Tag: tart

Apple Galette with Salted Bourbon Caramel

Well Dined | Apple Galette with Salted Bourbon Caramel

Last month I posted about a Cranberry Custard Pie using my favorite dough recipe.  I typically use a deep dish pie plate, but for that recipe I used a shallower one.  So I had a lot of leftover dough to make something else with.  I grabbed some apples that were on their way to getting old, and made a galette.

Well Dined | Apple Galette with Salted Bourbon Caramel

An apple galette in and of itself is not that exciting, but this caramel sauce – with bourbon and fleur de sel – so luscious.  It really takes a basic tart over the top. (more…)

Holiday Round-up

If you are starting to panic because Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) is closing in and you don’t have a dinner plan yet, fear not – I have you covered!  I have a round-up of all of my holiday recipes, from protein to sides to dessert, and even breakfast!  So please enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Well Dined | Holiday Meal

Perfect Roasted Turkey, Apple Sausage Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Cider Gravy

Well Dined | Brined and Roasted Pork

Brined and Roasted Pork

Well Dined | Slow Cooked Cider Ham

Slow Cooked Cider Ham

Well Dined | Dr Pepper Glazed Ham with Prunes

Dr Pepper Glazed Ham with Prunes

Well Dined | Garlic and Herb Crusted Rib Roast with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

Garlic and Herb Crusted Rib Roast with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus (more…)

Pea and Ricotta Tart

Well Dined | Pea and Ricotta Tart

 

Hello, Spring!  I am so glad that you have finally come to stay!  I’d like to welcome you with this lovely little tart made with fresh peas, creamy homemade ricotta, scallions, herbs, and lemon.  Please stick around for a bit.

Well Dined | Pea and Ricotta Tart

Well, Spring, I know that fresh English peas are kind of your thing, so I used them two ways just for you!  I pureed some peas and ricotta together with lemon juice, mint, and basil to make a creamy spread.  Then I mixed some whole peas with scallions, more mint and basil, and lemon zest.

Well Dined | Pea and Ricotta Tart

I baked some puff pastry until golden, puffed, and crispy; then I spread the creamy ricotta mixture over the top; and sprinkled the whole pea mixture over that.  Look at all that green! (more…)

Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese – Three Ways

Well Dined | Buttery Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese

So I got this combination of ingredients into my head and couldn’t stop thinking about all the ways I could use them.  Pasta, pizza, tarts – the list goes on.  I decided to caramelize a big batch of onions, roast a big squash, and use them all week in a few different dishes.

Well Dined | Roasted Butternut Squash

First off, I peeled and cut up a large (4 lb) butternut squash and laid the cubes out on a baking sheet.  I drizzled them with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg.  Then I roasted them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  I used some right away, and stored the rest in an airtight container in the fridge.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onions

For the onions, I bought one of those bags that has about 5 onions in it, sliced them all, and threw them in a large pan with olive oil.  After they turned translucent and soft, I turned the heat down from med-hi to med-lo and let them caramelize.  This will take anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes.  About halfway through, I added a few sprigs of thyme.  Once they were really brown, I added a splash of sherry to de-glaze the pan and removed the thyme stems.  Again, I used some right away, and stored the rest in an airtight container in the fridge. (more…)

Christmas 2013

Well Dined | Christmas Wreath

Merry Christmas, y’all!  We went on a bit of a crazy roadtrip (which I will tell you about later, because there are restaurants involved) and didn’t get back til late on the 22nd, which left us in a bit of a scramble to get ready for Christmas.  We managed to get some outdoor decorations up (check out the wreath I made!), but no tree or anything indoors.

Well Dined | Christmas Dinner

We also spent all our holiday money on travel, so no presents this year.  But we did have a nice Christmas dinner (I mean, come on – how could I not, right?).  Honey Baked Ham (going store bought on the main let me focus on sides); Spinach and Gruyere Strata; Sweet Potato Gratin with Caramelized Onions; and Bacon Popovers.

Well Dined | Cranberry Raisin Tart

And a Cranberry Raisin Tart with orange zest and spices for dessert.

Well Dined | Orange Cranberry Rolls

Oh yeah, and breakfast!  Can’t forget Christmas morning sweets!  I made these Cranberry Orange Rolls by Smitten Kitchen – yum! (more…)

Blueberry Cheesecake Galette

Well Dined | Blueberry Cheesecake Galette

I actually made this the same day as the shrimp galette.  Two galettes in one day?  Girl.  Get a hold of yourself.  I can’t though, I have a problem.

Well Dined | Blueberry Cheesecake Galette

No seriously, I have a problem.  The second pie crust in that package needed a home, though!  Right?  Bad foodie, using store-bought.  I don’t care, don’t judge me!  Oh lordy, somebody please help me.

Well Dined | Blueberry Cheesecake Galette

Fresh blueberries tucked inside pie crust with a smear of sweetened cream cheese – heaven (even if it springs a leak and starts bleeding purple juice) (more…)

Fig, Mascarpone, and Goat Cheese Galette with Coconut

Well Dined | Fig, Mascarpone, and Goat Cheese Galette with Coconut

This rustic beauty came about by accident.  I had intended to make a cherry pie, but my plans for obtaining cherries fell through.  So I ended up with some pie dough and nothing else.  I went to the store to see what fruit was available and found some Turkish figs.  “This could definitely work,” I thought.  Then I thought of a creamy smear of mascarpone underneath, and oh!  What if I added in some goat cheese, too?

Well Dined | Fig, Mascarpone, and Goat Cheese Galette with Coconut

So I dumped a container each of goat cheese and mascarpone cheese into bowl with some honey and mixed them together.  Then I got to thinking, “What about some cardamom in here?”  So in it went.

Well Dined | Fig, Mascarpone, and Goat Cheese Galette with Coconut

I rolled out my pie dough and spread the cheese mixture over it.  I only ended up using half of it, but it made a great dip for crackers and fruit so that was fine.  I arranged the quartered figs over the spread and then had another thought.  “You know what goes great with cardamom?  Coconut!”  So I dug out some sweetened coconut flakes from the pantry to sprinkle over the top.  A brush of cold water and sprinkling of turbinado sugar later, and my masterpiece was ready to bake.

Well Dined | Fig, Mascarpone, and Goat Cheese Galette with Coconut

I threw a lot of ingredients into here, but they ended up blending perfectly.  The spread sort of merged with the flaky crust to make a creamy base for the figs; and the coconut came out perfectly toasted.  Bonus?  My husband was out of town and I got to eat the whole thing myself!  This recipe may have been an accident, but I will definitely be making it again. (more…)

Asparagus Custard Tart

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We are coming to the end of asparagus season, but you may be able to get one more use in – and I recommend this one.  An asparagus flavored custard with goat cheese and Gruyere, tucked inside a flaky puff pastry shell?  Yes, please!

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This Martha Stewart recipe uses the stalks and tips separately.  The stalks get pureed into the custard, and the tips decorate the top of the tart.

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The custard is made with asparagus, eggs, cream, and flour (I altered the recipe based on comments – adding more flour to help it set up).

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The custard goes into a pre-baked shell, then the cheeses are sprinkled on top, followed by the asparagus tips.

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The texture is gorgeous and the asparagus is definitely the star of the show.  Yum, yum, yum – get out there and grab the last of the asparagus! (more…)

Ratatouille

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Ratatouille – a delicious french vegetable dish that is usually kind of like a stew.  I found a recipe from WendyinKK that was inspired by the more upscale version presented in the Disney film.  Beautifully sliced veggies layered in a casserole – this is so gorgeous and hearty.  It is time consuming though, so be prepared.

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Eggplant, bell pepper, roma tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini.  You will probably want to bust out the mandolin slicer for this one, unless your knife skills are really good.

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Such beautiful slices!  You will need to saute the eggplant and squash slices to release their moisture and enhance their flavor. (more…)