My husband and I are very different eaters. It’s not just a difference of portion sizes and favorite foods. Our differences also lie in the way that we think about and plan food.
My version
When I think about creating a dish, I consider contrasting flavors and providing an assortment of textures. Why? Because when I eat, I enjoy savoring my food and its different sensations. As I plan a meal, I check for ingredients, make a grocery list, and think about how the food will look and taste.
His version
When it’s my husband’s turn to cook, he does check the kitchen to see what’s on hand. He then heads to the grocery store with a basic mental outline but shops more on a whim. He has a recipe in mind, but it isn’t based on texture and flavor profiles. It’s more of a snapshot of the final product.
I guess I could summarize by saying that I look at a recipe as all of the pieces in the puzzle, and he sees the finished puzzle. Different approaches to get to our finished dishes.
As I reflect on these differences, it makes sense why I enjoy the kitchen more than he does. My husband does enjoy cooking, but it’s more of a once a week sort of thing. Given the option, he’d do takeout quite often. For me I like not only cooking but also the time I spend thinking about what and how I’ll cook.
Let’s talk about this recipe
This preamble does lead to today’s recipe. When I made these mini tarts in the testing round, I made a version with cream cheese and a version without. I loved the cream cheese version, as it gave extra texture to the tart. My husband preferred the tart without cream cheese. I asked about his thoughts on the texture differences, and his reply was that he didn’t notice. Of course, that could be because he ate the tart in a single bite and was quite content with the combination of bacon and caramelized onion.
As the creator of this recipe, my choice made the final cut. For those of you that want to focus on the main filling ingredients (especially the bacon), like my husband, you easily can eliminate the cream cheese.
For another recipe that turns lavash into a tart crust, try these Spinach and Goat Cheese Mini Tarts.
Caramelized Onion and Bacon Mini Tarts
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick cut bacon
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-1/2 cups sliced sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup divided
- 4-6 tortillas or wraps
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened (optional)
- Black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Bake bacon for 10 minutes, then flip.
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Bake for another 10 minutes or until very crisp.
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Remove bacon from oven, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
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While bacon is cooking, heat large nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat.
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Add olive oil and onions.
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Sauté for 10 minutes.
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Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and reduce heat to low.
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Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
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Dice or crumble bacon into small pieces.
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Combine bacon with onion in its pan.
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Reduce oven to 350°F.
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Using a 3 to 4 inch biscuit cutter, cut 12 rounds out of tortillas.
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Spray one side with nonstick spray or brush with oil and push tortilla rounds into muffin pan.
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Bake for 8 minutes.
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Remove from oven.
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Place 1 teaspoon of cream cheese in bottom of each cup.*
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Add heaping tablespoon of bacon and onion mixture to each cup.
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Return to oven, and bake for 2 minutes.
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Remove from oven, and d rizzle remaining tablespoon of maple syrup over cups and season with black pepper.
Notes
Mini phyllo cups (found in the freezer section) can be used in place of the tortilla cups.
