Sometimes I just have to laugh!

I had to try it again...this time with fresh cherries!

I was just outside cutting some vines that have gotten out of control and were growing in, around and through my neighbors fence and let me tell you, it is sooooo hot out there!!! I came in and checked the temp and it was 10:00 and already 84 degrees. We are suppose to get to a high of 92. I was speaking to my Mom yesterday and she said that they are suppose to have there first summer blast of heat. Tomorrow it is suppose to be a high for them of 87???!!! I guess what goes around comes around though. I bet they laugh their butts off in the winter when I complain about 60 being freezing!!!

Anyway, yesterday was sort of a fun day for us. The girls were done school at 1:30 so it was almost like having a whole day off! We got home and I really wasn't too sure what to do with myself. Until my oldest daughter came and asked me if she could bake some cookies for me. Of course I said YES!!! Someone baking for me is a real treat! She didn't want to make chocolate chip cookies and not anything that I had made before and posted on my blog. We went through a bunch of recipes that I had and found one that she wanted to do. Next time I will definitely steer her towards a recipe that will provide instant gratification. Having to wait for the 2 hours of chill time almost killed her but these were well worth the wait! She was pretty proud of herself as well!


Self Frosting Oatmeal Cookies from Allrecipes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and vegetable oil until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture, then mix in the rolled oats. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
3. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls, roll the balls in the confectioners sugar to coat, and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

I guess you noticed too that I made another tart. I am a bit of a perfectionist and when I bake or make something that I am not 100% happy with I will try it til I get it right. Lucky for everyone in the family I think I have it fixed to my liking now. T. still will not eat chili. I think I must have made 10 batches in 2 weeks...

This recipe was taken from Nikki at Canarygirl.com The very same one from my last post. This time I decided to fill it with fresh cherries. The link above will take you to the original recipe. The one below is with my changes to it. My first one did not set as well as I would have liked it to so I added an extra bit of flour. I also wanted it more lemon so I added lemon zest to the sugar. This one turned out absolutely perfect and I think that the combinations of fruit are pretty much endless! Have fun with it!

Lemon and Cherry Tart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
6 ounces (150 grams) butter (1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter)
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
zest of one lemon
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup of pitted, halved cherries

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 300ºF/150ºC.
Add flour, powdered sugar and butter to your food processor and pulse until it comes together in a dough.
Press the dough into a tart pan, using your hands and fingers to spread the dough evenly.
Parbake the dough about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
Raise oven temperature to 350ºF/175ºC.
While cooling, combine the filling ingredients.
Combine the sugar and the zest. Using your fingers squeeze the zest into the sugar and let sit until needed.
Beat eggs first, then add remaining ingredients, except cherries, whisking well to combine.
Pour filling into tart shell, and then arrange cherries in filling.
Bake about 25 minutes, or until set.
Garnish with powdered sugar if desired.

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com