apple tart

even though the weather really doesn't feel like fall quite yet, the apples and pumpkins at the market sure make it seem autumnal already! here's a super quick and easy bite to make that takes minimal time and ingredients but is big on flavor and simple beauty. puff pastry is a great thing to have in your freezer at all times (like to make this or this) and is perfect in this recipe for a lovely dessert with ice cream, breakfast treat or a little snack with your afternoon coffee.

Apple Tarts

makes 6-8

2 tart apples, cored

1 lemon, juiced

1 pkg frozen puff pastry, defrosted

4 tbs honey

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. thinly slice apples and toss in lemon juice and a little water to keep from browning. set aside.

roll out puff pastry to about 1/4-inch thick on a board lightly dusted with flour. use round cookie cutters to cut out six to eight 2-inch circles and remove excess dough. transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. drain apples well. arrange slices on each of the circles and drizzle with honey. bake tarts for 12-18 minutes or until golden brown. serve immediately & enjoy!

mad props two

almost forgot to share the second installment of our mad props project! check out the details here and be sure to see the first edition here in case you missed it. this one is all about beautiful seafood.

had some great meals for andrew's birthday this week - happy birthday! lunch at gramercy tavern and dinner at craft were amazing ways to celebrate.

if you're a food blogger or just happen to have a great recipe you'd like to share for a good cause, be sure to check out the readymade community cookbook - we're excited to be a part!

these are two newish cookbooks we've got our eye on purchasing - 'good to the grain' and 'my sweet mexico' - any other recommendations?

catalina

just a quick hello with some lovely images from a small part of our recent CA and AZ vacation - we spent labor day weekend relaxing on a boat just off Catalina island. it was so beautiful and a perfect end to our trip - swimming in the cool ocean, drinking cocktails on the flybridge, paddle boarding between boats and cooking simple meals in the galley.

it's good to be back and we've been busy working hard and playing a little too. we can't wait to share a project with you that we just shot for the winter issue of sweet paul magazine - it's going to be beautiful! also excited to share that the baking cookbook i styled, Fast Breads, is finally out. it was a great project that i had so much fun working on with photographer susie cushner and prop stylist randi brookman harris. we finally got to explore the new mario batali & bastianich collaboration, eataly, an amazing marketplace, wine shop, cafe, and space with seven different restaurants. it's huge and so much fun to wander around for everything italian - and we're sure it'll inspire some beautiful new blog posts in the very near future! we had a quick trip to newport, rhode island and can't say enough about this amazing hotel - what an adorable little town and by far the cutest license plate in the country!

have a happy weekend & we'll be back soon with some edible posts, promise!