Easy Fruit Tart

Has your summer been super hot? Does the thought of turning on your oven make you melt? When it's hot like it has been this summer I usually have no desire to cook or bake -even though I love to do both.

But sometimes you need to have a dessert for that barbecue/party and you want it to be special. You could go the ice pop/ice cream route - definitely easy and no turning on the oven. Unfortunately that is not me. If there are to be adults at a party I want to give them a real dessert. One of my favorites is a fruit tart. The only baking required is the shortbread shell- 25 minutes in the oven and it's done!

After that all you have to do is add the filing- cream cheese and fruit.

I hope you are staying cool and having a great weekend. If you need that quick dessert, here's the recipe:

Easy Fruit Tart

Crust:

1/2 cup confectioner sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

Filling:

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

zest of one orange

Topping:

Strawberries, blueberries, etc. – whatever you like

2 to 3 TBLS. Apricot jam/preserves

Preheat oven to 350.

Place all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until dough forms a ball. Remove and place in a tart pan, pressing against bottom and sides. Prick with a fork and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool.

Make Filling by beating softened cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and orange zest until smooth. Spread onto cooled crust.

Top with fruit.

Heat apricot jam and spread on top of fruit as a glaze.

Chill before serving.

Note: you can substitute instant vanilla pudding for the filling. Prepare according to package directions and just add the orange zest.

Workshop at Rosie's Handmade Revolution

Well, it has been ages since I last posted anything on this blog. As my mother used to say "long time no see". My excuse is simple- busy and tired!

May and June were full of a ton events at my children's schools. If you have kids, you know what those last weeks of school can be like. July brought vacation in South Carolina and Virginia. Then we were off to camps and swimming lessons. This week has been slower, but then my son came down with a summer cold/flu. So here I am at home trying to catch up on all my postings on Facebook and finally doing my blog!

In the last three months of madness I managed to produce a bunch of coasters for teachers gifts. No picture. I think you've seen enough of them. I did make two sets of hooded towels with coordinating bodysuits, bib and burp cloths.

If you like these and are interested in doing a workshop to make them, then you are in luck. Amy from Rosie's Handmade Revolution in Bellport, NY (here on Long Island) has asked me to do a workshop on August 19th, 7:00 pm at her shop. If it sounds like something you would like to do give Amy a call at 631-803-8029. Amy's shop sells all sorts of handmade items from Etsy.com sellers like me. So check out Rosie's Handmade Revolution on facebook and here.

More Coasters

A friend of mine's birthday came up very quickly this year and I wanted to give her something handmade. She's a fellow quilter and I knew she would appreciate something made by me. But the problem was time- not much of it on top of my kids' crazy schedules. So I whipped up a bunch of cute "cat" coasters. Made 6 in no time. Added a jar of my homemade strawberry jam and it was a done deal! Love the coasters, they are a fast and fabulous gift to give.

If you have any great quick handmade gift ideas I would love to hear from you.

Umbrella Girls

Well it is spring and I am finally getting some spring cleaning done. One room that was need of some help this year was the old nursery that my daughter Grace moved out of last fall. With all the school stuff and holidays I never got a chance to do anything to this room until the other day. I took down the baby quilt and hung up my first applique (and only applique) quilt I made many moons ago. (Yes I did forget to put a quilt label on it and I'm am totally mystified as to when I exactly finished this quilt- lesson learned - always label!)So this tiny 8' x 9' room will become a sort of office. At this point the desk is there and my quilt is up. No chair yet or printer or office supply stuff. I'm getting there. Maybe by the next season- summer. For now I am happy to just look at my "Umbrella Girls".

Camera Strap

Here's my new camera strap that I made for my new camera. I have been eyeing these straps that several shops sell on Etsy and I had to make one. There's a great tutorial for it on SewCute Shop. I used Moda's Neptune fabric from a jelly roll I recently bought at a quilt show. The tutorial calls for 3" x 24" strips of fabric but my strips were pre-cut at 2 1/2". It worked. I just had to use a scant 1/4" seam and I topstitched very close to the edge.

Thanks SewCute Shop for the great tutorial. You should check it out. There are other fun tutorials as well on her site. I plan to make the headbands next. Check it out.

Have a great day and make something!

New Design- The Metro Backsack

In the last month or so I have had very little time to sew. I sketched out a design for a new backpack and cut the fabric back in early March. Well this week I finally got to make it. And here it is- the Metro Backsack.
I changed up the opening and back straps from the "metro backpack" I currently sell in my shop on Etsy. I incorporated the the back straps into the top closure. To close the backsack you simply pull on the back straps. You can adjust the length of the back straps by knotting the ends of the back straps that hang in the front.

I also placed a pocket in the front. I think the next one I make I will add a zippered pocket in the back as well. Outside pockets are a must.

I'm in love with this new design. I hope to make some soon to sell in the shop.

Strawberry Jam

Soon it will be strawberry picking season here in the northeast. I thought I would get a jump start on things and pick my strawberries at the store and make some jam to give away as gifts for Easter. It is very easy. I have been watching my favorite show on FoodTV- the Barefoot Contessa/Ina Garten (I worship her)- she has the best recipes. One for strawberries with some blueberries and one that just uses strawberries. I did a combination of the two using the blueberries, apples and lemon juice. The basic strawberry recipe has great tips for knowing when your jam is ready. You need to get the jam up to 220 in temperature but, if you don't have a candy thermometer to tell you that you can just put a plate in the freezer- get it real cold- then put a bit of the hot jam on it and run your finger though the middle. If the jam stays put and doesn't run back together- it's ready!

I liked doing the plate method better than the thermometer. Last time I made this jam I thought I cooked it too long trying to get the temperature up to 220 and my jam looked very dark in color. I like a deep crimson red for the jam. This was something my mom was always striving for. She never used a thermometer or the cold plate. Her jams were good but never consistent in color.

I hope this inspires you to try to make some jam. It really is easy and it tastes great!