Fruit and Granola Tart #BrunchWeek

This beautiful tart is perfect for brunch.  The crust can be made up to two days in advance, and it only takes minutes to fill and top it for serving.

Welcome to Day 2 of Brunch Week.......

T is for Tomato

This delicious meatless dinner is as easy as pie.  Cherry tomatoes tossed in olive oil and seasonings are combined with two different cheeses before being placed into a pie shell for baking.

T is for Tomatoes and for Tarts.  This one is Terrific, Tempting and Tasty.......

Asparagus and Herbed Ricotta Tart #SundayFunday

Flaky puffed pastry filled with a creamy cheese filling and topped with crisp asparagus pieces before being draped with prosciutto and baked to a golden brown.  Perfect as a light lunch or dinner, as a first course of an elegant dinner party, or as an appetizer at a cocktail party.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Asparagus Recipes today.......

Tarte Normande #FallFlavors

Enjoy the Flavors of Fall with this rustic, scrumptious French Apple Tart.  Perfect as we welcome in the cooler weather.  

Another Trip to Orvieto to Enjoy Dessert #ItalianFWT

This rustic blueberry crostata is the perfect ending to a wonderful dinner with friends.  I served it up with some homemade Lemon Ice Cream and paired it with a Cardeto Donna Armina Orvieto Classico Superiore.

The Italian Food Wine and Travel group are visiting the Native White Grapes of Italy......

Bite Size Nut Tarts and a Book Review along with the Weekly Menu

A mixture of pecans, cashews and almonds fill these little bite sized cream cheese mini tarts.  Perfect for your Christmas Cookie Tray.

These little treats are being taken along with several other types of cookies with me this afternoon to my sister in law, Rebecca's, house for a Christmas Luncheon and Cookie Exchange.

Carrot Tart #NationalPI(e)Day

 This rainbow carrot tart made using frozen phyllo dough is a gorgeous start to your next dinner party, if/when we start having dinner parties again.  Until then, it is a delicious snack to serve to your loved one with a glass of Rose while snuggled on the couch watching a movie.

Happy PI Day........

Blueberry Lemon and Lavender Frangiapanne #CakeSliceBakers

Beautiful almond cake layered with lemon curd and studded with blueberries.  A veritable feast for the taste buds.

This is my offering with The Cake Slice Bakers......

Pumpkin Pecan Tart #FantasticalFoodFight

This amazing tart has a ground pecan crust and creamy pie filling garnished with sweet and spicy glazed pecans and is topped with sweetened cream.

We are knocking each other out today with our best Pecan Pie recipes for Fantastical Food Fight......

Rustic Pear and Almond Tart #OurFamilyTable

This easy peasy tart comes together in a snap.  It is fun to serve and wonderfully delicious.

The members of the From Our Dinner Group are celebrating Pears today.......

Tarte Tatin Bundt #BundtBakers

This classic French Pastry is normally made in a cast iron skillet for a beautiful rustic presentation.  I baked it up in a Bundt Pan and was thrilled with the results.  A handful of ingredients turn into a gorgeous and elegant dessert.

Join the Bundt Bakers today as we share French Cake and Pastry inspired Bundts........

Celebrating Spring with a Lemon Tart #BakingBloggers

For some reason Lemon screams spring and summer to me.  Yes, I know it's not technically a summer fruit but lemon trees bud, flower and bear fruit all year long.  Sometimes they do all three at once.

Our Baking Bloggers group, led by my friend Sue of Palatable Pastime, are showcasing fruit tarts today.  I was originally going to make a rhubarb custard tart because my friend, John, has an abundance of rhubarb and requested that I make him one.

Then, suddenly it was Friday and I still hadn't gone over to get the rhubarb.  Tomorrow my schedule is chock full so tart day had to be today if I were going to be ready to post this today.  Luckily, I always have lemons in the refrigerator so the day was saved.

Don't worry John, I will definitely be doing your rhubarb custard pie very soon.  In the meantime we are going to enjoy this easy and delicious Lemon Tart.

You will find links to all the other Fruit Tarts following my recipe.

dessert, tart, shortbread, lemon, easy

dessert, fruit, pastries

American

Yield: 1 (9") Tart
Author: Wendy Klik

Pin it

Lemon Tart

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 50 MINStotal time: 65 mins

This bright, lemony tart with a shortbread cookie crust is sure to be a hit any time of the year.

ingredients:

Shortbread Crust

• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. almond extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 3/4 c. flour

Filling

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• zest of 2 lemons
• juice of 3 lemons
• 1/2 c. flour
• Powdered Sugar and Lemon Slices for garnish, if desired

instructions:

Shortbread Crust

1. Place butter, sugar, almond extract,  salt, and eggs into the large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.  Cream until combined and fluffy.  Lower speed and gradually add the flour.  Mixture will be crumbly but should stick together when pressed with fingers.  Press mixture around bottom and sides of a 9" tart pan.   Place tart pan on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment or a silicon mat.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 20 minutes. 
   
   
   While crust is baking prepare the filling by whisking together the sugar, eggs, zest, juice and flour until smooth.
   
   
   When crust has browned,  remove baking sheet containing the tart from the oven and pour the filling into the crust.  Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, covering with foil during the last 10 minutes, until set.
   
   
   Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.  Remove tart from pan to serving platter and garnish by sprinkling with powdered sugar and decorating with sliced lemon, if desired.

notes

This recipe adapted from Allrecipes, originally submitted by Chef Christi.

https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2018/05/celebrating-spring-with-lemon-tart.html

Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm

Created using The Recipes Generator

Baking Bloggers

Fruit Tarts and Galettes

• Apple Amber Tart by Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
• Apple Tartlets with Almond Crunch by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Classic Key Lime Tart by Hardly a Goddess
• Lemon Tart by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Oatmeal Fruit Tart by Cookaholic Wife
• Oats Crust Mango Cream Tart by Sneha's Recipe
• Strawberry Nutella Galette by Tara's Multicultural Table

Celebrating Sonoma #WinePW #SonomaStrong

Today we are going to look back to that horrible period in October when the wildfires raged over northern California.

These fires dealt a terrible blow to the tourism industry that supports this area.  Not only did many people lose their loved ones and their homes, they also lost their jobs and financial security.  While the fires are contained the devastation continues.

You can read about how all these fires affected the economy and jobs of all those who live and work in the wine industry which is huge in that area in this article. 

Our friend, Jill of L'Occasion , invited all wine bloggers to join the members of our Wine Pairing Weekend group this month to honor this area's winemakers and join in the relief project known as #SonomaStrong.  You can read her invitation and get more information here.  Should you be interested in helping with this cause you can make a donation through United Way Relief and Recovery Fund.

The folks over at Geyser Peak Winery decided to show their appreciation and offered their support by sending some of us 2 bottles of their wines to sample.

"One of California’s oldest and most renowned wineries, Geyser Peak Winery was founded in 1880 by Augustus Quitzow, a pioneer in Alexander Valley winemaking, Geyser Peak has flourished as an award-winning winery for more than 130 years. Quitzow chose the original winery site in Geyserville for its vantage point of the famed Geysers Geothermal area. The white steam that billowed from the geysers along the mountain slopes provided the winery with a spectacular ‘view of the clouds’. Today, Geyser Peak pays fond tribute to its past roots in Alexander Valley as it sets forth on a new path into the Dry Creek Valley Appellation where the winery has recently relocated. Although the address is new, the commitment to the highest quality artisan winemaking is not. Geyser Peak will continue to “Reach For Peak” for many years to come."

I have enjoyed Geyser Peak wines in the past and was excited to create a meal with which we could enjoy these bottles.  All opinions and thoughts in this and all of my posts are strictly my own.  Purchasing wines from this area is another great way to help get the economy in that area back on stable footing and offer support to the people affected by this disaster.

I tried to make sure that over the holidays all bottles bought as gifts were from this area.  Just my little way of saying "I got your back".  It was easy for me because, as a California wine lover, I know that a label from Napa and/or Sonoma are sure to contain a quality wine even if I'm not familiar with the winery itself.

I served the Sauvignon Blanc with Chicken Alfredo Lasagna last Saturday. This was the entrée for our last Dinner party of the Christmas season, shared with our family who lives up north and was bringing our great niece back down for the next semester of University.

I wasn't sure how this wine was going to be.  You see, we are in the middle of a deep freeze here in Michigan.  Indeed, throughout most of the Midwest and Eastern States of the Country.  When my wine was delivered, this bottle was partially frozen and slushy.  Luckily the bottle was still intact.

As it thawed, the color of the wine looked fine and I wondered if, perhaps, we often buy wine that has frozen during transport and then thawed in the store without ever realizing it.

I opened the wine and took a taste while I was making dinner.  I was pleased that it tasted exactly as I expected.  It was citrusy and bright with hints of grass.  I used it to deglaze my pan while making the sauce with the chicken breasts.

The crispness and brightness of the wine cut through the richness of the lasagna making it a wonderful pairing that we all enjoyed.

I served the Cabernet Sauvignon on a Meatless Monday with a Roasted Vegetable Tart.  Say what?!! Cabernet Sauvignon and no meat?  Yes, folks, I did it and it was amazing!!

If there is a better pairing than blue cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon, I have yet to find it.  This tart has just a hint of blue cheese that gives the perfect flavor to the sweet earthiness of the roasted veggies.  

And my crust....that rustic, homely crust......was the flakiest most tender crust I have yet to make.  That adage not to judge a book by it's cover was certainly true in this case.  

This recipe was inspired by  this one found in Food and Wine that recommended pairing a Roasted Veggie Tart with a Cabernet Sauvignon wine.  

The wine, a 2014 Walking Tree, was aged for 21 months in small oak barrels.  It is smooth and full bodied.  I think it would complement a nice juicy steak or black and blue burger as well as it did this recipe I am sharing with you today.

Savory oven roasted veggies covering a blue cheese sauce and enfolded in a flaky, tender all butter crust, this Rustic Tart makes a perfect Meatless Monday or Vegetarian Dinner.  Paired with a full bodied aromatic wine it made a great casual dinner.  The recipe could easily be doubled or even tripled to serve at a dinner party.

Please stop by and visit the other members of our group who are supporting Sonoma during this terrible disaster.  They will have additional options available for those who want to assist in this endeavor.

Rustic Roasted Vegetable Tart

inspired by Food&Wine

1 1/2 c. flour

pinch of salt

pinch of baking powder

10 T. butter, well chilled and cut into 1/4" dice

ice water

6 (1/4") slices eggplant

1 portabella mushroom cap, sliced 1/4" thick

1/4 of a Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4" thick moons

1/2 of a  red or orange bell pepper, diced

1 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 oz. gorgonzola cheese

2 oz. Neufchatel cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 t. parmesan 

Place the flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until crumbs are pea sized.  Add 2 Tablespoons of the ice water and pulse 5 or 6 times until incorporated.  Add 1 teaspoon at a time, pulsing after each until the dough holds together when pinched.  You do not want it to turn into a ball in the food processor.  As soon as it holds together, turn onto a floured counter and form into a ball with your hands.  Press into a disc shape and wrap with plastic wrap, covering completely.  Refrigerate for one hour.

Remove dough from refrigerator.  Unwrap and place on a floured work surface.  Let rest for about 10 minutes so that it warms up enough to be pliable.

While dough is resting, toss the eggplant, mushrooms, onion, zucchini and pepper with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment or a silicone mat.  Place in a preheated 450* oven and roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once.  Remove from the pan onto a plate and set aside.

Mix together the gorgonzola and Neufchatel cheese until smooth.  Beat in the egg and parmesan cheese.

Roll the dough into a round, you don't need to worry about trimming the edges or making it look pretty.  Place the round onto the same lined baking sheet that you used for the veggies.  Spread the blue cheese mixture on the crust, leaving a 2" border.  Arrange the veggies over the cheese mixture.  Fold the dough up partially covering the veggies.  Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.  Print Recipe

Let's Keep #SonomaStrong by visiting the others' posts

• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla dazzles with Za'atar-Crusted Rib-Eyes with 2014 Geyser Peak Walking Tree Cab.
• Gwen from Wine Predator asks readers to  Be #SonomaStrong: Drink Wine! Here's Why and 5 to Try #WinePW
• Lori from Dracaena Wines gets into the spirit with #WinePW Shows We Are #SonomaStrong
• Jeff from FoodWineClick! celebrates with #SonomaStrong with Two Shepherds and Roast Chicken à la Alice Waters
• Cindy from GrapeExperiences asks readers to Taste Sonoma - Wines from Kunde Family Winery (and recipes for pairing)
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm is Celebrating Sonoma
• Nicole from Somm's Table shows us Cooking to the Wine: Covenant Neshama Sonoma County with Smoky Beef Goulash
• David from Cooking Chat makes a pairing of  Shrimp Pesto Pasta & #SonomaStrong Wine
• Nancy from Pull That Cork shares her  #SonomaStrong Pairing: Jordan Chardonnay and Jalapeño Popper Dip #winePW
• Jane from Always Ravenous has prepared Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Paired with Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc #SonomaStrong #WinePW
• Lauren from The Swirling Dervish shares inspiration with #WinePW Celebrates #SonomaStrong: Roasted Halibut with Grapefruit-Fennel Salsa and Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc
• Jill and Jason from L'Occasion  are getting into Eat & Drink Local in Sonoma
• Ellen from Family Around the Table is serving up Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens 

Cherry Tarts ala The Weekend Wife: A Book Review and The Weekly Menu #FoodiesRead

I enjoyed a quick, easy read that I wanted to share with you.  This book was recommended by James Patterson whose work I enjoy.  I decided that if he were endorsing this book then it was probably worth the time to read it.

It is part of his BookShots series, where he recommends fast reads for under $5 and less than 150 pages.  Perfect for when you want a quick read for a lazy afternoon or on an airplane flight. 

This was the first novel I have read written by Ciotta.  It was a fun little romantic love story that held my interest.  I read it in one weekend, picking it up whenever I found myself with some spare time.  It takes place in Tuscany so right there it was a book after my own heart.  It featured a grandmother who loved to cook, another plus.  

It, of course, has the perfect couple who don't realize that they are perfect and obstacles that get in the way but you know, right from the start, that this is going to be a story with a happy ending.

One of my favorite parts was when Megan is getting to know Nick's grandmother who lives in Tuscany and she teaches Megan how to make cherry tarts.  I think being in the kitchen with someone is the perfect way to spend time getting to know each other.

I made these little tarts for our friend, Chris, who is coming to dinner tomorrow evening.  I hope he enjoys them as much as I enjoyed this book.

I will be sharing this recipe and book review over at Foodies Read 2017.  Come check out what everyone else is reading this month.

There is really not much of a recipe for these tarts.  I used store bought crust and canned cherry pie filling as I was out of my Homemade Cherry Pie Filling.  I added a half teaspoon of almond extract to the canned filling before filling the shells.

Cherry Tarts

1  refrigerated pie crust
2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling
1/2 t. almond extract

Measure your tart pans and using a cutter or sharp knife cut out rounds from the unrolled pie crusts to fit the tart pans.

Combine the pie filling and almond extract.  Divide between the tarts.  Place tart pans on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425* oven for about 20-30 minutes. Until crusts are golden brown and filling is bubbly. Print Recipe

Weekly Menu 11/11 - 11/17

Sunday is our Choir Concert, I am making a Cranberry Coffee Cake to be served at the reception following the concert and then we will go out for dinner.  Dessert before dinner is allowed every once in a while.

Monday evening we have a meeting at church and Wednesday I have Food Pantry after which we will be going over to Amy's to celebrate Melody's Christening Anniversary. I am bringing dessert.

We are celebrating #CranberryWeek in our Festive  Foodies Event Planning group, so stay tuned for lots of wonderful recipes containing these little powerhouse berries.

So here is my Weekly Menu.  Please stop by each day as I share recipes and photos.

Saturday-Chris for Dinner

Beet Salad with Creamy Coffee Dressing

Surf and Turf 

Mashed Potatoes

Steamed Broccoli

Cherry Tarts

Sunday

Out for Dinner after Concert

Meatless Monday

Beet Shakshuka

Toddler Tuesday

Mac and Cheese

Wednesday-Dinner at Amy's
Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake

Thursday

Chicken Teriyaki Subs

Fish Friday
Lime Chili Scallops
Scallion Rice
Stir Fried Veggies