Lemon Tarts

When summer nears, my thoughts drift to lazy afternoons, good books, and lemonade. Lemons are acidic. They are sour. Zesty. Snappy. Edgy. Tart. They give taste buds a shock—a much needed wake-up call for your mouth. These lemon tarts do one better than lemonade (and we all know how satisfying lemonade can be on a hot summer day). They quench your hunger as well as your lemonade thirst. I cannot think of a better afternoon snack than eating a little lemon tart in the bright sunshine.

These tarts combine the best of lemons and custard. The almonds in the crust provide a nice, mild contrast to the zing of the lemon, providing a delicate balance between the calm and the storm.

I like to cut up the tarts and eat them like little lemon pie slices.

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Chocolate Coconut Granola

Every time I find myself in the cereal aisle at the grocery store, I stare longing at the granola. The crunchy, sweet cereal calls out to me from the shelves, asking me to partake, persuading me to indulge. As of late, the Kashi Cocoa Beach Granola has been particularly convincing. The chocolate! The coconut! The almonds! It seems like more of a decadent dessert than a breakfast cereal. And believe me, I know how incredibly seductive the the idea of dessert for breakfast is.

However, I cannot and will not fork over $5+ for this granola. Especially for a box that is dwarfed by every other box on the shelf. I do have restraint even in spite of the sweet nothings this cereal insists upon whispering into my ear (yes, this surprised me too).

As it has become increasingly awkward to salivate over this cereal for great lengths of time in public, I took it upon myself to create this at home. Though I may never know the mysteries that lie in that tiny, overpriced cereal box, I can tell you with the utmost certainty that my hunger has been sated for now. Next I venture into the cereal aisle, I doubt that granola will even register to my eager, searching eyes.

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