Cheddar and Green Onion Crostini | Friday Night Bites

I am going back in time this week for Friday Night Bites.One of my college friends use to make this appetizer and I loved it each time she would make it.  It is not healthy but tasty.  It is simple not difficult.  It is perfect to enjoy in front of a fire on a chilly evening. The last few evenings in the Bay Area have dipped into the 40 degree range which is quite chilly for us.  I can only imagine other parts of the country hit even lower temps than we do.

We used our gas fireplace recently which works well to heat up the family room where we spend the majority of our time.  Hubby loves these cheddar and onion Crostini and quite frankly can’t stop eating them.  Although I am not a true fan of mayonnaise on a typical basis, sometimes a recipe just can’t be made without it.  This is one such recipe.

Your favorite Cabernet or Chardonnay would be perfect with this appetizer.  Even a chilled beer would pair perfectly. Since it is Halloween, this would be perfect to nibble on in between those little ghosts and gobblins. Happy Halloween! Enjoy!

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Cheddar and Green Onion Crostini

Makes 18

1 Cup Slice Green Onions (White & Green)

2 Cups (3 oz) Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Cup Slice Black Olives (Drained well)

Sourdough Baguette (18 half inch slices)

In a large bowl add the green onions, cheddar cheese, parmesan, mayonnaise, garlic powder and olives.  Mix well until combined and binds together.  Slice 18 half inch thick slices of a sourdough baguette.

Top each slice with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese and onion mixture and spread until it completely covers the slice of baguette.  Place onto a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove and enjoy.

Bacon Parmesan Chickpeas | Friday Night Bites

Do you crave crunchy salty snacks?  If the answer is yes, then I have the perfect treat for you.  I know that salt is not that good for you but on the other hand we do need some in our daily diets.  Give me a bag of Lays potato chips versus a chocolate chip cookie any day – the crunch, salt and starch completely make me happy.  With that unhealthy craving, I thought I would make my snack a bit on the healthy side by using chickpeas. This little treat has been in my head for while, just needed to execute.

Okay the next ingredient is not healthy one iota BUT it is completely tasty and an all American favorite food – BACON!  Please don’t be mad at me, but instead of vegetable oil, I used the bacon drippings as my fat to cook the chickpeas.  Perhaps I balanced the bad and good?  I know, I am probably not fooling anyone, but these kinds of snacks are the type to enjoy in moderation.

After opening the can of chickpeas (a.k.a. – garbanzo beans) and rinsing, I realized that there was a “skin” on each one that needed to be removed.  This task took much longer than anticipated.  I soon surmised that if you rinse, lie on a paper towel and pat dry, then air dry, the skins are easily removed.  You simply take another paper towel and ever so gently rub and the skins will come off.  Then you are ready to rock and roll onto cooking these little treats.

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A can of chickpeas is consistently in my pantry for soups, salads and now these snacks to make at a moments notice.  They are at their peak when they are still warm and fresh out of the oven in my opinion.  They would be perfect with your favorite cold beer in a chilled glass. Warning – they are addictive. Smile. By the way, if you loved watching 24 back in the day, then you will love the new show on NBC called – “The Blacklist”.  Hubby and I are completely addicted!

Bacon Parmesan Chickpeas

1 (15 ounce) can Garbanzo Beans

2 Slices of Apple wood smoked bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled

1 Tablespoon of Bacon Drippings

Hickory Smoked Salt

Parmesan Cheese

Rinse, drain and pat dry the garbanzo beans.  Remove outer skins.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, add the garbanzo beans and bacon drippings and toss.  Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and season with the hickory smoked salt and sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese and toss.  Add the crumbled bacon and spoon everything into a bowl to enjoy.

Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam | Secret Recipe Club

Time seems to be spinning faster and faster.  Do you feel that way too?  It is hard to believe we are entrenched in the fall season with the leaves changing to those beautiful autumnal shades of brown, orange and yellow.  Living in Northern California, we experience the changing of the seasons however it is subtle as opposed to other regions around America.  I am still sporting my flip flops on the weekends and perfect painted toes, but this shall become a distant memory in the next month or so.  We are currently enjoying what we deem – Indian summer.  It is a time where we have mildly warm weather, shorter daytime light and little to no rain.  It is an exquisite time of year in Northern California.

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Speaking of time whizzing by, it is that time of the month for the Secret Recipe Club big reveal.  If you are not familiar with the Secret Recipe Club, let me give you the readers digest version.  Essentially there are 200 food bloggers who belong to this online cooking club and we are paired with another bloggers to peruse through their blog for a few weeks and then select a recipe that we create and have the option to add our own spin. 

This month I was paired with Debbi from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy.  Debbi is also the “Hostess with the Mostess” for Group C of Secret Recipe Club.  Debbi is a Day Care Provider who lives in Minneapolis.  She made a conscious decision to cook differently for her family by making healthy, low calorie meals without loosing any flavor in the process. In addition, she has a keen eye for stretching her dollar while producing fantastic meals. 

After reviewing her blog for a couple weeks and drooling over so many delicious recipes, I selected her Monte Cristo Sandwich for a few reasons.  First, it has been on my food blog bucket list and second, they are just plain DELICIOUS!  If you are a regular to my blog, you know that I adore appetizers.  With that spirit in mind, I decided to kick up the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich by making mini bite sized sandwiches along with an enhanced raspberry jam.  The result was nothing short of supreme!  Although not a healthy and low calorie version, they were quite tasty and a true treat.  Thank you Debbi for the inspiration and I hope you like my kicked up version!

Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam

Make 24 Bites

Batter

1 Egg

2 Cups Water

1 ¾ Cups Flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

In a large bowl, add the egg, water and vanilla and whisk until combined.  Add the salt, baking powder and flour and whisk until smooth.  Set aside until ready to prepare sandwiches.

Sandwiches

8 Slices White Bread

6 Deli Sliced Jarlsburg

4 Large Slices of Deli Turkey

4 Large Slices of Black Forest Ham

Take two slices of bread and lay on top of a board.  Add a slice of turkey to one side and black forest ham to the other side.  Add 1 ½ slices of the jarlsburg to the top of the ham.  Lay the turkey side on top of the cheese.  Press lightly together.  Trim the edges with a sharp knife.  Proceed to cut the bread into 6 cubes. 

Tip:  Use white bread that is a couple days old so it is firmer.  I like potato sandwich bread.

Topping

2/3 Cup Raspberry Jam

2 teaspoons of Bourbon

Powdered Sugar

To assemble:

Heat a quart of canola oil in a cast iron skillet to 360 degrees.  Use a thermometer to check temperature and reduce heat if getting too hot or the sandwiches will burn. 

Dip each cube into the batter and shake off the excess.  Gently lay into the hot oil and flip on each side until golden brown.  Cook in batches of 6.  Lay cooked sandwiches on a cookie sheet and keep hot in a 350 degree oven until all batches are complete.  Lay on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with the raspberry bourbon jam.

Pear and Honey Crostini with Spicy Candied Pistachios | Friday Night Bites

The weekend is almost here.  That means one thing – it is time for Friday Night Bites.  It has been super busy at work lately, which is a good thing.  I savor my Friday nights and weekends even more, since it is my time to relax along with planning our social activities.  For me, I absolutely love having activities to look forward to – whether it is going out to dinner, entertaining at home, heading to a friends house for dinner or going away for the weekend.  We happen to have many social activities planned now through the end of the year which makes me very happy.

I am beginning to plan for a few holiday parties that I am hosting at our house and this weeks Friday Night Bites is high on the list of making an appearance.  It was simple, in season and extremely flavorful along with being visually stunning.  Hubby agreed by devouring the plate when I set it in front of him.  This is a winner he exclaimed.  I love having an “in-house” taste tester.  How great it that?

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I am extremely excited to share this Crostini with all of you.  It is really easy and your friends and family will love it.  It is a rather lose recipe, meaning you don’t need exact measurements except for the spicy pistachios.  I am providing guidelines that will have you making these over and over again.  As far as wine, a great sparkling wine or Champagnewould be perfect and so elegant.  You might even want to serve your favorite port with these since the blue cheese is a natural pairing for port.  Cheers!

Pear and Honey Crostini with Spicy Candied Pistachios

Makes 12

Baguette, 12 slices about ½ inch thick

Ricotta cheese, 2 teaspoons per Crostini

1 Pear, quartered, seeds removed and sliced thin

Honey

Blue Cheese

Spicy Candied Pistachios (recipe below)

Lay the sliced baguette onto a cookie sheet.  Toast both sides under the broiler until lightly golden brown.  Remove and let cool.

Top each Crostini with the ricotta and drizzle with a bit of honey.  Next lay the sliced pear on top and place about a teaspoon of crumbled Blue Cheese and adorn with a few spicy candied pistachios and finish with a second drizzle of honey.  Serve and enjoy.

Tip:  You can put a couple cups of cold water in a bowl with a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon juice then place the slices of pear in the water.  This will prevent browning.  Right before assembling, pat dry with a paper towel before placing onto the Crostini.

Spicy Candied Pistachios

1/3 Cup Pistachios, shells removed

1 Tablespoon of Butter

1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

½ teaspoon of Smoked Paprika

1 dash of ground red pepper

Salt

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter.  Add the brown sugar, paprika and ground red pepper and stir together.  Next add the pistachios and stir until they are coated well.  Let cook for a couple minute until the mixture begins to become sticky like the consistency of syrup.  Remove and add to a plate to cool.  Sprinkle with a touch of salt. Break apart if needed after it is cooled.  (Note:  there may be extras to nibble on.)

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Where does the time go?  I am not quite sure.  I do know that Halloween is just about two weeks away.  The houses in our neighborhood have begun having the spooky spirit appear in their front yards.  Rather fun to drive around at night and see the scary displays and take in the festive holiday spirit.

Since the Halloween bug has caught up with me, I thought I would whip up some festive cookies and share them at work with my colleagues along with some for my darling hubby.  While pursuing through Pinterest a few weeks ago, I came across this recipe and it was titled “The Best Cookie Known to Man”.  Okay you captured my attention, especially since a great sugar cookie in my opinion is hard to come by.  I prefer the crunchy but soft and full of flavor varietals.  These certainly peaked my interest. Let me just say, they exceeded my expectations.

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Okay, after reviewing the recipe twice, I kept looking for it to say – add vanilla.  No such instruction appeared.  This is when I knew I needed to alter the recipe.  I took out one tablespoon of water and substituted with vanilla.  Also, I did not have cream of tarter and decided to omit.  Realized it was not needed - perhaps I will try at another date by adding the cream of tarter, but will always add the vanilla. Small changes, but the end result was simply MAGNIFICENT.  No I mean BRILLIANT.  These cookies are a life changing sugar cookie – trust me.

I skipped the frosting recipe that it suggested and went for the traditional Royal Icing from Wiltonbut split the recipe in half.  My neighbor had given me edible markers to write on cookies or frosting and knew this would be the perfect instrument to create these adorable Halloween cookies.  You can simply change the color of the icing or the designs to make these cookies for any holiday occasion. Let your creative juices begin flowing.

Swig Sugar Cookies

Makes 44 cookies

1 Cup Butter (room temperature)

¾ Cup Vegetable Oil

1 ¼ Cup Sugar

¾ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 T. Water

2 Eggs

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

1 T. Vanilla Extract

5 ½ Cup All purpose Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use a stand mixer. Cream together the butter, sugar and eggs until smooth and fluffy.  Next add the water, vanilla and eggs and beat until combined.  Slowly add the vegetable oil and beat on low until combined.  Add the salt and baking soda and mix; then slowly add the powdered sugar until combined.  Add a cup of flour at a time and incorporate then add the next cup until all incorporated.

Use a small ice cream scoop to form golf ball size cookies.  Lay 9 onto a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Next place an additional 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a bowl.  Use a small glass with a flat bottom.  Dip glass into the sugar and press down on the cookie dough until the sides spill out.  Repeat by dipping the glass into the sugar and pressing the cookies.

Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove with a spatula and let cool on a wire rack until cookies are completely cooled.  Pipe the royal icing into the center of each cookie.  Let cool for several hours or until icing is hard.  Use edible colored pens to decorate each one.  Store in an airtight container for several days.

Royal Icing

2 Cups Confectioners Sugar

3 Tablespoon warm water

1 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon Meringue Powder

Beat all ingredients in a stand mixer until icing forms peaks.  For thinner icing, which I used, add 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the proper consistency.  Add to a piping bag to provide great control.

Cheddar & Sun Dried Tomato Crackers | Friday Night Bites

Yesterday was Hubby’s birthday.  He is a little kid who is trapped in an adult’s body.  The art of stretching out the celebration for an entire week is his preferred method of celebration.  I love him dearly, so let the celebrations begin.  Oh and by the way, did you know that October 9^th is the official start of the holiday season?  Hubby deemed it so.  Smile.

With the week long celebrations, even his colleagues at work got into to the spirit.  Power point presentations had birthday wishes baked in.  His beloved vice of apple fritters made quite a few appearances throughout the week long festivities at his workplace.  Yesterday especially had many folks showering him with sweet treats, cards and other special goodies.

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For me, little small gifts made their way to his hands throughout the week.  My goal was to make it a special week for my hubby.  Since yesterday was the actual birthday, I started the day with some pumpkin donut holes and a gift card to starbucks to start the morning right.  I guess by now, you are detecting that my husband has a sweet tooth, especially for the fried dough variety.  Since it was a school night, we were rather low key and I made his favorite dinner.  He adores my Turkey Loaf with Mango Ginger Chutney and Garlic & Crème Fraiche Whipped Potatoes.  I had a few more surprise gifts that he enjoyed opening and then we had a delicious small cake from Whole Foods - all in all a great birthday celebration.

Of course I had to start the festivities last night with a great appetizer.  I absolutely love making homemade crackers and was inspired by my friend Jean to make a version of her cheddar and fennel crackers.  Her recipe is absolutely perfect and makes a light and flaky cracker that is simply savory goodness.  I decided to substitute the fennel for sun dried tomatoes and double the recipe.  In addition, a light sprinkle of hickory smoked salt tossed on top for an added burst of flavor.  I served it with a new treasure that I found at Trader Joe’s called Red Leicester that has chili and red bell pepper infused throughout. It has a radiant orange hue along with being extremely creamy with a unique blend of flavors that have you wanting that second or third slice right away.  The combination with the cracker was magical but both alone are simply a treat for your taste buds.

Cheddar & Sun Dried Tomato Crackers

Make 40 crackers

1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter, cut into cubes

6 ounces Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, grated

7 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 ½ Cup Flour

½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Hickory Smoked Salt (Williams Sonoma)

Using a food processor, add the flour, garlic powder and grated cheese and pulse until combined.  Next add the sun dried tomatoes and pulse.  Last, add the cubes of chilled butter and pulse until combined.  Mixture should begin to bind together.  Remove and finish by forming two balls on a lightly floured board.

Form each ball into a square log that is approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches on each side.  Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice each cracker to 3/8 inch thick and place on cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle each cracker with a bit of the hickory smoked salt.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove and let cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container for a few days.

Asian Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Let me just exclaim to the world – I love a great salad.  Boy that felt good.  With so many choices and variations of salad, it is sometimes a bit overwhelming to choose. Today is your lucky day.  The amazing folks at Dole Salads have now made our busy lives just a touch easier with the introduction of their Chopped Salad Kits and Salad Blends. These salad kits come with a theme and you simply add your favorite ingredients to make your own unique customized salad. The possibilities are boundless and only limited by your imagination and creativity.  I can only imagine the amount of creativity out there. Smile.

Back in May I was honored with an invitation to attend Dole’sSalad Summit and quickly learned how Dole differentiates itself from other brands in the market place.  After reflecting on the summit, the way Dole distinguishes itself from their competitors was quite clear.  First, they partner with local farmers around the county to bring the freshest produce to their production facilities so you have the best of the best that the market can offer.  In fact, within fours hours of picking lettuce, it is in the sealed salad bag. Second, they have produced an innovative package and process that keeps the salad fresher longer without adding harmful preservatives.  Lastly, each employee of Dole has such a high regard for quality along with ensuring they are consistently exceeding their consumers expectations along with building brand loyalty.

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When I received a note in my inbox from the folks at Dole asking me if I would like to try their New Chopped Salad Kits and Salad Blends, there was no hesitation on my part.  A few days later, a large box arrived at my office with 15 bags of salad.  You heard me right, 15 bags.  The expiration date was a good week and half away, but I also knew I could not possible devour that many bags of salad.  I wanted to get as many “taste testers” as possible and spread the word in such a way that others could experience the suburb quality of these salads.  Beyond, Hubby and I, there were a few others who would report back on their taste experiences.

The taste testers were excited to share their feedback and not surprising, glowing remarks.  Hubby loved the crunch and his favorite was the Chopped Bacon & Blue Salad Kit.  I added some grilled chicken to the top and instantly had a low carb dinner after a busy day at work.  One of my managers absolutely adored theChipotle & Cheddar Salad Kit.  She shared that she was amazed how it stayed fresh in the bag and she served it at a dinner party for her friends. All of the dinner guests raved with a resounding – delish. Another person in the office had the Chopped BBQ Ranch Salad Kit and could not believe how tasty the dressing was and that crunch factor.  Are you seeing a theme?  If you like crunchy, this is the salad for you.

Our very first salad was the Summer Garden Blend which I added a homemade Blue Cheese Dressing along with some grilled chicken and a few sprinkles of crumbled blue cheese on top.  It was incredibly delicious. One of our dear friends was over for dinner that evening and simply loved it.  The last flavor was the Asian Blend.  I wanted to kick this one up quite a bit and feature in this post for all of you.  It did not come with dressing or accoutrements, so this was the perfect canvass to create a masterpiece.

One of my all time favorite salads is the classic Chinese Chicken Salad.  There are a number of variations on this classic and I am excited to share my spin with all of you.  I utilized the wonderful Chinese Five Spiceas the ingredient to elevate the chicken and crunchy wontons to adorn the top of the salad.  The wontons have a Chinese Five Spice Salt that I made and seasoned them right out of the hot oil after frying.  The dressing is a spicy peanut dressing that I created and simply rounds out the Asian flavors along with making one heck of a tasty salad.  A BIG THANK YOU to the folks at Dole for sending me these divine salad kits! 

Asian Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Serves 2 large or 4 small sized portions

Salad

1 (12 oz) Bag Dole Asian Blend Salad Mix

½ Cup Asian Pea Pods, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal

4 Scallion, sliced thin

¼ Cup Cilantro, tightly packed then rough chopped

½ Large Red Bell Pepper, julienne cut

6 Radishes, trimmed and sliced thin

Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts cut in half lengthwise

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice

2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar

In a medium bowl, add oil, vinegar and Chinese Five Spice and stir.  Place chicken breast in bowl and completely coat with the marinade.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes.  Grill outdoors or indoors until fully cooked.  Let rest for 5 minutes to have the juices absorb back into the chicken.  Slice into thin slices.

Crispy Chinese Five Spice Wontons

12 to 14 Wonton Skins

1 Tablespoon Salt

1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice

Vegetable Oil

Add about a cup of vegetable oil to a medium frying pan.  Heat on medium or until it reaches about 330 degrees.  Slice the wontons into ½ inch strips.  Add the Chinese five spice and salt to a small bowl and stir.   Cook the wontons in small batches.  I would recommend testing the oil by frying a wonton strip.  Adjust the temperature up or down to prevent burning.  Remove the cooked wontons and add to a large plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil.  Sprinkle the wontons with the seasoned salt while hot.  Repeat until all wontons are cooked.

Spicy Peanut Dressing

½ Cup Peanut Butter, Creamy Style

1 Tablespoon Honey

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoon Sriracha

2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings to your palate.  Keep refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.

Assembly

Use a large bowl and add all of the salad ingredients then add dressing.  Start with about ½ cup and add to your desired taste.  Transfer to a large bowl or individual bowls.  Top with chicken and garish with the crispy wontons.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Onion Canapés | Friday Night Bites

What’s old is new again.  The classics have timeless appeal.  They are forever favorites, often simple in preparation but loaded with flavor. When I was a kid, my mom would make these parmesan onion toasts that I could never get enough of.  Although I was never a huge fan of mayonnaise, I did not seem to mind it in these little appetizers.  She would make the parmesan onion mixture and slather on a those little rye breads and bake in the oven until bubbly. Other times it would be on white bread, but always bubbly.  They were one of those treats that came around every once in a while and when they did, good time were had by all.

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My Aunt Mary would often make these too.  She called them her little supremes.  Supreme was one of her favorite words.  A year ago I took my Aunt to lunch to catch up and she had just turned 94.  When we got into the car, she exclaimed that she just got her drivers license renewed and was quite proud.  I was the driver for the day, although I am sure we would have gotten to the restaurant just fine.

Aunt Mary had given me her handicap placard to use for us to park close.  I was a bit trepidatious to use since I wasn’t the person needing it, but I knew it would highly benefit her.  However, when we pulled up, there were 5 handicap parking spots that were all taken.  Thus I said, I will drop you here and park really quick then come get you.  Once I parked and got to her, a very nice gentleman a bit younger than me was escorting her to the door. I thanked him and we proceed to get seated at our table. Once we sat down, got our drinks and pursued the menu, my Aunt said to me – “I’ve still got it”.  I smiled.

I have been thinking about these little treats for sometime and thought they would be a perfect Friday Night Bite.  A bit of nostalgia on a plate and a glass of cabernet in my hand – here’s a toast to my Mom and Aunt!

Parmesan Onion Canapés

¾ Cup Onion, finely minced

1 Tablespoon Sour Cream

2 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Smoked Paprika

5 to 6 Sliced Firm White Bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl add the onion, sour cream, mayonnaise and parmesan cheese and mix well.  Use a 1 ½ inch round cookie cutter and cut 24 rounds from the bread.  Lay on a cookie sheet.  Top each one with a teaspoon of the onion mixture and sprinkle with a touch of the smoked paprika on top of each.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let cool for a minute before enjoying.

Fig Tarts with Honey Pistachio Brittle

It is a sad time.  Knowing that the fig season is winding down, it brings a figurative tear to my eye. If you have been a long time reader, you know that I am just a bit obsessed with figs, especially with  the fresh varietals.  As promised from a prior post, I am sharing a supreme fig dessert with all of you.

I stumbled upon a treasure at my local farmers market in the last month.  Ever since finding this fortune, I have been back week after week.  It was with one of the smaller vendors, but they grew the most amazing figs on earth.  After chatting with the producer, she let me know that they created their own fig varietal called “Hatfield”.  She went on to say, like the Hatfield’s and McCoy's, but that there was no fighting going on in her farm.  She does have a keen sense of humor. 

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As you can observe from the brilliance of the color of these marvelous figs, it has bright vivid pink magenta hues.  The color is breathtaking in my opinion BUT the taste is even more amazing.  It has a true fig flavor that simply sings an aria in your mouth.  It is the opera of figs.  Okay, I know I am a bit thrilled with these beauties, but I know they will not be around long.  I will have to see if they are still available this coming weekend when I frequent the farmers market. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

We live on private court with only seven houses. Being a private court has its positives and negatives.  We are responsible as a group to maintain the street, which is quite narrow and limits parking.  There are sections that are painted red to prevent parking that would hamper the proper ingress and egress into the court. Over the years, the red paint had faded to a light rose hue and almost unrecognizable.  Luckily for us, Frank, one of our neighbors who we respectfully call the “Mayor of the Court” took it upon himself to re-paint the street to give it a fresh face lift and restore to its original glory.

I said to my hubby that I thought it would be a great show of gratitude for Frank’s efforts to bake something and bring it over to thank him.  Thus I came up with these lovely tarts.  The look on Frank’s face was priceless when I gave him a few of these little desserts to enjoy.  The next day, I saw him outside and he said what else can I do around the court to receive fresh baked goods?  I smiled.

Fig Tarts with Honey Pistachio Brittle

Pate Sucree

Make 8 (4 inch) tarts

1 ¼ Cup Flour

1 ½ Tablespoon Sugar

½ Cup Butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 large Egg Yolk

1/8 Cup Ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and sugar.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.  In a small bowl mix the egg yolk and water together.  Stream through the feed tube and pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky.  To test, squeeze a small amount together – if crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Chill at least one hour in refrigerator.

Using small tart pans, cut circle of the dough that are one inch wider than the small 4 inch tart pans.  Poke small indents using a tine of a fork into each tart pan.  Add pie weights to each one and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees until light golden brown and dough is cooked.  Remove and let cool.

Honey Pistachio Brittle

2/3 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Corn Syrup

¼ Cup Water

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 ½ Tablespoon Butter

1 Cup Dry Roasted Pistachios

¾ teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon Salt

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium, heavy sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring until combined and bring to a boil.  Cook without stirring until temperature reaches 335 degrees using a candy thermometer or until syrup is a dark golden brown.  Remove from heat, stir in pistachios, baking soda and vanilla.  The mixture will bubble.  Work quickly to pour mixture onto a silpat that is on a cookie sheet.  Spread mixture to about ½ thickness and let cool.  Break brittle into pieces.

Honey Whip Cream

1 Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tablespoon Honey

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Add all of the ingredients to a stand mixer and beat until thickened.

Tart Assembly:

8 Fresh Figs – cut into 8 slices (remove stem)

To assemble each tart add the honey whip cream to each tart, then arrange the figs into a circle on each tart on top of the whipped cream.  (8 slices per tart/one fig)  Sprinkle small pieces of the Honey Pistachio Brittle in the middle of each tart. 

Note:  I would recommend storing the brittle in an airtight container or plastic bag and sprinkling on top of each tart just before serving to preserve the crunch factor.  The brittle recipe makes plenty extra for enjoying beyond with the tarts.