Adventures in Cooking

I'm so sorry that it has taken so long to post a new blog on here. I'm afraid that I've been rather busy lately with getting my life sorted out and somewhat back on track. I spent a lovely Thanksgiving in San Fransisco with my sister and her family. After that I headed up to Oregon for my other brother's wedding. It was quite wonderful but this post has nothing to do with that really.

So recently I decided that I would like to do a little more baking. I love cooking and baking. I really don’t even care usually if I get any of the food I make, I just like making it. So, it really makes me excited when I get an excuse to make something fancy and slightly over the top for no good reason. Usually we only make really fancy desserts and things like that for holidays. I like making fancy food when I’m stressed. Cooking is like de-tox for me.

Recently, on my way home one day, my dad gave me a call and told me that I just HAD to buy him some of these personal pan pies that were at Wal Mart. So, like the wonderful daughter I am, I made sure that I stopped and picked up some of these 58 cent wonders. Yes I did say 58 cents. How good can a 58 cent pie be you ask? Well, actually they’re not that horrible. I wouldn’t ask for a steady diet of them and I’m pretty sure my stomach has now been coated with some kind of film that won’t be removed for a few years but meh.

The pans though, that these pies came in, were the real beauty. Little, tiny, personal little pie pans. They were awesome! My mom had the great idea that I should make some tarts. So… after consulting a few of my different recipe books I decided to start with the basic concept of one recipe, but in all actuality just make up my own.



I then began the fun part of making the crust of the tarts. Which included mixing, chilling, rolling, cutting, blind baking and leaving in the oven for just a little longer than intended. :)






Once the crusts were done I coated then with white chocolate to keep the filling from making the crusts too soggy.



I then made a mixed berry glaze out of preserves and a very yummy pastry cream filling. After eating that pastry cream, I’m really considering to never ever buy a box of vanilla pudding again. Who needs it?





Then, for the finished product, I filled the crusts with the cream, topped them with blueberries and the mixed berry glaze, added some meringue and browned it under the broiler for just a moment. Add one cup of coffee and you have a wonderful dessert.