My mom is a great cook! I know it, my husband gains weight eating it, and my daughter asks for seconds only when she is at my parents’ eating my mom’s cooking. Certainly, I would have this gene of good cooking…After visiting my parents one weekend and seeing how my daughter devoured her risotto, I decided to make it myself. I called my mom, talking with her step by step slaving over the hot stove stirring the risotto for what seemed like hours to get the perfect consistency. I proudly served my meal to my family anticipating everyone’s reaction. After the first bite, my daughter (who was five at the time) says, “It’s not as good as Gramma’s.” Needless to say, I did not receive the cooking gene and I have not made the risotto again. Instead, opting for a delicious and easy boxed risotto from Whole Foods and adding fresh vegetables to the mix.
In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share one of my favorite desserts that my mom makes. I remember her making these only when they would host dinner parties at our house. Therefore, making them a special treat that we did not get often. I don’t know what I will pass down to my daughter as that special treat, but I am thankful to my mom for always making me feel special…
Lemon Tarts
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Grated rind of 2 lemons (be careful to avoid the white pith)
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs, well beaten
Combine rind, juice, sugar and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until butter is melted (about 10 minutes).
Stir in eggs (when adding eggs make sure they are room temperature and add a little of the hot liquid to the eggs before adding so they will not cook immediately upon entering the hot liquid).
Cook, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes more) until the filling piles a little when you pour from spoon on top of mixture.
Store in jars in refrigerator and use as needed. Fills about 6 dozen tiny tart shells. Can top the lemon curd with whipping cream, blueberries or raspberries.
Tart Shells
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound)
2 3 oz packages cream cheese
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
Let butter and cheese soften in bowl at room temperature. Blend cream cheese and butter together (I use my hands although it’s messy). Add flour gradually until it is all worked in and blended. Chill mixture. Then shape in small balls (approximately ¾ inch) and press into tiny muffin tins.
Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. After cooling, store in plastic bags in freezer until needed.
One last thing…in the picture above, you will notice behind the tarts there is a photograph. In that photograph is my mom as a young girl having lunch at Neiman Marcus, in Dallas, with her mom, sister, and father.
