lemon tarts

this was my first attempt at a lemon meringue pie (though i hate meringue so i used heavy whipping cream instead) and was really pleased with the result.  i was making it for a crowd so when i cooked the lemon filling having quadrupled the batch, it took too long to heat up and therefore got a little overcooked.  if i were to do it again, i would cook it in smaller batches for a creamier filling.  the crust is a perfect compliment to the tart lemon. thanks food network!

the crust took half as long to bake in my oven in each step.

crust ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sour cream or yogurt

crust directions

Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and continue to beat until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk. Add half of the flour, beating until just crumbly. Scrape down the bowl again; add the remaining flour and then the sour cream or yogurt, beating just until the dough is evenly moistened. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly to bring it together.

Roll the dough between 2 generously floured sheets of waxed or parchment paper into a circle about 1/4-inch thick with a rolling pin. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cut out 6 (4 1/2-inch) rounds using an inverted bowl or round cookie cutter. Place rounds in the muffin tins and, using a small shot glass or your fingers, press into the corners and about halfway up the sides for a snug fit (see photo). Freeze dough in the muffin tin for 30 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Spray the outside of 6 standard muffin liners with cooking spray and place in the crusts. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crusts until just brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 1 minute; then carefully remove the muffin liners and baking beans. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake until crusts are cooked through and evenly browned (see photo), about 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool slightly. Then carefully remove crusts from the muffin tin and cool completely on a rack.

lemon filling ingredients

1/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

lemon filling directions

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in a nonreactive saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add the lemon and lime juice and zest and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is as thick as sour cream and is just about to simmer, 3 to 4 minutes. (Take care to stir into the sides of the pot so that all curd thickens evenly.)

Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Whisk in the butter a little at a time, until smooth. Stir occasionally until cooled. (Setting the bowl in a larger bowl of ice will speed this up.). Fill each tartlet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cool lemon filling.

roasted beets and oranges salad

what a unique blend of delicious flavors!  i don't even think it needs a dressing, but if you want one, i think a balsamic vinaigrette would work nicely.  i served it with some thin-cut pork chops with a little thyme and oregano sprinkled on top at the suggestion of real simple online.

ingredients

1/2 lb beets, peeled and cut into wedges
1 orange, peeled and cut into chunks
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
arugula

directions

toss the beets with the olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 13-15 min @ 450.  add oranges and roast 2-3 min more.  add beets and oranges to arugula and enjoy!

lentil and kielbasa stew

recently both my husband and i have been wanting more lentils in our lives.  they're so good for us, yet can feel sort of foreign if they're not something you grew up eating or preparing.  we both really liked this.  our kids?  not so much....

found the recipe here.

ingredients

1 pound low fat, low sodium turkey kielbasa, cut into ½ inch thick rounds
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrot
1 cup sliced celery
½ cup water
1 (14 ½ ounce) can low sodium stewed tomatoes
1 ¼ cups cooked lentils

directions

Combine the kielbasa and enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large saucepan and heat to boiling over high heat. Drain the kielbasa in a colander and rinse until cool with cold water. Drain well. Set aside.  Grease a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the water, heat to boiling, cover, and steam until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover the skillet and add the tomatoes and their juices, the kielbasa, and lentils.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.

chimichangas

every so often when i'm pregnant, nothing else will do but a sizable portion of some luscious meat.  i was really pleased with this recipe.  i mostly followed the recipe found here, but did tweak it slightly...

ingredients

2 lbs roast
1/4 C water
1 1/2 C beef broth
3 T red wine vinegar
1 t cumin
chili powder to taste (if you're in to that sort of thing)
jack cheese
uncooked tortillas
vegetable oil
desired toppings--i used shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and guac

directions

Place beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Pour in water. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and cook until liquid has evaporated, and beef is well browned, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, red wine vinegar, chili powder and cumin. Pour over beef. Cover, and cook until meat is very tender, and pulls apart easily, about 2 hours. Allow to cool, then shred and mix with pan juices.

preheat oven to 500.  brush a cookie sheet with oil.  put desired amount of meat and cheese in tortillas and fold.  brush with oil.  bake 6 min on each side.  voila!  i used 3 1/2 lbs meat and we had enough dinner for two nights for our family of six (one only really counts as half, though).

baked fish with pine nuts and basil

so very tasty!  the original recipe (on yummily) called for pesto and since i didn't have any, this is what i came up with.

 ingredients

• 2 fillets (white fish, about 6 oz. each, i used pollock but you could use halibut, cod, tilapia, grouper, or any mild white fish)
• 3 T finely chopped pine nuts
• 2 T parmesan cheese
• 1/4 t minced garlic
• 2 T coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 t olive oil
• 1 1/2 T light mayo

 directions

mix up sauce and spread atop fish.  bake @ 450 6-10 min, depending on thickness of fish.  (my general rule is it takes about 10 min for a 1 inch thick fillet.)

strawberry rhubarb crumble with lavendar ice cream

we recently ate at the sky city restaurant and had this amazing dessert.  it wasn't too hard to replicate.  plus it was a fun way to use some of the strawberries from our garden!

i followed food network's barefoot contessa's recipe for the crumble, but made a few changes based on user comments and my own preference for the texture of crumble part of the crumble.  (i wanted it a slight bit more crunchy with a hint more salt.)

ingredients

4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large 

3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 heaping (and i mean heaping) tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt
1 cup quick oats, or you could even use old-fashioned if you wanted even big crumble chunks
12 tablespoons butter, melted

lavender ice cream, for serving (available at molly moon's)

directions

toss rhubarb, strawberries and orange zest with the sugar.  mix cornstarch into orange juice and pour mixture over the fruit.  scoop into individual ramekins or pour into an 8 x 11 baking dish.  combine dry ingredients and drizzle with melted butter.  mix with your hands until crumbly lumps form.  sprinkle over the fruit.  bake at 350 for 45 min.  serve with a scoop of lavender ice cream on top.

island pork tenderloin salad

before i got pregnant i started p90x.  they have some delicious recipes!  this is one of my favorite salads.  (i omit the chile powder, the tabasco sauce and the pepper and it still tastes great!)

pork ingredients

16oz lean pork tenderloin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t chile powder
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
2 t olive oil
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 T garlic, minced
1/2 T tabasco sauce

pork directions

preheat oven to 350.  stir together all ingredients listed before the olive oil and rub onto the pork.  heat oil over med-high and brown pork, about 4 min, turning once.  stir together remaining ingredients and pat onto pork.  bake 20 min.  let cool and slice.

salad

1/2 orange, peeled and cut
1 C fresh spinach
1/2 red pepper, sliced
handful golden raisins
1 C napa cabbage, shredded

 toss together and top with pork.  drizzle with dressing described below.

cumin vinegrette

2 T lime juice
1/2 T orange juice
1/2 T dijon mustard
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 T olive oil