Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

recipe

Ugly Fruit Tarts For Everyone?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                  (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

Why do the desserts featured on the covers of magazines not turn out the same way when I bake them? I passed up this magazine several times in the store until I finally succumbed and bought it. Last weekend I decided to take the big plunge and bake it for company. In the magazine it’s called a “Rustic Fruit Tart.”

Before baking it's fabulous! Notice my pig whisk. Love it!
Before baking it’s fabulous! Notice my pig whisk. Love it!

First I used frozen berries instead of fresh, since they are out of season. Plus I have enough frozen berries in my freezer to feed Texas. Then I decided to use the fabulous Pillsbury pie crusts to save time. I use them for the pumpkin pies, so this should be fine with thinner crust than homemade dough.

Thawed the frozen blueberries and raspberries overnight in the refrigerator. Then in the morning I got up and took out the fruit, egg and one pie crust to warm to room temperature while I had breakfast. Put the ingredients together, followed the directions and it looked fabulous before baking.

Forty-five minutes later the buzzer dinged on the oven and out it came. Wait a minute. It doesn’t look like the picture! I’ve heard rumors that food stylists use all kinds of tricks to make food look good for photos, from spraying with cooking oil to using automotive products. Mine was virgin pristine and ugly.

Imagine the main culprit was the soggy thawed fruit, even though the berries held up well. And if I’d made the crust from scratch I could have made it thicker to hold the juices. The recipe did warn me there would be spillage.

Beyond spillage. Color kind of burple too.
Beyond spillage. Color kind of burple too.

They also recommended using parchment paper, which I did. Complete disaster. I couldn’t get it off the paper to move it on to the serving plate. So I airlifted the tart, paper and all, then cut the paper into a circle to fit the plate. Next time I’m using the round, flat pizza pan I thought of using in the first place. No parchment paper.

In the end it all didn’t matter. It tasted great and everyone liked it. My ugly tart.

All’s well that tastes well, to paraphrase the Bard.

It just so happens I have some fresh pears to use up now. Ugly tarts ahoy!

This looks too good. Darn professional bakers!
This looks too good. Darn professional bakers!

Sun, Feta And Pasta – Happy Summer!

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by Kimberly A Cook                 (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

With our wacky weather giving us early hot temperatures and then thunderstorms and humidity, the best thing to do is pace ourselves. Or in my case, be lazy. One way I accomplish that is to make salads I love which last for a week. I think calories don’t exist during heat waves, at least according to the ransacking the grocery store ice cream aisle took last Wednesday night.

If I had my way, this would be Feta Greek Salad with pasta, but I am watching my cheese intake. Kinda. Greek Pasta Salad ala Kim!
If I had my way, this would be Feta Cheese Greek Salad with pasta, but I am watching my cheese intake. Kinda. Greek Pasta Salad ala Kim!

Today I’m sharing two fabulous pasta salad recipes. All you have to know how to do is boil water and chop.

Out to dinner with a friend last Thursday night and we explored the joy of making food, knitting and jewelry items that look complicated but are easy. Not lazy, I prefer to call it efficient. These two salads fit the bill, just in time for the long holiday weekend!

The original Shrimp Pasta Salad recipe from a co-worker at the day job is second. I modified her recipe for a Greek Pasta Salad I adore right below. Perfect for hot weather and the coming Fourth of July picnics! Here goes:

Greek Pasta Salad ala Kim

1 package Orzo pasta, 16 oz. – I use Barilla

1 bottle Girard’s Greek Feta vinaigrette

1 Cup chopped celery

1 whole cucumber, chopped

3/4 pint of cherry tomatoes cut in half

6 to 8 ounces of Traditional Feta crumbled cheese

9 Kalamata olives cut in fourths (I found they have ones already halved and pitted, score!)

Bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to boil. (I used a 6-Quart pot, but a larger pot works better so you don’t have to watch it all the time.) Add dash of olive oil to boiling water. Cook pasta for 9 to 10 minutes. Drain in strainer using lukewarm water, not cold. Place in 4-Quart bowl. Pour entire bottle of salad dressing over pasta and stir. Cover and place in fridge overnight or for four hours. Chop everything else and mix well.

Original recipe – Shrimp Pasta Salad

1 package Orzo pasta, 16 oz.

1 bottle Girard’s Champagne dressing, lite

1 Cup Chopped celery

1 Cup Sliced green onion

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise (optional)

1 Tablespoon Mustard

1 tablespoon Dill Pickle Relish (I’m a sweet relish girl myself, do what you want)

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 to 3/4 pound Salad Shrimp

Same as above, marinate pasta overnight, then thrown all the ingredients in. Fabulous! This is so simple and looks great too.

Let’s raise a bowl to summer, cheese and pasta!

Photo Alert: To my photographer friends, tonight is the full Thunder Moon so get out there with your cameras between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. and get some great pictures. If you can see the moon, that is! Have fun!