Lemon Bar meets Blueberry Tart...

Creamy Lemon custard studded with blueberries and shredded coconut on a gluten free crust, the perfect solution to abundant blueberries! Sweet and Tart ~ no way to lose with this desert!

Lemon Bar Blueberry Tart, 

for the Crust:

heat oven to 350°

2/3 cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats 

3/4 cup Almond Meal

3 Tbs Brown Sugar

5 Tbs butter, coconut oil, or vegan margarine like earth balance

Combine Oats, Almond Meal & Sugar in food processor

Add butter or butter substitute and pulse until crumbly

Press into a 8x8 pan or 10 inch round tart pan

Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown

Cool before filling

for the Filling

heat oven to 350°

1 cup of Sugar

2 Tbs All Purpose Gluten Free Flour 

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 large Egg

1 large Egg white

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

Approx 1 1/2 cups Blueberries

1/2 cup shredded Unsweetened Coconut

in a medium bowl

Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, and lemon juice with a whisk until well blended and smooth 

Sprinkle Coconut and Blueberries over cool crust

Slowly pour lemon mixture over the top

Bake for 30 minutes until Golden and set

Cool on a wire rack then chill 

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar

&
ENJOY!

No Bad Beach Days

They can be bittersweet, though.

This morning as we are driving to Jr. Guards, I casually ask my son if he wanted to be dropped off or if I should park and walk over to Marine Safety, with him, where the groups meet each morning. My question was met with, "No, well... you decide... No, just drop me off" I then ask, "Would it be all right if I park and walk over, I can pretend I don't know you?" Cullen responds, "Pretend you don't know me." I'm a little disappointed and oddly happy at the same time, he doesn't want to be babied but then he is the younger of my two boys. As we pull up to the drop off spot, I'm told that is alright for me to meet him at Marine Safety, I smile as he walks away, thinking to myself "yeah he's got this."

Check it out!

New Items at my DailyMuse Shop on etsy

https://www.etsy.com/shop/dailymuse

Sale!

Shop at my Etsy shop, DailyMuse anytime from 

now until the end of May 

& you save 20% on all Vintage 

Make It Monday!

A Lovely, Tea Cup Planter!

These are fun and easy to make and will Brighten the bleakest winter day! Vintage lusterware creates a lovely juxtaposition with succulent plants!

Supplies:

• An electric drill 
• a porcelain drill bit
• Tea Cup and Saucer
• E6000 glue
• several glass flower arranging stones or marbles

Directions:

1. From the outside of the cup, drill 3 drainage holes in the bottom of the tea cup, go slowly, pushing too hard will crack the cup, if you are using very thin cup try placing a cork or wooden block on the inside of the cup for added support
2. Use the E 6000 to adhere Glass gems to the saucer, use as many as necessary to fill the indentation where the cup normally sits
3. Fill the cup with potting soil and a small succulent
4. Water and enjoy a Lovely Cuppa!

One Word for 2013

If I have to choose one word for this year it is CHANGE!
Transitioning from Stay-At-Home-Mom to working outside the home. I'm more than a little nervous about joining the work force again after 13 years as a Stay At Home Mom - wouldn't give up a minute with my boys! Mostly, I'll keep being Wide Awake Momma!

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Dragonfruit Salsa

Dragonfruit Salsa, makes for a Spicy Breakfast!

1 Dragonfruit cut into small pieces
1/4 of a Sweet Onion chopped finely
1/2 cup chopped Pineapple
1/2 cup chopped Melon
1/4 cup chopped Green Chiles, mild medium or hot
5-10 stems fresh Cilantro chopped
Dash of Chimayo Red Chile powder or Cayenne
Sea Salt and fresh ground black Pepper to taste
Juice from one Lime - or 1 Tbs cider vinegar

Mix all the fruit, onions and chile in a non-reactive bowl. Remove stems from Cilantro, chop & add to fruit mixture. Add Spices and Lime juice, mix again. Serve right away or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Notes:
Use Hatch Green Chiles - they are the best!
I have a thing for Chimayo and it is my "go to" chile red or green. If you can't find Chimayo Chile, any New Mexico Chile will do!

Vacations Begins!

 First Tailgate for my boys!

Hanging with Teddy Roosevelt (my favorite President) before the game.

Travel Time

I'm loving the ease of travelling with my boys!

 Remarkably cheerful, even after 5:20am arrival!

Made on Monday!

Make it Monday, fun crafting project with beads, broken ornaments, broken pepper shaker and sequins ~ more is more when it comes to Post-Minimal Glitz!

Photos, an apology

I realize that writing about food and not picturing the food doesn't make much sense. I'm just trying to get tin the habit of writing every day and thought a post without a photo is better than no post at all. Now I guess I have to get used to taking pictures when cooking and of the result!

Best Winter Dinner!

It never fails, my kids are happy when I make any kind of Mac & Cheese, if it is from scratch and oven baked, they border on bliss! After few minutes of rummaging in the refrigerator, I had put together enough cheese to make a fairly decadent casserole. Here's the recipe, tricks and all:

1 lb. Macaroni, elbows, shells, whatever your preference
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon powdered yellow mustard
pinch of cayenne
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 cup  panko bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F

2. Cook noodles until al dente or according to package directions, drain.

3. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook about 1 minute, whisking until bubbly and smooth, slowly whisk in milk. Add cream cheese, pepper mustard and cayenne. Whisk until cream cheese is incorporated. Add shredded cheese stir until smooth. Add noodles, stir to evenly coat.

4. Pour into a casserole dish and spread bread crumbs over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through!

Notes: Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish. I use a deep casserole dish but a large lasagna pan would also work. I have also use a Mexican cheese blend if I don't have Colby Jack. Using panko crumbs eliminates the need to add butter or oil as they brown nicely without the extra fat. Neufchatel works great instead of full fat cream cheese. I usually serve it with roast chicken, but my family loves having meatballs on the side.

Enjoy!

Muffin Monday!

This morning: Banana~Blueberry~Walnut Muffins

Served straight from the oven with butter! One of the best reasons, besides coffee, for getting out of bead in the morning! Sorry the boys ate them before I could take a picture. Luckily they are a favorite around here, I promise to post a photo next time I make them!

3/4 cup toasted walnuts chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (approx. 3)
1 cup blueberries - frozen or fresh

Preheat the oven to 375°, makes 12
Line muffin tins with baking papers.
Spread nuts on a tray and toast in oven 8-10 minutes, set aside to cool.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
In another bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Add mashed banans and beat until combined.
Stir dry ingredients into banana mixture until flour just disappears.
Lightly stir in nuts and blueberries.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, to top.
Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

You can use just one or the other of blueberries or walnuts, or substitute chocolate chips
for the blueberries.
Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Looking forward to a Joyful 2012

Sadly Saying Good-Bye to Steve Jobs

I posted this before and think it bears retelling.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

~Steve Jobs

Cosmic Want Ad

I need a new place to live, the one I am currently in is apparently Karmically Challenged.

So here goes:

Wanted:
3 bedroom, 2 bath home with fenced yard
Open floor plan, large kitchen/dinning area
new appliances, wood floors throughout
no tile counters
All bedrooms on upper floor
2nd floor laundry room
Bonus room for office
Near beach or with Ocean view
Walking distance to school
Large Garage for Studio
Outdoor fireplace
Dog run
Gardner and Hoa Included
Reasonable rent

You can't live your life for other people

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

~Steve Jobs

Untitled ~ After the Super Moon

 

Untitled Mixed media and Encaustic painting

Untitled Beachscape

this was painted in the days following the Tsunami that hit Japan

Encaustic and Mixed Media on Board