Chocolate Strawberry Tart

It troubles my soul to think that some people are allergic to strawberries. It is such a tragedy! One must have been a real pill in the life before this one to have acquired a strawberry allergy. Strawberries, even the bad ones, are one of life's signs that God has not yet abandoned us. Here in The 'Tah, we have good strawberries, but nothing like a freshly-picked, juicy Oxnard berry. In Oxnard, CA, they produce most of the strawberries that end up in our grocery carts here in Utah. In Oxnard, there are fields filled with them and roadside stands everywhere. Through the first years of my marriage, Ethan's family reserved a beach house in Oxnard every summer. We always made sure we had sunscreen, swimsuits and strawberries. Lots of them. They are big, juicy and they disappear fast.


Strawberries are nearly perfect. They taste good plain, on cold cereal, on hot cereal, in a drink, in a salad, with ice cream and their perfect match is chocolate. This tart is a happy marriage of strawberry and chocolate. The crust is a very basic sugar crust and then that is filled with chocolate ganache. Sliced strawberries and a light glaze finish the tart. I find the glaze essential. It makes it look like it came from a bakery and not your own kitchen.



For the crust:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup butter, softened and sliced

Set the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

For the filling:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 lb strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

In a double boiler over simmering water, add chocolate chips. Melt, stirring occasionally. In two parts, add heavy cream, stirring well to incorporate. Turn heat down to medium low. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until chocolate is warm and slightly thickened.

Pour into cooled tart shell. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Once firm, arrange strawberries on the chocolate. Brush lightly with glaze. Keep refrigerated until serving.

For the glaze:
3/4 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, combine all ingredients and whisk well, until bubbling and thick. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled, brush over finished tart. You will not use all the glaze.

Yields 8 servings.

Banana Cream Tart

I have looked through dozens of banana cream pie recipes and more often than not, the recipe calls for boxed banana pudding. One of my favorite blogs, The Chubby Vegetarian, proclaims that although he and his wife don't often advocate premade ingredients, boxed banana pudding is the way to go for classic Southern banana pudding and meringue.

A few months ago, Andrews McMeel Publishing sent me a cookbook called "America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants". Long title- excellent, thorough cookbook. Everything from how to barbecue a whole pig to a recipe for barbecued rattlesnake. And there was a small selection of classic desserts found in famous barbecue joints across the country. And there were some banana cream desserts, a few of them swearing by boxed banana pudding.


I think boxed banana pudding makes sense. You really can't make banana pudding from scratch, from what I have researched. It changes color and has a sticky texture. Any from-scratch banana cream pie recipes I found had a vanilla filling and bananas lining the crust. And then cream on top. To me, that just sounds like a vanilla pudding pie with bananas.

So those last few paragraphs were all me convincing myself to use boxed banana pudding. And I did. And I really liked it. It had banana flavor you would assume that you would get from a dessert titled "Banana Cream Tart". Oh yeah, remember I titled this a tart and not a pie? That's because pie crust and I have a weird vibe when we get together. In the end, we work it out, but it's me that makes things uncomfortable. Solution? Tart made with a Nilla wafer and almond crust. Next comes fresh banana slices lining the crust and then they are smothered in banana pudding. Everything is topped off with cinnamon whipped cream. The result is a quick-make tart that is creamy and sweet with the popular flavor of banana and a hint of cinnamon.



1/2 cup almonds
25 Nilla wafers
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 3.4 oz box instant banana pudding
3 bananas, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Set oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a food processor combine almonds and wafers. Process until crumbly. Add melted butter and process until combined. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch tart pan or springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is fragrant and slightly firm. Allow to cool.

Lay banana slices into the bottom of the pan. Prepare pudding according to package directions and evenly spread over the bananas. Cover with plastic being sure to gently press the plastic right onto the pudding so a skin doesn't form. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon. With a hand mixer, whip until soft peaks form. Remove plastic from the pudding and spread whipped cream evenly over the top. Remove tart ring or springform ring and cut into slices.

Yields 8 slices.

Grandma Sally's Lemon Meringue Pie

My Grandma Sally was a great cook. She would have us over for Sunday dinners and she would always make something satisfying. I remember her meatloaf and spaghetti and her macaroni salad. And of course, I remember this pie. My grandmother never shared this recipe with anyone, but after she died, my mom found it scribbled on a card. Maybe she will haunt me for sharing her recipe. But good recipes that go unshared are usually a good sign. Hopefully she doesn't haunt me. She was a feisty Irish woman with a temper. And imagine a ghost haunting you that has an Irish accent. Scary.


When I made this, I called my sister Haley to come over. In preparations for becoming a new mother and homemaker, she has recently quit her job. I knew she wouldn't be doing anything besides sleeping, so I convinced her to come over and we were going to make some pies. We doubled the recipe and it turned out great. So if you want to make two, do it. The recipe can handle some bulk.

This pie can be described as delicate. The crust is light and flaky. The lemon custard is tart and sweet. The meringue is airy and melts in your mouth. As fancy as this pie sounds, the preparation isn't. I think the hardest part is getting a piece out of the pie plate without totally ruining it. The pie crust recipe is the same one I used for my apple pie. That recipes is for a crust and a top, but in this recipe, I have pared it down so you only make a bottom crust. Good luck!



For the crust:
6 Tbsp cold butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3-5 Tbsp ice water
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar

Begin by cutting the butter and shortening into small cubes. Put on a plate and put it in the freezer. Fill a cup with ice water and put that in the freezer along with the butter and shortening.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 8-12 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. Run the machine and add the water. Once all the water is added, turn the machine off and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball.

Take the ball out and form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, set the oven to 400 degrees and spray your pie pan with non-stick spray. Roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface. When rolling, be sure to flour the rolling pin as well. Once the crust is big enough to fit in the pan, fold it in half and gently set it over half of the pan and unfold. Trim edges to right up to the edge of the pan. Crimp the edges of the pan with your fingers and then poke the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned on the edges. Remove crust from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the filling:
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp butter

Add the eggs to a large bowl and set aside. In a large sauce pan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Pour half of the sugar mixture into the eggs and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk and boil for 1 more minute. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter. Once the butter has melted, pour the lemon custard into the pie shell. (The pie crust does not have to be completely cooled.) Set aside.

For the meringue:
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Set oven to 450 degrees. In a large metal bowl, add the egg whites. With a hand mixer on high, whip the egg whites. Once the egg whites are foamy, add the cream of tartar. When the egg whites are beginning to form soft peaks, gradually add the sugar. Mix until the egg whites form stiff peaks. With a spatula, gently spread the meringue onto the lemon custard. (The custard does not have to be completely cooled). Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Remove pie from the oven and set on a cooling rack to cool. Once the pie is cooled enough to handle with bare hands, put the pie into the oven. Chill until the bottom is cold and the lemon custard is set.

Rookie's Notes: A word on egg whites. Separate the eggs before you do anything else. Let the eggs sit on the counter while you make the crust etc. It isn't vital for the egg yolks to be at room temperate, but it is for the egg whites. They will whip up MUCH faster if they are at room temperature.

Milk Chocolate Toffee Cream Pie

I am typing this up as I watch some telly. I love how the TV relaxes me at the end of the day. Have a cold drink and sit down with my lap top. His name is Lappy. Yes, he is a boy. Electronics are boys, cars are girls.

I have my little boy cuddled up next to me. Jack took a nap today so he is up late tonight. Ethan is manning the camotes (Ingram for "remotes"). We are flipping back and forth between Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network and the Maroon 5 concert on Palladia. Ever watched the concerts on Palladia? They are excellent. Filmed well and always great bands. So far I have seen Foo Fighters and Dave Matthews Band. My favorite between the two? I like Dave Grohl over Dave Matthews. Dave Grohl plays the guitar like he was born with it cradled in his arms. I so appreciate talented musicians that rule their instrument. Like John Popper from Blues Traveler. Have you ever seem him play the harmonica? He owns it.


On to milk chocolate toffee cream pie while Maroon 5 serenades. Want a quick impress? This comes together really quick and doesn't disappoint. It's smooth with an occasional crunch from the Heath bar. The cream cheese lends it's creaminess, but doesn't make the pie too cheesy, and too cheesy is so not my forte. Gosh, I hate that I don't love cheese.



1 chocolate crumb crust, from the grocery store or homemade
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1.4 oz Heath bars, chopped

Pour the chocolate chips into a small bowl. In a small sauce pan, add 1/2 cup heavy cream. Over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour warm cream over chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes and then stir until smooth.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream. Gently stir in the melted, cooled chocolate. Fold in a handful of the chopped Heath bar. Pour into chocolate pie crust. Sprinkle remaining chopped Heath bar on top of the pie. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Chocolate Truffle Pie

Back in Rancho Cucamonga, I knew a girl named Rachel Walker. Rachel asked if I had a recipe similar to Marie Callendar's chocolate satin pie. Rachel, I hope you remember this conversation we had. It was in a park and I can't remember anything else- I just know we were talking pie. Not too sure if details are important when talking pie.

So Rachel, here's what I got. Chocolate to the max. Like a bite or two will tie you over for the rest of the day.



2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
2 egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 chocolate crumb pie crust, from the grocery store or homemade (homemade recipe in Rookie's Notes at the end)
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
Cocoa powder, for dusting

In a double boiler over simmering water, add chocolate chips. Melt, stirring occasionally. In two parts, add 1 cup heavy cream, stirring well to incorporate. Turn heat down to medium low. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until chocolate is warm and slightly thickened.

Pour into chocolate pie crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. When serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on high. Add powdered sugar gradually. Serve whipped cream on top of the pie. Dust with cocoa powder.

Rookie's Notes: After I made this, I thought of a few variations. Before pouring the chocolate into the crust, line the bottom of the crust with raspberries. Then pour the chocolate on top. Chocolate raspberry truffle pie. OR, add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp peppermint extract AND THEN Chocolate mint truffle pie.

Homemade Chocolate Crumb Pie Crust:
25 chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup pecans
4 Tbsp melted butter

Set oven to 375 degrees. Spray a pie plate with non-stick spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, add chocolate cookies and pecans. Pulse until cookies are crumbs. Add the butter and process until everything is moistened.

Pour the moistened crumbs into the prepared pie plate. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is fragrant and slightly firm. Remove the oven and let cool completely.

Apple Pie

Food porn at it's finest. Just add some vanilla bean ice cream and it's almost sexy. I think this would taste especially good after a big turkey dinner.



For the crust:
12 Tbsp cold butter
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
6-8 Tbsp ice water
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, whisked (for egg wash)

Begin by cutting the butter and shortening into small cubes. Put on a plate and put it in the freezer. Fill a cup with ice water and put that in the freezer along with the butter and shortening.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 8-12 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. Run the machine and add the water. Once all the water is added, turn the machine off and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball.

Take the ball out and form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the filling:
6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp (scant) nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup flour

In a large bowl, combine apples and lemon juice and toss well. Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour. Mix well and set aside.

Set the oven to 400 degrees.

After 30 minutes, roll out half of the crust on a lightly floured surface. Put the other half in the fridge. When rolling, be sure to flour the rolling pin as well. Once the crust is big enough to fit in the pan, fold it in half and gently set it over half of the pan and unfold. Trim edges to right up to the edge of the pan. Brush with egg wash.

Pour in the apple filling and spread evenly. Roll out the other half of crust, gently fold in half, place it over half of the pie and unfold. Trim the dough 1 inch over the edge of the pan and tuck it under the bottom crust. Pinch or use a fork to seal. Brush the entire crust with egg wash, make 5 slits on the top and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 50-70 minutes, or until crust is golden. Allow to cool for an hour and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Chocolate Tart

When I moved, I had INCREDIBLE help from my family. Two of my sisters took two days of work off and came to California to help me pack when I was completely burned out. Then the night that my moving truck arrived in Utah, my sisters, brothers in-law and parents jumped into action. They had my entire truck unpacked in less than an hour, at 11:00 at night. THEN, another sister took the day off of work to help me set up furniture and get unpacked. I have an amazing, supportive family. They are all such good examples to my boys of how you treat family.

In efforts to "repay" all my family, I have asked each of them to tell me something I can make for them. Sweet, savory, chicken or chocolate. Anything, I'll make it. So far I have Mallory's boyfriend Nick repayed in brownies. This dessert is Haley's. She saw it in a magazine and it had to be her's.

To my family, thank you. You all overwhelm me and I hope that someday I can be the support that you are to me.



For the crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter, melted
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted

For the filling:
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt

Set the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until crumbs are moistened. Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom and sides of a greased 9 inch removable-bottom tart pan. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until set, about 12 minutes.

Pour chocolate onto warm crust and spread with spatula. Freeze until chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes.

For the filling:
In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, cream, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pour filling into prepared crust; bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 45-50 minutes. Cool 1 hour at room temperature and refrigerate 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

Rookie's Notes: In the picture, you might notice some specks in the crust. Those are graham crackers. I didn't have enough cookies, so I added some graham crackers as a filler.

Don't buy pumpkin pie spice, just make it.
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

This substitute makes 1 tsp. Make all of it and use the other half to adjust the spices in your filling.

Mississippi Mud Pie

How fun is it to spell Mississippi? Go ahead, say it out loud. See, kind of fun.




25 chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more for garnish
4 Tbsp butter, melted, plus 2 Tbsp, cold, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Set oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, process wafers and pecans until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until moistened. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate; press into bottom and up sides. Bake until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. A few tablespoons at a time, whisk in milk, being sure to incorporate the cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.

Over medium heat, whisking constantly, cook mixture until the first large sputtering bubble forms. Reduce heat to low, continuing to whisk constantly, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla and 2 Tbsp cold butter.

Pour pudding into crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent skin from forming) and chill for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, beat cream, remaining teaspoon sugar and remaining 1/4 tsp vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding and sprinkle with pecans.

Fresh Fruit Tart

This tart has made me into such a prideful jerk. During the whole drive to Ethan's parent's house for Easter festivities, I kept opening the box to look at it. And when Ethan said, "It looks like you bought it at a bakery." I said, "I know."

So if you want something to gloat over, make this.



For the crust:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter, softened and sliced

For the filling:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
Fresh strawberries slices, kiwi slices, raspberries, blackberries

For the glaze:
1 6 oz can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar

Set the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust:
In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

For the filling and topping:
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. Arrange the strawberries around the edge of the crust. For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Add another circle of strawberries and then another circle of kiwis. Cluster the raspberries and blackberries in the center of the tart.

For the glaze:
Combine the limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze.

Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about 15 minutes before serving. Remove outer ring and slice into 8 wedges.

Yields 8 servings.