Wherein I turn 33

While I'd like to say that these chocolates are for me, they are actually in celebration of my cousin Yvonne and her husband, Griff's visit to Saint Louie last weekend.

If I have guests coming in to visit, the first place my mind goes to is "what can I make for dessert"? Thanks to Cook's Illustrated (which has earned my undying devotion, by the way) I found an recipe for a Chocolate and Caramel Walnut tart. I love tarts. I love chocolate and hey, why not try my hand at making caramel?! Pictured above, we have the suagr water boiling away. Below, the finished caramel coating freshly roasted walnuts. Yum.

For double the yum, the bottom layer of the tart is caramel and coarsly chopped walnuts....

covered with about 16 ounces of chocolate ganache. DELICIOUS! Also, the tart keeps in the refrigerator very well - I made it Friday night and we didn't eat it until Sunday. So if you're in need of a make ahead dessert, you're in luck.

Yvonne is one of my favorite cousins. We had a blast a couple of years ago when we went to Costa Rica together to hang out on the beach and then spent time with relatives. She is the funniest, sweetest and most loving person I have ever met. Fitting then, that she also married the funniest, sweetest most loving husband I have ever met!

We spent the afternoon window shopping at the loop.


Griffin then treated us to a surprise dinner at home. I told you he was sweet, right?!


That evening we met up with friends at Sasha's on Shaw, a lovely wine bar in Tower Grove. My sister Aili and her husband Mike were able to make it out, so the evening was perfect!

Sunday, as usual was spent with the family. We enjoyed Chicago style deep dish pizzas (again, delicious and courtesy of Cook's Illustrated) and yummy chocolate cake. What a weekend! Yvonne and Griff, you are welcome here any day of the week!