Christmas Tart

For about the last 8 years or so, my family and I have traded hosting Christmas morning breakfast with dear friends of ours. We met over 15 years before our friend's children were even born and when our daughter was very young. We are very close, the kind of friends who feel more like extended family, especially at Christmas. My husband's name is Al, and it's always made us smile, that he was and still is referred to as Uncle "Owl", a mispronunciation coined when the girls, Siobhan and Sophia, were little. Wether their mom and dad, Shawn and Kevin are hosting, or if the festivities are at my house, Shawn has been pretty consistent each year with making a version of her french toast casserole as part of pur yearly tradition. My daughter's very favorite version involves cream cheese between two slices of thick french toast, baked in the oven and served with fruit compote and whipped cream. YUM!

For my part, I usually provide the savory portion of our grand Christmas brunch. I like to switch it up so some years it  has been a sausage casserole, sometimes quiche or something else involving eggs. Last year, my daughter took over for both Shawn and I, making chicken and waffles that left us all licking our fingers and wanting more. More YUM!

    

This year, I wanted to make something in one of my pretty new poppy tart plates. Interestingly enough, I don't make a lot of pottery to use for myself as I am too busy making for the market. I only kept this one because it developed an s crack in the bottom of it.  I wasn't too sad about it though because they're so pretty, I really wanted to keep one anyway. 

Being a huge fan of roasted vegetables, I came up with a recipe for a savory vegetable tart. I am the kind of cook that either goes completely off the cuff or gets ideas from existing recipes and edits them according to what I think would be good or what I have on hand. 

My Roasted Vegetable Tart is a product of the latter approach and was very well recieved. It was not only really tasty but is very easy to make. Some roasted vegetables, a store bought pie crust, some goat cheese, and you're good to go! 

Roll out the pie crust over your tart pan. Fold the edges level with the top of the pan and crimp. Partially prebake the pie crust according to package directions. I took it out slightly early since it had to bake again with the filling in it and I didn't want it to possibly burn on the edges. Be sure to use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the crust to prevent it from puffing up. If you have pie weight,s or dry kidney beans available, you can also fill the crust with those. If you are a potter like me and can't find either of those things, find tiny houses out in your studio and use those (LOL) 

  

For the filling, I had a couple of heads of cauliflower and broccoli that I need to use up, so I chopped them into small florets with some onion and mixed them together in a big bowl. I drizzle all the vegetables with some olive oil, (about 2 Tbs.) and sprinkled with one of my favorite spices, Traders Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute. Stir them all around to distribute the seasoning evenly and spread onto a sheet pan sprayed with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees until soft and slightly charred. 

      

Next, fill your prebaked pie shell with the veggies distributing them evenly. Top with about 1/4- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese and bake again at around 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until goat cheese is melted. That's it!  Slice it up and enjoy! Merry Christmas and warm wishes for a very blessed New Year!

   

THE HAHN'S

 

THE HULL'S

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ROASTED VEGETABLE TART

Filling:

1 head fresh cauliflower 

2 -3 broccoli crowns

1 large sweet onion

2 Tbs. Oil

1- 1 1/2 Tsp. Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute

1 oz. Honey Goat Cheese

1 pre-made pie crust

Follow directions above.