Roasted Tomato Tart w/ Balsamic Glaze

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Summer can't get here too soon for me.  I have been craving the taste and feel of summer all this winter. 

So today, I needed to have it.  Not even sure what to call this dish, just having Summer Lovin' withdrawal.

This dish is really simple to make, but a little time consuming, but if you do the tomatoes and glaze ahead of time, you can whip it out pretty fast.  It is great as an appetizer or even having a slice for lunch with a nice salad, is sure to please.


Roasted Tomato Tart w/ Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2 vine ripe tomatoes
• olive oil (just enough to coat the tomatoes)
• dry herbs (Add all that you like, this is a very forgiving dish.  You can add or omit whatever you like.  These are the ones I used for my tart.)
• Crescent dough

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven to 450 degrees.
2. Slice tomatoes just over a 1/4" thick. Place in large bowl.
3. Add all of your herbs and oil and toss, using your hands. Be sure to coat the tomatoes well.
4. Place tomatoes on parchment paper prepared cookie sheet. Single layered (close, but not touching).
5. Place in hot oven, cooking for about 30-35 minutes until caramelized and looks dry.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Reduce heat to 375 degrees.
8. On a pizza stone or pan, lay crescent triangles in a circle, points out.  Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough, be sure to fill the center.
9. Place the cooled tomatoes in a spiral pattern on the dough. 
10. Lift each point and twist and tuck around tomatoes
11. Return to a oven, cooking for 11-13 minutes.
12. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

Makes about 8 single slice servings.

Sauce:
NOTE:  I make my own.  It's not hard, you just have to watch it and stir occasionally. But I would recommend just heading to the grocery store and getting a bottle (I will make a video, because it's a little hard to explain in words).

• Drizzle the sauce all over the top of the tart. Sprinkle with a little dry parsley flakes.

Yum!!! 

Thanks for visiting!! 

"A" Picture Perfect Craft

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Trying to redecorate our master bedroom is a monumental task, but I for one am up for the challenge.

First things first, are the walls. Our walls are grey (or gray, I really don't know the difference in the wording, but I do like the spelling of the first one better, therefore, that's what I'm using) and white. Which I love, but finding pictures and other items to complement them has been a challenge.

One of the items I have always wanted to do was decorate with the letter of our last name "A".

Here is a step by step....I might have missed one.  Sorry if I did, but I'm sure you can figure it out.

I would usually use a higher number than 14...maybe a 16 or even an 18 or 22.  But this is what they had.  I like it in the oatmeal or even darker color  (would be cool on black with white?....hmmmm).

 Cut out the letters and numbers with an exacto knife.

 Using a craft roller or even a pizza dough roller (that's what I could find) and really get the paper stuck to the fabric.

 Acrylic Paint

 Dab. Dab. Dab. Dab......

Still dabbing until all of the opens are covered well.  Be careful not the go over the edges.



Such an easy and fun project.  I'd suggest to do this with you kiddos and have them make one for over their bed with their first name initial and their est. date as their birth year.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower....

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All of the FLAVOR (not to mention heat), but none of the guilt.

Lately, I have had a pinched for heat.  Maybe it's the need to feel warm from this crazy winter.  But since I have taken on this challenge to weigh less and be smart about my health I have had to think and look at "goodies" a little differently.

I love a good buffalo wing!  But they tend to be oil and not all that great for you.  I wanted some but I needed to find a way to get the flavor without all the bad stuff too.  I went search and found a great site call skinny taste.  LOVE IT!! 

There she has a recipe for buffalo cauliflower.  YUM!!  The only thing is there is still butter in the sauce and I am really trying to limit the oils.  So I came up with this, which uses, whole wheat flour instead of all purpose white flour and spray oil, which is very limited.   My sauce seems to be a bit more spicy, but that's how I like it. :-)


SpicyBuffalo Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 3 cup(s) uncooked cauliflower
• 1 cup(s) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp Trader Joe's© Grocery - Parmesan & Romano grated cheese
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 cup(s) water
• 3/4 cup Tapatio Hot Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Koops Mustard, Deli Spicy Brown
• 10 second spray Pam Cooking Spray, No-Stick, Butter Flavor

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Wash and break apart cauliflower.

2. In a large mixing bowl add the next 7 ingredients and mix well.

3. Add the cauliflower; stir until well coated.

4. Spray cookie sheet with oil.

5. Using tongs, tongs place coated cauliflower on to cookie sheet, not touching if possible.

6. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

While cauliflower are cooking...

Sauce:

1. In another mixing bowl or after cleaning the other one out, add the mustard and hot sauce.
2. Mix together well.

Now back to the beginning....

7. Ding!! The 20 minutes are up and now remove the cauliflower from the oven.

8. Scoop into the bowl with the hot sauce mixture:; gently stir to coat cauliflower in the hot sauce.

9. Return cauliflower to the cookie sheet and oven for 5 minutes.

10. Ding!! They are done. Let them cool for a couple of minutes then serve.

You can make a bleu cheese yogurt dressing if you like, but the points here are just for the Buffalo Cauliflower.

4 Points Plus Value
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serves: 4 (1 cup servings)

When in a pinch....Make Biscuit Pizzas

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When in a pinch....Make Biscuit Pizzas.

 
With all of our responsibilities, sometimes dinner is late....okay most of time nowadays, dinner is late, but one thing I like to make sure of is that we have "quickies" at the ready.

I keep at least 2 canisters of grands biscuits in my fridge for that very reason.

Here's how we make a quick pizza:

1. Open the can and pull apart the biscuits.
2. On a cookie sheet ( I use a stone ), press down the biscuit, until it is about 6" inches in diameter
3. Top it with a Tablespoon of your favorite spaghetti or pizza sauce and a 1/3 cup of shredded cheese.
4. Now this optional: pepperoni or chopped veggies, mushrooms, jalapenos, etc. etc. Cook at 425 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. :-)

If you really want to get all fancy use pesto as your base, topped with shredded cheese, spinach and grilled chicken. YUM!!!

Valentine Craft Funny

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When it comes to school valentines, I looked at it as another day to have to buy something else.  But then I remembered how fun it was to give out a card with some candy to my friends.  My kids should have that.

Usually the night before Valentine's Day,  I would normally go to the store and search the aisles for a package of card some leftover candy and hurry home and sit my kid down and start writing names. 

Not this year.  I saw something like these on Pinterest and thought....awww how cute.  This year I was going to be a better mom and do something different.

When I let my son in on what was going to be his card this year he was.....not to thrilled, but let me snap the shot anyway.  Thanks "A." 


Here's the how:

1.  Snap a shot of your child with their fist held up in front of them and a little away (towards the side).

2.  Use photoshop or any photo altering software to write what you would like on the it.

2.  Once you have them printed, using an exacto knife slice around the top of their knuckles, making a slice large enough to get the lollipop stick through and do the same on the bottom of their fist.

3.  Stick the lollipop through and there you have it!!  A fun and unique valentine.

Note: As you can see, my kid is a ham and a half....

Another idea would be to take a photo of your child holding a large blank heart, cut from posterboard.  Have the prints make and they can write something on the picture in the open space....

...just an idea.