Feb
9
2010
Day 39 – February 8 2010 – food day 130 BLUEBERRIES!
Jan
27
2010
Day 24 – January 24 2010 – Food day 115 Lemon tart-let
whole lemon tart
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Recipe Origin: Smitten Kitchen
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Ingredients:
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1 partially baked 9-inch (24-cm) Great Unshrinkable Tart Shell, or your favorite sweet tart shell
1 average-sized lemon (about 4 ½ ounces; 130 grams), rinsed and dried (a regular lemon will make a sharper, more bitter tart; a Meyer lemon, however, will really make this tart sing)
1 ½ cups (300 grams) sugar
1 large egg
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1 large egg yolk
1 ½ tablespoons (12 grams) cornstarch
1 stick (4 ounces; 115 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
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Directions:
| 1. |
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven 325°F (165°C). Line a trimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and put the tart shell on the sheet. |
| 2. |
Slice the lemon into thin wedges, remove the seeds, and toss the lemon and sugar into the container of a blender or food processor. Blend or process, scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until the lemon is thoroughly pureed and blended with the sugar, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the mixture into a bowl and, using a whisk, gently stir in the whole egg and the yolk, followed by the cornstarch and melted butter. [I actually just use the food processor for this whole mixing part, beating the other ingredients in until smooth.] Pour the filling into the crust but be sure to leave 1/4 inch between the top of your filling and the top edge of your crust. |
| 3. |
Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake the tart for 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling, lightly browned and set. Don’t take the tart out until it is clearly set, however — you’re looking for a slight jiggliness with no suggestion of liquid underneath. Transfer the tart, still on the baking sheet, to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing it from the pan. The tart is ready to be served when it reaches room temperature. |
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(Greenspan says the tart is best served the day it is made, but, if necessary, it can be kept in the refrigerator overnight; bring to cool room temperature before serving. I, however, love it cold, and have kept it in the fridge for up to a four days, after which, it was no more but certainly hadn’t gone bad yet.) |
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Jan
27
2010
Day 23 – January 23 2010 – Food day 114 Lemon Tart
Crust recipe below, tart will follow in my next post
the great unshrinkable sweet tart shell
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Recipe Origin: Smitten Kitchen
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Ingredients:
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
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1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 tablespoons; 4 ½ ounces) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg*
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Directions:
| 1. | Pulse the flour, sugar and salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. (You’re looking for some pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas.) Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses–about 10 seconds each–until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Just before you reach this stage, the sound of the machine working the dough will change–heads up. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, for about 2 hours before rolling. |
| 2. | To roll the dough: Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round, lifting and turning dough occasionally to free from paper. (Alternately, you can roll this out between two pieces of plastic, though flour the dough a bit anyway.) Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. |
| Alternately, you can press the dough in as soon as it is processed: Press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the tart shell. You want to press hard enough that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that it loses its crumbly texture. | |
| 3. | Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking. |
| 4. | To fully or partially bake the crust: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (or use nonstick foil) and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. And here is the very best part: Since you froze the crust, you can bake it without weights. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes. |
| 5. | Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. Bake the crust about 10 minutes longer to fully bake it, or until it is firm and golden brown, brown being the important word: a pale crust doesn’t have a lot of flavor. (To partially bake it, only an additional 5 minutes is needed.) Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the crust to room temperature, and proceed with the rest of your recipe. |
| Do ahead: The dough can be wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months. While the fully baked crust can be packed airtight and frozen for up to 2 months, the flavor will be fresher bake it directly from the freezer, already rolled out. | |
Jan
5
2010
Day 5 – January 5 2010 – Food day 96 – A lemon for my sour day at work
My day yesterday was just bad. So I found a lemon to be quite fitting. Although my sister and I LOVE to eat lemons by themselves like people eat oranges.
Dec
8
2009
Day 338 December 4 2009 food day 63 Completed Candied Lemon
Candied Lemon Slices
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Ingredients:
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1-3 organic lemons, washed
water for boiling
ice water
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2-4 cups sugar
1 cup water
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Directions:
| 1. | Cut the lemons into thin slices (not too thin or else they tear apart too easily) removing seeds and the ends. |
| 2. | Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the lemon slices for about a minute. Drain the lemon slices and plunge them into a bath of ice water. Drain. |
| 3. | Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the lemon slices. Let simmer (don’t boil) for an hour (you can simmer as much as 2 hours). |
| 4. | Remove slices from hot sugar syrup and set on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry. Could take up to 24 hours to dry. |
| 5. | Dip in tempered dark chocolate and set on parchment paper until chocolate has cooled and firmed up. |
Finally have the Candied Lemons the way i’d like them.. well almost! But it was a great 1st try!
Nov
24
2009
Day 326 November 22 2009 food day 52 Candied Lemons
HOW TO:
Cut the top and bottom off the washed lemons:
Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lemon into 12 paper-thin slices; discard seeds and ends of rind.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon slices; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain, and immediately plunge slices into ice-water bath. Drain.
Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium skillet, swirling to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low.
Add lemon slices, arranging them in one layer with tongs. Simmer (do not let boil) until rinds are translucent, about 1 hour. 4.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve. Mine have been drying for 2 days now. They are still rather tacky but I will cover them in sugar tonight.
Candied Lemon Slices
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Ingredients:
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1-3 organic lemons, washed
water for boiling
ice water
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2-4 cups sugar
1 cup water
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Directions:
| 1. | Cut the lemons into thin slices (not too thin or else they tear apart too easily) removing seeds and the ends. |
| 2. | Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the lemon slices for about a minute. Drain the lemon slices and plunge them into a bath of ice water. Drain. |
| 3. | Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the lemon slices. Let simmer (don’t boil) for an hour (you can simmer as much as 2 hours). |
| 4. | Remove slices from hot sugar syrup and set on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry. Could take up to 24 hours to dry. |
| 5. | Dip in tempered dark chocolate and set on parchment paper until chocolate has cooled and firmed up. |
Nov
24
2009
Day 324 November 21 2009 food day 51 Making my Grandma’s thanksgiving Cranberries
I’d share the recipe but I’m not sure if it’s a family secret or not. The basics, 1lb cranberries (cut in half), Sugar, water, Almond extract.
Nov
23
2009
Day 323 November 20 2009 food day 50 Lemons with a cherry on top
The other day I bought a mandoline, not sure exactly why but I wanted to see how it works and what I could do with it. Oh it’s soo cool!! I had a lot of fun slicing up lemons with it!
Sep
3
2009
Day 244 September 1st 2009 The first day of school for Madison Students
My August Mosaic!
1. Day 213 August 1st, 2009 Went on the Wisconsin Ducks Tour in the Dells, 2. Day 214 August 2nd, 2009 Potty Train, 3. Day 215 August 3rd, 2009 Guitar and a cowboy hat, 4. Day 216 August 4th, 2009 Contemplative Baby, 5. Day 217 August 5th, 2009 Corn on the Cob, 6. Day 218 August 6th, 2009 Pure Joy, 7. Day 219 August 7th, 2009 Gluttony, 8. Day 220 August 8th, 2009 Pina Colada, 9. Day 221 August 9th, 2009 My first try at crepes, 10. Day 222 August 10th, 2009 Banana Split, 11. Day 223 August 11th, 2009 1, 2, 3 Jello, 12. Day 224 August 12th, 2009 Kiwi Torts, 13. Day 225 August 13th, 2009 cantalope, 14. Day 226 August 14th, 2009 night at the union beautiful!, 15. Day 227 August 15th, 2009 God-des and She, 16. Day 228 August 16th 2009 Drag Queen, 17. Day 229 August 17th 2009 Lantern, 18. Day 230 August 18th 2009 Madison West High School, 19. Day 231 August 19th 2009, 20. Day 232 August 20th 2009 Storm rolling in, 21. Day 233 August 21st 2009 Barbies, 22. Day 234 August 22nd 2009 At the Farmers Market, 23. Day 235 August 23rd 2009 Train Tressel, 24. Day 236 August 24th 2009 Not my sunglasses, 25. Day 237 August 25th 2009 Green, 26. Day 238 August 26th 2009 Banana Rama, 27. Day 239 August 27th 2009 An Alice in Wonderland View, 28. Day 240 August 28th 2009 Barefoot Skier, 29. Day 241 August 29 Worlds Largesrt Penny, 30. Day 242 August 30 Cool Caterpillar (Will be a Monarch ), 31. Day 243 August 31 Pears
Aug
26
2009
Day 238 August 26th 2009 Banana Rama
Please go vote for Riley ( photo of him. You can vote here , and vote every 12 hours!
Thanks!!!
new photo comp for riley 
this one wins $$$$$$ Register to Vote and Vote daily!! http://bit.ly/MOQp1 Wolf Wolf!
Aug
14
2009
Day 225 August 13th, 2009 cantalope
Please go vote for Riley ( photo of him. You can vote here , and vote once a day!!
Thanks!!!
Aug
14
2009
Day 224 August 12th, 2009 Kiwi Torts
Please go vote for Riley ( photo of him. You can vote here , and vote once a day!!
Thanks!!!
Jul
1
2009
Day 178 June 28 Strawberry Jam Day
Every year since before I can remember we’ve made strawberry jam, by we, I mean my mom. Usually my friends and my sister and I go out picking the strawberries at a local farm. This year it was TOOO hot to go pick when we had planned on it. Instead my mom, dad and I went and bought already picked berries. We spent this afternoon cutting, stirring, and cleaning the berries. It was fun. We made more than ten containers of jam, which hopefully will last the year. It’s soo delicious and really makes my peanutbutter and Jelly sandwiches much more tasty!
