Berry Tart

I tried this for the first time the other day for some friends and it was delicious! I prefer to use mostly strawberries on top with either blackberries or blueberries but you can really make this with any fruit.

Crust:
9 graham cracker sheets
2 TB sugar
2 TB melted butter
4 tsp water

Filling:
5 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
6 cups small strawberries
2 cups blackberries or blueberries
2/3 cups sugar
1 TB cornstarch
1 TB lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. To prepare crust, put the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the melted butter, sugar, and water and pulse until just moist.

3. Spray a tart pan or a shallow baking dish with cooking spray and spread the crust so that the bottom is covered. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. When done, cool completely in the dish on a wire rack.

4. To prepare the filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the filling over the crust.

5. To prepare topping, place 2 cups of strawberries in a food processor and process until smooth. Combine the puree, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium high heat and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, cook for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature and stir occasionally.

6. Cut the tops off the rest of the strawberries and toss with the lemon juice. Arrange the berries, sliced side facing down in the filling, on top of the filling leaving a little room in between them for the black or blueberries. Scatter the black and blueberries into the spaces.

7. Spoon the glaze over the berries making sure it seeps into all the spaces between them. Cover and chill for about 3 hours.

Chicken Mole

That's Mole as in the sauce, not the rodent. And what makes this sauce incredible? CHOCOLATE. If you've never tried mole, you need to and making it is simple...once you get past the scariness of adding chocolate to your chicken.

2 tsp cumin
2 chicken breasts
1 TB olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TB bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 tsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp orange zest
*flour tortillas, shredded jack and/or cheddar cheese, baby spinach (see #1)

1. You can prepare the chicken and use the sauce in a number of ways. Season the chicken breasts with 1 1/2 tsp cumin and salt and pepper. I like to either grill the breasts and then serve them sliced or cut the breasts into slices and cook in a skillet. (I like to roll the cooked slices in warm flour tortillas with mushrooms, cheese and baby spinach and serve the mole on top).

2. Add tomatoes, broth, chocolate, chipotle, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp cumin to pan. Heat on medium until the chocolate chips are melted. Add the orange zest and season with salt.

3. Puree the sauce in a blender until smooth. Serve on top of chicken with a side of rice and veggies.