# Monday, March 22, 2010

Fresh Plum Tart Recipe

A simple French country tart in less than an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1-9” Pillsbury unbaked piecrust
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • ½ cup Biesterveld’s All Fruit Apricot Spread
  • ¼ cup Biesterveld’s All Fruit Strawberry Spread
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 4-5 plums, pitted and cut into 8-10 slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a tart pan with the unbaked piecrust. Bake according to package instructions until light brown in color.

In a medium size bowl combine ¼ cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. flour, mix until combined.

Gently warm Biesterveld’s All Fruit Apricot and Strawberry Spread over low heat until melted. Measure 1/2 cup of the all fruit spread and add this as well as the melted butter and the egg to the flour mixture. Mix until uniform. Reserve the rest of the jam to glaze the tart after baking.

Place the plum slices in concentric circles starting on the outer edge of the tart pan, covering the entire bottom of the pan.

Pour the fruit spread and flour mixture over the plums. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbs. Sugar over the tart.

Bake 45-50 minutes in a 350-degree oven until the jam bubbles and the fruit is soft.

Remove from oven and brush the remaining fruit spread over the plums. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

download pdf version  dancing woman

Fresh Plum Tart


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Monday, March 22, 2010 4:24:33 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)     #    Technorati Blog reactions Blog reactions
# Friday, May 01, 2009

Today I bought underwear to cover my entire bum and made The Original Fettucine Alfredo. Coincidence? Perhaps not.


Bloomers in Tree


FettuccineAlfredo




The Original Fettucine Alfredo...not the pasta dish with heavy cream sauce that you're thinking of. Turns out, the dish was invented by a Roman, Alfredo di Lelio, for his wife, who lost her appetite after the birth of their son. In an attempt to make an ordinary dish more lavish, he increased the amount of butter used in his traditional fettucie al burro (pasta, butter and parmesan cheese). The result was a dish his wife could not resist.

Thanks to the most recent edition of Saveur, I was able to learn the history of this American favorite and get a fantastic recipe. This is amazing! Absolutely, positively, delicious! Worth every calorie, even if it does mean new bloomers.

The Muse Gourmet


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Friday, May 01, 2009 10:08:29 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)     #    Technorati Blog reactions Blog reactions

The Original Fettuccine Recipe

Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo...not the pasta dish with heavy cream sauce that you're thinking of. Turns out, the dish was invented by a Roman, Alfredo di Lelio, for his wife, who lost her appetite after the birth of their son. Thanks to Todd Coleman at Saveur for the history and recipe. Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried fettuccine
  • ½ lb unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • ½ lb. finely grated parmesan (about 3 ¼ cup)

Directions

Mixing the ingredients on a warmed platter will help them melt quickly to make a satiny sauce. For the best results, use dried pasta, which doesn't break as easily during tossing as fresh egg pasta does.

Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut butter into thin pats and transfer to a large, warmed platter. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water, and place the pasta over the butter on the platter.

Sprinkle grated parmesan over the pasta and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water.

Using a large spoon and fork, gently toss the pasta with the butter and cheese, lifting and swirling the noodles and adding more pasta water as necessary. (The pasta water will help create a smooth sauce.) Work in any melted butter and cheese that pools around the edges of the platter. Continue to mix the pasta until the cheese and butter have fully melted and the noodles are coated, about 3 minutes. (For a quicker preparation, bring the reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and the butter to a boil in a 12" skillet; then add the pasta, sprinkle with the cheese, and toss with tongs over medium-low heat until the pasta is creamy and coated, about 2 minutes.)

Serve the fettuccine immediately on warmed plates.

download pdf version dancing woman

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Friday, May 01, 2009 9:58:40 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)     #    Technorati Blog reactions Blog reactions
# Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy ValenTHYMES!

Went for a walk today and saw two bluebirds.  A female, with the most beautiful midnight blue feathers.  And a male, who's tail feathers were less impressive but who was determined to not to be ignored.  How apropos on this, the 14th of February. 

I managed to fumble my phone out of my pocket and get the camera out just in time to capture the birds completely hidden in the bushes.  :)  My husband swears up and down the birds flew away before the camera snapped.  So, for your viewing pleasure, I have attached that very shot.  Also, because there may be some of you wishing you had received some flowers today...I've attached a pic of some daffodils that just started blooming.  Spring is in the air!

I dedicate today to my favorite herb, Basil.  A little history lesson thanks to Wiki.  There are several different kinds of basil (sweet, Thai, lemon) all of which are used in Asia.  Basil comes from the Greek word for King and is believed to have grown in the place where St. Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross. 

The basil most readily available in grocery stores is sweet basil.  Along with pine nuts (yes, they are actually the edible seeds of a real pine tree), basil is the main ingredient in pesto (a northern Italian sauce comprised of pine nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil and a few others seasonings). 

I rarely used pesto before I started making my own.  Well, let me say that a little differently.  I was never impressed with store bought pesto.  I used it, I just didn't find the results to be memorable.  The flavors weren't ...Wow!  So, I say uneuivocally, that you cannot find a store bought basil pesto better than this homemade version.  Give it a try! 

One quick tip about purchasing sweet basil.  The leaves should be bright green in color.  If the leaves are turning dark and wilty, the basil isn't fresh.  I took a pic of two different leaves below so you know what to look for in the store.  To get 2 cups of basil, you can either purchase two of the small fresh herb packets or one large packet.  If you have any Vietnamese grocery stores near you, that is usually the most inexpensive place to purchase fresh basil.




Saturday, February 14, 2009 6:46:55 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)     #    Technorati Blog reactions Blog reactions
# Friday, January 23, 2009

2009 - The Year of the Ox

On the Western calendar, Chinese New Year arrives January 26th.

The Ox is characterized by patience, but is fierce when faced with opposition. President Barack Obama was born in a year of the Ox. For that matter, so was Oscar de la Hoya.

I admit it. I love take out Chinese food.

One of my favorite evenings is one where I order Chinese, and eat out of those cute little cartons with chop sticks while watching a movie. For my taste, the best thing to drink with Chinese food is a nice cold beer. Something about the flavors of soy, ginger, garlic and beer make me feel like I’m at a party. But, the party isn’t too loud and is really comfortable. Paramount to the experience is your favorite set of jammies or athletic wear (intended to be politically correct; meaning not so athletic wear…sweats) and a comfy sofa.

I don’t indulge in this little celebration nearly enough though. I may order take out Chinese once or twice a year..tops. I’m always stopped by the guilt associated with eating the generally grease laden mediocre entrees. So…to allow myself to enjoy the simple pleasures in life more frequently and still fit into my non elastic clothing, I came up with a fried rice recipe that anyone can make. All it takes is a little forethought…meaning you really do need to cook the rice the day before. And…please don’t insult me or yourself by using instant rice. Regular rice cooks beautifully in a vegetable steamer that has a rice bowl in about 50 minutes…and it tastes soooo much better and fills the kitchen with a pleasant aroma.

Be well.  

The Muse Gourmet


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Friday, January 23, 2009 2:26:34 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)     #    Technorati Blog reactions Blog reactions

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