Caramel Cake and Goat Cheese & Leek Tart

In my oven, at this very moment, are two Caramel Pound Cakes and 3 Goat Cheese and Leek Tarts.

Eli's teacher appreciation lunch is tomorrow(just dropping off the goods) and my yoga teacher thought it would be a "good idea" to have a little "holiday" breakfast tomorrow morning after yoga. The thought is great, but isn't yoga supposed to be about "me"? So much of my daily routine is so not about "me". It is about everyone else in my life, plus the kid next door, and everyone else who happens to cross our path. My two mornings a week, which equals 3 hours each week that I set aside for just "me" are 3 hours I embrace and look forward to. Now, instead of being in the zone for 90 minutes, I am being granted 60 minutes of zone time and 30 minutes of eating and conversing (plus I have to labor over and wake up early to create).

This tart is something I have been making for 15 years. I have perfected the custard filling and although I happen to adore the combo of leeks and goat cheese, I do, on occassion, mix it up. In the spring I like to do black forest ham, asparagas and gruyere. I also love the combo of procuitto, ricotta salata and basil. There are several other winning combos, but hands down, the one in the oven is the best!

The Caramel Cake is a winner as well. With a pound of butter (3 sticks in the cake and 1 in the glaze), what could be bad (photos to follow)?

Happy Holidays!