Lemon whoa baby tarlets

Ingredients

For the compote:

• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen strawberries (recommended: Dole)
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen blueberries (recommended: Dole)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca
• 1 (12-ounce) jar ginger preserves (recommended: Robertson's)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water

For the lemon tartlets:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup lemon curd (recommended: Dickinson's)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 containters (about 4 ounces) mini graham cracker pie crusts (recommended: Keebler)

For the compote:

Directions

Place all compote ingredients into a medium pot. Cover and cook on low until strawberries break down and sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. If using a slow cooker, cook on high setting for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

For the lemon tartlets:

In a large bowl, combine all tartlet ingredients, except crusts.

Using an electric mixer beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Spread lemon mixture into mini pie crusts. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or until set.

Serve warm compote over chilled tartlets.

Brooke Snow Photo Class Oct 2010

Sometimes people take me bowling just so that they feel better about themselves. (I tend to score low, unless you are counting the pins I knock over in the lane next to mine....)

After perusing my classmates blogs I am getting the sneaky suspicion that this will also be the case. Oh well. I am a slow learner and I don't mind boosting moral and self worth.

Come. I will be chronicling my experience, lessons learned, and why I am an idget.

Singular Theme
The concept: Sharpness is deliberately limited to a single area in the frame. Preferred f/5 and below.

f/1.8
I like singular Theme the best because for some reason it is what my camera likes the most. (I get the brightest clean images). We went a'looking for punkins with the kiddos. So, my first pic was this:
I set my aperture to the lowest setting and then metered my camera and voila.

Then I backed up a bit (so my camera wouldn't spas) and took this at the f/8

Then I backed up even more and took this at f/22




The first thing I noticed in this exercise was how much difference your aperture makes in metering. (LIKE A LOT)This is because each aperture setting lets in a different amount of light Oh, and Brooke, don't look at dapples or where the light is coming from because that is a different lesson--right? This is where I am an idget. To have been true to the assignment I probably shouldn't have backed up on each exposure, because I think the point was to take the same picture with the aperture at different settings.



Story telling Aperture
The concept: It has a beginning, middle, and end--like a story. Preferred f/16 and f/22

Let it be noted, that I hate this picture. I am fairly confident I did everything wrong. And, if I had not procrastinated my assignment I would retake it, but alas, daylight is gone. I do not even have three pictures to show because they all looked equally dreadful. This brings me to a brooke question. Brooke: Why do my pictures get so grainy when the object is far away? Is it my camera? I am metering correctly. (I think...)




Who Cares Aperture
The concept: Everything is on the same plane. Preferred f/8 or f/11

I cheated on this one. Kind of. I put my "oh so not obedient" model in front of a brick wall to: a. corral her and b. so that it was all on the same plane. Then I tried several different apertures. It is too late to call Brooke (BROOKE...you wake?) so I don't know how to find the digital info to know exactly which aperture was which. However....I have this sneaky suspicion that I didn't get anything below f/5 because they were blurry and I deleted them. (Darn fidgety model)




While this setting (not aperture, but framing of said wily creature in front of wall) showed for the least variance in results I did notice that it was easiest to meter at the preferred settings.


In conclusion I would like to say that even though I did not get the greatest results for this assignment, the information finally stuck. (Brooke, remember how I had to take drivers ed twice? This might be the time I actually get it!) I already think differently every time I take a picture...my intention is more acute.


Now, just for a finale I would like to share this pic taken from a point-and-shoot. My husband told our daughter to get some old clothing on so that she could carve the pumpkin. She wore this outfit down the stairs....Goggles for pumpkin carving....Ha ha. What a kid.

Tamales

My family didn't eat out a lot when we were young. When we did, it was ALWAYS El Torro. When I was a teenager my dad took me there for lunch every friday after I worked for him at his office. I would always order number 3, the tamale and enchilada combo. I live hundreds of miles from there now, but I still get the craving. I always thought they would be very difficult to make, but I found that it wasn't difficult especially if you divided tasks into two days. (recipe from Better Homes and Gardens America's Ethnic cuisines page 122)




Ingredients:
1 1/2 beef or pork roast
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
3 teaspoons salt
4 dried New Mexico Peppers
2 dried ancho peppers
3 beef broth
1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds toasted
1 cup shortening.
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups corn flour
36 dried corn husks

Day 1 (preferably right before bed)
Place roast, chopped onion, two garlic cloves chopped, and 3 cups of beef broth in a crockpot. Set to lo and go to sleep. (make sure you get all eight hours of sleep. Might as well since the roast won't be done until the eight hours has past.)Wake up to yummy cooked roast. Don't eat for breakfast. Practice some will power. :)Let roast cool. SAVE THE LIQUID!!! Shred the beef.

Now you are going to make a sauce for the beef. Toast 3 dried peppes in a skillet over medium heat until they have a toasted aroma. Let cool. Remove seeds and ribs. Place in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes at least to soften. Strain soaking liquid through a cheesecloth and reserve the liquid.

Place soaked peppers, cumin, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 teaspoon in a blender along with one cup of the reserved pepper liquid. Cover and puree. Transfer to saucepan. Simer, uncovered until reduced to 1 1/3 cups. Add beef. Cool completely.

For dough, beat lard and baking powder until smooth. Combine with corn flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Mixture should look like a thick paste. Meanwhile soak corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes or until soft.

To assemble take husk and spread 2 tablespoons of dough into a rectangle 3 inches wide and 4 inches long so that one of the long sides is along the edge of the wrappers. Spoon filling down center. Fold the long edge of the wrapper over the filling so it overlaps dough slightly. Roll wrapper around outside of filled dough mixture. Tie ends with strips of corn husk or heavy kitchen string.

To steam, stand tamales upright in a steamer basket. Don't pack them tightly, but fill the space. Place at least 2 inches of water in the bottom. Bring to boiling; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 45 -60 minutes. Tamales are done when dough easily pulls away from corn husks and is spongy and well cooked throughout.

Eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy!