Breakfast: Jamie Oliver’s Sexy Swedish Buns and Dad’s Extra Foamy Cappuccinos

This picture is deceiving. It looks good, and had good flavor but it was  more dense than I like a sweet bread to be. I think the active yeast I used had been sitting in my cupboard for too long and the dough did not rise properly. I will be giving this recipe a try again soon with fresh yeast and a tad less flour than the recipe calls for.

Carrot Cupcakes with Walnuts & Golden Raisins topped with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

To make up for my wrong doings I baked some more. Well, I made these cupcakes yesterday but I sampled one today to make sure they were better than breakfast. I topped them with fresh homemade cream cheese frosting this afternoon. I am having dinner with my parents so I’m hoping this proves to be a delicious end to our meal. Fingers crossed.

Carrot Cupcakes remind me of spring. Where’s that Easter Bunny?

Nope…that’s my parent’s cat with her new best cat-nip friend. She is 16-years old, and my mom was proud that she was out playing again. Meow.

Recipes To Come,

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/09/half-half/feed/ 1 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/03/30/meyer-lemon-tart-with-almond-cookie-crust/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/03/30/meyer-lemon-tart-with-almond-cookie-crust/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:07:10 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=7228 For the past week my days have been filled with bright blue skies, a blaring sun and….nearly freezing temperatures. I’m fairly convinced that we will never see Spring in my area, however; Spring can be a state of mind, right? Well, I hope so because I’m definitely feeling a little Spring in my heart. I think my lemon-obsession (Meyer Lemon Risotto, Meyer Lemon Potatoes) speaks for itself. I’m hopeful for warmer temperatures .

Dear Mom and Dad, I think I know what I’m bringing to our Easter brunch this year: Meyer Lemon Tart with an Almond Cookie Crust. I might even add a coconut layer for you mom! I hope that is okay! Love Always, Nora

This tart was sitting in my refrigerator for a day or so and the custard cracked a little bit. It was still delicious and nothing a few blueberries couldn’t cover up . I am also very fond of lemon and blueberries together.

Doesn’t this make you think of Spring? I love the look of a rectangular tart. It is impressive and spectacular when it comes out of the pan.

Say hello to my midnight snack. I’m not even kidding. I didn’t have dinner until nearly 10pm last night and then remembered I wanted to take pictures of this lemon tart I made the day before. I  couldn’t say no when it told me to eat it. I had the end piece, naturally. I am a girl who loves a buttery crust, what can I say?

This recipe was silly-easy to make. Let’s get cooking!

First of all, you should butter and lightly flour your tart pan. GOT IT? GOOD! Now we can get back to business.

Make your crust. Chill it. Roll it out on a floured surface. Now, the rectangle pan is not really the easiest shape to work with. If your dough happens to break just work it back together. You certainly want to make sure it is bound together so it holds the filling, however; don’t fret if it isn’t perfect.

Press the dough into the tart pan. poke it with a fork and freeze it for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on rack another 15 minutes. Yes this seems like a long process but it works and your crust will be perfect and won’t shrink!

While the crust is cooling make your filling. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with the juice of 2.5 Meyer Lemons and 2 Regular Lemons (about 2/3 cup total), 3 TBS full fat Greek Yogurt (I used Fage Total but the recipe I was using as a guide from Bon Appetit used creme fraiche), 1 tsp of lemon zest and 4 large eggs.

Pour on in and bake for about 35 minutes until custard is set.

Cool completely on rack and then chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or up to a day.

Meyer Lemon Tart with Almond Cookie Crust

(slightly adapted from Bon Appetit)

For The Crust:

• 1/3 cup whole blanched organic almonds
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 T Sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 6 TBS unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 2-4 TBS Ice Water

1. In a food processor, add almonds and run until they become a fine powder.
2. Add flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest until incorporated
3. Add butter a little bit at a time. Pulse until incorporated.
4. Add Ice Water 1 TBS at a time, pulsing until just incorporated.
5. Gather dough into an  long disk (easier for rolling rectangular tart) and chill at least 1 hour.
6. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and place in the pan. Use a bit of scrap dough to press into the edges of the pan (so it stays smooth and even.)
7. Prick the bottom with a fork and freeze for about 20 minutes.
8. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes until golden.
9. Cool completely (about 15 minutes) before adding filling.
10. If crust looks like it is browning too much while filling is baking, cover the edges with tinfoil.

For The Custard

• 2.5 Meyer Lemons and 2 Regular Lemons (some combination that adds up to about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 TBS Full Fat Greek Yogurt or Creme Fraiche
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp lemon zest

1. Whisk lemon juice and sugar.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients to the lemon juice mixture until smooth.
3. Pour into prepared crust, and bake at 375 for about 30 minutes until firm.
4. Cool on a wire rack and cool in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.

Lemon and Spring,

Nora

Ah, breakfast. The most important meal of the day. I have a complete sit down breakfast every single day. Call me crazy, but I really do feel lost and confused without a solid breakfast. While I usually eat some messy bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, peanut butter, jam and banana with a cup of coffee, there have been a few more outstanding meals this past year.Dad’s Waffles with Strawberries, Banana, Cinnamon and Honey.

My dad’s “claim to fame” breakfast is omelets of many varieties, however; these Belgian Waffles were AWESOME!Pecan-Raisin Sourdough French Toast

Also awesome was the French toast he made me out of Pecan-Raisin Sourdough bread from our Farmer’s Market, served with local blueberries, cherries, honey and Greek yogurt.Pumpkin Custard French Toast

I tried to recreate this with my Pumpkin Custard French Toast with Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce and Toasted Pecans. Close, but still not quite as good.Pancakes with Real Maple Syrup.

Dad also makes some killer fluffy pancakes that are always topped with real maple syrup.Blueberry-Walnut Pancakes with Lemon Zest Greek Yogurt and Local Honey.

Again, my Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes didn’t quite live up to his but this was the best I could do.

Alas, we can not forget his extra foamy cappuccinos. Vanilla Almond Biscotti Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Which I would rather like with one of the Vanilla Almond Biscotti I made during my 12 Holiday Cookie Recipes.

I made a lot of baked goods this past year and I really wouldn’t mind eating Monkey Bread for breakfast everyday.Or maybe these Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Pecan Topping.Banana Bread with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips.

On second thought, I’d like to have one of everything with a slice of my favorite Banana Bread with Walnuts and Mini Chocolate Chips.Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere

Although I first made this Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere for dinner, I think it would be my favorite savory breakfast.Basil, Goat Cheese and Basil Omelet with Whole Wheat Toast, Strawberries, Cinnamon and Honey.

That is of course, unless I am home with my parents. Nothing and I really mean NOTHING will every trump a daddy omelet.

I’ve had a lot of good mornings in 2010! See you at lunch!

Nora

I’m not trying to be “Negative Nora” but Monday can be difficult! The weekend fun is over, and it’s back to the grind. Luckily, a crazy Monday can always be remedied with satisfying food and a glass of wine. Or maybe it was two glasses of wine .Chicken Florentine Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce on a bed of Spinach. Roasted Carnival Squash. Green Beans with Shallots and Lemony-Hazelnuts.Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Frost Cuvee.

I think the Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Frost Cuvee would be a great wine with Thanksgiving fare. It is a blend of Riesling and Gewurztraminer with accents of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I can taste the sweetness of the Riesling and toasty notes of Chardonnay the most. It isn’t overly sweet or floral. I imagine that it would be excellent with dishes that include thyme and rosemary. Have I mentioned that I am REALLY excited for Thanksgiving? 10 days and counting. No big deal.

I also have a confession. I could eat this apple-orange cranberry sauce by the spoonful. Okay fine, so maybe I did eat it by the spoonful. No one was watching, so no one will ever know . I enjoy the tart flavor of cranberries and decided to cut the sugar in half from a traditional sauce recipe. I added cloves and cinnamon for extra warmth and flavor. I repurposed the thick sauce by  combining it with water, bringing it to a simmer, and adding frozen leftover chicken meatballs to reheat and flavor. This was an AWESOME idea. The meatballs have Panko in them and the combination reminded me of turkey and stuffing rolled into one! I’ll go as far as to say I impressed myself with this idea.

My sauce was so delicious. I may have dipped into my leftovers for breakfast.1/3 cup Rolled Oats, 2 TBS Oat Bran (found while cleaning my cabinets and needed to use), cooked in 1/2 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, 3/4 cup water, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger. 1 TBS Chia Seeds and 1/2 Large Banana. Topped with Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce, Walnuts, Almonds, Dried Blueberries and Local Honey.

Yum. Swoon. I hope I am not bored with Thanksgiving flavors on the actual day.

Happy Food,

Nora

What are your favorite ways to “repurpose” Thanksgiving leftovers?

I ran my first half-marathon 2-years ago and never thought I would do one again. All summer my dad and I have been gathering with a group to do long runs on Sunday. We decided that we could do it! I ran approximately 5-seconds faster than last time. I was shocked. I think my body is programed to run the same pace.

At the lovely hour of 6:30am I had my favorite pre-run snack: banana and peanut butter. Good for energy but doesn’t sit in my stomach like a rock.During mile 8, I grabbed a chocolate power bar gu. Well, technically I tried to grab it, dropped it and turned around to pick it up. Hey, GIRL NEEDS FUEL! Girl also held this clinched in her fist and had a palm full of chocolate at the finish line. I had my mom capture the disaster along with the 4 cups of water I pounded immediately after.They had lots of food for the runners after the race including gigantic bagels. I wanted. They didn’t have any toppings so I wrapped a whole wheat bagel in a napkin and brought it home to toast and top with a 2-egg scramble with spinach, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. The last of my honeydew looked delicious so I had it on the side. I was SO thirsty!My mom left me a couple big slices of her blueberry coffee cake. She kept raving about it during breakfast so I needed to try. A couple hours after “breakfast” I was ready for more food. I ate about 1/2 of this. It was too dense to eat the whole thing. I was so full after half, and REALLY thirsty. This cake needs a beverage.My parents brought me apples. Naturally I had to eat one.With this free chocolate milk I got at the finish line.I munched on a lot of random veggies in my refrigerator while contemplating dinner. I couldn’t come to a conclusion about what to make but I did realize that I needed to buy milk and bananas. A great excuse to go to the grocery store and buy a prepared meal. I had a lovely Tilapia Al Forno, Seasoned Green Beans and Butternut Squash with Spinach, Red Onion and Crasins.I couldn’t end my night without dessert. My leftover tiramisu was calling me. I ate this straight from the take-out container and even did a “finger swoop” around the edges to get every last bit of marscapone. The chocolate cup filled with fresh whipped cream and topped with mint was especially good. Truffle smelled the cream on my fingers and started purring. She’s a foodie kitty alright!

Along the way I drank about 100 cups of water today. I think my stomach has had about all it can handle. Sweat pants were on all day so I had no problem getting my fill .

Recovering,

Nora

Truffle wanted some too. Don’t worry, I snatched her away before she actually ate any. This is NOT kitty food! She was doing this all last night with dinner and dessert and was VERY mad that I wouldn’t share. However, she did enjoy licking my fingers clean and purred like a maniac as she enjoyed the flavors.Not only does she have a taste for good food, she also likes doing the dishes.

And refrigerator adventures.

We are hoping to make something good for dinner tonight . A real meal perhaps?

Keeping Truffle out of Trouble,

Nora

Yesterday, my parents met me around noon and we got down to business. By 9pm everything was out of my old apartment and into my new apartment. They are magical movers. I could not have done it without them and I am so thankful! Before getting down and dirty, we stopped for lunch at a little cafe within walking distance of my apartment. I ordered a grilled herb wrap with portobello mushrooms, zucchini, red peppers, spinach and onion. It was a little heavy on the olive oil but delicious and satisfying.This fueled me for a few hours. I inhaled a Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar around 5pm. NEED.ENERGY!My brother arrived shortly after and we finished moving the larger items…aka my futon and went to a small Mexican restaurant for dinner. We split chips and 3 dips for an appetizer. For my main course I ordered Mahi-Mahi Tacos and a glass of Chardonnay. They were delicious and I added even more hot sauce post photo!I had a rough night of sleep. Truffle kept walking in circles around my head, purring and tried to burrow herself into my arms. She also had some fun crawling under my covers to attack my feet. When I finally woke up this morning, I was FREEZING. This feeling was exciting to me because for the first time in a long time I was craving an old, simple favorite: hot, whipped banana oats with crunchy peanut butter.1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/3 cup water, 1/2 TBS chia seeds, cinnamon, 1/2 banana, blackberries, honey, heaping TBS crunchy natural peanut butter.

Lunch was a late throw together as the cable man did his thing! And then I HAD INTERNET!!! WOOH! Back to blogging Mixed Green and Red Leaf Lettuce, Tomato, Red Pepper, Green Beans, Carrot, Cucumber, Mixed Nuts, Raisins, Goat Cheese, Olive Oil and Balsamic. Dr. Krackers Cherry Semolina. Large Pink Lady Apple.

I was having one of those, “I’m not hungry but dinner is so far away and I have so much to do.” moments and fixed myself a snack. 1/2 cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/2 package (1 bar) Nature Valley Peanut Butter Granola Bar, Blueberries.

After my snack I ran errands and went grocery shopping . I got so many goodies to make, however; my kitchen is a disaster. Unfortunately it was not in cooking condition and I did not feel like cleaning any more. Dinner was a $6 meal from my grocery store.Coconut-Almond Tilapia with Mango-Pineapple Salsa. Roasted Summer Veggies. Roasted Yams.Dessert was ice cream! YAY I HAVE A FUNCTIONING FREEZER!! Vanilla with raspberry swirls and chocolate chips. It was okay–not my favorite and not the healthiest option (lots of ingredients in this puppy.)

More unpacking and kitty taming tomorrow! We have our work cut out for us. Hopefully somewhere in between I will catch up on blogs! I’ve been missing you!

Can’t Wait to GET COOKIN,

Nora

Overnight Oats: 1/3 cup Rolled Oatmeal, 1/3 Cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, 1/2 TBS Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, 1/2 Banana, Blueberries, Blackberries, Dark Chocolate Dreams, Crunchy Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Honey.

One nut butter in my oats is satisfying.

Two nut butters in my oats is dynamic.

Three nut butters in my oats is a flavor party.

Breakfast today was a celebration of my nut butter love. I decided not to mix all of them together and ate my bowl section by section (I know…I’m weird haha). It was as if I was having three of my favorite overnight oats combination at once. I can be indecisive at times and this flavor party was beyond my wildest dreams.

Now time for a packing party. I have a half-day at work and meeting my parents for lunch. I’m really hoping that we can get a lot done today so this weekend won’t be awful!

Best,

Nora

What is your favorite nut butter? Can you even just pick one?!

3/4 of my peanut butter collection. You better believe I have a jar of Natural Creamy Peanut Butter in the refrigerator!

Sadly, breakfast was the only meal I was able to get on film today. Lunch was a throw together salad, similar to dinner last night, and a Pink Lady apple the size of my head. Snack was a trusty Honey Graham Z-bar. Dinner was a lovely—LOVELY grilled spinach wrap with chicken, red pepper, artichoke, asiago, and balsamic vinaigrette. I also had a side of German Potato Salad and an Octoberfest beer (SO good!). I had a late dinner with my brother after moving some things into my new apartment. When I got back I had a fake ice cream sandwich to clean out my freezer a bit .

I apologize if my pictures are sparse for the next day or so. Truffle and I should be all settled by the weekend. My parents…aka the expert movers, are coming up tomorrow to help me do some serious moving.

Meow,

Nora

Overnight Oats: 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 TBS Chia Seeds, 1/2 Banana, 1/3 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk, 1/3 Cup 2% Fage Plain Greek Yogurt, Cinnamon, Blueberries, Honey, Granola and White Chocolate Wonderful.As the title indicates, this is WONDERFUL! The flavor and texture reminded me of peanut butter frosting. I’d top a brownie with this, no problem .

I guess I made TWO unexpected purchases yesterday. I have never seen this product in my grocery store and I HAD to try it out! My nut butter collection is currently in the 6-7 open jar range. Is that bad?

Lunch is another whole wheat pita sandwich.Whole Wheat Pita spread with Plain Hummus, Grainy Dijon, Farmer’s Market Lettuce, English Cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Tomato Slices (on side will be added) and Watermelon on the Side.

Tricks for a ‘non-soggy’ sandwich:

1. Toast the bread! I stick the entire pita in the toaster. It will puff up and looks scary. Cut the edge to release the steam and wait until it is cool.

2. Spread both sides of the bread with a stable surface. I used hummus, but peanut butter, mayo and butter are “sealers” so other elements don’t leak through. If I do PB& J I always spread both sides with PB before the J.

3. Pack juicy elements to add later. Some times I pack everything separately and assemble when I’m ready to eat, but that can be a fuss.

Moving Minded,

Nora