Oddly enough I was looking forward to my first mothers day. I already picked out the mothers day present I wanted my son to present to me, I had purchased it and gave the bag to my husband and told him “thank you, I love them and you can give me this on Sunday.” Made his job a little easier. I know im not the easiest person to buy a gift for and I have very specific taste, I picked out a pair of gold stud earrings shaped like apples that I could wear for everyday and not have to worry that the baby would grab them and break them. Apples as an ode to my foodie background and my love of food and because my son is the apple of my eye…the day is full of clichés, why not just go with it?? As a further showing of their love for me, my husband had planned that together with my son they were going to make me a pancake breakfast and allow me to sleep in. keep in mind my son was all of 8 months old at the time. I am all excited about this because I don’t think I slept til 9am in what maybe a year?? I was one of the lucky preggos that couldn’t sleep much in the last trimester, instead watched Netflix on my computer all hours of the night. Good times.
I get into bed that night, a bed that was full of the promise of a nice-long-deep-sheep counting-cow moon jumping slumber….
“sorry babe, where is the bottle? Did you pump enough for me to feed him? It looks like he might need more than 6 oz, why don’t you just nurse him and ill take him as soon as your done.”
I hand the baby back to my husband and burrow back down into the pillows and pull the blanket over my head, close my eyes…
“so sorry but where is the pancake mix? I looked in the back of the pantry and I cant find it?? So I tell my husband that he put it on the counter last night next to the bottle of vanilla extract and the mixing bowl he wanted to use. I also informed him that the pancake pan was on the bottom shelf of the rack or he could just use the griddle. Since it was only 6:30 I could get at least a few more hours of sleep…
hubby comes running into the bedroom with the baby in his outstretched arms, “I’m outta wipes! He just made a huge shit and I have no wipes!! Where are the wipes??? How do we not have any wipes?? here you take him while I wet some paper towels to wipe him off! Oh god it smells so bad I think I just threw up in my mouth a little!”
Oh jeez. nothing like a shit smelling baby sitting in your bed at 7am while your husband can't find the wipes that are in the drawer beneath the changing table. And on your one day that you were granted as your sleep in late day. Those days are precious and really hard to come by.
“Hon, the baby is rubbing his eyes, is he tired? Does he need a nap now, he just woke up at 6, is it too early to put him down? You know what, ill just give him his pacifier and put him the stroller, you go back to sleep, I can handle this.”
“How much water do I put in the coffee maker? And do you want chocolate chip pancakes or banana pancakes? or both?”
“Never mind, we don’t have chocolate chips or maybe I just don’t know where you put anything, or bananas. I fed the baby the last banana because I didn’t know how to make the oatmeal like you make it and he was screaming for something to eat, sorry about that. Plain pancakes it is. Would you like your coffee now, I poured it over ice and added milk so you wanna come hang out with me while I make the pancakes?”
Here is one of my favorite go to dessert recipes that I bake when I need a real crowd pleaser and uses only one bowl. easy clean up. If making your own tart filling scares you, no problem. Simply substitute with a 16oz can of your favorite blueberry pie filling (or any other flavor). I highly recommend making your own though, you will feel very accomplished.
Blueberry Crumb Tart
For the filling:
12 oz. frozen blueberries
1 cinnamon stick
juice of one lemon
½ cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP light corn syrup
1 ½ TBSP cornstarch dissolved with a little bit of cold water
½ cup fresh blueberries
For the tart:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup canola oil
1 extra large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Make the filling first so it has a chance to cool before pouring into the crust. You can also make the filling a few days in advance and store in the fridge tightly sealed.
In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the frozen blueberries, cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil stirring occasionally. Taste it and see if you want to add more sugar.
Once the mixture has boiled, lower the heat and stir in the cornstarch that has been dissolved with a little cold water. It will be a bit thick and gloppy. Bring the mixture back to a boil and boil for one minute while stirring. This is important because the starch needs to boil out so you aren’t left with a pasty mouth feel. Once the mixture has boiled for a minute, pour the filling into a clean bowl and stir in the fresh blueberries. Set aside to cool and remove the cinnamon stick before pouring the filling into the crust.
If making this in advance, stir in the fresh blueberries, allow the mixture to cool and refrigerating in a tightly sealed container. You can leave the cinnamon stick in here, just remove it when you are ready to use it.
Preheat the oven to 375
· Grease a 9 inch fluted tart pan that has a removable bottom, you can find this in a specialty store or order online. if you don’t have one, you can use a 9inch spring form pan instead, however the fluted sides allow for a more professional touch. Place the pan on a baking sheet big enough to hold it, 11 by 17 inches or half size sheet pan.
· In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in the egg, vanilla and oil and mix with your hands, yes use your hands! Mix until the mixture resembles wet sand.
· Place half the mixture into the pan and press down firmly on the bottom. Press the dough up the sides as well. If using a spring form makes sure you get at least an inch up the wall of the pan. In the fluted pan just make sure you get at least a little more than halfway up the sides. Press firmly all around.
· Pour the filling into the crust and spread over the crust
· Crumble the rest of the mixture evenly over the filling and spread out so it covers the entire tart.
· Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling has bubbled out a little bit and the top has cracked ever so slightly.
· To serve: remove the tart from the pan, slide the ring down your arm and set the whole thing onto a plate or platter. You can leave the bottom on so you don’t crack the tart but make sure you put some scotch tape rounds on the plate that you are using so the tart doesn’t go sliding off while you are carrying it to the table. Little insider trick J
· Pile some fresh blueberries and raspberries in the center and dust the whole thing with confectioners sugar.
