee (flaky tart crust) Recipe!

Apple Tart

It’s gotten considerably colder this last week. The air is very crisp with a different chill. I have no choice but to just start embracing it. The only way I know how is through food…thank god for that! Colder weather makes be crave food like chili, butternut squash, pumpkin, braised meats, casseroles, hearty stews, and of course apple pies! The traditional apple pie can be a little time consuming, so I prefer to make the much easier apple tart. The ingredients are incredibly simple. All you really need are apples, cinnamon, sugar, and a crust. I make my own crust, but store bought dough will work just fine if you don’t have the time. Serve it warm with ice cream…although it’s also great on its own.

See Apple Tart Recipe!
See Pie Crust (Pate Sablee Sucree) Recipe!

Goat Cheese Tart with Basil/Chive Crust

If I haven’t mentioned it enough already on this blog, let me reiterate that goat cheese is my absolute favorite cheese! I love the tang and depth of the cheese. Some are obviously stronger in flavor than others. Neil won’t go near it, so I’ve had to stop making any goat cheese dishes for us. I made this goat cheese tart for a friend’s party. You have to like goat cheese in order to enjoy this tart. I absolutely loved it and could have devoured the whole thing myself. Neil on the other hand almost had a gag reflex after trying it. I seriously think that it’s psychological with him, and little by little I’ll make him a goat cheese lover too. Anyways, paired with a crisp arugula salad, and a glass of wine, this tart makes for a wonderful dinner. If you are one of the “haters”, then try using a different cheese in this tart, because the basil /chive crust is great!



Btw, I found an interesting little tidbit about goat cheese on-line that I wasn’t aware of:

“Goat cheese is less calorie dense then cheeses made from milk from cows or sheep. Fats in goat's milk and cheese are easier to process in the digestive system, therefore some individuals who can not have other milk products, might be able to have goat's milk and cheese”

As if I needed a reason :)

See Recipe!