Fruit Tart

This fruit tart is delicious and looks very festive on the dessert table. You can use any fresh fruit you have on hand.

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups cookie crumbs (Graham crackers or Digestive Biscuits)
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1 Tbsp sugar
Custard Filling:
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar (can also be substituted for Splenda)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Fresh fruit for topping

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, combine cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl and stir together until all crumbs are moistened.
Spread the mixture evenly in a 9" tart pan (preferably one with a removable bottom).Press down and on the sides firmly with the help of a measuring cup.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 min or until lightly browned. let cool.
To make the filling, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it looks pale yellow, about 4 min. Add in the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
Whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture and strain into a pot. Add in the vanilla and put the pot over medium-low heat and stir constantly for 5-8 minutes. The custard will start to thicken up almost instantly, be careful not to bring it to a boil, reducing the heat as needed.
The crust and the filling can be made up to two days in advance. Spread the filling evenly inside the crust and top with fresh fruit just before serving, to keep the crust crunchy.
Serves 6-8 persons.

Pumpkin Bread

This is the easiest and the tastiest pumpkin bread I have ever made. It makes two loaves, but I promise, they won't last long after they're cool enough to eat. I use canned pumpkin, but you can certainly use fresh pumpkin, just steam what you need and puree.

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
4 eggs

Garnish: 1/2 cup shelled raw pumpkin seeds

Preparation:
Butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Measure flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices into a large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pumpkin, water, salad oil, eggs, and nuts. Beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and bake for approximately 1 hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Banana Bread

This recipe is for those overripe bananas that have been forgotten on your kitchen counter. Its delicious for breakfast with a cold cup of milk, or as an afternoon snack served with tea.

Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe large bananas mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients just until just combined and the batter is thick and chunky.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with walnuts. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan.