YOGURT & GOAT CHEESE TART

First of all, thank you. Your encouraging comments and snippets from your own personal experiences, have been so encouraging to read (and re-read when I was convinced I should ask for my job back at 3am a couple nights ago). I think you're pretty neat, and if you are ever in my area, I will share this tangy spring tart with you.

I am not a good sleeper. I think and overanalyze until my brain simply can't take it anymore, and only then will I fall asleep. A best friend, being short on time, asked me to come up with ideas of things she could cook WHILE taking a shower. It's these kinds of questions which keep me up at night. Having answers can be consuming, and I mean that for both the big and small questions in life.

I come up with cooking ideas that sound good in theory, but with no certainty that they will turn out. This tart was one of those experiments. I'd plucked pieces from other blogs, pictures I'd seen in magazines and mixed them together into something I envisioned would taste good and look pretty. A few tries later, and forcing the imperfect tarts on everyone I've seen in the past week, we finally have something worth sharing. It is light, to welcome spring, but still rich enough to taste like a satisfying dessert. You can't make it while taking a shower, but it's worth your time.

YOGURT & GOAT CHEESE TART // Serves 8

I love the swirl of the acai puree here because it is different. Sambazon frozen packets are fairly easy to find, especially at a health food store, but any berry puree (fresh or frozen) will work, it just won't be as smooth. As I mention in the directions with the acai, you will need to reduce it down a bit for a thicker consistency.

1 1/2 Cups Lowfat Plain Greek Yogurt

8 oz. Chevre (Soft Goat's Cheese), at room temperature

1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Large Egg Whites

1/3 - 1/2 Cup Honey

2 Tbsp. Reduced Acai Puree*

* Thaw the frozen acai packet or berries, blend if what you're using is not already blended. Simmer on stove on medium for about 2-3 minutes until most of the water is released, and you have a paste left. Mix that paste with 1 tsp. of honey. Set aside.

// Crust //

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 Cup Oat Flour

1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened

1/4 Cup Muscavado/Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Real Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Nutmeg

Oven to 350'

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, muscavado or brown sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Add the softened butter and mix to create a moist crumb. Coat the bottom of a glass or ceramic 10'' pie pan with a thin swipe of butter, and distribute the oat mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides. It's ok if it's not perfect, rustic looks pretty.

2. Bake the crust on the middle rack for about 12 minutes. Cool while you make the filling.

3. In the meantime, put the chevre and yogurt in a bowl and beat on low with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes (or briskly with a whisk) until combined and smooth. Add honey and lemon juice and combine. With the egg whites in another bowl, loosen them with a whisk for a minute, and add them to the goat mixture. Beat with the mixers/whisk for just 30 seconds to combine. You don't want to incorporate too much air or it will get too poofy in the oven.

4. Put the acai puree in the yogurt filling bowl, and give it one or two folds to swirl in the color, as you pour it into the crust, it will swirl more.

4. Place the pie dish in a larger (I used 13x9) pan, and fill it with water until it comes up about 1/2'' up the side. Bake in the middle rack for about 30 minutes until the edges are set. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar, and allow the tart to sit in there another 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

4. Refrigerate for at least two hours for the tart to firm up. Cut it with a clean, sharp knife, and clean it with a damp cloth between slices.

SQUASH BOATS WITH QUINOA

One day life can seem so routine, and then you look back on particular moments and specific days, and see that a decision you made changed the course of your life. Was it wise to quit my job? I'm not sure yet. But I do know I wasn't fufilled in how I was spending most of my days, and making a decision to change that, be it risky, can't possibly be a bad one. I don't always follow rules, but I am cautious, and attempting a more entrepenurial career is not something I imagined I would do. I admire people who takes chances, and I can dream about what I'd 'rather be doing', but some personalities are comfortable in safe places. Most of us, I would guess. Which is why I am so grateful to have Hugh, whose encouragement in sincerely wanting me to do work that makes me happy, is what pushed me to give my notice. Some days I feel SO GOOD about this, but there are moments I panic and cry. I'm relieved but scared all at the same time. My emotions are incredibly confused and excited, motivated and stone cold frightened within the course of a day.

My plan is to be a renaissance woman; pursuing a number of small projects until I find a rhythm that works. I intend to expand my dinner delivery business, cook for small dinner parties, teach cooking classes, maybe get certified to teach pilates, start a cookbook, work at the local farm a few days a week and sell advertising on this lovely site, so I can spend more time here. I didn't want to keep waiting to be doing things I wanted to do. I wasn't sure what exactly I was waiting for, as there is resounding advice I get from older folk, "there will never be enough money for a house, for kids, for vacations... but you just do it". So thank you to Hugh, for pushing me and believing I have more potential than I think I do, and to my family and close friends who affirm that this is a promising decision. So until I panic and cry again, let's eat squash boats.

SQUASH BOATS WITH QUINOA // Serves 2

You could use any squash, they would just hold different amounts of quinoa filling. I think it would be a great side in acorn squash. You could serve this with a protein, or make it a meal of it's own by mixing your protein of choice into the quinoa. I think it would be nice with a little parmesan cheese to top it off as well.

1 Kabocha Squash

2 tbsp. Maple

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

3/4 Cup Quinoa

1 tsp. Ground Cardamom

1 Shallot, Minced

1 Pear, diced (any type you prefer, but a firm one)

1/3 Cup Basil, Chopped

3 Tbsp. Meyer Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar/Honey

2 Cup Baby Spinach and or Mache Lettuce

Salt and Fresh Pepper to taste

Oven to 425'

1. Cut squash in half and seed it. Mix the maple and olive oil and rub generously onto the flesh of the squash. Roast cut side down, for about 20 minutes. Turn the squash cut side up and cook about another 15 - 20 minutes 'til finishes cooking and caramelizes on top. The cooking time will depend on the size and type of squash you use, continue to test it with a fork. It should be the firmness of a baked potato.

2. While squash is cooking, prepare the quinoa. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil and add the quinoa, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the shallot, lemon juice, cardamom, olive oil, and stir. Allow to cool down about 8 minutes, add the basil, pear and greens to combine **Don't add them when the quinoa is pipping hot, otherwise it will wilt them into a brown mess.

3. Remove the squash boats and let them sit about 5 minutes to cool down. Fill each cavern with desired amount of quinoa mix. Sprinkle the top with fresh ground pepper and serve.

CAST IRON BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

This has been a good week, some parts of which I will elaborate on later, but the last few days have been... well, important. Since last week, we've gone to Mammoth with some friends to snowboard in gorgeous conditions, I decided to resign from my job to take a risk and pursue what I love doing, AND we were nominated for Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards in the Photography Category. I am simply exstatic for Hugh, as this further legitimizes my compliments of how talented he is. Let's be honest, you would not be here if it were just me and my prehistoric point and shoot. The fact that our name is up there with the popular kids of the blogsphere, is quite the compliment. There are so many talented people mentioned. I know it is annoying to sign up with your email address, but we would really appreciate it if you'd vote. Pretty please? I'll share cornbread?

And yes, I know I said I quit my job and that begs a few questions, but we'll talk about that another time. This is Hugh's day, and the man loves cornbread. I would diagnose him with a minor case of obsessive compulsive disorder. Turkey chili and cornbread find their way into his week more often than most of us would consider normal. We have been trying to create a healthier cornbread, and after many attempts, this is one of those foods you can't cut too many corners on. The recipe here is about as light as we'll go without sacrificing the greatness that is cornbread. It has bursts of texture with the studs of corn, green chiles and background sharpness of the cheddar. Go partake before it's too warm outside for foods like this.

CAST IRON BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD // Serves 8-10

You can skip both the green chiles and cheese if you prefer, with no other changes. A gluten free all purpose flour can be used in place of the pastry flour to keep this cornbread free of the glutens.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup cane sugar, plus a little sprinkle for the top

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 Tbsp. neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed etc.)

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2/3 cup grated cheese (white cheddar or goat cheddar)

1/2 cup mild green chiles (4 oz. can, drained)

3 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen

Oven to 360'

Generously grease a 10” skillet with butter.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, butter, buttermilk and eggs until combined and fluffy. Add the cheese, green chiles, chives, and corn to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined.

Tip the batter into the pan and sprinkle a lil sugar on top for good measure. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes on the middle rack, or until the edges are golden and the center is just set.