Chocolate Mousse Tart

This is not a recipe for the gluten-free, dairy-free friends in my life. I have successfully replicated this crust with vegan cream cheese and gluten free flour; however, there is no replicating the filling without the heavy cream. It just doesn't work. This dessert is perfect for the holidays because of its rich, decadent texture making it the perfect once-in-a-while indulgence. You can also make it well ahead of time.

Crust

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (1/2 of the standard size 8oz package)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

Mousse

1 (12oz) package semisweet morsels
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided 2 cups and 1/2 cup
1 Tbsp. bourbon *optional*
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

To prepare the crust, beat together on medium speed the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating at low speed until just blended. Shape into a disk, wrap with plastic warp, and chill for 1 hour. After chilling is complete, preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease aa 12"x8" tart pan. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 13x9 rectangle. Gently press dough into pan and press up side, trimming excess dough. Bake dough for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

For the mousse, microwave the 1/2 cup cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in bourbon and vanilla; let stand 5 minutes. Beat remaining 2 cups of cream at med-high speed until medium peaks form; fold cream into chocolate mixture and combine well. Spread in cooled tart shell. Topped with coarsely chopped pecans. Chill for at least 4 hours, but at least overnight is preferred.

Bacon Sweet Potatoes

It may have taken me an entire year of chaos to realize how much I miss blogging, but I am back at it and so happy to rekindle this old flame of mine just before the holiday season comes tumbling through my door. After a recent stint with the Whole30 diet, I have grown to love sweet potatoes and am enjoying the process of making them in a variety of ways. Note that the following recipe is far from Whole30 approved and we can all agree that "ironic" is my adjective for 2018. Ha. Nevertheless, top anything with bacon and it's a crowd pleaser at my house. Bonus points for this slow-cooker version of goodness.

Orange Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

4 lb slender sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup orange juice
4 Tbs. butter, melted
3 Tbs. brown sugar (light or dark, no matter)
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbs. cold water
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Place sweet potatoes in 5 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir together orange juice, butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and rosemary. Pour over sweet potatoes, tossing to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or until potatoes are tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Transfer liquid from slow cooker to a saucepan and heat over medium-high. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 TBS cold water until smooth. Whisk cornstarch liquid into saucepan and whisk constantly until sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes. Spoon sauce over potatoes. Stir together parsley, garlic and bacon. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley/bacon mixture. Enjoy!