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December 2013

Apple Tart with Honey-Cayenne Roasted Squash Seeds

I seriously love this apple dessert recipe because I get to nom honey-cayenne roasted squash seeds while waiting for the tart to bake. The combo of sweet honey and tart apple blends with the heat of cayenne gloriously, especially right out of the oven with a scoop of high quality vanilla ice cream melting on top.
The tart crust is foolproof. I experiment a lot in the kitchen and with that activity comes So. Many. Failures. But this crust has never let me down. A note about the squash seeds: they’re dangerous. Best make a double batch.

Foolproof Tart Crust

Ingredients

Tart Crust

  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 cup cold butter (cubed)
  • 1 pinch salt

Directions

Tart Crust
Step 1
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, butter, and salt.
Step 2
Add in cold water a few drops at a time. Add just enough to form a dense dough.

Honey-Cayenne Roasted Squash Seeds

Ingredients

Seed Prep

  • 1 wedge Pumpkin or squash
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Baking Prep

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1 shot olive oil (a nice glug)
  • 1 shot honey (a nice glug of Linck Apiaries, Inc)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Step 2
Dump the seeds into a sauce pan with 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
Step 3
Reduce heat and low boil for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Pour seeds into a medium mixing bowl. Add cayenne, honey, oil, and salt. Combine thoroughly with a spoon.

Apple Tart

Ingredients

Tart Filling

  • 2 Large apples
  • 1/2 + cup brown sugar (1/2 cup for apple slices + a bit more for the topping)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
  • 1 pinch salt

Tart Topping

  • 4 knobs butter (a little pad to finish the top before baking)

Note

If you baked the honey-cayanne pumpkin seeds in advance of putting this tart filling together, reset the oven temperature to 425 degrees. The tart will bake at that temperate for 25 minutes. Enjoy the pumpkin seeds while the tarts bake, but try and leave a few for the topping.

Directions

Step 1
Peel, core, and thin slice apples.
Step 2
Repeat with remaining dough and apple slices. Recipe makes 4 tarts.
Step 3
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before topping with squash seeds (and a scoop of high quality vanilla ice cream if desired). Serve warm.

Savory Turkey Tart

carrotTart
This savory tart will have the family vying for the last crumb and demanding to know when you’re preparing it again. Turkey acquires new flair when smothered in cheesy kale and feta filling and topped with a layer of twice-baked caramelized baby carrots. The pastry shell is a tried and true recipe that pairs just as beautifully with savory fillings as it does with sweet.

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Chicken Treat Recipe

Homemade Chicken Treats Homemade Treats for Chickens

Oh words, how they matter. Example: when you type “homemade chicken treats” into a search engine you’ll get an altogether different result than when you type “Homemade treats for chickens.”  In one case the chicken is the treat and in the other it is the recipient of one. An important distinction, particularly from the fowl’s perspective. Or is that foul? This recipe speaks to the latter: a winter treat for your backyard hens involving categorically non-chicken ingredients.