Galette aux Pommes, a Crocheted Scarf & Baby Clothes...I'm back!

I know, I know... it's been exactly one month since I've posted anything on this blog! But, I have a good reason: I've been making too many things!  Every precious second of Luke's nap time I've been working on a new small business called Elephant in the Room Baby Boutique.  I've been sewing and cutting and ironing and tying ribbons and tearing out stitches and sewing again...all to make and sell cute little baby things like onesies, t-shirts, hair bows, headbands, and burp cloths.  Here are my websites to check out: www.facebook.com/elephantbaby and www.etsy.com/shop/elephantbaby.  You don't need a facebook account to check out the facebook page.  If I know you, you can call me or just send me an email at elephantintheroombaby@gmail.com to custom order something.  Etsy helps me sell to people I don't know (and they take a percentage of the sale...boo.)  So, if you need a gift for a precious little one in your life, my sewing machine and I are all yours!

Next, I learned how to crochet during Thanksgiving.  Here's how to learn how to crochet:

1.) Get yarn and needles from Michaels or some other hobby store with your best friend sister Carli.
2.) Have your Grandma D. show you how to crochet at the kitchen table. Have a nice chitchat about gigalos and the olden days.
3.) Fly home with exactly 1 inch of a scarf done...
4.) One week later, forget everything that you learned over Thanksgiving.
5.) Go to Martha Stewarts website and search "how to crochet".
6.) Follow these steps: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/how-to-crochet
7.) Crochet a scarf that your husband says looks and feels like a placemat. boo.
8.) Pick out chunkier, softer teal yarn and a huge needle and start a new scarf that only takes a couple days.
9.) Wear your cozy scarf even though it is 65 degrees in January in Tulsa!

And finally, on to some cooking.  I have been putting cooking and baking at the absolute bottom of my priority list. No, scratch that, cleaning is at the very dusty, crumby bottom.  I took pictures of some things I cooked like Potstickers and Sweet & Sour Chicken, but they never turned into blog posts.  Yesterday I made a beautiful Galette aux Pommes (rustic apple tart) for a potluck luncheon that I went to today.  Not only was it gorgeous and golden and glistening it was the perfect buttery crust with tart thinly sliced apples and a layer of apricot glaze.  Sounds fancy schmancy but it was actually really easy.  So here's the recipe (one part Martha Stewart, one part my own):

Galette aux Pommes (Rustic Apple Tart)

For the Crust:

Pate Brisee (Pie Dough) (from http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pate-brisee-pie-dough, I halved the recipe)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/8-1/4 cup ice water

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
2. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Form dough into a ball. Flatten  ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month. (Prepare your apples while dough chills)
4. (This part is my direction) On a large piece of parchment paper, sprinkle a little flour and place disc of dough on it.  Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and on your rollling pin.  Roll out dough in a circle or oblong shape to about 1/8 inch thick.  It does not have to be a perfect, nice circle because it is a "rustic" tart, which is codeword for lazy.  Place parchement and dough on large baking sheet.

For the Filling:

4-5 Granny Smith apples (or whatever apples you have)

1-2 tbs. granulated sugar

a pinch of nutmeg

a beaten egg or egg white

1-2 tbs. apricot preserves (for use after tart is baked)

1. Peel, core, and quarter apples.

2. Slice very thin using a sharp knife or a mandoline (I used my mandoline that I got for my birthday, love it!)

3. On your rolled out dough (see above) arrange apples in a spiral OR dump them all out in the middle and make it really lazy rustic! Leave a 2 inch border of dough all the way around.

4. Fold edges of dough over apples, pleating as you go.

5. With pastry brush, brush edges of dough with your beaten egg.

6. Sprinkle dough and apples with sugar. Sprinkle the apples with the nutmeg.

7. Place in 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown and apples are tender.

8. Let cool on rack.

9. Microwave apricot preserves in a small dish for about 20 seconds until melted.

10. Brush apples only with apricot preserves.

11. Drool.

12. Serve warm or at room temperature, alone or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.