French Tarte Au Citron (Lemon Tart) is so impressive people will think it came right from a French Bakery!

Culinary Journey in the country of France continues~ we started it off with a classic crêpes recipe French Pâte à Crêpes recipe.  Then, we held onto 8-10 of them and made a French Gâteau de Crêpes à la Florentine, then we made some traditional French Crème Fraîche which we needed for the amazing French Potage Saint-Germain soup and todays recipe too!  

Today we are finishing up our time in France with this French Tarte Au Citron which needs last weeks French Pâte Brisée Sucrée for the crust!  Plus, it uses a 1/4 cup of our French Crème Fraîche!

Pastry shops and cafes abound all over France.  I found them simply impossible to pass up when I was vacationing in France. . . I just had to do my share of taste testing!  There are so many that you’d think it’s all the French eat, right?!  Surprisingly the ending to many French meals are a fresh, ripe fruits and a lovely wedge of cheese.  They also typically follow meals with black coffee as a digestive.  

Cakes and baked goods are usually eaten as a separate meal in the late afternoon or for special occasions.  With so many wonderful pastries available at local bakery shops, the at home baking is kept pretty simple.   They like to bake rustic fruit tarts and cake using things that are available in their orchards or gardens.  

Our French Tarte Au Citron needs two of our other French Culinary Journey recipes… French Crème Fraîche, French Pâte Brisée Sucrée . . . this tart is really very simple to make and who doesn’t have room for a slice of bittersweet lemon tart at the end of a meal?!  

French Tarte Au Citron is a lovely way to end any meal and especially wonderful for the holidays! Enjoy. 

I love this pastry shop in Paris. . . 

Have a beautiful Wednesday!

Much Love and Peace~

Ruthie

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Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce and Quinoa is delicious spring time meal! 

Hip-hooray it’s Friday! 

I love Fit Friday’s cuz Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness comes to hang out with us. It’s awesome to have her visit and inspire our fitness! A Healthy Recipe Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce from me+ Jump Rope Curcuit from Nichole= a healthy, happy, balanced life!

I’m so happy that spring time has made it’s way around to us again!!  I love all the spring flowers and having warmer sunny days is always a lovely feeling after the long winter!  

Happy Easter on Sunday. . . I thought a little Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce and Quinoa would be a lovely way to celebrate spring!  It’s hard to believe we are going to be up to a high of 80 degrees around my neck of the woods today- it’s just wonderful!! 

I love my  Thermapen Mk4 it’s the best and sturdiest thermometer I’ve ever used (and I’ve busted through a lot of them in my time!).  Plus, there’s a sweet sale going on right now so, it’s a great time to check them out!!  

This lamb dish is a fresh take on Easter dinner that I think you’ll find quite festive.  I love lamb and especially enjoy it in the spring time.  I found ground lamb at the Whole Foods Market meat counter, I had to ask for it to be ground and they were happy to do it for me.  It may be more readily available in more stores with the Easter celebrations happening this weekend.  If you can’t find it ground don’t be afraid to ask your butcher if can prepare it that way for you. 

It’s really important that you don’t over cook your lamb. . . ground lamb should be cooked up to 160 degrees F but there’s a hold over cook time which means you want to stop applying heat at about 155 degrees F and the heat that is already in the pan will continue to cook the meat up to 160 degrees.  So basically, pull the pan off the heat once you hit 155 temperature in the center of the meatballs.  

Then you’ll have perfectly cooked lamb! Mmmmmmm hmm.  

Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce and Quinoa is lovely way to celebrate spring with your family! 

Nichole’s Jump Rope Circuit: 

We are hopping into this Easter weekend with the workout this week. I don’t know about at your house but my kids always seem to get jump ropes at Easter, the Easter bunny loves to keep our house hopping. It is a great activity we can do outside and fun for all ages. I have talked about the benefits of jump roping in the past, so we aren’t going to spend a lot of time on that, but let’s talk a little bit about how to get better at jump roping before we attack our jump rope workout.

First; you have to start with the right rope. You want a rope with handles that turn freely and is made of material that turns over smoothly. Cloth ropes are too light! It also needs to be a good length. While standing on your jump rope the handles should come to your arm pits.

Second; the bounce. You need to stay on the balls of your feet and and stay soft, this will protect your knees. You also need to keep your bounce lower, jumping two feet in the air and kicking your heels to your butt wastes a lot of energy.

Third; your arms. Again, we don’t want to waste a bunch of energy. Keep your arms and elbows in close to your body with the wrists rotating.

Fourth; start simple. Work on a single bounce first and go from there. You don’t need to worry about a bunch of fancy tricks or chaining together a bunch of double-unders until you have the single bounce mastered.

Have a wonderful Easter Weekend and Happy Fit Friday!

Much Love and Peace~

Nichole and Ruthie

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Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette is a fresh and filling healthy lunch! 

Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness is here to hang out with us. I love having her visit and inspire our fitness! A Healthy Recipe,Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette from me +  a Pumped Up Basics Workout from Nichole = a healthy, happy, and balanced life!

Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette is a fabulous lunch or light dinner for summertime!  I love it when blueberries are in season, they’re plump and sweet AND sooooo good!  

They take our salad to the next level for sure!  

We grilled our chicken with the Herb Marinade for Everything that I shared not too long ago… it really is amazing on everything! 

You’ll remember this Lemon Honey Vinaigrette from a few weeks ago… we adore it soooooo much!  It pairs just perfectly with this Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad! 

Here are a couple of other salads you might also enjoy…. Salmon Avocado Salad with Sweet Vinegar Dressing, Chicken, Asparagus, Tomato Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Tuna Salad in Avocado.

Nichole’s Pumped Up Basics Workout. . .

It has been a fantastic week at my house! The family has enjoyed Lake Powell to the max. Now it is time to get back to the real world. And with that reality I am bringing you a fantastic workout to kill this week.

I love these 10-1 workouts. My class love to countdown way more than going up, so that is what we are going to kill it with today. Repeat 10 of each movement, than repeat with 9 and so forth. The 30 second plank remains the same every round, just one 30 second plank.

As always work hard and earn your rewards!

Enjoy our Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette with a crusty loaf of bread and enjoy!! 

Have an amazing weekend!! 

Much Love and Peace~
Nichole and Ruthie 

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Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread is a mouth-watering lunch or it’s even filling enough for dinner too!   Happy Labor Day Weekend. . . this recipe will also make a fabulous picnic lunch! 

Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness is here to hang out with us.  I love having her visit and inspire our fitness!  A Healthy Recipe,  Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread from me +  Tips for buying Gym Clothes from Nichole = a healthy, happy, and balanced life!

Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread starts out with a fresh whole grain flatbread, then a smear of humus, and layers of cucumber and thinly sliced red onion, followed by grilled chicken breasts, cilantro, and lemon wedges.  Finally, the Yogurt Cucumber Sauce is the mouth-watering finish to the whole meal experience!   

Wow. . . they’re SO good!!  I recently took these Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread to my daughter and her husband when my new little grandson was born and they loved them!  They are simple to make, have lots of fresh ingredients, and make healthy taste sinfully delicious! 

Miss Nichole’s Gym Clothes Tips. . . 
It seems like the gym as become quite the runway these days. I will be honest, I switched from a big box gym to a family friendly rec center. It is a much tamer runway but can still be a runway. With so much focus on being cute and stylish we sometimes forget about some of the more important reason we buy workout clothes, to actually workout in them. Today’s Fit Friday is all about tips for finding good workout clothes.

Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread will make your Labor Day weekend even more fabulous!

Happy Fit Friday!

Much Love and Peace~

Nichole and Ruthie

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Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting in celebration of Miss Madeliene’s happy birthday… today!

Oh and we can’t forget that it’s also Fit Friday today!!! Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness has some great stuff to share with us!

Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is Madeliene’s FAVORITE cake!! She loves it. I love to “skinny” dessert recipes. It’s just what I do! I love to make those calories count where I want them! Here are some more healthy desserts for you– Blueberry Crumble, Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding, & Coconut Banana Cream Petite Cakes! 

 Now for some Fit Tips..

 The snow is melting, the sun is shining, and the trails are calling my name. Now I just need to get my husband to work a little less and go exploring with me. Unless you are brand new to Fit Friday with Ruthie and me you know that I am a runner. I love to run. Most of that time my running takes place on the road or the treadmill, mostly for reasons of convenience. I am a mom/step-mom of four and finding time to run is always a challenge, even more so if I want to drive some where or coordinate with other people. So even though I am not on the trails all that often it is not because I don’t want to be. The trails call to my soul.

This week’s fit tips is all about trail running. Why? And how? These are just a few simple tips for beginners or great reminders for those of you that are veterans to the trail.

Let’s start with three of my top reasons to hit the trails in all this glorious sunshine;

1) Fewer injuries. Trail is a soft surface that is easier than the pounding from the road and sidewalks.

2) Better technique. Trail requires one to pay attention and adjust on the uneven terrain. A shorter stride is often used with more landing on the forefoot rather than the heel.

But my number one reason is the last one I will list.

3) A mental break. Trail for me means being in the mountains and if you are truly are in the mountains, truly in nature, you aren’t in your head.
This mental break is also a break from all the numbers that are often a part of running. You can’t stress about your pace or time when you are on the trail. It doesn’t compare to road running.

Now that I have you excited to hit the trail with my top reasons of why let’s talk how.

1) Use a short stride. You want to keep your feet underneath you in order to maintain balance on uneven terrain.

2) Keep your eyes down and paying attention to the trail at all times. This doesn’t mean you can’t stop and smell the roses, just don’t try to smell the roses or look at the birds while running. You want to be scanning the trail a few feet in front of you and know what is coming.

3) When you hit the hills shorten that stride a bit more and keep your back straight.

Also….
Pick a good trail shoe. You want a shoe that provides stability and protection.
Know your trail.
Bring water.

Get out and enjoy!!!

Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is the best birthday cake ever!!!

Much Peace & Love~

Nichole & Ruthie

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Homemade Cherry Pie is decadent with a fabulously flaky and decadent crust! 

Homemade Cherry Pie is OH EMM GEEE to die for.  It is, in my personal opinion, the BEST Cherry Pie ever.  I’ve talked about my fond memories of baking in the kitchen with my grandma before.  This pie was always apart of our baking.

Not only is this Homemade Cherry Pie delicious.. the memories I have associated with them are just as fabulous.  My hope is to create those same yummy and fond memories with my children and grandchildren one day just like my grandma and mom did with me.  Side note: If I don’t have time to make the Cherry Pie Filling from scratch, I really love to use this Comstock Original Pie Filling & Topping, Country Cherry!!  I love to buy it in bulk to keep in my pantry– turns out to always be cheaper and more cost effective that way!

We went to visit my grandma in Idaho over the 4th of July and as I walked into the kitchen, I remembered the Homemade Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Homemade Rolls that we would make together.  Yummm.  I want all of these right now..  LOL.   You know what… I have had the HARDEST time finding pie tins or pie pans lately.  It has been so frustrating!!! I went to every store in town that I thought “should” have them and to no avail… I learned the hard way and now have stocked up on some of my faves from Amazon.  Don’t ask me why they don’t have them in stores anymore?? (or maybe it’s just my town?)  I love glass pie pans– I think they are just beautiful– Pyrex 2-Pack Easy Grab Glass Pie Plate, 9.5-Inch.  If you’re more of a don’t wash dishes kinda gal, these are awesome to just throw a way after– Premium 9″ Aluminum Foil Pie Pans. Disposable.  Again, my philosophy has always been to buy in bulk.

I couldn’t finish this post with out giving my crust making tips.  Like it says in the recipe, work the dough as little as possible!!!  This makes a big difference.  Also, for even flakier crust, make your dough the night before.  Once dough is made, separate into 4 equal parts.  Individually form each part into a ball, cover with saran wrap, and put in the fridge.  The next day, when you are ready to finish making and baking your pies, continue and finish out the recipe as shown below.  My final tip is all about the tools you use to make your pie crust.  I have found, with trial and error and many years of experience, that the easiest way to make pie crust is by using the following things:

Marble Rolling Pin — we got this for our wedding and it is sooo amazing because it helps roll the dough for you with the weight of the rolling pin!

Non-slip Silicone Pastry Mat Extra Large or Silicone Pastry Mat — I used to do the put tons of flour all over my counter in order to get the pie crust not to stick to it thing.  I figured out that these make it so I can use less flour (win) AND the dough doesn’t stick to this silicone mat or the counter (double win)!!

Homemade Cherry Pie is delicious with a fabulously flaky crust!!

Much Love,

Ruthie & Madeliene

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Apricot Thyme Lemon Tart is a beautiful combination of savory and sweet on a flakey puff pastry crust!  It’s truly magical!! Apricots are in season all around our neck of the woods.  It’s seems that so many of my neighbors have trees that are bursting with them!  So, I was super happy to be able […]

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*this is a sponsored post by Truvia® and the opinions expressed are genuine and my own 🙂 Charred Zucchini, Chevre, and Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is a robust combinations of flavor that’ll impress the whole family! You’ll love our Charred Zucchini, Chevre, and Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette- the charred zucchini, toasted pine nuts, […]

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Greek Lemon Yogurt Cake is a wonderfully moist cake called Yaourtopita in Greece and it tastes even better the day after it’s made! I love our Culinary Journey, today’s the last week we will be exploring the country of Greece.  I hope you’ve been able to try our Greek Feta and Red Pepper Spread with Flat […]

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French Tarte Au Citron (Lemon Tart) is so impressive people will think it came right from a French Bakery! Culinary Journey in the country of France continues~ we started it off with a classic crêpes recipe French Pâte à Crêpes recipe.  Then, we held onto 8-10 of them and made a French Gâteau de Crêpes à la Florentine, […]

The post French Tarte Au Citron appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce and Quinoa is delicious spring time meal!  Hip-hooray it’s Friday!  I love Fit Friday’s cuz Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness comes to hang out with us. It’s awesome to have her visit and inspire our fitness! A Healthy Recipe Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce from me+ Jump Rope Curcuit from […]

The post Lamb Meatballs with Mint Tomato Sauce and Quinoa appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette is a fresh and filling healthy lunch!  Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness is here to hang out with us. I love having her visit and inspire our fitness! A Healthy Recipe,Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette from me +  a Pumped Up Basics Workout from Nichole = a […]

The post Blueberry, Almond, Chicken Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread is a mouth-watering lunch or it’s even filling enough for dinner too!   Happy Labor Day Weekend. . . this recipe will also make a fabulous picnic lunch!  Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness is here to hang out with us.  I love having her visit and inspire our fitness!  A Healthy Recipe,  Mediterranean […]

The post Mediterranean Chicken Flatbread appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting in celebration of Miss Madeliene’s happy birthday… today! Oh and we can’t forget that it’s also Fit Friday today!!! Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness has some great stuff to share with us! Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is Madeliene’s FAVORITE cake!! She loves it. I love […]

The post Carrot Bundt Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Homemade Cherry Pie is decadent with a fabulously flaky and decadent crust!  Homemade Cherry Pie is OH EMM GEEE to die for.  It is, in my personal opinion, the BEST Cherry Pie ever.  I’ve talked about my fond memories of baking in the kitchen with my grandma before.  This pie was always apart of our baking. […]

The post Homemade Cherry Pie appeared first on Cooking With Ruthie.

Chicken Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce is a long time favorite Italian dish!  Fun Fit Friday is here!!!  Thanks Nichole from Pure Clean Fitness for keeping us healthy and strong over here! Chicken Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce is wanting to be a part of your festivities this Christmas break!  It has great flavor and is matched […]

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Our Crab Cakes with Creole Sauce Recipe will bring back memories of your favorite coastal restaurant! These crab cakes are simple to make because we use canned crab meat- I can just imagine how extra amazing they’d be if they were made with crab that was caught fresh from the ocean! So, whichever way want...

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Blueberry Apple Coleslaw Recipe is a flavorful summer salad and the perfect side dish for your next BBQ! I think that green cabbage is one of my favorite green vegetables because it’s crisp with the subtle flavor that tastes fabulous with about anything you’d like to create for a salad or coleslaw. Today’s homemade coleslaw...

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MarinadesWithMazola #MakeItWithHeart #CollectiveBias Citrus Thyme Grilled Chicken is a deliciously simple summer grilling recipe! Our Citrus Thyme Basting/Marinade Sauce is one of our family’s very favorite recipes for grilling any variety of protein, plus we love it on vegetables too!...

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Our Balsamic Salmon Filet Recipe is simple to make plus it’s rich in flavors with a wide array of nutritional benefits! Today’s oven roasted salmon filet only needs 20 minutes to prepare along with aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, fresh lemon and parsley! You won’t believe how flakey, moist, and mouth-watering...

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