Lime Curd Tart with Coconut Whipped Cream

Some people have a green thumb. To put it quite frankly, I am not one of them. While many gardeners can sow, weed, and prune a plant into flourishing perfection, I struggle to complete some of the more basic tasks, such as burying the seeds at the correct depth or finding the motivation to weed (perhaps a bit of laziness is also to blame). Even so, my plants have a tendency to wither despite regular watering. They gather the nasty little bugs whenever I want to keep a flower indoors, and my vegetable plants grow the smallest of produce at the end of the season.

I am become Death, the destroyer of plants.

Each spring the feeling of rebirth floats through the air, infecting me with a strong desire to kneel in the dirt and plant a garden. The eagerness to hold a handful of seeds makes me briefly forget my black thumb and the poor path my plants will soon travel down. When I lived at home with my parents, I would convince my mother to fill her garden with half a dozen varieties of vegetables. I convinced her that I would do the tending. I convinced her I would help them grow. Rarely, I am ashamed to admit, did I follow through on my deceitful promises. The plants would endure a hot sun, vagrant weeds, and abit of neglect. At the end of the season, we'd collect our micro-vegetables, telling ourselves that we would plant flowers next year instead.

As the temperature finally rose this weekend, I felt the familiar urge to dig around in the dirt and grow new life. The trees have not yet budded with leaves, but for the first time this year it felt like spring has arrived. Even though I know my planting ventures are destined to end poorly (just ask my basil plant from last summer), I cannot shake the optimism that this year might be different—that this year I could grow something beautiful.

Even if I will not be able to grow a flourishing plant, I can bake something beautiful. And really, that might be the most delicious in the end.

This Lime Curd Tart with Coconut Whipped Cream is an ode to spring, with bright green colors and bold new flavors. A lightly sweetened whole wheat tart crust is filled with a tart lime curd and swirled with spoonfuls of coconut whipped cream. Serve with a sprinkling of lime zest and another dollop of whipped cream to celebrate the arrival of sunshine and warmer weather.

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Grapefruit Margaritas

It's been one of those weeks. We've all had them at one point or another. Tuesday feels like Wednesday and Wednesday feels like Thursday and somehow the week still isn't over yet. While the days often seem to skate by quickly, spinning circles around me before I have the chance to catch my breath, this week has come to a jarring halt. The hand on the clock moves so slowly between my frequent glances that I periodically wonder if the hands have stopped moving altogether. I keep asking myself, is it Friday yet?

If only time moved so slowly on the weekends...

I have never been much for alcoholic beverages, but I do make an exception for the occasional glass of red wine or salt-rimmed margarita. While a glass of wine nicely rounds out a weekend evening, I have always reserved margaritas for more festive occasions. Margaritas tend to pop up on hot summer evenings when the dinner party guests have been fed or when the glasses are clinked to celebrate another Fourth of July. The best margarita I ever had was savored after a long day of skiing in the mountains—blended, with lime.

Margaritas have an intrinsic sense of community built into their nature; they are meant to be enjoyed among friends.

Though there were no holidays to celebrate or gatherings to toast, these margaritas made an appearance to bring a spot of joy into an otherwise simple evening with my family. With snow on the ground and flurries falling from the skies, I felt as if the classic lime version could use a seasonal update. Grapefruit has quickly become a fruit that I identify with cold weather. Not only is it in season, but the tartness of the citrus so effortlessly mimics the quality of a biting winter wind. The lime only furthers this quality, which gives the margaritas a bright, vibrant character.

And so I raise my glass to you, dear friends, thankful that tomorrow the weekend finally begins.

Grapefruit Margaritas are a welcome drink after a long work week. Freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juice are joined by tequila and triple sec to create this unique beverage. The margaritas are quite tart (which I adore), but a teaspoon of sugar may be added to each drink to tone it down for those of you who are not so keen on such a biting flavor. Instead of salt-rimmed glasses, I rimmed these with sugar to bring out a bit of sweetness whenever you decide that you may need it.

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Black Bean Salsa

My mother decided to throw a dinner party last weekend to celebrate the arrival of summer/Fourth of July with a few of her skiing friends. Naturally, I stepped in and had a few things to say about what was going to be on the menu. My mother listened politely, but respectfully disagreed. You see, my mother and I have very different ideas about what a dinner party should entail.

I love to throw dinner parties. I'll use any excuse I can find to bring a few friends into my home (and into my kitchen). Many days in advance, I like to plan out the menu. The food must be seasonal, fresh, and homemade. I'll run through a list of ideas for dishes in my head. Over the next few days, I may add a few here and remove a few there. I try to make the menu cohesive. Will the appetizer complement the dessert? Is there a theme? Did I plan to make too much food again?

I have been known to go a little, well, overboard every once in awhile.

(For those of you who also love to throw a good dinner party, you should check out The Table Set podcast. Fun and informative!)

My mother, on the other hand, likes to keep things as simple and easy as possible. The least amount of work she has to put into the planning and execution of her party, the better. While I can completely respect her minimalist style, it just isn't mine. I love elaborate meals. I love cooking or baking every component from scratch. And, perhaps most unlike my mother, I love to have a reason to spend hours in the kitchen.

When it came to planning the menu for this particular dinner party, my mother and I were able to find middle ground. A Mexican theme was decided upon, with chips and salsa as the appetizer and tacos as the main course; dessert was all mine (it was so good, you can bet I'll be sharing it with you soon). Knowing myself, I wanted to make the tortilla chips from scratch. My mother put that idea to rest in the blink of an eye. Nevertheless, I insisted the salsa should at least be fresh and homemade. The rest is history.

Following the "simple and easy" approach of my mother, this Black Bean Salsa has flavors complex enough for me—the perfect compromise.

This Black Bean Salsa is bright, colorful, and delicious. The flavors are complex, with hints of bell pepper, tomato, lime, and red onion to round out the heartiness of the black beans. This definitely isn't a salsa from a jar. Make this the night before eating to allow the flavors to meld and bring out the best flavor. While this salsa rests somewhere between mild and medium, you could add more heat by including the seeds from the diced jalapeno or by sprinkling in a few red pepper flakes. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping to your next taco or burrito.

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