honey & jam | recipes + photos

Appalachian Spring & Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:25:00 +0000

Spring is here full force in the south, glorious and green. I'm making the most of the bounty it brings by standing over my stove and making far too much jam. Last week it was this sweet-savory strawberry balsamic. It's lovely on an english muffin with few strips of bacon. I'm trying out rhubarb vanilla today, fingers crossed it's just as good!

Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam
Adapted from Epicurious

4 cups strawberries, chopped
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

In a small heavy saucepan bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring, and skim surface. Simmer mixture, stirring and skimming foam occasionally, 15 minutes, or until thickened and translucent. Remove pan from heat and cool preserves completely. Jam will keep, covered and chilled, 1 month.

Spring Still Life.

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Dandelion Green & Asparagus Tart, filled with disaster.

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:21:00 +0000

And then I dropped the tart on the floor.

And I laughed, because really, what else can you do?

But let me back up.

I’m a morning person. I can see that look you're giving me right now. A morning person? And you don’t even drink coffee? Yup. I’m that annoying person who is stupidly cheerful first thing. I love the early morning light and the birds chirping and dewy grass and a cuppa tea.

This morning, I was not that person. I was cranky as all get out. There were dishes piled up in my sink, ones I needed to wash before I could get to work. I couldn’t find the bottom of my tart pan. The one I’m always losing, because some people (me), should not be allowed to buy things with multiple parts, because they will lose them. I get down on my knees, body half way into the dark cabinet, rooting around for said tart pan, when the dogs start barking, scaring the wits out of me, so I bang my head on the top of the cabinet. I found the pan, though!

Then my stove top won’t light. There will be no sautéing of the onions. Okay, I’ll microwave them to soften em up a bit. No big. My crust looks weird. I think I pre-baked it too long. Am I out of milk? I should plan better.

I finally get it in the oven. I check on it and see it’s leaking. I go to yank it out and the rack moves, sending it careening towards the back of the oven. I let out a “NOO!!!”, and grab it with my bare hands. I hop around, hand in the air, doing a “it hurts!” dance. I get it back in, on a cookie sheet this time.

My kitchen starts smelling like overcooked egg, thanks to the bit of filling the hit my oven floor. I gag a bit. Can we all agree that’s one of the worst smells ever?

It comes out and it looks beautiful. I run it down to my little table by the window, nearly falling down the stairs on the way, to take photos. My camera dies. I put my battery on to charge and take the tart back upstairs, cut out a piece to try, and then drop the thing on the floor.

Asparagus everywhere. A cute little puppy licking the floor, happy as a clam to clean up 10 bucks worth of cheese for me.

And I laugh. Because seriously?!

I occasionally get emails saying "your life looks so lovely and perfect!". It's not all wildflowers in mason jars and farm fresh eggs around here. Some days look like this. Imperfect, frustrating, and also kind of hilarious.

(The tart was delicious. I’d totally be eating another piece right now if it weren’t for the whole floor thing. I'd never had dandelion greens before, I bought them because my new philosophy is this: “if you see something in the produce section you’ve never tried, buy it!”, and turns out really really like them. They’re kinda bitter and that’s my jam. My crust sucked, though, so I won’t be providing the recipe I used here. Just use your favorite savory tart dough! I obviously didn’t go the sauteeing of the onions, garlic, greens and asparagus way, but I suggest you do.)

(Sorry about the iphone photo.)

Dandelion Green & Asparagus Tart
Slightly adapted from The New York Times

1 generous bunch dandelion greens, about 12 ounces
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus
1 or 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced
4 large or extra large eggs
3/4 cup low-fat milk
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup Gruyère cheese, grated (3 ounces)

1 tart crust

Cut the tough stems from the dandelion greens, about 1 inch from the bottom, and wash in two changes of water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the dandelion greens. Blanch four minutes and transfer to the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and chop.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes, and add a pinch of salt and the asparagus. Cook, stirring, for seven or eight minutes, until the asparagus have softened and the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the dandelion greens. Stir together for a minute, and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Brush the bottom of the pastry shell, and place in the preheated oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven. Whisk the milk into the eggs, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste and stir in the cooked vegetables and cheese. Turn into the crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

PS, a HUGE thank you for all the kind words of congratulations on my last post. Y'all are the best! In other exciting news, h&j was nominated as one of the "best baking and desserts blogs" over at the Saveur Food Blog Awards! How cool is that? I'm in such great company and it's such an honor. You can vote for your faves today and tomorrow!

Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting + A Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:42:00 +0000

When I sat down at my kitchen table one night in November of 2008 and started honey & jam, I had no idea what I was doing. I was a directionless 18 year old in need of a creative outlet. Real talk: I was a bit of a mess.

I started baking things and taking photos, posting them here, even though I was sure no one would ever read it. I hadn't baked much before, and hadn’t taken photos in years, but the more I did it, the more I loved it. One day, I realized “hey, this is my thing!”.

And now, 4 years later? I’m still a mess, but I know what I love to do, and by what feels like a crazy stroke of luck, other people love what I do too, and I’m going to get to share it with you in a new way. I’ll be spending the next year writing & photographing my own cookbook! How crazy is that?!

The book, tentatively titled Farm to Cake, to be published in the Spring of 2015 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, will be full of cake recipes, all using seasonal fruits, veggies and herbs, and, of course, plenty of photos! I cannot thank you all enough, for reading this little blog and for your kind comments & emails. I know everyone says this, but believe me when I say it’s true, without you all, this wouldn’t be happening. It also wouldn’t be possible without my friends and family, who are my faithful supporters, encouragers & taste testers and put up with my emotional ravings about cake disasters. And of course, a huge thank you my book agent, Holly Schmidt.

I made us cupcakes to celebrate - simple, tasty ones, which just might find themselves in the cookbook. The frosting is what makes these special, the honey flavor comes through strongly and pairs so well with the spiced carrot cake.

Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
makes one 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes

I made cupcakes, but this recipe would make a great layer cake too. If you go that route, just use 2 9-inch round cake pans and bake them for 30-35 minutes.

For the Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots (about 6 large carrots)
1 cup pecan halves, plus more for garnish

For the frosting:
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Spread read pecans in a single layer on a baking pan and toast them in the oven just until they become aromatic, about 6 minutes. Roughly chop and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. Add in flour mixture, beat until just blended. Stir in carrots and pecans. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooling, make frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer, Beat cream cheese, butter and honey until light and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and beat until you reach desired consistency.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Oh! And while I'm announcing exciting things, I recently had the honor of being featured on Savuer's "Sites We Love". You can see that here.

A Saturday Bouquet

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 20:41:00 +0000

The end of Feburary and the beginning of March leave me grumpy. There's the promise of spring, but it feels as though winter may never end. The skies are grey more often than not, and the world seems a bit bleak. While I love a nice rainy day every now and then, I am most certainly someone who thrives on sunshine.

The best cure I've found for the end-of-winter-blues is bunch of flowers. A cheap bouquet from the grocery store, dumped on the table for my sister to arrange.

Ten minutes later I've got sunshine in a weck jar and a smile on my face.

The mess just might be the most beautiful part.

Things I'm Loving

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:44:00 +0000

Here's a random smattering of things that have caught my eye lately!

Caroline at wild folk creates some of the most beautiful floral arrangements I’ve ever seen. She makes me want to move to Boston so I can have them delivered to my house each week!

"As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful." Laura Ingalls Wilder (found via Shanna’s gorgeous watercolor note cards, which I am also loving.)

Lately I’ve been listening to these songs almost non-stop:

Birmingham by Shovels and Rope

You Never Need Nobody by The Lone Bellow

Untitled by The Lumineers

Gorgeous photos of the Pacific NW from Jordan Voth.

February's Flowers from Rebekka Seale

Wendell Berry’s Wild Spirit from Garden and Gun

Beautiful and heartbreaking photos from 1960’s Appalachia

Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse from Laura at The First Mess

Rose & Crown

This cotton apron from west elm is pretty much my dream apron.

Daffodils. The first signs of spring, popping up everywhere!

Tell me, what have you been loving lately?

beauty & terror & apple skillet cake with rosemary crumb

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:43:00 +0000

"Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going.
No feeling is final."
Rainer Maria Rilke

This process, the one of growing up, it's hard. You don't know the right decisions to make - you've never done this before. Trying to create a career, or to even figure out what you want that career to be, meeting new people, becoming a full, interesting and interested person, to fill your life with good things and keep going through the beauty and terror can feel so overwhelming.

It's stopped me in my tracks for a while. The little fears, ones that go something like this: "what if people don't like what I do anymore?" "what if this blog post isn't as good as the last?" "what if they don't like what I have to say?", they started getting to me. I forgot that those feelings weren't final. I dealt with them as I'm apt to do - I ignored them and stopped moving.

I came across the quote above from Rilke the other day; I had read it before, but this time it took my breath away. Let it happen. But keep going.

I wasn't letting it happen, I was pushing it away. I was trying to pretend it didn't exist and also letting those feeling be final. But I realized you have to live these things out, the beauty and the confusion, to change and grow. You have to keep moving. I'm working on that.

Apple Skillet Cake with Rosemary Crumb
Apples and rosemary are often paired together with pork, but they work really well in sweet dishes, too. This cake is so simple and tasty, the earthiness of the rosemary really makes it.

For rosemary crumb:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary
1-2 tablespoon water

For Cake:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup salted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup apple, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 inch cast iron skillet.

To prepare crumb topping: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter and rosemary in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine on low speed, until it becomes the texture of coarse crumbs, add in water and mix until crumb comes together. Set aside.

To prepare cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together, on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk. Fold in the apples.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle crumb on top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

have yourself a merry little christmas

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 20:55:00 +0000

Merry Christmas, friends. I'll see you in the new year with lots of new recipes to share.

PS, head over to terrain to see my favorite mulled wine recipe. Perfect for your Christmas Eve.

Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Confession: I'm a thanksgiving traditionalist. I'm happy to try new recipes all year long, but when it comes to that Thursday in November, I want nothing more than turkey, cornbread & biscuit dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, and cranberry sauce out of a can.

I love thanksgiving to taste like home. It might be my favorite thing about the holiday, actually. The ritual of same. I love making the same pie, the one I know my dad loves, I love the familiar taste of each dish. While I know it's far from the most important thing about the day - it's a part that makes me happy.

This soup? Most definitely won't be on my thanksgiving table. But it's perfect for these chilly days just before.

I originally picked up a kabocha squash at the market because I loved the color, dark green with splotches of orange, but now is my new favorite thing. It's sweet and creamy, and wonderful roasted. I had some sad-looking sage hanging around at the back of fridge that needed to be used, so I added it in and I love how the flavors combine.

What about you? Thanksgiving traditionalist or are you all about trying new methods & flavors?

Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup
from epicurious

1 (4-lb) kabocha squash halved and seeded
 1 cup vegetable oil
 20 whole fresh sage leaves plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
 1/4 lb sliced pancetta coarsely chopped  
1 tablespoon olive oil  
1 large onion chopped
 2 garlic cloves minced
 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
 3 1/2 cups water
 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

Roast squash:  
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Roast squash, cut sides down, in an oiled roasting pan in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh from skin.  

Fry sage leaves while squash roasts:  
Heat vegetable oil in a deep small saucepan until it registers 365°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches until crisp, 3 to 5 seconds. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.  

Cook pancetta and make soup:
  Cook pancetta in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until browned. Transfer pancetta with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.   Add olive oil to pancetta fat remaining in pot, then cook onion, stirring, until softened.

Stir in garlic and chopped sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add squash, broth, and water and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.  

Purée soup in batches in a blender, transferring to a bowl. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Return soup to pot and reheat. If necessary, thin to desired consistency with water.  Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with pancetta and fried sage leaves.

of apple orchards and pie parties.

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:13:00 +0000

I consider myself lucky to live in the place I do. I'm surrounded by beauty - mountains, rivers, trees and good, generous people. There's an apple orchard not too far down the road, and when I received an invitation to visit, to explore, I knew it was something I couldn't pass up.

Luke at Mountain View Orchards is one of those good people. We stomped around, stepping over the high grass and fallen apples, taking in the last of the days sunlight, shining and glittering around the trees, apples heavy on their branches, their scent perfuming the air. He told me all about the orchard in a way only a man passionate about a place can. Not all fact, but feeling.

He lamented that the old variety of apples, the tasty, imperfect sort, were being passed over for the shiny, flawless-on-the-outside, less flavorful varieties. He told me about his passion for Appalachian culture, and we agreed that this, growing real things in a place they are meant to be grown, is far more interesting and cultural than the new Starbucks in town. All while we snacked on apples, freshly picked. It's a truth universally acknowledged that fruit plucked straight from the tree just tastes better.

Luke sent me off with a basket full of apples we'd picked, and I came home with a plan. A pie plan. As much as I love this place I call home, I also love this community, this microcosm we call the food blogging world. It's full of the same sort of good people. People like Stephanie, Beth and Sarah, who, when I sent out a tweet about needing pie, all understood and excitedly passed emails back and forth about a virtual pie party. Ladies, I cannot wait to sit down and share a slice with you one day.

This pie is bare bones, as simple and stripped down as possible. It’s just apples, sugar, salt, and a bit of brown butter. Not even a dash of cinnamon. These are the sort of apples my autumn daydreams are made of and I wanted them to shine. It's best served up with a side of The Avett Brothers (particularly this track and this one) - their new album has been my constant companion since it's release, and was playing as I baked this up. Be sure to check out Sarah, Beth, and Stephanie's posts for their lovely pies & music picks.

Brown Butter Apple Pie

pie crust (crust recipe from Martha Stewart):

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour.

Filling:

6 medium-large apples, I used granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough into a 12-inch round, 1/8-inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside in the refrigerator.

In a pan, melt butter over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to brown, it will smell nutty and fragrant.

In a large bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar, salt, flour and brown butter. Pour into pie plate, mounding in the center. Roll second disc of dough into a 12-inch round, 1/8 inch thick. Wet edges of the crust in the plate, then lay dough on top, pressing at edges to seal. Cut vents into top crust.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, until crust is browned at edges. Turn oven down to 350, bake for another 40-50 minutes.

oh my darling muscadine

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:02:00 +0000

There was a fine drizzle of rain as we walked down the dirt road that runs in front of our house, looking for the muscadines that grow wild this time of year.

The vines were tangled high in the evergreen trees, we stood up on our tiptoes to grab handfuls, tumbling them into our basket. Their colors vary from nearly black to the prettiest shade of purple I've ever seen.

Muscadines are so fragrant, deep and rich, vaguely winey. I brought them inside, cut them open, and set them to simmer down into a syrup, the scent filling the house, lingering in every corner.

My mom has been telling me about her grandmothers muscadine jelly since I was a little girl. She waxes poetic about the sweet stuff, but I never had the chance to meet my great-grandmother, or taste her jelly. As I was standing over the bubbling pot, I felt connected to this woman I never met. It's funny (and wonderful) how food can do that.

I didn't have quite enough juice to make jelly, so I decided on a syrup, ruby red & sweet. It'd be great over biscuits or pancakes, even ice cream. I stirred a spoonful into a cup of hot black tea. Next time I'm going to turn it into muscadine sorbet.

Muscadine Syrup

1 cup muscadine juice*
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To release the juice, cut open your muscadines and place in a stock pot. Fill pot with water, just covering the muscadines. Simmer for 15 minutes, mashing occasionally with a potato masher. Pour fruit through a mesh strainer, pressing hard on the solids, (I then placed the skins in a lemon juicer, to extract as much juice as possible), into another stock pot. Add sugar and lemon juice, and bring the juice to a boil, then allow to simmer. Cook until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour into clean jar. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

*You want equal parts juice & sugar. If you have more/less juice, just add the same amount of sugar. I started with about 4 cups of muscadines and got 1 cup of juice.

Hello, September.

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Here's to changing leaves, warm cups of tea, golden autumn sunlight, fresh apples, bonfires & toasted marshmallows.

///

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Hey, friends. It’s been a while. I thought I’d share a bit about life, lately.

The mornings here in the mountains have been cool and crisp. The air smells like fall, despite the date on the calendar. I’ve been bundling up in a sweater and having my morning tea on the front porch, watching the trees sway the in breeze, the first light of the day filtering through the leaves, the tips of which are already turning golden & red. It feels like a reward for enduring the hot & sticky days of summer.

I’ve always been someone who loves those small, quiet moments. Lately, though, I’ve come to appreciate them more than ever. They buoy the spirit like little else.

You see, life has been a little (or a lot) rocky for a while now. For myself, and my entire family. The days stretch on, seem to last a little bit longer than they should, tough and draining. The kind that leave you asking for a little gentleness. I’ve felt tossed about, a little worse for wear. More than any other time in my life, I’ve been holding onto God’s promises, and trying to find beauty in the every day. And you know what? There's so much beauty out there.

I’m not one to share things this personal online (frankly, I’m a little hesitant to press publish on this!), but I felt I should. It’s part apology, in a way, for not being around. This time has left me feeling disconnected from this space, from the kitchen, from photography. I’m hoping to be back here soon, though the focus might shift a bit. I might have mentioned before that my oven is broken and I'm unsure as to when I'll have a working one again. That makes the baking part of h&j a little difficult (although it has forced me to get creative with the slow cooker. Bread baked in the crock pot? Totally possible.). You might see more lifestyle type posts, and whatever I can cook up on the stove top. Until then, you can follow me on instagram, where I update regularly.

This is more than an explanation for absence, though. It's a little note for people who're going through something similar, a "hey, you're not alone!". Whenever I come across someone writing about difficult times, it's such a comfort to know I'm not the only one. I'm hoping it might be the same for some of you.

Green Tomato Pie + Kids Farm to Table Camp

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:09:00 +0000

"Where do potatoes grow?" That's how last week started for me. I had the opportunity to work at a kids farm to table camp, hosted by The Cook's Farm, which is run by the owners of my favorite local restaurant, Harvest on Main. It was a week full of dirt, tomatoes, beet juice stains and smiles.

Each day, we headed down to the garden to pick what we were having for lunch that day. Potatoes, beets, corn, carrots, tomatoes, each vegetable was dug up or picked off the vine by the kids. I loosened up dirt so they could yank up carrots, smiling at the giggles when they realized a huge carrot top didn't equal a huge carrot.

"This purple one, it's a carrot too? I thought they were supposed to be orange!" It is!

We'd head to the kitchen, dirt on our hands, (and faces, and pants, everywhere!). The kids would scrub & peel, chop & whisk. We made potato salad, frittata with fresh eggs, tomato salad. Corn salsa, quiche, pie. Something new each day. Everything fresh from the garden.

They picked blueberries for smoothies, popping more in their mouths than into their bowls.

"Can we feed the chickens?" "Can we collect the eggs?!" had to be the words I heard most. They'd sit down outside the coop and feed them through the wire, holding up tomatoes so the chickens could peck. "This one is greedy!" they'd laugh. "Oh, they don't like the green tomatoes." They learned how to shoo away roosting chickens to grab warm eggs.

The kids loved tasting each thing they had made & picked. The last day, the parents came for lunch.

The kids picked sunflowers & cosmos from the garden, arranged them in mason jars and set the table. They took their parents on tours of the gardens and told them all about what they had learned. Then, we all enjoyed the fruits of their labor. And it was delicious!

Seeing these kids so excited about food & where it comes from was inspiring. Little ones holding chickens & digging in the dirt? Bliss.

This recipe is my favorite from the week - and the kids too. It tastes a bit like apple pie, but with a tang from the green tomatoes. If you can get a hold of some, it's fantastic with honey comb. If not, vanilla ice cream works well.

Green Tomato Pie
recipe by Michelle at Harvest

1 Basic Tart/Pie Crust (this one is my favorite.)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Make the pie crust and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Place 1 piece of the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to an 11-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the crust with scissors or a sharp knife to within 1/2-inch of the outer rim.

In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture across the bottom of the prepared piecrust.

Add the tomatoes and lemon juice to the bowl with the remaining flour mixture and toss to coat. Spoon the tomato mixture into the pie shell, and dot with the butter.

Placed remaining crust on top of the tomato filling and tuck the overlapping crusts into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges to seal and cut small 1/2-inch long vents in a decorative pattern along the top crust. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.

Cades Cove

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Cades Cove is one of those places that feel like magic. Deep in the Smoky Mountains, it feels as though it shouldn't exist or at the very least, shouldn't be disturbed. It makes you nostalgic for a time you didn't experience, a place you never lived.

It's all rolling hills, soft peaks & well worn paths. Deer grazing & bees buzzing.

The part I love most are the cabins & churches. The floors creak, along with the doors.

I'm always drawn to the windows. Oh, that light.

These images were inspired by this one from the 1920s I came across. I wasn't shooting this day with a blog post in mind, but when I saw the pictures on my screen, I wanted to share this place with you. I used to share this kind of thing regularly, but I got out of the habit. Would you like to see more of these sort of photos (along with my recipe posts, of course.)?

Quick Sweet Pickles

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Yesterday, I made pickles for the first time. With cucumbers grown right outside my door, meticulously cared for by my sister. Happy, happy things.

My oven has been broken for weeks now so I haven’t been baking. I’ve missed it and I had a hankering to get back in the kitchen. I looked at all the cucumbers piled up on my counter and thought about the pickles I’d had at a little cafe a few days before. I wanted to try and recreate the flavor. They were sweet & a little tangy, so I added some sugar, cinnamon & red onions. I stuck them in the fridge overnight, excited to see how they’d turn out.

This morning I opened them up and had a taste. They are so good! I may have done a little jig. A perfect birthday present to myself (22 today!).

If you’ve got some free time this weekend and you’ve never made pickles before, I say give it a try. It’s much easier than you think.

Quick Sweet Pickles
Adapted from here

Ingredients
    6 kirby cucumbers or 2 regular cucumbers
    1/4 cup kosher salt
    1 cup water
    1 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 cinnamon stick
    3 cloves
    1 bay leaf

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

Directions
Wash and dry the cucumbers. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, slice the cucumbers thinly and place in a colander. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat. Place the colander over a bowl and allow it to sit, covered, for about 1 hour. Rinse off the salt and dry the cucumber slices well. Place them into a sterilized quart jar, along with the onion.

In a small saucepan add the remaining ingredients. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Pour the brine over the cucumbers in jar. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Will keep, refrigerated, for about 2 weeks.

Sterilizing Jars

Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

Sterilizing Tips:
Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.

Before filling with jams, pickles or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when handling hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.

After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.

Cider Caramel Apple Pie

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:24:00 +0000

A while back, Joanna from Cup of Jo asked me to share my favorite apple pie recipe with her. Head on over there to see the recipe. It involves apple cider caramel, which might just be the best thing ever. Seriously. Make it. Pour over ice cream. Enjoy!

Butter Roasted Carrots with Lemon Thyme

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:47:00 +0000

A week or so ago, there was a raging thunderstorm and the skies were a deep shade of grey. I love spring & summer thunderstorms. The way the rain drops sound on my tin roof, how the thunder shakes the house, how the air smells. Most of all, I love the light.

That day, I happened to have a bunch of fresh carrots in my fridge. I spent a good hour next to my window, taking pictures of them. That kind of light is inspiring. The patter of the rain & the click of my camera was cathartic.

As was the sweet & savory scent of butter, thyme and carrot filling my kitchen afterwards.

I thought I'd share with you my favorite way to eat carrots, roasted in a bit of butter. It's just about the most simple preparation you'll come across. You can add any herb you'd like, I used a few sprigs of lemon thyme from my herb garden. Add a some grated fresh ginger if you'd like a bit of sweet spice.

Butter Roasted Carrots with Lemon Thyme

1 bunch carrots, chopped or left whole
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
5 or so sprigs of thyme

Preheat oven to 425.
Combine ingredients on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes if chopped, 30 if whole.

Honey Balsamic Strawberry Galette

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:17:00 +0000

Hello from the month of May!

It seems I blinked and April had come and gone. When I looked up, May was here, and with it came open windows, bright green leaves on all of the trees, honeysuckle scented air, baby sheep & cows in all the pastures, and strawberries in my garden.

I love strawberries because they seem to usher in the warmer seasons. The actual first taste of the bounty to come. There’s just something so good about that. It makes me happy.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is definitely a grown up dessert. It’s a little something different than your run of the mill sweet strawberry pie. I macerated strawberries in a balsamic and honey mix, baked it up in a whole wheat crust & topped it off with some freshly ground pepper. It’s hearty, a little bit tart, and really tasty.

Honey Balsamic Strawberry Galette

For the crust:
(adapted from martha stewart)
makes 2

    2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 freshly ground pepper
    2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small
        1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

For the filling:

1 pint fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon almond flour
(this part is optional, but it helps to soak up excess juices)

1 egg, beaten

    In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and pepper; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)

    With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

    Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Slice strawberries, toss in bowl with balsamic vinegar & honey. Let sit for 1 hour or more, up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Lay crust flat on cookie sheet or cast iron pan. Strain strawberries, reserving the liquid.

Combine the flour, sugar and almond flour, and sprinkle around the center of the dough, leaving 2 inch border.

Mound strawberries on top of the dough, then fold dough over, overlapping where necessary. Brush dough with egg. Bake until golden brown & bubbling, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, place remaining balsamic & honey in a small saucepan, adding 2 more tablespoons of balsamic and 3 more tablespoons of honey, boil until thickened.

Remove galette from oven & top with freshly ground pepper. Serve warm with balsamic honey sauce.

PS, check out my feature on Oh Joy!

Raspberry & White Chocolate Honey Almond Meal Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:18:00 +0000

Raspberries. White Chocolate. Honey. Almonds. I’m not sure it gets much better than that. I’ve been craving raspberries for a few weeks, I finally caved & bought a most definitely not in season basket full at the grocery store. I don’t regret it one bit.

I've had a string of kitchen misses lately. I’ve made dry cookies, cupcakes with much too heavy frosting, and cornmeal muffins I spat out after one bite (which never happens! they were bad enough to justify my gross actions.). As soon as these came out of the oven, I picked at a corner of one and popped it into my mouth while it was still piping hot. I knew instantly I had a hit on my hands, even as I did a little "this is too hot, why I'd do that!" dance while fanning frantically at my mouth.

These are best if you use good quality white chocolate, not that candy-making kind you find in the baking section at the store. The white chocolate is what sweetens these up, as there’s no sugar & only a little bit of honey in the batter. I like to mix most of the raspberries in but leave a few to press into the tops before I bake them. Enjoy. :)

Raspberry & White Chocolate Honey Almond Meal Muffins
adapted from Roost
Makes 8 muffins

        2 cups finely ground almond flour*
       1/2 tsp salt
   1/2 tsp baking soda

2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate
3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a bowl. Combine wet and dry until well incorporated. Gently mix in white chocolate & raspberries Pour into lined muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F (or until golden brown).

*you can buy pre-ground almonds or make your own.

Lemon Cake with Black Tea Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:30:00 +0000

This past Saturday, I spent most of the morning baking & photographing this cake. Hours spent in the kitchen, singing along with Daisy May, measuring out flour, standing over bubbling pots, peeking through oven windows. It’s been too long since I’d done that. It felt good.

You see, life has been a little more stressful than usual lately. Mostly, it’s the normal every day sort of stress, with a few real humdingers (trips to the hospital (everyone is fine!), etc) thrown in. Whenever things get like this, I feel creatively drained & unmotivated. I don’t want to pick up the camera, get in the kitchen or blog. Then, when I do, it’s like a revelation. “Oh THIS. This is where I’m happy.”. I feel so silly for having spent so much time away.

Let me tell you about this revelatory cake. Oh, my friends, it is good. It’s base is one of my favorite cake recipes by Dorie Greenspan, made extra lemony by a glaze poured over while it’s still warm. The frosting is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I was trying to figure out how to make tea frosting happen using the leaves (I’ve done that, and while it tastes good, the texture can be a bit off-putting). Seven minute style frosting seemed the perfect solution - I made the simple syrup with tea instead of water, and added just a little bit of super strong tea straight into the frosting. I had no idea if it would work, but it did! It came out the perfect consistency and flavor - you can definitely tell it’s tea, but it’s not overwhelming. This is easily one of my favorite things I've ever made.

Perfect Party Cake
from Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.

Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.

Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the tough – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.

Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

While still warm, poke each layer all over with a fork, and pour over lemon glaze (recipe follows). When cool, frost cake with black tea frosting & garnish with candied lemon slices.

Lemon Glaze

1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon juice, stir with a fork.

Black Tea Frosting

2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup strongly brewed black tea
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup strongly brewed black tea

Beat egg whites in a mixing bowl until foamy & thick, they should mound, but not peak.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, black tea & salt. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes, or until a candy thermometer reads 242 degrees F and all sugar is dissolved.
Begin beating the egg whites again and slowly pour in boiling sugar syrup in a slow steam. Continue to beat on high for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Add 1/4 black tea by the tablespoon, beating after each addition.

Continue beating until frosting reaches desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Use immediately.

Candied Lemon Slices
From Martha Stewart

1 large lemon

1 cup sugar

    Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. 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.

Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve.

Things I'm loving

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:03:00 +0000

Hi everyone! Happy Saturday. I’m going to share a few things I’ve been loving lately. Stay tuned for a new recipe post first of the week!

This print from Keep Calm Gallery.

These blogs:
dash and bella
vk rees
la buena vida
happyolks

My dream home on Garden and Gun.

And on that note, Garden and Gun magazine has become a favorite lately. I particularly like this article on southern women.

Winter colors.

Great cards from Sugarboo Designs.

Clementines. Winter sunshine.

This honey jar from Merchant No.4.

Douglas Fir Tea.

For more of my favorites, check out my pinterest account.

Tell me, what have you been loving lately?

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Caramelized Shallot & Sage Butter (Plus a giveaway!)

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:21:00 +0000

I’m snowed in today. I’ve always loved snow days. The world slows down a bit, gets quiet. Snow days always mean baking for me.

A few days ago, I mentioned on twitter I wasn’t sure what to bake next. If you’re ever out of ideas, turn to twitter, seriously, crowd-sourcing is the way to go. I got lots of suggestions, but sweet potato biscuits grabbed my attention (thanks, tim!).

I love sweet potatoes - probably more than your average person. I have them several times a week, in every different form, baked, roasted, as fries, I should have probably turned orange by now, but I’d never tried sweet potato biscuits before.

The biscuits are very mellow in flavor, and just a touch sweet. They go really well with the savory & flavorful caramelized shallot and sage butter I threw together.

What also would go great with these biscuits are the goodies in Eat Boutique's breakfast box. A couple of months ago, Maggie, the owner, asked me if I’d like to host a giveaway and I jumped at the opportunity to share this business with you. I’ve been a huge fan of Eat Boutique since it’s creation and I’ve loved watching it grow.

Eat Boutique is an online marketplace for handmade, artisanal foods. They create well thought-out seasonal gift boxes, full of handpicked goods. The one you can win today is the breakfast box, which will contain coffee, maple syrup (so good on biscuits!), and lots of other delicious things. (Yours may vary just a little from the one listed on the site.)

How to enter:

It’s simple. Just leave a comment here saying you'd like to be entered (I'll only count the ones that mention they'd like to be entered, since this is a US only giveaway. If you're not from the US but you'd like to comment anyway, feel free. ;).

Enter a second time by becoming a fan of Eat Boutique on Facebook, come back here and leave another comment saying you’ve done so.

 Enter a third time by tweeting about this giveaway (be sure to include @honeyandjam and @eatboutique) and leave another comment saying you’ve done so.

No entries after 11 pm EST this Sunday, January 8th. US residents only. Winner will be picked at random and announced the 9th.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
From Martha Stewart
Makes 8

Ingredients
    1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
    2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
    2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and more for pan
    3/4 cup Sweet-Potato Puree, chilled
    1/3 cup buttermilk

Directions
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining. In a small bowl, whisk together sweet potato puree and buttermilk; stir quickly into flour mixture until combined (do not overmix).

Shape the biscuits: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead very gently until dough comes together but is still slightly lumpy, five or six times. (If dough is too sticky, work in up to 1/4 cup additional flour.) Shape into a disk, and pat to an even 1-inch thickness. With a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Gather together scraps, and repeat to cut out more biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once).

     Bake the biscuits: Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack on lower shelf. Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Arrange biscuits snugly in pan (to help them stay upright). Brush with melted butter. Bake until golden, rotating once, 20 to 24 minutes.

Caramelized Shallot & Sage Butter

1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, room tempature
1 shallot, finely minced
2 tablespoons sage, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan, over low heat. Add the shallot and cook until brown & soft. Let it cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, shallot, sage and salt until combined.

You can place this mixture in a bowl, or scrape the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap, mold into a log shape and refrigerate.

The giveaway is now closed. Jacqui has won! Congrats Jacqui, your package is on its way!

Maple Buttermilk Tarts with Hazelnut Crust

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:34:00 +0000

You’re probably sick and tired of sugar, aren’t you? The last thing you want to think about is something sweet. All those christmas cookies, puddings, pumpkin pies. But I’m going to ask you to give these little tarts a try.

Earlier this month, I received a couple of products from Gilt Taste. One was a most likely delicious pork shoulder - that I accidentally left on the counter overnight instead of in the fridge. But we’re not going to talk about that, okay? (Yes, I am a total dunce some days.)

The other product they sent over was BLiS maple syrup. I’d been wanting to combine buttermilk & maple syrup for a while now, so this seemed the perfect time. (Although I could have eaten the maple syrup by the spoonful - it's that good.)

We’ve got very simple flavors here. Hazelnut, buttermilk, and maple. That’s it. It's not hard to make, you can pull together the crust up to a week ahead of time if you put it in the freezer, and the rest just requires a bit of whisking. The custard filling is creamy & comforting, and the maple syrup flavor is enough of a change from the sugaryness of the season to make it perfect for January.

Maple Buttermilk Tarts with Hazelnut Crust

Makes 1 large tart or 4 small ones

For the crust:
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the whipped cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, optional
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, optional
1 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 3/4 cup of hazelnuts and powdered sugar in food processor. Pulse until nuts are finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add flour and salt, pulse to combined. Add butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few pea-sized chunks of butter.

With the machine running, add the yolk. Pulse just until the mixture begins to clump together. If the dough is dry, add cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and pulse until moistened.) Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Prick dough all over with a fork, freeze for 20 minutes.

Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove and press down bottom and sides. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, flour and salt. Add in the eggs, maple syrup, buttermilk and vanilla extract, stir to combine.

Pour mixture into pre-baked tart crust and bake for 45-55 minutes, (25-30 minutes for smaller tarts) or until outer edges are set, the middle will still bit a bit wobbly.

If using, whisk the heavy cream until lightly whipped, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, stir to combine.

Top with remaining 1/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts and lightly whipped cream.

Lately

noreply@blogger.com (hannah queen | honey & jam) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Back in October, I took a trip to a pumpkin patch. It was such a beautiful day, the leaves were still gorgeously vibrant, some of them even still green. I wanted to tell you all about it right away, and I wanted to bake something delicious with all the pumpkins I had picked out. The green ones, the orange ones, the white ones. I had recipe ideas, namely a hazelnut-pumpkin-ginger tart that I could practically taste in my mind.

But then life got busy. One week turned into 2 and then somehow it was over a month after the fact, and not only had I not made anything with those pumpkins, I felt like I had forgotten how to blog. I wondered if I even wanted to anymore. My 3 year blog anniversary passed (happy belated birthday, h&j!) and I did nothing to commemorate it. I was feeling a bit disconnected from this process - even though I love it dearly.

Today though, I received an email from a friend, a friend I met through this blog. Reading her words, I was reminded why I love doing this. I love sharing my recipes & images, I love connecting with you all, (nothing makes me smile like getting an email from someone who has made a recipe & loved it) I love the creative process. I was reminded that this place is a piece of me. A piece I’m not ready to part with.

The leaves are gone, the pumpkins are in the compost bin, and I’m ready for a new season. I’ll be here soon with recipes. Good, creative ones, I hope. I’ve been creating more and more of my own, and I’m excited to share them with you.

See you soon. xo.