A Work Of Tart

Simple is beautiful and also tasty. This french apple tart is easy easy easy (store-bought puff pastry), really yummy and even elegant.

APPLE TART

You will need:

1 package frozen puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm in freezer section)

4 Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, small diced

1/2 cup apricot jelly

2 tablespoons Calvados, rum or water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 x 14.

*Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator. It softens very quickly so work quickly and don't leave it at room temperature for too long.

Trim the edges so it looks close to a prefect rectangle, be as precise as you want.

Place dough on the prepared sheet pan.

Refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples.

Cut apples in half through the stem.

Remove the stems and cores with a knife. (use a melon baller to make it extra pretty)

Slice the apples crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Place slices diagonally, overlapping down the center of the pastry.

Continue making diagonal rows beside the middle row until the pastry is coved with apples.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar.

Dot with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until pastry is browned.

Rotate pan once during baking.

Heat apricot jelly together with the rum or water.

Brush onto apples and pastry.

Cool slightly and serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature.

A few tidbits-

If the pastry puffs up too much in one area, slit with a knife to let the steam out.

The apple juices will burn the pan but don't worry!- the tart will be fine.

Baddest Bisque

Please make this bisque soon! The flavors are clean and creamy- carrots cooked with orange, ginger and nutmeg and topped with cream. This recipe is a real winner and worth the effort.

AUTUMN CARROT BISQUE

You will need:

6 tablespoons butter

2 pounds carrots, chopped

2 large Vidalia onions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup light cream or half & half

salt to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven.

Add the carrots and onions.

Cook for 15 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.

Stir in the ginger, orange zest, coriander and nutmeg.

Add 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-minutes or until carrots are tender.

At this point you have a choice depending on your equipment-

Cuisinart Users:

Ladle the mixture into your Cuisinart, a small amount at a time.

Process until smooth.

Add some of the remaining broth if the mixture needs assistance pureeing.

Return carrot puree to pot.

Add remaining broth.

Food Wand Users:

Keep soup where it is in the dutch oven.

Add remaining broth.

Puree until smooth.

* I highly recommend buying yourself a Food Wand if you don't have one.

Now we are back on the same page...

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in cream and heat through.

Season with salt.

Ladle into your favorite bowl and enjoy!

Trick or Treat

I found this little Halloween goodie in my kitchen. The contents were devoured quickly and I found myself frantically searching for the recipe. This Halloween bark is too fancy to pass out to trick-or-treaters but definitely worth making for yourself. Or if you are really generous during Halloween, deliver a batch to a friend (or daughter) in a pretty little package tied up with an orange ribbon.

HALLOWEEN BARK

You will need:

1 pound bittersweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)

3 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounce), cut into irregular 1-inch pieces

3 Skor or Heath toffee candy bars (1.4 ounce), cut into irregular 3/4 inch pieces

8 Reese's peanut butter cups (.55 ounce), each cut into 8 wedges

1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts

3 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped

Reeses's Pieces and/or yellow and orange peanut M&M's

Line a baking sheet with foil.

Stir chocolate chips in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and warm (not hot) to touch.

Pour chocolate into foil and spread to 1/4-inch thickness (about 12X10-inch rectangle)

Sprinkle with Butterfinger, toffee, peanut butter cups and nuts.

Make sure all pieces touch melted chocolate!

Put white chocolate in a heavy saucepan.

Stir constantly over very low heat until chocolate is melted and warm (not hot) to touch.

Remove from heat.

Dip a spoon into the chocolate and wave from side-to-side over the bark.

Creating zig-zag lines....

Scatter Reeses's Pieces and M&M's over, making sure they touch the melted chocolate.

Chill bark until firm, about 30 minutes.

Slide foil with candy onto a work surface.

Peel off foil.

Cut bark into irregular pieces.

Package some up for a friend and save the rest for yourself.

Paradise By the Oven Light

I don't do meatloaf. I don't really do meat. But I am now married to a Meaty Boy who begged me to make him meatloaf. Coincidentally, we watched a Barefoot Contessa episode recently where she made meatloaf . Whatever Ina cooks is cool is my book. Justin LOVED this meatloaf and asked me to make it again soon. So I have to share the recipe for all of you meatloaf fans out there.

MEATLOAF

You will need:

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onion

1-2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2-1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

2 extra large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Heinz ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a saute pan.

Add onions, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.

(onions should be translucent not brown)

Off the heat, add Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth and tomato paste.

Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine ground chuck, onion mixture, eggs and bread crumbs.

Mix lightly with your hands. * Don't mash or the loaf will be dense.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Shape mixture into a rectangular loaf on the sheet pan.

Spread ketchup evenly on top (to keep the loaf moist)

Bake for 1 hour or until internal temperature is 160 degrees.

Serve hot.

Optional- place a pan of water under the meatloaf to keep it from cracking. I didn't find this necessary.

And here you have a loaf of meat.... Meaty Boy swears it is great.

Old Fashioned Charmer

Morgan and I must have consumed 1,000's of cookies worth of this batter as little girls. We made this dough all the time and it was rare to have enough dough left over to bake a cookie. It's a shame because the dough is worth baking!

EVERYTHING COOKIES

You will need:

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups Wheaties

1 package (6 ounces) chocolate chips

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 small box of dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer.

Beat in eggs.

Blend in dry ingredients and cereals

Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and dates.

Drop by a spoon onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Bean Heaven

I saw these fall colored butter beans at Lucy's Market last week and had to bring them back to my kitchen. They are one of nature's perfect foods that is almost too beautiful to cook. Honestly I am not sure of the correct name for these beauties but I do know they are special. These heirloom beans butter beans make a wonderfully simple side dish. Unfortunately they lose their unique color in the cooking process but their taste is on par with the physical beauty.

SPECKLED BUTTER BEANS

You will need:

butter beans- traditional, speckled or any heirloom variety

water

butter

salt

Rinse these southern beans in a colander.

Pour into a stockpot or dutch oven.

Cover with water by a couple in inches.

Plop in a 1/2 stick of butter.

Sprinkle salt.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for about an hour.

Serve with a little broth.

Under The Weather

Soup season has officially begun at our house. Soups, stews and chili keep tummies warm in this cooler weather and leave the best leftovers. This Italian Tortellini Soup is very easy to combine. The vegetables make it healthy while the sausage and tortellini add heartiness. A warm bowl of this soup made me feel much better when feeling sick this week.

ITALIAN TORTELLINI SOUP

4 cans (14 1/2 oz each) Italian style stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped, plus liquid
2 cans (14 1/2oz each) beef broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced (and/or squash)
3/4 pound green beans, snapped and cut into thirds
3/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled, browned and drained
1 package tortellini with cheese (6-8 ounces)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Combine tomatoes plus liquid, broth, basil and pepper in a dutch oven.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat.

Add zucchini, green beans, sausage, and tortellini.

Cook about 10-15 minutes or until tortellini is tender.

Serve with grated Parmesan.