Peach and Rose Water Lassi

This lassi is a sweet, refreshing summer drink that's a little different from the usual. We love how it combines sweet ripe peaches and yogurt with a bit of rosewater, then is topped with a sprinkling of salty pistachios. We also love the blogger who created this recipe - it's Erin, from Yummy Supper! We were lucky enough to get our hands on an early copy of her brand new cookbook, which is where we found this jewel of a recipe.

Would you like to win a copy of the new Yummy Supper cookbook? We think you'd love it! Just leave a comment on this post and we'll randomly choose a winner on Friday August 29th. Open to US only.

A few words about the cookbook. It happens to be a gluten free cookbook, but to be honest I didn't  even notice that at first. It is filled with exactly the types of recipes we love to make. Fresh and interesting vegetable based dishes, really great drink ideas (many of which can be morphed into cocktails), and so many flavorful and simple main dishes. If you like cooking great tasting dishes using real food ingredients - you should definitely be checking this cookbook out.

Now back to this recipe. It's right in the middle of peach season here in Colorado, and we are a state that happens to produce truly delicious peaches. They're grown on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, in picturesque little towns like Paonia and Palisade. The small batch food scene around here turns those peaches into some jaw-droppingly great things. Like this stuff. So of course, this recipe was a must try for us!

In addition to tasting great, I love the colors of this recipe. The soft pinky peach topped with vibrant pistachios is so lovely.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. And if you'd like to enter to win a copy of Yummy Supper, don't forget to leave a comment. Winner will be chosen on Friday, August 29th.

 Peach and Rose Water Lassi

• 1 cup fresh or frozen peaches, cut into chunks (1 large or 2 small peaches)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbs milk
• 1/2-1 tsp rose water
• 2-3 Tbs honey
• pinch of Maldon sea salt or any good sea salt
• 4 ice cubes
• 2 Tbs coursely chopped roasted salted pistachios

In a standing blender, combine the peaches, yogurt, milk, rose water, honey, and salt. Blend until everything is smooth and silky, then taste for sweetness.
Add additional honey if you'd like it and even a little extra splash of rose water, if it pleases you.
Finally, add the ice cubes. Blend again, and serve topped with the pistachios.

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri Sauce is a super fresh herbacious blend of parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. A bit like pesto in that it is herb-based and blended with olive oil, but very different in flavor. It's origins lie in South America where it is a popular marinade, dipping sauce, spread, and much more. 

My neighbor dropped off a huge bunch of  parsley on my front doorstep the other day - cut straight from his garden. That's how I got started down this Chimichurri path. I've heard about this amazingly fresh, delicious sauce plenty of times before and I've always been intrigued. But I've never had a big bunch of parsley just waiting for me to do something exciting with it. Thanks to my neighbor, it finally happened this week!

I used this recipe from Food.com as my base. I didn't modify it much because, after reading the reviews and comments, I really didn't want to mess with perfection. I mean, listen to this!

• "My dad is from Buenos Aires and this recipe is spot on!"
• "This makes your steak taste like it was just dragged through a garden" (that's a good thing, right?)
• "One word to describe this marinade: FRESH!"

I used the first of my chimichurri sauce as a marinade for grilled chicken. It'd also be great with steak or shrimp, and it is so easy to do. Simply cover the chicken with spoonfuls of chimichurri in the morning, then grill over hot coals in the evening. Serve with extra chimicurri on the side, as a sauce.  So fresh and delicious!

Other Ways to Use Chimichurri:

• In quinoa patties (leave out the herbs & sub in a few big spoons of chimichurri instead).
• Stirred into a garden fresh frittata. (PS I love this blog & its photography!)
• As a marinade for kebabs.
• As a marinade (or just sauce if you don't think ahead!) for steak or shrimp. 

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 1/2 packed cups fresh parsley

• 8 garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup vinegar (I used rice vinegar, red wine vinegar is another popular option)

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• Juice from 1/4 lemon

• 1 Tbsp diced red onion

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp salt

Pulse parsley in food processor a few times to begin chopping it up.

Add all other ingredients.Process until it all comes togther in a sauce. It will still have some texture - you don't need to process it until it is completely smooth here.

Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it as a marinade

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This chocolate zucchini bread is awesome for a few reasons: it tastes like cake, it’s actually pretty healthy (because it uses applesauce rather than oil), and it uses up 2 full cups of shredded zucchini.  Oh yeah, and it has chocolate chips in it!
I first made this when my neighbor handed me a zucchini the size of a baby’s arm.  I had run out of oil, so I was excited to come across a recipe that used applesauce instead of oil.  I’m not usually into calorie-cutting measures in my baked goods but I thought I’d give it a shot.  Healthy zucchini bread is better than no zucchini bread at all, right?

I’m so glad I gave this recipe a chance.  It’s seriously delicious!  Tender and moist, tastes like cake (second time I’ve said that, I know), studded with chocolate chips, and with a hint of cinnamon.   I had to make it two times to use up my baby-arm zucchini, which is how we managed to take pictures of it to share with you!


Have you noticed we’ve been bad bloggers? Sorry about that.  Remember Colorado Crafted?  It’s been keeping us very busy, but we’re not complaining!  Oh and remember those crazy floods that hit Colorado?  Yeah, those happened in our town.  We live in Longmont (the northern part of Boulder County) and so our city was hit pretty hard. 
Luckily Dulcie & I both live on a hill so our houses were safe.  People were evacuated literally blocks away from us, but we were both just fine.  So many things (our favorite bike trails along the river, the bridge we use to get everywhere, and so many local businesses) were destroyed, but we were very fortunate.  If you’re looking for a way to help out, go check out Colorado Crafted – we’re donating half of our proceeds to flood relief through the end of the month.  Send a box to someone who might need a boost, or remind someone about the best side of our state!
Now, on to the recipe!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.
Combine applesauce, eggs, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Stir well to combine.
Dump in all the dry ingredients, then mix again.
Lastly, stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.  Pour into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 for 65-70 minutes.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Blueberry Shortcake (and Modern Gingham Giveaway Winner!)

Hooray! We have a winner for our Modern Gingham preserves sampler! Let's give a round of applause to Sarah Houtler who was selected at random. She is the lucky recipient of four really awesome jams. Sarah, contact us via Facebook or at twotartsblog @ gmail.com to give us your mailing address.

 Now, here we are on the cusp of Independence Day. Are you still looking for something to whip up for dessert? We just made some blueberry shortcake, flavored with lemon and dolloped with whipped cream. Yeah, it was quite good. An alternative, aside from the obviously awesome choice of fresh strawberries, would be replacing the blueberries with strawberry rhubarb compote.

Blueberry Shortcake

adapted from Food Network

berry topping

• 2 cups blueberries
• zest from one lemon
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

In a bowl combine berries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Let macerate and set aside.


shortcakes

• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup half and half
• melted butter to brush shortcakes
• whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and 1 TB sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter, and then mix in half and half. Drop by large spoonfuls on a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. Cool and then top with blueberry mixture and whipped cream.

Strawberry Lavender Cocktail

Can't you just taste it already? These two amazing summery flavors combine to make a drink that deserves to be served on your patio at least once this season. (Or twice. Or more.)

We decided we wanted to really get the full flavor of fresh seasonal strawberries in this cocktail, so we pureed and then strained them, to get out all those pesky seeds. (A few seeds don't bother me, they are so itty bitty, but you do want to use as fine a strainer as you have.) This drink was also our first time using a lavender simple syrup, though certainly not our last. (I am drinking a lavender lemon cocktail as I type this!) This drink just gets me fired up for farmers' markets and the sweet smell of summer.

Strawberry Lavender Cocktail

• 1/3 cup strained strawberry puree (see note below)
• 1 oz lavender simple syrup
• 2 oz vodka

Place strawberry puree in a glass. Add simple syrup and vodka and stir vigorously. Add lots of ice, and enjoy!

Note: We pureed 15 large strawberries which resulted in enough puree for at least 4 drinks. Puree in a food processor or blender to get it as smooth as possible. Use a very fine sieve to remove as many seeds as possible, pressing the puree through with a spatula.

Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Butter Sauce

This is simple recipe that’s incredibly fast and easy to pull together, but ends up looking beautiful and impressive. If you’ve got summer fresh peaches on your counter and a bottle of bourbon in the liquor cabinet, I’m willing to bet you have everything you need for this delicious dessert.  Whipped cream or ice cream are an added bonus that I’m a fan of, but not a requirement.

This would be perfect for an outdoor dinner party because the prep is minimal, and once you’ve gotten the grill hot for the main dish it’s easy to throw a couple of peach halves on there for dessert.  You don’t have to peel the peaches (but we thought it make them easier to eat), and you don’t even have to mess around with flipping them on the grill.  Just sear the flat side for 3 minutes and you’re done.  Resist the temptation to poke & peak at the roasting peach halves so that you don’t disturb the pretty grill marks that are in the making.

Melt four ingredients together (bourbon, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon) on the stovetop, then pass this rich spicy sauce around the table to top the warm sweet peaches.  It doesn’t get any better for summer desserts.

Recipe inspiration by The Church Cook

Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Butter Sauce

• 2 ripe peaches (optionally peeled)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• optional topping – whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Peel the peaches if you’d like, then cut each in half and remove the pit.  Put peaches aside on a dish to await grilling.
Combine butter, brown sugar, bourbon, and cinnamon on the stovetop over medium heat.  Heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce is hot and bubbly.  Pour into a small pitcher to await serving.
Grill peaches on a hot oiled grill for approximately 3-4 minutes.  Remove from grill and serve with warm bourbon butter sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.

Melon Agua Fresca

With a name that translates from the Spanish to "fresh water," you know that this is going to be one cool and refreshing drink. Even better, it makes great use of that late summer crop of melon that you might be dealing with. Any melon will do, but I used a cantaloupe because that is what I had on hand. Honeydews and watermelon are also perfect candidates, and think of the gorgeous pale greens and bright pinks.

Aguas frescas come together in just a few whirs of your blender or food processor, but put them in a pretty glass pitcher and they will be quite impressive at your next party. This drink is non-alcoholic (and a huge hit with my toddler), but if you want to take it to the next level, -- I wont' blame you a bit -- try adding a splash of tequila to your glass.

Melon Agua Fresca

• 1 cantaloupe (or honeydew, or small watermelon)
• 3 limes, juiced
• 2 tbs honey
• pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup water
• ice

1. Cut your melon off the rind, and chop into large chunks.
2. Put the melon, lime juice, honey, salt, and water into your food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Taste and add more lime or honey if necessary.
3. Pour into pitcher and chill. Serve over ice.

Tomato Basil Martini

Our Tomato Basil Martini is a remarkably light, fresh tomato cocktail for summer.  No cans of tomato juice here - muddling fresh and seasonal cherry tomatoes with a few torn basil leaves and a spritz of lemon results in a surprisingly pink dose of summer goodness.

It was only right to pair these garden flavors with an herbal liquor such as gin, which is exactly what we did.  We’ve been getting into craft distilleries lately, so for this cocktail we sampled a new to us gin from the California Bay Area.

Tomato Basil Martini

Check out our column, Locally Mixed, over at Whole Foods Market Cooking for the complete recipe!
Ingredient List:

• cherry tomatoes
• fresh basil leaves
• lemon
• sea salt
• ice
• gin

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumble

This raspberry rhubarb crumble is so simple.  It’s a pie pan full of ripe fruit topped with a simple three-ingredient streusel like topping.  We sometimes add rolled oats or almonds for extra crunch, but that’s not necessary. In fact, that might transform this from a crumble to a crisp, according to here and here?  We're not sure...seems like an age old argument to us.  Call it what you will - this dessert bakes up crispy and buttery on top with sweet tart fruit on the bottom.

This is my new go-to summer dessert. It isn’t as pretty and orderly as other old standbys. But when it’s hot out and you have a boatload of fresh fruit that you want to whip into a delicious dessert – there is nothing easier.

This crisp is flexible too – just use any ripe fruit you’ve got on hand. Top it with some ice cream or crème fraiche and you are set! 

Rhubarb Raspberry Crumble

Topping:

• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white flour
• (optional) 1/2 cup oats
• (optional) 1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients, cutting the cold cubed butter into the other dry ingredients until you have a coarse sand. Pop this in the fridge while you put everything else together. Chilling isn’t necessary, but some (like Nigella Lawson) think it makes for a more crispy crumbly bumpy topping!
Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1/2 cup chopped rhubarb
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Pour the fresh fruit into a pie pan, sprinkle with the 2 Tbsp brown sugar. Get your bowl of Crumble Topping out of the fridge and sprinkle it evenly over the fruit filling.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Bourbon Cream Float

Yep. Three indulgences come together to make one adults-only dessert which is still just a kid at heart. 

I recently waxed poetic about bourbon for our cocktail column at Whole Foods. Now I am finding myself looking for new and different ways to use bourbon other than the time-honored Old Fashioned. Pouring it over a scoop or two of ice cream seemed well worth a try. (Better yet was the notion of pouring it over our new favorite bourbon from local distillery Dancing Pines.)

I will confess that I'd meant to pick up root beer at the market when I picked up cream soda instead. At first I was irritated, but then I realized a cream soda float didn't sound half bad. In fact, it is delicious! The cream soda (we used Virgil's) is mellower than root beer and lets the bourbon flavor really shine through.

[Note: Toddler is salivating over the prospect of forthcoming ice cream, not booze.]

Bourbon Cream Float

• 1-2 scoops vanilla ice cream

• 2 oz bourbon

• cream soda

1. Scoop ice cream into a tall glass.
2. Pour bourbon over ice cream.
3. Fill glass to top with cream soda. Enjoy!

Olive & Tomato Quinoa Salad

Ripe red tomatoes, salty black olives, and fresh mozzarella are tossed with quinoa and a simple vinaigrette for an easy summertime meal.

 I’m an admirer of French cuisine (this and this are some of my cookbook staples) and I have a soft spot in my heart for summertime Provencal recipes. The kind of recipe that calls for fresh garden produce, lots of herbs, olive oil, and expensive cheese.  And of course - minimal cooking. I think this may be due to reading too many Peter Mayle novels. Is anyone with me?

Anyhow, this recipe fills the bill for summertime.  Quinoa cooks quickly so you don’t need to slave over a hot stove.  Everything else is fresh and delicious – requiring just a quick chop, then a stir into the warm quinoa. 
Don’t forget your glass of icy Pastis.

Olive & Tomato Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup dry quinoa (cooked)
  
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  
• 1 cup chopped salty black olives
  
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella (we used bocconcini; the little balls)
  
• large handful chopped fresh basil
  
• scant 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  
• scant 1/3 cup olive oil

Cook quinoa as usual (add 2 cups water, simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all water is absorbed). 
Coarsely chop cherry tomatoes, olives, fresh mozzarella, and basil.  Set aside.
Whisk oil & vinegar together in liquid measuring cup or small bowl.  Drizzle over the hot cooked quinoa and stir to combine.  Wait until the quinoa is not too hot (you don’t want to melt the mozzarella), then stir in all the chopped veggies and herbs.  Top with a pretty cherry tomato & sprig of basil and serve.

Basic Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

Summer salads are a staple around here, and one of my favorite types of dressing is a basic vinaigrette.  I’ve always made them with olive oil, but this summer I’ve discovered walnut oil and the pleasant nutty flavor it brings to a simple vinaigrette.  This dressing is so simple to pull together – only 3 ingredients.  The subtle toasty walnut flavor here is a great complement to anything from spicy greens, quinoa based salads, and bean or lentil summer salads. 

Oh, and let me come clean on my level of general laziness:  one of the reasons I’m a big vinaigrette fan is the fact that they’re so fast to pull together.  I recently got this nifty little tool which means I can make a vinaigrette in my liquid measuring cup – only one dirty dish!  Speaking of time and busy-ness and ‘laziness’ as a virtue…have you read this article from the NY Times?  A very interesting read.

Anyhow, next time you want to make a simple dressing but are wanting something a little different, give this walnut oil based vinaigrette a try.  I have been loving it on brown lentil salads, if you’re into that kind of thing!

Basic Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

• 1/2 c walnut oil
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard

Put balsamic vinegar and mustard in a liquid measuring cup.  Whisk together well, then drizzle in walnut oil while continuing to whisk.  Dressing will emulsify as you add the oil.  Store in the fridge; will keep for at least a month.

Blueberry Hard Lemonade

It has been crazy hot here in Colorado. So hot that, well, much of our state is literally on fire. Thank goodness we are (so far) well out of harm's way, and there is cool weather and rain on the forecast for this weekend! ("Cool weather" now means 80s for us... yeah, it has been rough.) And during these hot, hot days, we've been wanting little else than to sip on cold, refreshing drinks like this one.

This is one of those drinks that my toddler just doesn't understand why she isn't allowed to drink. Lemonade, blueberries, and just a luscious pinky-purple color. Oh yeah, and there's that healthy helping of vodka that makes it strictly adults-only.

We used frozen blueberries in this cocktail because they are something I always have on hand. As a bonus, they help to keep this drink frosty on those 103+ degree days. Sigh. We also love the beautiful color that they provide as they start to melt.

It almost seems silly to provide a recipe because this is so flexible and easy. Feel free to use the proportions of lemonade to vodka to frozen blueberries that makes you happy! But as a guide, here is what we do.

Blueberry Hard Lemonade

• 2 tbs frozen blueberries

• 2 oz vodka

• lemonade (we like Santa Cruz Organic)

• ice

• lemon slice, for garnish

1. Place frozen blueberries into your glass.
2. Add vodka and ice.
3. Add lemonade to fill glass, stir, and garnish with lemon slice.

Top 5 Fourth of July Recipes

It’s coming up! Are you ready to celebrate and hang out in your friends’ backyard?  Here are our five favorite Fourth of July recipes in case you’re in need of inspiration:

Strawberry Infused Bourbon & Mint Julep

We love Kathryne & her fresh original recipes (mostly vegetarian, with some booze thrown in for good measure)
http://cookieandkate.com/2012/strawberry-infused-bourbon-and-mint-julep/

Bacon Potato Salad

A Two Tarts creation that turned a potato salad hater to a lover (Dulcie’s husband).  I think it’s the bacon… http://www.two-tarts.com/2012/06/bacon-potato-salad.html

Grilled Fish Tacos

Eating something grilled is a requirement on the 4th, and these fish tacos look mighty tasty.
http://www.tinyurbankitchen.com/2010/02/grilled-fish-tacos.html

Green Bean Potato Corn Salad

It’s hot, so enjoy some cool veggies with lovely bright colors.  Also – Love & Lemons is a great blog to check out if you haven’t already!
http://www.loveandlemons.com/2012/07/02/green-bean-potato-corn-salad

Mixed Berry Cake

A red white and blue cake that’s beautiful and not tacky? Made with real berries rather than jello, food coloring, or other fakey stuff? Thanks Bakers Royale!  You are one of my favorite dessert blogs.
http://www.bakersroyale.com/cakes/4th-of-july-dessert-mixed-berry-cake/

Watermelon Jalapeno Margaritas

This watermelon-jalapeño margarita is like the traditional version turned extra summery and fresh. We added sweet, mild watermelon juice to the usual lime and tequila, then added a tiny splash of fresh jalapeño juice to the mix to keep things from getting too mellow. It easily multiplies to make a pitcherful, so friends can serve themselves in tall salt-rimmed glasses full of ice.

My favorite part of this margarita is the fresh jalapeno juice.  We threw a couple of jalapenos into my fancy juicer to see what would happen. The results were exciting -  a tiny vial of neon green juice with an intensely green spiciness. This jalapeño juice is a totally different animal from the flavorless spice of an infused vodka because it is so incredibly fresh tasting. It's not just spicy, but bright and green and herbal. The perfect thing to add -- drip by drip -- to give a traditional cocktail a new dimension.

Watermelon Jalapeno Margaritas

Recipe available on our column, Locally Mixed, over at Whole Foods!