Tomato + Caramelized Onion Tart

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I have made a few different versions of this tart. Sometimes I leave out the onions, sometimes I use goat cheese and once made it in a home made pie crust. Every time it’s delicious. Pretty sure you can’t go wrong with any of these ingredients.

Unfortunately we don’t have any tomatoes in our garden yet, so I succumbed to buying Heirlooms at the market. That just means I will have to make it again in the summer, right?

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This tart accompanied many other amazing dishes at our Easter brunch. But it can be a stand alone with a salad on the side. Serves about 4 as a meal, 6 as a side dish.

 

Ingredients

4 medium Heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 medium sweet onion, sliced.

1 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. white wine

1 tsp Thyme

1 sheet puff pastry

Boursin cheese, as much as you want

Shredded or shaved parmesan

Basil, torn or cut

Kosher salt

Olive oil

 

Directions

If the puff pastry is frozen, lay it on the counter until soft to the touch, about 30 -40 minutes. Or defrost in refrigerator over night.

Layer a large plate or cutting board with paper towels. Lay tomato slices on a single layer on the prepared plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt, flip them over and repeat. Let them hang out and drain while preparing the onions.

Heat the butter and a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add onions. Saute them for a few minutes and then add wine and thyme. Lower the heat and let them cook until golden brown, stirring every so often. About 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 425. Unfold puff pastry sheet on baking pan, lined with parchment or foil if that’s all you have. With a sharp knife lightly score a border (3/4 inch from the edge) around the entire pastry.

Spread on as much Boursin cheese as you want inside the border and then sprinkle with parmesan. Add the onions on top of cheese when they are good and caramelized. Add your tomatoes, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil, add more parmesan if you want and pop it into the oven for about 20-25 minutes or when the pastry is golden brown. Sprinkle with your basil and you are set to serve. Prepare to wow your guests!

Easter

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Kaili woke up eager and ready to see if the Easter bunny had left anything for her. Averi decided to sleep in….of course.

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Once Averi woke up and we were able to get some real food into the girls, we let them see what was hiding outside.

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The grass was wet and cold, Averi didn’t want much to do with it. Kaili didn’t care and managed to gather all of the eggs on her own. Averi found a couple on dry land but put them in sissy’s basket.

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We had brunch plans with friends so while the girls ate their weight in candy, I made my way to the kitchen and stayed there the next few hours.

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I made a grapefruit yogurt cake and a tomato tart.

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Luckily we weren’t going far. We walked over the pack n play, the kids toys, our food and we tucked in for a nice day with neighbor friends.

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We had quite the spread, baked donuts, savory scones, tomato tart, eggs Benedict casserole and fresh fruit all washed down with mimosas and good wine.

Averi napped in her pack n play for hours while we played in the backyard.

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We talked and drank the day away, nibbling on cheese as the sun started to set.

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Reminding us that tomorrow was Monday and we should probably bid adieu. The girls knocked out after a long day and we sat down for all the great Sunday night TV.

It was a very nice Easter!

Don’t Make Me

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I was the last in the family to get hit with the cold and every.single.ounce of my energy has been sucked out of me. Four days and I don’t feel any better, when will it end?!

Kaili has been asking to go to the park everyday and everyday that sounds like the absolute worst idea, insert terrible mom here. Feeling guilty, I somehow gathered all my energy and worked on some crafts with the girls to make up for it.

Kaili worked on a marshmallow bunny, eating more than she glued. I had to refill the bowl a few times.

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Averi would sneak up, take one off the paper and pop it into her mouth before anything could be done.

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We also made Easter bunny headbands. My preschool teacher talents are wasting away so I figured I should put them to work. Kaili said she would help me but really she watched cartoons while demanding more food.

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I got a letter from her school stating that Thursday was their big Dr. Seuss party. They want us to make something “Suessical” for lunch. Wait, I just made 25 Red Fish, Blue Fish cupcakes for Dr. Suess’ birthday, and I don’t feel good, wah-waaa can I get a pass?

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In the midst of searching Pinterest for Suess like foods and creative outfits, it dawned on my that Sunday is Easter…What the holy hell?  While boiling eggs I decided to test run a hair-style on Kaili. Kicking and screaming aside, I think I can get this to work.

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It’s a Minnie mouse bow, not Dr. Suess but seriously it’s cute!

Now I have to spend the afternoon making some sort of silly snack that the kids probably won’t even eat because it looks funny. But on the plus side, soccer is canceled which means I can stay home in my sweats with snot dripping down my nose and nobody is going to care, there is a Jesus.

Easter in Ramona

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Our old neighbors are now living out in Ramona. They have so much land, so much space, perfect for an Easter egg hunt. So the girls got their baskets and we loaded up the truck.

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Their house has quite the views, hawks soar above the citrus trees and squirrels dart across the path to their pool.

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If you squint you can see some of our favorite wineries.

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The kids had a lot of fun hunting eggs, well I should say Kaili had fun. Averi just wanted to chase the cat and explore.

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There was quite a spread for lunch, homemade quiche to fried chicken sliders and delicious fresh squeezed OJ from their trees. I made this lemon cake. I was overly cautious to keep an eye on it but somehow I overcooked it by a few minutes, but I would still recommend the recipe. I am going to try another recipe this week to compare and because I need a another piece of lemon cake in my life.

Once we were able to drag the kids away from their playground we headed down the road to Kohill winery. We are new members and had a wine pickup but also, you can’t go to Ramona without hitting a winery, i am pretty sure it’s illegal.

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The girls snacked because they don’t eat their actual meals and then they chased each other around the tasting room while we decided what wines to take home.

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It was a good practice run for Easter, now we get to do it all over again next week but without getting in the car.

Changing with the Time

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My sweet little Aves is turning into a grumpy toddler. She has a cold, that might count for some of it but she uses the word “no” quite frequently. She is also having some sleep regression. She went from going down with a wave goodnight and then not a peep til morning, to crying as soon as I close the door. Nothing makes me want to throw myself in front of a bus more than hearing her cry for hours. She knows what she is doing, and it’s been working. Mom needs to toughen up.

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See food

We went ahead and changed all our clocks on Saturday and just went with it. Besides Averi’s hours of fighting bed time, it went decently.  Kaili’s daily routine involves a lot of clocks and timers. She gets a fair warning before every transition from getting dressed for school to brushing her teeth at night. It helps avoid power struggles and gives her time to process what comes next without the meltdowns. I can’t wait to start with Averi, it might make bedtime a bit easier. The other night when I was reading to K she said, “mommy, I hear my clock ticking!” She meant her heart beating, how cute is that? It made me smile, the pureness of childhood.

We are starting to get some goodies from the garden. Kaili gets to water and pick the red ripe strawberries. She usually gets too eat them too, but from what I have tasted they are perfect!

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Food and Stuff

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I was lucky enough to have a post birthday lunch…delivered while the Avers was napping and K was at school… and it was so good.

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Kung Pao Tofu, lamb with onions, pork and bean curd and of course dumplings ( not shown) because we did order from The Dumpling Inn.  Don’t forget the sparkling cremant, the most important part.

The Trader Joes in Pacific Beach is the one I have been hitting up lately and that is because a few streets over is a park on the bay. Now every time I mention TJ’s Kaili brings up that park and so it’s a thing, a pretty good thing.

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Averi is such a little ham and she loves her sister. What sissy has, sissy wants. If Kaili wants water, so does Aves, although Averi is more polite. She loves to say “thank you” and when she asks for “more” in sign language it’s so cute, it’s really hard not to hand her anything she wants.

unnamedI am seriously running out of food ideas for these kids. Kaili likes and dislikes food within minutes, it changes daily…I may go crazy. All that literature about having  your kid cook with you and “they will eat it” is shit, not happening. Kaili will happily be my soux chef but when it comes to eating, she refuses food faster than a vegan at a buffet.

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Kaili loves art, coloring, chalk, painting and she is getting really good at her letters. She can spell words with letter dictation. I have no doubt she is beyond ready for Kindergarten. Can you believe it? I can’t.

 

 

Birth Day!

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The past four years we have been pretty good about going out, making time for lunches and winery days. Dragging Kaili around was like second nature. She just went with the flow, tucked into her back pack of goodies and for the most part kept herself entertained. Averi, on the other hand hasn’t been as complaisant to sit in a highchair or spend time twiddling with play-doh. She would rather manage the back of the kitchen or throw toys on the ground. Who the hells kid is this? I have found myself bowing out of a lot more things these days… just knowing how much of my time and patience will be spent managing Averi instead of actually enjoying myself, so we stay home. But for my birthday, I wanted to go out. Out, out…without kids. To the places that shun kids, the places I haven’t been to in years or ever. So we got a sitter and planned the afternoon checking into places that were just that, adults only.

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It was a whopping good time. I even got the courage, ahem, thanks to my nudging husband, to introduce myself to one of my favorite chefs. If you watch Top Chef than he needs no introduction.

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Richard Blais in a nutshell < Top chef runner up, Top Chef All-stars Winner. Guest judge on Top Chef, learned from some of the Master chefs aka Thomas Keller and now has two San Diego restaurants which is why I was able to capture this photo.>  Happy birthday to me.

We also squeezed in a quick stop at the Waterfront Bar and Grill. The oldest tavern in San Diego and I am embarrassed to admit neither of us had ever been there..hangs head in shame.

IMG_0349I will leave it at this. I had a great time and I crossed a lot of places off of my to-do list but I did not feel hot the next day. Next year I want to go kayaking and eat at Nobu in Malibu. Shane says we should wait until 2017 to decide…whatever, that just gives me time to plan a roaring 40’s birthday eating seaside in Hawaii!

Another Year Older

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It’s here guys, the last year of my 30’s is in affect and it’s gonna be a great one. My birthday week started with lunch on Saturday. Shane took us to Coasterra,  Mexican cuisine with ocean front dining. I ordered the tacos and they were really good, I think they gave Puesto’s tacos a run for their money.

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Blackened fish, Michoacan pulled pork and crispy shrimp

Averi wasn’t too much of a terror and I was actually able to eat and enjoy myself, the key was taking her there hungry and slowly giving her food to keep her busy.

IMG_7549She is a chips and salsa fan like her sister. It’s amazing that they devour salsa but won’t  touch tomato sauce.

It’s a tad overpriced, okay a lot over priced but you are paying for the view and the Chef’s name.

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On Monday, I took the girls to Sprinkles to pick out cupcakes after school. They are my all time favorite cupcakes, especially the coconut one, it’s SO delicious.

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Kaili chose chocolate and only ate about four bites but managed to totally destroy the entire thing in the process, making sure no one else could eat it.

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Kaili had her friend from down the street over for dinner and the girls played while the moms talked and enjoyed some wine. Then bedtime came and things went downhill. I don’t know if it was because Averi was wound up but she cried in her room for two hours, I am not exaggerating. She always goes down without any problems and if she fusses it’s short lived. But last night was something else. So Kaili stayed up with me and ate a second dinner until Averi finally wore herself out. By then, I was ready to eat a cupcake and crawl into bed. The kids were up before 6:30 and just like that, I was another year older.

 

Life Lesson

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“You can’t depend on anyone but yourself.” That is a tough pill to swallow and a hard lesson to learn, at least for me it was. When I moved to the OC   I quickly learned that there were some very flaky people, something I hadn’t encountered before. I remember my dad trying to console me after some of my new friends just “flaked” on me. That was the first time I ever experienced anything like that and I was hurt. I quickly learned that some people are just that way and it doesn’t bother them.The tricky part is trying to teach our kids that lesson. In the past few days I have had to explain to Kaili why someone wasn’t there or why something wasn’t happening, it sucks. I know it’s a life lesson, not everything works out and not everyone shows up…but she is four. Ugh, parenting is hard.

Kaili had her last soccer lesson of the month. They had a little scrimmage…if you can call it that. There were hand balls and wrong goal scoring but they had fun. I missed a few minutes, Averi dove head first off of a large rock on to the cement and I ended up inside the Y attempting to apply ice to her head. She had a really good goose egg on her forehead. Luckily it went down pretty fast, she was fine.

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IMG_7496IMG_7502IMG_0337Last weekend Shane spent the days putting in a raised garden bed in the back yard. A few years back he worked hard to put a play area for the girls in the yard. He moved the play area to another part of the yard and put the garden in, in a of couple days, he’s a monster. I hope this garden brings us the fruit of his labor.  I planted three types of tomatoes, four types of peppers, artichokes, and strawberries.

IMG_7539I told Kaili she was going to start swimming twice a week and I didn’t get a complaint…fingers crossed she just falls in love with it.

IMG_7526Did you all take advantage of national drink wine day? Those made up days are so silly but apparently my birthday is national margarita day, so……

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Spaghetti Squash Greek Salad

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Do you ever buy a spaghetti squash and then it sits on the counter for days before you use it? I do, all.the.time. I hem and haw about what to do with it and then I always end up making this, but in a casserole dish.

Finally I went back to a recipe I used to make, seems like years ago. Spaghetti squash Greek salad. The nice part about this recipe is I can make it in the afternoon and then cover and chill it while we run to soccer or swimming and then it’s ready without any fuss for dinner. And no, my kids don’t eat it….”don’t make me laugh, ha, ha, ha.”

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Ingredients

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons EV olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

For the Salad:

2 cups cooked spaghetti squash ( cut in half, roast at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, let cool. Scoop out and squeeze as much water out with a cheese cloth)
1 /2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup  crumbled feta cheese * I add a tad more right before serving.
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
Combine spaghetti squash and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture; toss well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

*recipe adapted from My Recipes