Little Tart........

 Little Round Tarts.....

So Cute ....And so Yummy!!!!!
It's a little round version of a pop tart....but from scratch. And, like, a million times yummier!!!

We made 3 flavors.
Blackberry, Peach and Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

The cinnamon is my favorite!!!
The kids prefer the peach.
Dad likes the Blackberry

Nutella would be awesome......but we were out. Sad but true.


I started with my favorite pastry recipe. It is the one that came with my food processor.
It is the flakiest crust ever.
If you don't want to make your own. The pillsbury role out crusts are pretty fantastic. Always flakey ...zero hassle.

Pastry Recipe from Cuisenart

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in ½-inch pieces, well chilled
2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco), cut in ½-inch pieces, well chilled
5 to 8 tablespoons ice water

How to do  the pastry.....

Insert the metal blade. Process the flour, salt and baking powder to sift, 10 seconds. Add the well chilled butter and shortening. Use short rapid pulses until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal and no pieces of butter larger than a “pea” remain visible, 15 to 20 pulses. Sprinkle half the maximum ice water on the flour and butter mixture, then pulse 5 or 6 times. The dough will be crumbly, but should begin to hold together when a small amount is picked up and pressed together. Sprinkle on more water, a teaspoon (two for the two-crust recipe) at a time, with 2 to 3 quick pulses after each addition, adding just enough water for the dough to hold together easily when pressed into a ball. Add the liquid sparingly so that the dough is not sticky. Do not over process or the pastry will be tough, not tender and flaky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press together into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 6 –inches in diameter (two disks for the two-crust recipe). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before continuing to allow the glutens in the flour to rest. The dough will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or may be frozen (double wrapped) for up to a month, thaw at room temperature for an hour before using. 

Now for the tarts.

You will need some fillings. I used spreadable fruit. If you use jam... I would add a  tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water....Stir into a 1/2 cup jam.I also made a paste of brown sugar cinnamon and softened butter like for cinnamon rolls. A 1/2 cup of filling does 10 to 12 tarts.

1 egg whipped smooth. And a pastry brush.

Some icing. And sprinkles if you like......

How to assemble the tarts

Roll the chilled disk out into a big circle (or take out of box and unroll if using store bought). It needs rolled out to be about an 1/8th inch thick. I always roll my crusts out on a floured dish towel. It is how my Granny did it. It always worked well for her...... She made amazing pie.

Using a 3 inch round cutter ( If you don't have one, you could use a clean soup/veggie can with the top and bottom removed). 
Cut out your little crusts. 

Put your little circle on a baking sheet and brush with a egg wash. Put a spoonful of filling in the middle. Then top with another circle. Press edges together and seal with the prongs of a fork. Poke a few holes in the little tart to let steam escape 
(Heart shape is nice)....

   Bake until golden and flaky.......

  Remove from the pan and let cool on a rack......

The are perfectly good to eat just like this !!!!!

But if you want to get fancy.....

  These are the peach .......

   Very Pink Blackberry.....

 Cinnamon Brown Sugar..........

We made about 30.

After school snack rocked today!

Happy Baking .... XO!!

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This lil' doggy reminded me of......

I saw this pin on Pinterest, and just about died. 

How cute is he????

It reminded me of a post from a while back where I made the Hot Dog Wraps from my youth....

So, I decided to share again. 

I would love to make these little doggy dogs.

You can too using my recipe below . 

Or go to this link on 

Rhodes Bread ...There is even a video!!!! 

Super Duper!!

Original Post:

A Trip in the Way Back Machine......


Do you ever do something and it brings up a rush of childhood memories?

Well, I did that today. It was fantastic.
 I was looking around the kitchen trying to figure out what to feed the troops.... I did not want to make that dreaded trip to the store. I hate the store.  I saw hot dogs.... 
And just like that ....I thought of the wiener wraps they served in my grade school cafeteria.
 It was a strange wave of memory and emotion. 
At the time we complained, as little kids do, about they horrible lunch room and the evil lunch ladies who made us finish our veggies and they wore those fishnet 
covers on their heads. 
We really didn't know what we had....But now.....I wish my kids could eat fresh prepared,
well balanced, healthy and tasty meals made from scratch like we were blessed with.

The photo below is where I went to elementary school. I guess this is what it looks like now. When I was there it was painted in a 50's style sage color. I attended John Gumm Elementary School waaaaaay back in the 70's. 
I had such a great time there.......

Anyway, I decided to make some of those 
wiener wraps of my youth. 

They were pretty great.  Just like I remembered. I told the kids a dozen stories from the way back machine.  
While I was making dough.
It is nice to reminisce......
 I fed them something other than a sandwich 
or one of the other 
boring lunches we have around here.

And, I made a little dessert. 
All in less than 2 hours. 
 I got some Super Mom creds today!!!

Don't you wanna try 'em???

For the dough I used this tried and true bread dough recipe. I have made it a hundred times. Very easy for first timers.
 The only thing I changed was that ........
I used rapid rise yeast for speed.

Amish White Bread 

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.( 30 minutes for rapid rise yeast)
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

This is how we turn Amish Bread into lunch time fun!!

    After step two in the recipe. Roll out the dough into a huge rectangle. 1/2 inch thick.

 Mine was super huge, because in this house one must double all recipes.

Cut into squares about the length of the dog you are using. And how many dogs you wanna make.

 I used the doggies that were in the fridge. But you can use turkey dogs. Ham rolled with a little cheese inside would be awesome too. Dontcha think.

 Lay doggy on square.

Roll stretching a little as you go. you want to totally cover the doggy.

 Pinch dough together at seam.

      
 Pinch ends and tuck under.

  Lay them all on a baking sheet sprayed with no-stick spray.
 ( for the little guys I cut doggies in half and rolled.You can see some little ones on the end). Let rise for about 20 min. Longer if you use regular yeast.

Pop them in a 375 degree oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cut and serve. 

If they are a little doughy on the bottom just flip each one over and pop back in the oven for 5 min.

Just like back in the "Lunch Lady Land "!!!

I had some dough left over sooooooooo,

I mixed 1/4 cup softened butter with 1 cup of brown sugar and a 1 tsp. of cinnamon . I spread it on the leftover dough and rolled it up.

 Cut in 1 inch sections

 Laid them on a prepared sheet.

 And baked with the doggies.

This is what I got. I am off to make some icing.

Delish!!!

Kids are happy....Momma happy

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London's Calling........

We are having a GIVEAWAY !!! Please join in the fun :)  

(click on the word giveaway)

London has been calling around here lately. Big time!!!!

We love the Olympics!

I am hopelessly smitten with Downton Abbey.
I have watched both season's now.... So, I am in heavy withdrawals. Anxiously anticipating it's return to PBS in January.

I have "Union Jack" pillows and "Carry On" quilt dreams circling in my head.

(found on Flickr)

(From Fat Quarterly)

Oh!.....I cannot get the song "London Calling " by the Clash out of my head. If you would like it in your head ....or ear. CLICK HERE

I even woke up this morning craving scones..... Now, if that's not the literal definition of London Calling, I ask you, What is ?

What to do? {sigh}

Well, I guess I will bake my favorite Blueberry Scones And serve them with Sweet Lemon Butter.
Sound Good??

Look Good ??

Then Bake with me!!!

This post has a lot of pics. I must have been in a pic taking mood:)

Recipe for My Scones......

Ingredients

• 2 cups  flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 or so cups of blueberries
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup half and half , plus more for brushing the tops
• 2 big eggs
• Some sugar crystals for sprinkling ( or just sugar)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.


(If it looks like I have more ingredients , It's because I have to double for the large family...)

Measure your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Give it a good stir.

Cut your very cold butter in pieces like so...

Grab a pastry cutter. ( Yes, that is what that funny looking thing is for ). You can also use a big fork. My Granny did. Or, two knives. Never tried that. But, I hear it works.

Cut your butter into your dry mix until it resembles wet sand and tiny lumps. Can you see it ?

Fold in your blueberries. Be very carful not to smash them.

Whip your eggs and half & half together. Make a well in your dry mix. Pour liquid into dry.

Carefully and gently fold until it all comes together. No more. The less you handle the dough ......
the fluffier the scone. And the trick here is ... don't break the berries.

Dump your mixture onto a floured surface and collect into a nice ball.

  Gently pat our into a square about an inch and a half thick.

  Flour a knife or scrapper .

  Cut into triangles. I am pretty haphazard at this part. I just    go for it. I like random.

Put your cute lil' triangles on a buttered baking sheet.

Brush tops with half and half.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Pop your pretty babies into your heated oven.

In about 30 minutes ..... you have these beauties!!!! 
I opened the oven and could here blueberries popping. Mmmmmmmmm. 

Now to serve them. 
Some people like to put a lemon glaze on them. Which works well if you are going to serve them later or take them to a party. 

But here ....We serve them up hot. With Sweet Lemon Butter. Oh Man!! Heaven. 

                             Sweet Lemon Butter

Ingredients

1 stick softened butter
1 lemon ( to zest and juice)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

   
 Gather your ingredients. And a juicer, zester, bowl and mixer.

Zest about half the skin of the lemon.

Juice the entire lemon.

Add powdered sugar,zest and strained juice to a bowl.

Then your softened butter.

Whip until it is light and very fluffy.

Put in a pretty dish with a proper serving knife.

Grab hot scone.

Spread on lemon butter. Watch melt..... eat and smile.


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