Dreamy Mixed Nut Tart

I love nuts. Wait, not like that. Seriously though, I don't discriminate, I love all varieties (except Brazilian). I like them plain, salted, roasted, caramelized, clustered with granola, chopped in cookies, squeezed into almond milk (how do they make that stuff?), sprinkled over a salad, blended into butter...you get the point. When I found a recipe that called for a light creamy, pie-like base covered in almonds, pecans and hazelnuts, it was only a matter of time before I made it mine.
Whip up this quick (besides the freezing time) fail-proof tart shell.
Bake the tart. Don't forget to bake the tart, not that I've ever done that.
Lightly toast nuts. Choose any type you love.
Gather ingredients for the glaze and filling. Lay them out so you feel like a professional taping a show. Bonus: if you're the cook, you don't have to clean up anything!

Recipe adapted from Caroline at A Cozy Kitchen:
1 ½ cups unsalted mixed nuts
½ cup superfine sugar or powdered sugar
½ cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat together the cream fraiche, brown sugar, ½ cup of cream and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is runny, continue beating until mixture begins to resemble whipped cream. Pour into the tart shell and smooth out evenly.
Sprinkle with toasted nuts and drizzle with glaze!
Enjoy!

Quick Weeknight Din

I usually like to have a game plan before making dinner. Actually, if I'm really organized, I like to have a few dinners planned out on Sunday, go to the grocery, then feel like a grown up come Monday when I have a plan for dinner AND all the ingredients to make it happen. Or most of the ingredients, save a few James has to pick up on the way home. Then there are the majority of trips to the grocery store where I walk aimlessly through the aisles. I find a couple of new things that look good, I'm a sucker for packaging. I pick up things I know I like, squash, sugar (I just ran out) coffee, cereal, shrimp, apples (honey crisp), goat cheese and tomatoes. This is also the way I pack (except my closet only has one aisle). I find single items that I like without forming any outfits. I arrive at my destination to realize I have a cute dress I want to wear but I don't have the right shoes! Like the single food items, I like them all on their own but I put no thought into arranging them to create a meal. My lack of organization finally paid off. This is something I'll make again, intentionally.


Blanch some green and yellow zuchinni.
Let the zucchini hang out in the ice bath. Boil any type of pasta you like, I used angel hair. Saute shrimp with olive oil, garlic, basil and several halved cherry tomatoes.
Mix shrimp with zucchini and pour over the pasta.
Now, this is the most important step. Listen carefully. Generously sprinkle with goat cheese. Please. Please?

Mini Blackberry Tarts

I always mourn the end of summer. I blame most of it on connotations of going back to school. Even though I'm no longer in school, I still get a tinge of that dread-knowing my days of freedom were few and it'd be another nine long months before it came around again. The end of summer in Seattle has finally given me something to look forward to: blackberries. I love blackberries and for me, there is no better place to be at the end of August than Vashon. Blackberry bushes plague the island. Literally, they're rampant, considered a pesky weed. A pesky weed that I would gladly give a home.

Beware! Blackberries stain. Everything.
It's worth it. I wanted to put them in something where they were the main event. They're too good to smother with sugar and cream. I thought of a cobbler but I wanted something new, more portable. Behold, the mini blackberry tart.

The tart is simple:
1 cup whole wheat flour,
1 cup all-purpose flour,
1/2 cup of corn meal mixed with a
8 tbsp butter
Mix until a coarse texture forms

Add:
1/4 cup of fat free half and half (is that an oxy-moron?)
two egg yolks.

Form into what ever shape vessel you want for the blackberry filling. Freeze for at least 30 min.
Simmer 1.5 cups of blackberries with half a cup of brown sugar. I added some lime zest and shredded coconut in attempt to prove that summer is NOT over. Let cool.
Pour into tart shells.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
Do me a favor? Please? Eat them when they're warm.