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By eliza_cross, on April 16th, 2012%
For a recent baby shower, I was hankering to bake something pretty and petite that would pair well with fresh raspberries. I was envisioning a crispy, sweet little tart shell filled with vanilla custard and topped with whipped cream and raspberries. When I couldn’t find a recipe with that particular combination, I improvised. I modified my favorite sugar cookie pie crust to make the little shells, and reduced the quantities on my cream filling and topping recipes. The tarts were enthusiastically received, so now I can safely share the recipe with you.
You can prepare the tart shells and custard the day before, and then all you have to do is whip the cream (up to two hours before serving) and assemble the tarts (up to an hour before serving). These little tarts would also be nice for a Mother’s Day brunch, a ladies’ tea, or a sweet ending to a springtime dinner.
One note: try to use organic raspberries for this recipe if you can. Red raspberries are on the list of top 12 pesticide-retaining fruits and vegetables, and you can check out the other produce on the list here.
Mini Raspberry Custard Tarts
- Sugar Cookie Tart Shells
- Custard Filling
- Whipped Topping
- 1 pint fresh raspberries, gently washed and dried
- fresh mint sprigs for garnish
Sugar Cookie Tart Shells:
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a mini tart pan or mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light. Beat in flour, salt, milk and vanilla, until mixture is moist and crumbly. Roll the dough into balls that are 1 heaping teaspoon each. Press the balls into the prepared mini tart pan or mini muffin pan and work the dough until it is pressed thin and up the sides of the pan about 3/4 inch. You can use a spoon handle or a small pestle to press the indentation into the dough if you wish. You should have enough dough to make about 28-30 tarts. Prick the bottom of each tart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until just barely golden on top.
Custard Filling:
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- tiny dash of salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk over a medium-high flame until bubbles appear around edge. Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with wire whisk or mixer until pale yellow and thick. Beat in flour and dash of salt until well mixed. Gradually beat in hot milk; pour all back into saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, over moderately high heat until mixture thickens and comes to boiling, lower heat. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes, over low heat, whisking constantly. Mixture will be quite thick. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Place a piece of wax paper directly on surface of filling to prevent skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours.
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
- 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chill a metal mixing bowl and the beaters from an electric mixer in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Whip the cream in the chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar just until the cream forms stiff peaks. Add the vanilla and whip just until combined.
To assemble the tarts, spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons custard filling into each mini tart shell. Use a teaspoon to put a generous dollop of whipped cream on each tart. (You may have some filling and topping left over. Feel free to sit down and eat this directly from the bowl as I did.) Top with a fresh raspberry, and arrange on a platter. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and additional raspberries. Makes about 24 tarts.
By eliza_cross, on January 28th, 2012%
“The remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served us nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” ~Calvin Trillin
It just kills me to discard spoiled food that we didn’t eat. One of my goals this year is to make better use of leftovers. The whole concept of “zero waste” appeals to me on so many levels, and utilizing food efficiently is so important.
If you feel the same way, you might enjoy the Leftover Chef site where you can input whatever strange ingredients are lurking in your refrigerator for recipe ideas. Enter ‘turkey, ‘cranberries,’ and ‘onions,’ for instance, and you’ll find an appealing recipe for Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry – Pear Relish.
Do you have stale crackers and chips lurking in the pantry? Refresh them by spreading them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and baking at 300 degrees F for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then seal in an airtight container.
What about those stray veggies in the vegetable crisper? Use them in salads or on pizza, or freeze them for your next batch of soup.
Leftover tortillas can be used to make homemade tortilla chips, like this healthy baked version from Savory Sweet Life.
What’s your favorite way to use leftovers? We’d love to hear your ideas!
P.S. In case you’ve just joined us, the January Money Diet is a challenge to take a 31-day break from nonessential spending. You can learn more about the money diet here — and jump right in!
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Win a Deluxe Happy Simple Living Gift Basket
In honor of the January Money Diet, I’ll be giving away a gift basket chock-full of home and garden goodies plus several books at the end of the month. On January 31, 2012, I’ll draw one random name from everyone who commented during the month and that lucky person will win the gift basket. I hope you’ll stop by often this month and share your own ideas, thoughts and experiences about taking a 31-day break from nonessential spending.
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By eliza_cross, on January 18th, 2012%
 Photo by Sir Snapsalot “Cooking is an art and patience a virtue… Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist – not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love.” ~Keith Floyd
Today’s challenge is simple. When you’re preparing dinner one night this week, cook a double batch and freeze half. Try to start doing this on a regular basis; when you’re planning meals, choose one or two dishes that are easy to double. You’ll hardly expend any more more time or energy, and soon you’ll have a nicely stocked freezer full of dinners all ready for future busy nights – which might save you from having to order more expensive, less healthy pizza delivery or take-out.
For the best results, Taste of Home offers these tips for freezing foods.
P.S. In case you’ve just joined us, the January Money Diet is a challenge to take a 31-day break from nonessential spending. You can learn more about the money diet here — and jump right in!
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Win a Deluxe Happy Simple Living Gift Basket
In honor of the January Money Diet, I’ll be giving away a gift box chock-full of home and garden goodies plus a signed copy of my latest book 101 Things To Do With Bacon. On January 31, 2012, I’ll draw one random name from everyone who commented during the month and that lucky person will win the gift basket. I hope you’ll stop by often this month and share your own ideas, thoughts and experiences about taking a 31-day break from nonessential spending.
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By eliza_cross, on January 1st, 2012%
 Photo by conbon33 Welcome to the first day of the January Money Diet. I’m so glad you’re taking part in this challenge. It’s simple, really; we just take a 31-day break from all nonessential spending — and pocket the savings. Each day, I’ll post an idea that supports the idea of having a happy, interesting, frugal but fun-filled month — all without spending a nickel.
On this first day of the January Money Diet, begin by doing some “shopping” at home. This is the perfect time to go through the closets and drawers looking for those unused things we all tend to save for Someday.
Start in the pantry and freezer; do you have any fancy, gourmet items or forgotten goodies lurking back in the shelves? In my own kitchen, I did some excavating and brought forth a bottle of pear liqueur, scone mix, spice mixes, mini ziti pasta, artichoke hearts, instant espresso powder and more. This month I’m going to find creative ways to use these products; I’ll spoil my family a bit, and clear some room in the cabinets and freezer at the same time.
What about those specialty kitchen appliances and gadgets gathering dust? For instance, we have a paella pan, a tortilla press and an ice cream cone maker that haven’t been used once in the last year. I’m hoping to put them into service this month.
Another place to “shop” at home is the bathroom cabinet; are there shampoo samples, fancy soaps, loofahs, pedicure kits and scented bath salts languishing in your cabinets? Gather ‘em up and plan to use them. If not this month, when?
What about those unused craft and scrapbooking supplies? And home improvement materials? Fabric and sewing supplies? Yarn and knitting needles? Blank CDs? Office supplies? Candles? Art supplies? Check your medicine chest, too; are there vitamins and supplements languishing there? Take a look around the closets and drawers of your home, and you might find a treasure trove just waiting to be used up and enjoyed. If you find some good stuff, please do share it with us. You know we’re all just dying to know what you unearth.
It’s a glorious new year, my friends – so wear your silk pajamas! Light the vanilla-scented candles, raid the liquor cabinet and drink the fancy brandy!
From our home to yours, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012. May these next 30 days be the beginning of your best year ever.
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Win a Deluxe Happy Simple Living Gift Basket
I’ll be giving away a gift basket chock-full of home and garden goodies plus several other prizes on January 31, 2012. Every time you comment during January, you’re automatically entered for the random drawing. I hope you’ll stop by often this month and share your own ideas, thoughts and experiences.
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By eliza_cross, on December 19th, 2011%
I once attended a truly awful cookie exchange party. After laboring for several days over the required 12 dozen cookies and packing them in the requisite zip-lock plastic bags (“for easy swapping!” the invitation said) I arrived and discovered that the seasoned exchangers had already ransacked the cookie table. After several of them swooped in on my ginger thins, I surveyed the leavings: a dozen well-fingered baggies of animal crackers topped with canned frosting.
So you can understand my trepidation when several girlfriends invited me to join their annual fancy Christmas cookie exchange a few years ago. But these smart women have this holiday ritual figured out, and their execution is so simple and brilliant I thought I’d share it with you. Here’s the gist: we each bake five dozen of our best cookies and package them prettily. (I baked coconut macaroons and drizzled some with melted chocolate.)
Next—and this is an extremely important element of a simple cookie exchange—we meet at a great restaurant. We drink Mimosas, we catch up, we laugh, and we present each other with our cookies. Later we each return home with a stunning selection of five dozen fancy, delicious cookies like these:
Here’s what I love about this newfangled cookie exchange:
- Reasonable quantities. Making a single batch of 5 dozen cookies is doable, even with a busy schedule. And 5 dozen cookies limits the amount of temptation at home, too (even though I’ve already eaten 15 cookies since yesterday).
- Off-site location. Meeting at a restaurant means no one has to clean the house.
- Planning ahead. The girls get the date on the calendar at least two months in advance so everyone can be there.
- Festive annual event. It’s important to make time for friends, and this gathering insures that we all get to see each other during the busy holiday season.
- Champagne. Need I say more?
I’d love to hear about your updated traditions, and I hope you’re finding simple, joyful moments during this busy holiday season.
Hugs,
P.S. Have you signed up for the January Money Diet yet ? If you’d like to save money, reduce debt and spend less during the coming year, join a group of like-minded people and commit to the ultimate financial challenge of eliminating nonessential spending for 31 days.
In lieu of spending cash, we find other ways to indulge, have fun and live large. Throughout the month, you’ll find postings with a variety of ideas, recipes, photos, links and tips to help you stick to the money diet—and pocket the cash. To participate, simply leave a comment confirming your participation and you’ll be automatically entered for a prize drawing of a deluxe prize basket at the end of the month. Here’s to a financially fit 2012!
By eliza_cross, on October 23rd, 2011%
 Photo by Jacki During these final weeks of the farmers’ market, we’re seeing a good harvest of chile peppers here in Colorado. Some vendors cook them in a hand-cranked roaster right on the spot, and one of the best smells of autumn is the aroma of fresh-roasted chiles wafting through an outdoor market or parking lot.
Along with our locally-grown chile varieties, we also love the renowned Hatch chiles from Hatch, New Mexico. These chiles have a short harvest season in late summer, but you can often find them in the frozen section at the grocery store. Just remember, the longer you keep them in the freezer the hotter they get!
If you get the opportunity to buy some fresh roasted peppers at the farmers’ market, peel off the blackened skins and use the chiles for a great pot of green chile. Or freeze them for a treat later this winter.
 Photo by Scott Moore Here’s our favorite green chile recipe, which you can easily multiply for larger quantities. It’s a simple preparation that really highlights the flavor of the chiles, and it’s naturally thick without the addition of flour (which I think can make green chile beige and pasty). It’s great served as is with tortillas on the side, or you can smother burritos, enchiladas or your favorite Mexican dish with it.
You can make the vegetarian version of this chile by omitting the pork and substituting vegetable broth for the chicken stock. The easiest way to control the heat is to begin by choosing your preferred level of spiciness with the peppers – mild, medium, spicy or extra-spicy. You can always also add fresh chopped jalapenos or habaneros to this recipe if you really like a kick!
HOMEMADE GREEN CHILE
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean pork, cut into 1″ cubes
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/4 pounds fresh long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds removed and coarsely chopped — or 16 ounces frozen, thawed, chopped green chiles like Hatch chiles
- juice of half a fresh lime
- 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the pork until evenly browned and remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion, garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook, stirring often, until the onion just begins to brown. Add the green chiles and lime juice and cook, stirring often, for five minutes.
Return the browned pork cubes to the pan, add the chicken stock and stir well. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, cook for a few minutes more and serve. 6 servings.
Enjoy!
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