Raspberry Phyllo Tarts

Since I really didn't think you had enough berries recipes already, I will (just for you) post a few raspberry recipes. Oh, your welcome. You don't have to thank me. My children have been thanking me lately. They must be my children since they aren't complaining yet.

If you couldn't tell by now, I love berries. So, I was looking up raspberry recipe in Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008 cookbook and noticed a raspberry Phyllo tart recipe. It looked easy. It looked quick and I totally changed it besides a few ingredients. All of my tarts were gone within the hour. So, here is my inspired recipe from Cooking Light.

Raspberry Phyllo Tart Recipe
1 (2.1 oz.) package of mini phyllo shells
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 cup raspberries
Crushed almonds and additional raspberries for garnish


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place shells on a baking sheet.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, honey, and almond extract.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped almonds and the 1/4 cup raspberries. Mix until well combined.
5. Spoon in about 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture into the Phyllo shells.
6. Bake the shells for about 5 minutes and rotate pan.
7. Bake the shells for another 5 minutes or until the cream cheese mixture is firm.
8. Remove the shells from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
9. Top the shells with crushed almonds and raspberries if desired.

 Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

 Did you already know...
-Another name for phyllo is filo or fillo. 
-The largest producer of phyllo products is Athens Foods.
-Phyllo dough has been produced since the Ottoman Empire but Athens foods have been producing it for over 50 years.

PQ Baby shower

Welcome to our virtual baby shower for Emily of Ruf Love! What an exciting time. She is having a baby boy. To celebrate this gift of life, PQ members wanted to express our congratulations to Emily. Emily of A Gilt Nutmeg is the gracious host so please stop by the PQ site and Emily's site to see what each one of us made to honor Emily and her family.

 Since this was a PQ virtual baby shower, I decided to make the Emergency Fruit Crostatas in mini form. The crust is wonderful. Plus it has fruit in it! 

Mini Fruit Crostatas
1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter
4 Tbsp ice water
1 cup fruit

Directions:
Crust:

1. Cut the butter into small pieces or grate the butter for smaller pieces.
2. In a food processor,  pulse 1/2 cup sugar with the flour and salt.
3. Add the butter and pulse about 3 to 5 times or until the mixture is crumbly.
4. Pour 1 Tbsp of water at a time through the food processor's feed tube.
5. Pulse the dough until the dough begins to hold together.
6. Remove the dough and shape into a ball.
7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Fruit Prep:

1. Chop any large pieces of fruit to the size of a blueberry.
2. Add the fruit to a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of sugar.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Crostatas:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F degrees.
2. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Using the rim of a large glass, cut out circles from the dough.
4. Press the dough into a muffin tin.
5. Into the center of each dough in the tin, spoon about 1 1/2 Tbsp of the fruit.
6. Fold the dough slightly over the fruit.
7. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
8. Bake the crostatas for 12 minutes or until the edges of the crust brown.
9. Allow the crostatas to cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes and remove.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook.

Did you already know...
-About 4 million babies are born a year in the U.S.
-There are around 107 boys born to every 100 girls born worldwide.
-For the first 6 weeks from conception all embryos develop as females.