Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Tart

oh.my.good.heavenly.goodness.

This tart is one of the easiest meals I have ever constructed. We have decided that this is going on the  "oh, hey, we are entertaining tonight, and we forgot to go to the store, and we also have no time to cook anything else" list. Also, total cook time is about 12 minutes. Prep time...maybe 5...if you're moving slow.

Please people, make this tonight. Make it tomorrow. Make it soon and forever.

I used this recipe to get me started and then made a few changes. The first change was that instead of puff pastry dough (which needs to thaw overnight, and I am sure as hell not making any from scratch), we used Philsbury croissant rolls. Okay, not the most refined thing ever, but we were going for quick and easy (see aforementioned list). Anyway, it turned out just fine and dandy. Second, in addition to the rosemary I also added a good few cracks of fresh pepper and some lavender.

You could even add a little roasted garlic and fennel and I think it would be even better. Just a suggestions.

This was a truly delicious dinner and perfect for entertaining. The fig tart is truly sweet and pairs very well with a dry wine (remember our trip to Trader Joe's?). Cut into generous portions this tart easily serves 6...but you could stretch it to 8 and no one would mind.

Enjoy, lovelies. Stay tuned for homemade cronuts!

St. Louis, We Love You

Grant has been on vacation this week and accordingly we have been on so many adventures! To begin with we traveled to St. Louis to visit our wonderful friends Nicole, Matt, and Stephen. FYI, Nicole has a gorgeously scrumptious cooking blog, Law School's Cooking, and you should really be reading it!

We drank such wonderful coffee, went to a guerrilla restaurant called The Agrarian, made homemade chicken and waffles (with a gluten-free alternative), drank lots wine and moonshine, smoked some of my remaining Cloves, played music, Matt taught us some mad Yoga skills, and we got stormed out of a outdoor performance of Spamalot (consequently, we realized that we have no problem entertaining ourselves on such an occasion when you are stuck outside, soaking wet, with only a thermos full of wine between five people). 

While our friends were at work Grant and I explored the city. We wanted to got to the art museum, but it was closed when we were there! Instead, we went to the zoo, Kayaks Coffee became our new hub, Crusco's deli (get their pastrami sandwich, you can go ahead and thank us for the recommendation), the arch, the courthouse were the Dred Scott case was passed, the basilica, and generally just enjoyed the sites. My only regret is that my camera died fairly early into the trip, so unfortunately, many of the wonderful things that we did are not documented. 

We also made a quick hit and run at Trader Joe's before heading home. We basically just bought a ton of wine. Don't judge us. 

Our vacation and adventures are not over yet though! We still have two things on the menu to try: homemade cronuts and a fresh fig and goat cheese tart. Stay posted for recipes and the usual kitchen madness! 

Pucker

I am having a love affair. With lipstick.

I have never really been a fan of lipstick until recently. When I have worn it, it was usually because it was mandatory. Stage make-up, that sort of thing. Don't misunderstand me, I have a plethora of chapstick tubes, lip balms, glosses, and tints lurking in the bottoms of nearly all of my purses. I just have never been much of a fan of the "real" thing.

But either because summer is starting, or I have been watching an unusually high number of Marilyn Monroe movies, or it could be that I bought this amazing shade of candy apple red nail polish, and by gosh, I wanted my lips to match! But whatever the reason, lipstick is now my favorite part of "getting-ready".

I think there is a ritual about putting on lipstick. I remember watching my mom put her's on, leaning close over the bathroom sink towards the lighted mirror, concentrating, hands of a surgeon. It was fascinating. (I also thought watching her put on mascara was interesting...but mostly just terrifying!).

So, I am curious...What's your lipstick ritual?

1) How do you pick lipstick? Color, texture, matte, or what?

For me, I loved this glossy dark orange in High School. I thought it matched (or paired well) with my dark red hair. But a classic red lip has always been a hidden favorite of mine. Generally, I just buy a color that appeals to me. Though, my go-to staple since 4th grade as been good ol'Bonnebell chapstick. 

This has also been a favorite of mine for many years

2) What brands do you like?

 I buy based on color and feel. Not brand specific.

3) How do you put it on? Do you start in the middle? Do you have a side that you start on? Top lip or bottom lip first? What's your method?

 I had to check! Bottom lip first, I dot the middle, work my way along the bottom ridge and then back up toward the curve of the lip. Then I rub my lips together, transferring pigment onto my upper lip. Then I lightly coat more lipstick on my upper lip, really just to define the edge of my lip. Then a light press together, and we are good to go! (Whew, that was detailed!)

4) Do you blot after you put it on? And on that note, how critical is this step? 

I only did this with my "stage" lips. But that was a whole other application process (involving face powder!) to get that lip color to stay put! 

5) Did someone teach you how to put it on, or did you figure it out yourself? 

Both my mom and my cousin Clara taught me. My step-mom can be credited with teaching my to apply liner. Hey, it was the 90s. If you could not apply burgundy liner and pair it with gloss, you were nobody. 

6) Did you ever put lipstick on when you were little and kiss a mirror in imitation of Ms. Monroe's classic pucker? 

Yes! Clara and I would do this for hours! We would use all different shades and kiss our mirrored closet doors. I think we were trying to make a mural.