What Was For Dinner - Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

I hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day weekend. (Or a lovely regular weekend for those outside the US.) Mine was absolutely perfect. Cocktails, local dining, farmers market, grilling out, relaxing on the screened-in porch, watching movies, and even a parade. And it was hot! 90 degrees and then some. 

Anywho, I've been wanting to share this recipe for awhile now. Truth be told I made it nearly a month ago when neither tomatoes nor basil were really in season. But basil has arrived on the scene, and well, tomatoes are a ways off, but not too far really.

They're so pretty, they'd make for a lovely special-occasion lunch main. But they were fab for dinner too and they actually reheated really well in the oven. 

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

from Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics

1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry (I used Trader Joe's)

Olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)

2 large cloves garlic, slivered

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese (I used Chavrie)

1 large tomato cut into 4 1/4" thick slices (or I used two Campari tomatoes, slightly larger than cherry tomatoes, for 8 slices)

3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. (I couldn't get mine quite this big, so if you can't either, don't sweat it.) Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps (or bake them and eat them smothered with preserves later). Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.                                          

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or warm with some mixed greens and white wine. And be proud you made something so gorgeous and delicious!


♡,


Erin

Poms and Peonies

Last fall I ordered a small bunch of tissue paper pom kits from Etsy shop PomLove. Well as it turns out, I just got around to opening the box they came in, fluffing up three of the summerier colors I chose, then hanging them up in the front window about a month ago.

I am really in love with the current trend of incorporating celebratory decor into everyday decor. Buntings, garlands, pompoms, fairy lights, bring them on! In a world that seems to be full of bad news, I think the continuous sense of cheer they bring is much needed.

And the same could be said for flowers, whether growing outdoors or cut and brought inside. I am sooooo excited for the first time in years to have peony bushes in the yard. I always meant to plant a couple at our last house, but never got around to it. These beauties burst into bloom yesterday, and I immediately snipped a few. I took the pic on the left above this morning, and when I came back around a couple of hours later the subject had completely popped open (right). A natural pompom!

Sitting here at the table I keep getting whiffs of them blown on the breeze. ♥

And a couple shots of those left out in the yard (for now!).

♡,

Erin

Pupcake

I was planning to do a completely different post, but upon downloading the last couple weeks worth of pics off my camera, I came across these absolute gems and I couldn't resist giving Piper the floor. 

Saturday before last during the Worthington Farmer's Market, Blue Frost Cupcake, had a table set up outside their shop on High St. selling a breakfast-y people cupcake (cinnamon and sugar I believe it was) and also these sweet little noms for the four-legged market patrons (for only $1!). We managed to resist the people treat (even though we've sampled some of their other offerings before and they are quite yummy), but couldn't resist taking a little pupcake home to Piper.

And... gone. Not my fingers, even though it looks like it. She's generally good about only just nibbling the hand that feeds her.

Back tomorrow with what I had planned for today!

♡,

Erin

Rewinding Spring - Boston Public Garden and Common

Well, blooms are gone from trees, tulips are dying down, everything is leafy. It's going to be a few weeks before summer flowers really start to come on. But two weeks ago when we were in Boston, spring was in its prime. Before hitting the Freedom Trail, I spent a little time strolling around Boston Public Garden and Boston Common. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

Remember Make Way for Ducklings? Seeing duckies everywhere, and of course, the swan boats triggered a flashback to my earliest days of literacy.

Tulips. Tulips everywhere!

Like candy, huh?

Last little spring fix. I'll be sharing my attempts to veggie and flower garden soon.

And more historic Boston!

♡,

Erin

Coming up Roses (and Butterflies, and Lilacs)

As I was putting together this post, I realized I must be subconsciously trying to balance my last post on America's Favorite Pastime as this one is looking particularly girly. :)

Anywho, summer is nearly here! Open windows, gardening, farmers market. Bring it on, I say! In fact this past Saturday was the first outdoor Olde Worthington Farmers Market in downtown Worthington. (They hold one indoors during the cold months which is wonderful for getting local meats and such.) It's a really fabulous market, tons of vendors lined up along the main street, High Street. I'll have to post on it soon. And one on downtown Worthington too for that matter.

Coinciding with the first market Saturday was a plant sale on the village green. Besides tons of gorgeous green things to get your garden growing, there were a few craft vendors and a lone vintage seller from whom I snagged this lovely still life and the flutterby tray below. I don't think they even had a name for their business (I asked for a card), but it turns out they live right in our neighborhood. I must say I liked their eye, as there were definitely more things than these two that I could have brought home. 

In other summery news, I must admit I was a little bit skeptical about the dwarf Korean lilac bushes that are planted all around our yard, being a fan of the towering old fashioned kind. But experiencing them in bloom for the first time, I'm impressed. There's one right next to the living room window and the scent wafting in is heavenly. And once they're all done blooming, I do have to admit they look tidier than their cousins.

Well, so long for now. Company coming this weekend and much to do!


♡,


Erin

Beautiful Day for Baseball in Beantown

Hello! Apologies for my long absence. I actually got to take a little trip last week! Greg had a conference in Boston, which has been high on my list of cities to visit for awhile now, so I made him take me along. (I don't think he minded too much.) 

We decided to get tickets to the Sunday afternoon Red Sox game, so we took a way-too-early-for-my-taste flight Sunday morning to get there in time. But it was an absolutely gorgeous day, so totally worth it. We got there early to take in the park and get some refreshments before game time.

I am no real baseball fan, however I am more than happy for any excuse to sit in the sun and drink beer and eat a hotdog (and a pretzel, and peanuts...). So bad, but oh so good.

And though I didn't really care too much about the game (though I was happy with the outcome, see below,) I really did want to visit Fenway. I've only been to one other MLB ballpark, Wrigley. Fenway opened in 1912 and Wrigley in 1914 and they have 50 and 48 years respectively on the next oldest park. So much history and tradition contained within the walls of both. And the sports fans in general of both cities = legendarily passionate and loyal. So that's what really spurred my desire to pay a visit to both.

View from the cheap seats.

Outcome. It definitely made for a happy crowd on the way out. 

So now my two-park pilgrimage is officially over. However, it would not take much to convince me to return to either or even to expand my horizons to newer venues. Especially if sunshine, beer, and hotdogs are thrown in. :)

More Boston and other things I've been up to soon!

♡,

Erin