There is something about a pinwheel that makes me smile. Maybe it’s the pretty colors, or the way they twirl in the wind. Or maybe it’s the memories from that little slice of my life called childhood where I was carefree and playfull. What ever it is about pinwheels, they make me happy.
I recently priced a pinwheel at Joanne’s Craft Store and a small one retailed at $1.99. Ok, granted , you can usually get them at 50% off, and it was made of plastic. But I dont usuaaly want them hanging around all summer, just long enough for an event like the 4th of July, Easter, or a birthday party.

 Case in point, my friend  just turned 50 and I made some up to decorate with for a little gathering I was having. These were a Martha Monday project picked out by Sassy Suppers.  How could I resist?

 I think they would be great for any occasion using the right paper. Stars and striped, baby print for a baby shower, school colors for a graduation. Or howabout using a pretty pinwheel instead of a bow on a gift?  Chip bag clip anyone? I think there is a scrapbook paper at there for any occassions these days.

 Martha said to glue two different colored papers back to back. You could, but I used a double printed scrapbook paper.

Martha said to use a map pin , I used a push pin. Mine dont twirl. But I’m going to pick up some map pins and make them twirl. I like to smile!

Martha said to attach them to a clothes pin, but you could use a  longer stick like maybe a popcicle stick, if ya wanted that is.

Martha said they were easy, she was right!

You can get Martha’s full detailed instructions for pinwheels here.

I also made  the Strawberry Tart from last weeks Martha Monday Project.

But I used a storebought pie crust because I had one in the freezer that I wanted to use up. I also used a homemade rhubarb jam to cover the berries instead of a seedless logenberry jam. Mine didnt turn out as pretty as some of the tarts I’ve seen, but it sure was tasty. The tartness of the rhubarb mixed with the sweetness of the strawberries was magic. I’m not a big rhubarb user so now I’m beginning to understand how the marriage of a fruit like strawberries has lasted through the trials of time with such an iteresting  stalk of a vegetable. I believe they made for each other.

 I usually like to make a custard for my fruit tarts, but Martha’s sweetened cream cheese mixture is a tasty time saver. Strawberries are in season, and this was a perfect vehicle to get them to my mouth!

Enjoy.

 Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart

adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

OR:  One store bought crust baked in a 9 inch tart pan!

• For the Filling

  • 1 bar (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1/2 cup (or more) rhubarb jam

Directions

For THE JAM

•       1 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1″ piece
•  1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 vanilla bean

1. Place the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan.  Split the vanilla bean, scrape the soft, pulpy seeds into the pan, and toss in the pod. 
2. Bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb softens and almost seems to melt.  The cooking time will depend on the rhubarb, but it probably won’t be more than 10 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat, retrieve the vanilla bean and discard (or save, rinse, dry, and use to flavor sugar).
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One way I get my family to eat veggies is with my zucchini saute. Fresh zucchini (or green beans) and mushrooms sauteed in a little bacon fat with onions and garlic. It’s one of our favorites. So when I was cookin’ up this pie, I was thinking to myself, “The family is going to love this. It’s almost like our favorite veggie, in a pie crust!”

My Secret Recipe Club assignment this month was  the blog, Sustainable Cooking For One.

Stephanie is single gal who is focusing on in-season and local foods. As soon as I saw her Minted Zucchini Tart Recipe, I knew I had found the recipe I wanted to try!

I made a few changes. I added mushrooms, used a shallot instead of an onion,and switched out the mint for some of my newest herb,  Spicy Globe Basil. I also mixed the ricotta cheese into the egg filling instead of dolloping it in the tart.

This pie is a winner,and  it was so easy to put together.  I made it for dinner to serve with  a tossed salad, but it didn’t make it till dinner. It was smelling so good when it came out of the oven that we ate it for brunch.  In fact, I was kicking myself for not making two pies. I would have liked to been able to take one into work to share.

Zucchini and Mushroom Ricotta Tart

5 servings

Ingredients

1 pie crust (Homemade or store bought)
1 Tbs olive oil (I used a Blood Orange infused olive oil)
2 zucchini
1 t salt
1 large shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh basil, minced (or 1 tsp dried)
2 eggs
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 c  milk
Black pepper to taste
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1/4 cup pecornio romano (or Parmesan)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add oil.
3. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and crosswise, into thin half-moons and add to pan.
4. Add minced shallot and mushrooms and salt.
5. Cook till tender and most of the moisture has evaporated. (about 10-15 minutes)
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7. Remove from heat and stir in basil.
8. Beat together the two eggs, ricotta cheese,  milk, and pepper to taste.
9. Place pie crust in pie plate. Crimp edges if desired.
10. Spoon the zucchini mixture evenly into the crust. Add. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the vegetables.
11.  Top with the pecorino romano.
12. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm in the center and lightly browned,
13.  Cool for at least 10 minutes, and enjoy.

I recently confessed about my love affair with citrus. The bright tangy taste and the fresh crisp smell is enough to melt my heart. Lemon treats can make me weak in the knees.
I once thought chocolate was the love of my taste-buds, but as I get older and wiser, I’m beginning to question that relationship. Oh don’t get me wrong. I’ll always love chocolate. It’s just that I now realise, there’s room in my heart for more than one love.

This weeks Baking With Julia recipe is for a Lemon Cake Loaf. It’s a sturdy loaf that is dense and dare I say, kind of dry. I have loved every recipe that we have made from the cookbook Baking with Julia, but this one leaves me shaking my head.

This was an easy enough recipe. You only use one bowl and just stir it up.  Easy peasy! But even though you add the zest of three lemons, I did not thing it was all that lemony. It was very subtle.

Many of the other TWD gals thought it needed a glaze. I went with a lemon curd on the side, but wish I would have added a lemon glaze. This loaf cake sliced up really nice allowing me to make very thin slice.  It would be perfect lightly toasted with a cup of tea.
I also think this would be a great base for Strawberry Shortcake. It’s easy to throw together and will stand up to those macerated berries and ice cream.
Yep, it would be perfect!

If you would like to try the Lemon Cake Loaf recipe, check out the blogs of our hostesses,
Truc of Treats
and
Michelle of The Beauty of Life

This week our mission for the {TWD} Baking With Julia  project was Pizza Rustica. There are many variations of this  traditional Italian dish.  Some recipes, use hard boiled eggs in the filling as well as ham. There is as many variations on this classic dish as there is names.  I’ve seen it go by the names of Easter Pie, Ham Pie, Ricotta Pie, and  I’ve also even seen it called a Carnival Pie. This version doesn’t use the hard boiled eggs or ham, but it does use one of my favorite meats, prosciutto!

I almost passed on this weeks assignment. I was a little concerned about how time consuming this recipe would be, and if the family would like it. But it was actually pretty easy, and I’m so glad I made it.

This is a wonderful recipe, the family loved it, and I will be making it again.  It’s a keeper, and a recipe I’ll most likely repeat every Easter.

I believe a tradition has been born.

The crust is a sweet crust, much like a pie dough. It came together ridiculously easy in a food processor, but you can use a pastry cutter and some muscle. Just some flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, butter, and eggs. The hardest part of this crust was trying to keep the scrap pieces out of my mouth. It was so good!

The filling was even easier. Just mix together the three cheeses, eggs, prosciutto and some fresh parsley. I used an Herb de providence rubbed prosciutto that added an extra layer of flavor. Many people in our group added spinach, mushrooms, and/or peppers to their pies. I stuck to the basic recipe but did consider roasted peppers, but laziness won out. I’ll save the peppers for a quiche.

All ready for the oven!

Here is my attempt at a pretty lattice topping. Not to bad for a rustic pie!

This recipes can be found on both of our host blogs.

Capitol Region Dining a

The Place They Call Home.

Thank you Emily and Raelynn for hosting!

ABOUT US:

{TWD} Baking With Julia is a group of bloggers baking their way through Dorie Greenspan’s Cookbook, Baking With Julia. It’s a wonderful cookbook and I  personally recommend it. This recipe, Pizza Rustica,  can be found on pages 430-431.

To join us, check out the Tuesday With Dorie Website.

These are my new favorite cookie!

I think I will just refer to them as my crack cookies.

They are addicting!

Creamy, dreamy Nutella spread is  sandwiched between two chewy chocolate chip Nutella Cookies!

I’ve already made two batches.

Once as written, using mini chocolate chips,

and once using regular size chocolate chips and making them into Chocolate Chip Nutella sandwich Cookies!

This cookie started as a Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, creator of all things decadent! She took a simple peanut butter cookie recipe and substituted Nutella.

Then Erin from  Erin’s Food Files adapted it by using Frangelico liquor instead of vanilla extract and posted that recipe.  Bet that was good!

My friend Kathleen from  “Deja Vu” Cook found it at Erin’s, and adapted it back to the original recipe using the vanilla extract.

That is where I found the recipe and decided to make them into a sandwich cookie using Nutella spread as the filling.

I ♥ Nutella!

I evidently worked with a few Nutella virgins, and I wanted them to be able to taste the raw pleasure of pure Nutella.

Nutella Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup Nutella or other hazelnut chocolate spread
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cream butter and sugars in a mixer on high speed, scraping  the sides of the bowl often.
3. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer on low, add the egg and vanilla.
5. Add the Nutella and mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated  the dough is smooth.
7. Fold in chocolate chips.
8. Using a small ice cream scoop (or a teaspoon) scoop into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.
9. Bake 8 minutes or till done.
10. Let cookies cool about 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
11. Spread about a teaspoon or so on the flat side of  half the cookies.
12. Top with another cookie, flat side toward filling.
13. Enjoy

This post is linked to the following linky party

I never thought I  liked Irish Soda Bread, but you know what?

I was wrong.

I  happen to love it.  Go figure.

It’s easy to make.

tasty to eat,

and you probably have everything you need to make it.

You can really switch this up and add what ever you like. Currents are traditional, but some added different cheeses, onions, sun dried tomatoes, and the such. I added dried cherries.

I made my bread for my  St. Patrick’s Day Dinner, but I now know it would be good any time of the year. It’s a sturdy bread using Baking Soda as it’s leavening agent instead of yeast.  Four simple ingredients, about 5 minutes of hands on time, and 50 minutes of baking time, and your set!

Make it for dinner, toast leftovers for breakfast or make a delicious French Toast Casserole. If you have any leftovers, finish it up buy making croutons.

It’s a wonderful bread.

As usual, we wont post the recipe on out individual blogs, but you can find the recipe on both of our  hostess’s blog.  Cathy of My Culinary Mission  made a loaf with Gruyere cheese, and  Carla of Chocolate Moosey used Dried Cherries like me! It’s also on page 214 of Dorie’s cookbook Baking With Julia.

Dont forget to check out  the Tuesdays With Dorie blog to see what everyone else thought of this recipe.

I say it’s a keeper!

I love treats made with lemon or lime.  A few of my favorites are a Lemon Bar with White Chocolate Chips, the infamous Coco Cabana Bars, and the  Lemon lime Tarts with a Biscotti Crust to just nane a few.  Oh yea, and the Lemon Cream pie I made just a few weeks ago was excellent too, not to mention the Coconut Lime Cake! Yea, I guess I have a think for Citrus.

So it really should not be a surprise that I would pick something citrus for Martha Monday. My pick this week is for a Lime bar with a Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust! The filling for these bars, is the same for the Lemon-lime Tarts, except I used all lime juice and added some coconut.

The difference with these bars, is in the crust. The ground pistachios gave a subtle difference in the taste and texture. Not enough to run out and buy the nut specifically for this recipe, but a great way to use up any leftover nut you may have in your pantry. Or leave them out completely and use a little more graham cracker.

No matter how you slice these jewels, they are delicious!

Lime Squares w/Pistachio Graham Crust

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled,
  • 2/3 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoons grated lime zest

• For the Filling

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup coconut

I wasn’t going to make this recipe. I just wasn’t in the mood for a cookie chocked full of dried fruit and nuts.

But sometimes when I make a recipe that doesn’t sound good to me in my head,  they turn out to be some of the best recipes. This weeks Tuesdays With Dorie–Baking With Julia recipe was for Rugelach. It’s a tender crusted cookie rolled up with jam, dried fruits, nuts, and lots of cinnamon and sugar.

Unfortunately, I only made half a batch. My mistake, since they were such a hit. But I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on this cookie. It out did my expectations!

I’ve made a Rugalach cookie  in the past. But that recipe was a little different. Before, I used a pear jam,  some chocolate, and almonds.

This time I used an apricot jam, dried cherries and golden raisins and almonds in the filling.

I had everything in my pantry for this cookie and did not have to buy a single ingredient!

In the cinnamon sugar mixture, I added ground pecans, almonds, and pistachios. I really liked the fact that I could use what ever nut and fruit I had in the cupboard.

Jessica’s  from My Baking Heart,  along with Margaret from The Urban Hiker   are our hostesses for this round. You can find the recipe on both of their blogs as well as their delicious pictures.

Thank you ladies for hostessing this great recipe!

I’ve always been a teriyaki sauce lover. Any kind of teriyaki marinaded meat, a couple slices of fresh pineapple, and a drink with a little umbrella is all I need to get my hula on. So when I saw Erika’s recipe for Pineapple Jalapeno Teriyaki Turkey burgers, I knew I had found my recipe for this months Secret Recipe Cub reveal.

Except…

I was going to use beef instead of turkey,

skip the jalapenos,

and add some green onions and parsley.

Oh yea…

and I made meatballs!

I actually made this recipe  a couple of  different ways. I tried it as a meatloaf, and as meatballs in the crockpot. But it was the baked meatballs that made such a big  splash around here!

They were a spicy little teriyaki meatball, bursting with a fresh pineapple flavor. The only thing I was missing was my drink with the cute little umbrella!

These Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs are brought to you by Itzy’s Kitchen, and the Secret Recipe Club. Be sure to check out all the delicious recipes beow!

Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs

adapted from Itzy’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup pineapple, diced
• 1/3 cup  teriyaki sauce
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2 TBS Montreal Steak Seasoning

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients and form into balls.
2. Place on foil covered baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 degrees till done.
4. Serve with pineapple

A friend of mine gave me some Meyer emons and I wanted to something special with them. I found this recipe for a Lemon Sour Cream Pie on Mary’s Blog and fell in love with it. It’s easy, it’s delicious, and it’s LEMON!

You can make this as a pie, but I choose a tart pan. It can be made really easy if use a store bought pie crust, or you can make your own. Next time I would like to make it with a buttery sweet tart dough crust.

The filling is creamy, smooth as silk, and as easy as pie!

Pure Deliciousness!

 Lemon Cream Tart

from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
loving adapted from Recipezaar

Ingredients:
1 baked pie crust (I used a tart pan)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Directions:

1.   Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon rind, lemon juice, egg yolks and milk in a heavy saucepan.
2. Cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly.
3. Add the butter, then let the mixture cool to room temperature.
4. Stir in sour cream and pour filling into tart shell.
5. Chill for at least 4 hours.
6. Enjoy with a dollop of whip cream if desired!