Spinach & Cheese Tarts

Need a quick & fancy dinner?  This recipe calls for few ingredients, quick to make, and oh so impressive results.

Spinach & Cheese Tarts
One pkg. of frozen puff pastry - box has two pkgs., but you just need one
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 cups spinach
1/4 - 1/3 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt
pepper
egg, beaten with a little water

So the frozen pastry should be unfrozen, but that didn't happen.  No worries!  I open the pkg. and unfolded the 3 sections so it could start thawing quickly.

Moving on... heat oil in a med. skillet.  Add onions and garlic, and cook until tender.  Put the spinach in mixing until it wilts and is combined.  Remove from heat, and then add both cheese and salt & pepper.  Feel free to add other seasonings as well.  Next time I will probably add some kind of Greek blend.  While this is cooling, it's time to roll out the pastry.  This going to make 3 tarts, so take each section and, using a roller, flatten and extend.  Divide the spinach mixture into 3 parts, and place each on the prepared pastry sheet - I put it on the bottom half in the middle and then folded over the other half - now it's shaped like a poptart.  then take a fork and press the seams together.  Brush with the egg mixture.  I sprinkled mine with some sesame seeds.  Bake in the oven for about 15-18 min.

While mine were baking, I created a side salad with more spinach, red onions, red grapes, and almonds.  We used Panera's Balsamic dressing.  Turned out to be the perfect compliment for the tarts.

This dinner was so easy & so good!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Fall is in the air, so I decide to make some yummy muffins... pumpkin, of course!  This recipe is super easy, and the muffins turn out wonderful.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
1 3/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice mix
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla

First mix up the dry ingredients.  I measured the flour, spice mix, baking soda, and salt in my fine mesh strainer.  I lightly tap into a mixing bowl - I'm convinced this helps make baking light and airy.  Then in another mixing bowl, I mixed the pumpkin and both sugars.  I measured the oil and vanilla, and then whisked in the 2 eggs.  I added this to the pumpkin mix, and slowly added the dry ingredients.  I set the oven to 375* and got my two muffin pans ready with paper liners.  I used the middle stainless scoop - 2 scoops of the pumpkin mixture into each liner - roughly 3/4 full.  Next up is the cream cheese mix.  I used the dry ingredients mixing bowl - why dirty up more dishes - and used the beater to mix bream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla.  Using the small scoop, I added a heaping scoop to each muffin cup.  Next, use a toothpick to swirl the cream cheese and pumpkin mixtures - makes the muffins look pretty!  Bake for about 18-20 min.

Kricket got a bonus treat with the leftover egg white!  I call that a fun way to celebrate the first weekend of fall!