A Favorite Lunch

Goat cheese tart with mushrooms and spinach and a bit of arugula works for me any time for a simple and delicious lunch. What I love about this - is that it is so easy to make.

Here's how:

Go ahead and cheat - use Trader Joes pie crusts - it works just fine with this tart.

Grease your tart or quiche pan well and then simply roll out the crust and place it in the tart pan. Bake the crust until it's a tad brown at about 400 degrees.

In a bowl beat 7 eggs, add about 1/2 cup of heavy cream, salt and pepper. Pour this into your tart pan, add about 2 cups of fresh goat cheese, toss in anything else you like - chard, spinach, arugula, mushrooms - then bake at 400 degrees until you know the Goat Cheese Tart is done. The eggs will be clearly cooked.

Enjoy. And, of course it tastes twice a good if shared with friends.

Grandchildren are Love

I am smitten by my grandchildren.

Each one of them holds a special place in my heart. I love to spy on them from a distance. On this day four of the seven (plus a few more special ones) caught my eye and interest.  What do you think they were talking about?

Happy Beautiful Mother's Day

In my thinking, all women are mothers. Perhaps some have never actually had the mother role responsibility but they have mothered in greater and sweeter ways in their barrenness.

So, today my prayer is that all women would know their amazing ability to influence, encourage and be a bit of wind underneath another woman in just that moment where a touch of grace and hope is needed.

Happy Mother/Woman Day. 

xoxo Lylah

The Smell of Lavender Rose Petal Jelly . . .

 . . .  is a fragrant reminder of why I love being in my kitchen. I call it opportunity to create jars of deliciousness.

A few weeks ago, I walked past the Lemon Verbena in a garden close to the house. 

It's long tall beauty and light fragrance drew me back to the house for a pair of scissors.  

My Lemon Verbena jelly is delightful on hot toast with tons of melting butter.

I've always been a huge fan of Mint Jelly and since our mint is what I call 'happy' mint - it seemed appropriate and timely to make another batch of my Mint Apply Jelly.

Today, I noticed the ripening peaches on our trees and yup, peach jam soon.

The apple trees are following ripening nicely and I can see more apple butter in the works. 

Our peppers are growing nicely and I'm thinking about some 

new jelly concoction to make with peppers. Got any ideas?

Next on my agenda is to connect with a new organic strawberry source. 

I just don't grow enough (yet) to make my very favorite jam - Strawberry Honey Jam. 

It's a weekly event to make caramel around here. I tried my hand at Coffee Caramel and just this past week - Salted Caramel. Both simply amazing. 

Before we sell the Salted Caramel at our market, Michael wanted a few taste testers. 

Two of the chosen testers have given a thumbs up 

and I'm just waiting for the third before it shows up at our market.

So, what's happening in your kitchen?