Chocolate Pear Custard Tart

First, I must confess that I forgot to take a picture of the finished tart in all of its prettiness.  Fail.  I mentioned on the clam chowder post that we were having our friends Eric and Julie over for her birthday and I asked her what her favorite dessert was.  She mentioned custards.  So I did a little searching and came up with this.  

Chocolate Pear Custard Tart

What you'll need: 

Crust

1 Stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg.  Mix in salt and flour.  Scrape dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disk.  Refrigerate anywhere from one hour to over night. Remove from fridge and place on floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 inch. Place dough into tart pan and gently press down to form the sides of the pan.  Cut off excess. Return to fridge for one hour.

Pie Filling

2/3 cups chopped dark chocolate

2 pears peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup ground almonds (I used slivered almonds and pulsed them in the food processor until fine)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs (divided)

3/4 cup whipping cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla (divided)

Once pie crust is formed into pan and chilled, evenly sprinkle chocolate over bottom.

Preheat oven to 400. In food processor or using a hand mixer on high, blend one egg, one teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar and ground almonds until smooth. Evenly pour over chocolate.  Now evenly layer the pears.  In a small bowl, whisk together one egg, one teaspoon vanilla and the whipping cream.  Pour over pears.  Sprinkle top with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until crust and top is golden and custard is set.  Allow to cool completely before serving.  Store leftovers in fridge.

This was really delicious.  Not too sweet, rich, creamy and great texture.  Oh man, I'm kind of sad we ate the last pieces last night.  I have already planned my next version of this tart that I think I will make for Thanksgiving. In the mean time, enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!  This might be my favorite holiday.  Very well could be.  What's not fun about dressing up and being something totally random and goofy for one night of the year.  Unfortunately this year, we did nothing to celebrate Halloween.  Oh well.  I keep dreaming of the day we live in Western Washington again and I can throw costume parties and our friends can actually come!  Someday.  I thought I would share a few photos of my all time favorite halloween costumes that Kam and I have worn twice and will wear again.  My mom made them for her and my dad back when I was a little girl.  Kam and I actually won a costume party wearing these babies one year and it was AWESOME.  Raggedy Ann and Andy!!!!

Have a happy day of spooks, pumpkins and candy!  Trick or treat!

Fall Leaves

Clam Chowder

Tomorrow is our friend's Julie's birthday so we are having them over for some birthday fun.  I've been planning on making chowder this weekend for a few weeks now, so that's what Julie is getting for her Kam & Bren hang out birthday dinner.  That and a pie thing I made, beer bread, and champagne cocktails!  I kind of made this chowder recipe up, I don't think traditional chowder calls for Old Bay or oregano, but what the heck!  

Clam Chowder
1 1/2 cups bacon
3 cups celery
3 cups carrots
6 cups potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
4 14.5oz cans chicken stock
1 Costco Giant Can Clams (51oz)
4 or 5 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon old bay
3 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
2 cups half and half
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Cut bacon into small pieces using kitchen scissors and fry in a large pot.  Once bacon is crispy, remove some of the bacon fat so you have about 2 tablespoons remaining and add butter, onion, celery, carrots and potatoes.  Sweat veggies for about 10 minutes over medium low.  Add chicken stock, clams and juice, bay leaves, salt, oregano, old bay, pepper and 1 cup half and half.  Over medium low bring to a boil then reduce and let simmer until veggies are cooked through. About an hour.

In a small bowl whisk flour with one and half cups milk until smooth and add to chowder with remaining milk and half and half.  Return to a boil stirring fairly often, reduce and eat when ready!  Top with extra bacon and parsley or oyster crackers.

I haven't made chowder in so long, and I know I've never added Old Bay to it. That stuff is becoming one of my favorite on hand flavor boost spices.  So good on popcorn!  Also, this made a giant pot of soup.  I wanted enough to feed 4 people, send some home with Eric and Julie and have left overs for us.  So I you don't want that much chowder, half the recipe.  Hope everyone is having a fun Halloween weekend!  Enjoy!

Fortune Friday

Pallet Furniture

Pallet Furniture
A few weeks ago I was searching craigslist for a new couch, just looking to see what was out there.  Instead of a couch, I came across this really cool armoire that the owner had made from recycled pallets.  I have been noticing all sorts of awesome pallet furniture around the internet lately, and thought this armoire might just be the thing I need to organize our "catch all" bedroom.  So we looked, we liked, we bought!  Is anyone else as in love with homemade pallet furniture as I am?

I am in love with that planter planter! How amazing would it be to have that full of fresh herbs on your back porch? Here are a few photos of my pallet armoire!

{Image Sources: 1)Vectroave 2)ReNest  3)Design Sponge 4)Kojo Designs 5)Design Sponge 6)stylizimo

Halloween Inspired

via thedailywh.at

Love these bikes!

Any 80's kids remember this and this?

I feel like these need to come live with me.

Halloween costume anyone?

I love reading these.

I am going to do this!

I want to cook with this.

Looking for some fall wardrobe ideas? Check here on Wednesdays!

How cute are these pumpkin cupcakes?

Awesome pillow anyone?

In love with these clocks!

It's Wednesday!  Time to start planning the weekend.  We are just relaxing and hanging out after our last weekend extravaganza of Seattle, shopping, family and DEATH CAB!!!  Amazing show, I feel so lucky to have the memories to log away.  Have something extra yummy for dinner tonight! Kam mentioned wing wednesday, I know, I'm a lucky lady.