Two Tarts - simple seasonal recipes & cocktails

Strawberry Lavender Cocktail

2013-05-16T19:25:00.001-06:00

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.

Lavender Simple Syrup

2013-05-16T19:24:00.003-06:00

I was going to include the recipe for lavender simple syrup in our next cocktail post, the delicious strawberry lavender cocktail, but then I felt it is too tasty of a concoction - it needs to be the star of the show for at least a few minutes.

Simple syrups are so, well, simple. They allow flavor infusions with just a few minutes at the stovetop. No need to wait for booze infusions which can take weeks. Once you have made your simple syrup, refrigerate it, and it should last three to four weeks allowing ample time to experiment with new and exciting drinks! I already have a few up my sleeve.

Lavender Simple Syrup

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

3 TB dried lavender

Place everything in a medium pot. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat, continuing to stir until all sugar is dissolved. When it is, remove the pot from the heat, and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain out the lavender buds, and refrigerate. Makes 2 cups.

Lemon Croutons + Links We Love

2013-05-03T08:07:00.000-06:00

One day this week for dinner I made a brothy orzo soup with chicken, herbs, and lemon. It was delicious, but it wanted something crunchy to go on top. I was in the process of making croutons with a stale baguette (chop it up in squares, sautee in olive oil on medium-low until crispy and golden) when I remembered this lemon infused olive oil I had in my cupboard. So I made lemon infused croutons. WHOA. So good. Amazing on soup as well as salad - the lemon is subtle, fresh, and delicious. You can buy lemon infused olive oil (I got mine as a free sample from here - cute packaging!) or you can make your own. Here's a recipe.

Some links we're loving this week:

Dulcie's new favorite last-minute supper.
This fresh dish, by Turntable Kitchen, which would be awesome with homemade ricotta!
Is organic produce better? A science experiment done by a middle schooler. Cool.

Chocolate Covered Vanilla Cream Puffs

2013-04-23T21:07:00.001-06:00

Cream puffs, profiteroles, éclairs of a different shape, or choux a la crème are all the same delicious thing. Darling little pastry puffs that bake up light, airy, and practically hollow in the middle and are filled with vanilla pastry cream. Then drizzled with melted chocolate. I love vanilla, I love chocolate, but my very favorite things are a combo of the two.

I was browsing through the cookbook section at the library and came across a picture of éclairs on the back of one (Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table). Like, the most delicious picture of éclairs you’ve ever seen. Once I saw that picture I could not stop thinking about making éclairs for myself IMMEDIATELY. After obsessing over cream puffs for about an hour I dropped everything, went to the store to gather my supplies, and got cooking. I tend to be a little impulsive like that. But hey! It’s fun! I made cream puffs, I’m not doing anything dangerous!

They’re not difficult to make, but there are quite a few components. You could easily split this up over a few days if you’d like. The pastry dough, once plopped into little balls on a baking sheet, can be frozen and then baked (from the frozen state) at any time. The pastry cream can also be made ahead and then given a quick stir to loosen it prior to spooning it into the cream puffs. The melted chocolate step is easy – I just melted a nice chocolate bar (but you could just as easily use chocolate chips if you have them on hand) and then drizzled it over the filled cream puffs using a spoon.

Chocolate Covered Vanilla Cream Puffs

Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table; a cookbook we highly recommend!

This is a longish recipe and has two steps. You can make the dough & cream filling separately – the magic doesn’t have to happen all on the same day. Make the pastry dough, spoon onto a baking sheet, and then freeze for the future. You can bake these from their frozen state, no need to defrost. Follow the same directions for baking as un-frozen puffs – they may need an extra minute or so, but that’s it. You can also make the Pastry Cream a day or two in advance – just store it in the fridge until you need it.

Pastry Dough:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

8 Tablespoons butter, cut into large pieces

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup flour

4 large eggs (room temp)

Preheat the oven to 425. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or a silpat.

Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt to a rapid boil. Add the flour, reduce heat to medium-low, and start stirring like crazy! I used a big whisk, you could also use a wooden spoon. The dough will come together in a ball, a crust may form on the bottom of the pan – just keep stirring for one to two minutes. This gives the dough the chance to dry out a bit.

Turn the dough into a large bowl (use a stand mixer if you have one. I don’t, so I used a hand held mixer), let it cool for a minute, then add the eggs one by one. Beat and beat until the dough is thick and shiny.

Using about a tablespoon of dough for each cream puff, drop the dough from the spoon onto your baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between each ball. *Once that’s done you can either bake immediate or freeze the dough balls for use later.* If you want to bake, slide them into the 425 oven and immediately reduce temp to 375. Bake for 24-30 minutes. They’re done when they’re golden, puffed, and firm.

Pastry Cream:

2 cups whole milk

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 Tbsp butter, cut into small squares

Bring the milk to a boil. In a separate, larger saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisking without stopping, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture. Go very slowly at first (first 1/4 cup of hot milk) after that it’s OK to speed up a bit. Keep on whisking, turn up the heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Keep it at a boil – and keep up your crazy whisking – for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk in vanilla. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk in the butter bits. Scoop into a bowl, cover in plastic, and let cool in the fridge. Your pastry cream is ready!

To Assemble:

Cut lids off the baked cream puff shells. They’ll be pretty much hollow inside. Scoop the pastry cream in to fill them puffs, then put the lids back on. Melt chocolate and then drizzle over the tops of the filled cream puffs – I did the drizzling with a small spoon. You’re done!

Spring Herb Vinaigrette

2013-04-15T20:17:00.000-06:00

Ever wish you could bottle up the essence of spring? We do too, and this is basically the best we could do: a zesty vinaigrette filled with finely chopped spring herbs.

We are always looking for a good dressing to add a little panache to a ho-hum side salad at dinner. With springy chives, mint, and basil, this dressing will adoring our salads all season along, and perhaps beyond. You should use a mixture of whatever herbs you have on hand, as this recipe is easily adaptable. Don't have a shallot? No worries. Leave it out, or sub in a clove of garlic. Anything goes.

Spring Herb Vinaigrette

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 Tb Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup loosely packed chives, mint, and basil, finely chopped

1 small shallot

1. Combine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl. In a slow and steady stream, add the olive oil to the bowl, whisking until blended. Whisk in herbs and shallot.
2. Use right away, or refrigerate up to a day. Mix well before serving.
Makes one cup.

Swiss Chard Pancakes + Links We Love

2013-04-11T20:20:00.001-06:00

I have been turning to this recipe for Swiss Chard Pancakes or farçous (oh la la!) a lot as of late. Pancakes are always fun, and they are stuffed with Swiss chard which makes me feel like my 3-year-old is getting the greens that she should. (Of course, my daughter is weird and fussed until she found out that she was having a green salad with her pancakes. What 3-year-old is excited for a side salad?) Still, she was happy to eat the leftover farçous for lunch, even without any sides.

I discovered this recipe in the incomparable book Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. You should have this if you don't already. But you can also find this recipe plus a tasty dipping sauce which I always serve as an accompaniment to my farçous at the great Eat and Relish blog (check it out because Cory shares lots of delicious recipes and she is cute as a button. We are sad because she just left Boulder for San Francisco. Boo!).

Also, here are a gathering of links that caught our attention this week:

I always have an eye out for cocktails, and look at this drink garnished with fennel. I'm in love.

This kitchen is so teeny tiny, but I just love everything about it.

Teaser posters for the new episodes of Arrested Development. Yes, yes, yes!

Also, I got a dog, and I just love him.

Rum with Coconut Water & Lime

2013-04-09T20:08:00.001-06:00

Have you ever tried a really high quality rum? Until recently we hadn’t had the pleasure. I didn’t even realize that rum was a spirit that could be appropriate for sipping straight rather than hiding in a daiquiri or some such. By now you know we’re big supporters of locally made artisanal food, so we were really excited to discover a new distillery in our neck of the woods that is making this lovely rum!

A good rum actually reminds us of Bourbon. Tesouro has tasting notes of caramel and pepper with a smooth finish. By the way, that comparison to Bourbon is a major compliment coming from us. See what I mean?

We didn’t want to mask all that deliciousness with overpowering mixers, so we kept it simple. Coconut water stays true to rum’s roots without being too tropical and abrasive. Lime brightens it up and holds it together. We used one big ice cube per drink – old fashioned style – and were totally pleased with the results.

One note – I’m obsessed with the brand Taste Nirvana for coconut water. It has so much light fresh coconut flavor. I find that other brands taste kind of like water, but this one actually tastes like coconut without being creamy or sweet. I’m not being paid to say this, I’m just obsessed with Taste Nirvana. So, I recommend it but it is not mission critical to this cocktail like a high quality rum is!

Rum with Coconut Water & Lime

1.5 ounces high quality rum. We used a Longmont distilled rum, Tesouro.

1.5 ounces coconut water. I like Taste Nirvana.

Squeeze of lime (approx 1/4 lime)

Pour all ingredients in a lowball cocktail glass, add one large ice cube, and serve.

Casual Tapas Party

2013-04-04T21:50:00.000-06:00

About once a week, Sarah and I, our kids and husbands, and another family get together for a little casual dinner party that we have dubbed "family dinner." It is a great way to scratch that weird entertaining itch, experiment with new dishes, and (most importantly!) socialize with friends. Everyone brings a dish, but it could just be out of pantry staples, or a loaf of bread that was picked up on the way home from work. Or it could be something special that took all day to make. Anything goes, everything gets eaten, and it is super low pressure. It has definitely helped us to be more confident entertainers.

After keeping this up for the past couple of years, we started to get a little desperate scrambling to get meals together at the last minute (this is always a weeknight event.) Only recently we decided to pick a theme ahead of time, and work around that theme. I've been dying to do a tapas dinner party forever, and when I hosted last night, that was my request. This came together really easily (and was so delicious!) so we wanted to share our recipes which we pulled from different sources.

I chose this classic garlic shrimp recipe, or gambas al ajillo. So good and so simple. I kept it light on the red pepper flakes in the hopes that kids would eat them (some did, but not mine. waah waah.)

Sarah whipped up these bacon-wrapped dates, but she subbed in a firm aged goat cheese for the chorizo. I mean, just look at them. Look at their bacon-y goodness. (Not you, vegetarians... avert your eyes!) Another classic tapas dish, and just so darn good.

To round it out we also had:

A cheese plate with two Spanish cheeses, itsy bitsy Spanish olives, and a chocolate fig cake (I couldn't resist). And a cured sausage. (I couldn't resist that either.)
A fruit plate, because it is always good to have a pile of fruit when picky 3-year-olds are in the mix.
And Rachel brought a batch of spiced roasted chickpeas. Yeah, it was a bit of a feast.
Oh, and Spanish wine, of course! Sarah brought a nice tempranillo which disappeared quickly.

This all came together really easily at the end of the day. Of course, it wouldn't have come together nearly as easily without the help of lots of friends and cooks in the (not quite big enough!) kitchen. So call up some friends, get some ideas flowing, and maybe start with some tapas. And Spanish wine.

The Best Coffeecake You’ll Ever Have

2013-04-03T08:14:00.001-06:00

Hey guys, we’re excited to announce that our recipe for our very favorite Coffeecake is being featured over on Cup of Jo today! Go check it out, here’s the link.

Hint: the cake is almond scented and studded with raspberries. Mmmm!

Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad

2013-03-31T20:58:00.000-06:00

While wondering what I was going to make for lunch, I stumbled upon this recipe on Bon Appetit's website. Sugar snap peas? Radishes? A little mint? This was just the spring fix that I needed. Add a little crumbled cheese, and I am pretty much in heaven.

I was surprised to see that the original recipe called for boiling the sugar snap peas. To me, snap peas are in their perfect state when raw, and nobody wants to turn on the stovetop if they don't have to, so that step was omitted. Now this dish is just spring perfection. Crunchy, a little sweet, creamy, radishy, fresh. So fresh.

If you have some hard-boiled eggs left over from Easter (and do I ever!), they go extremely well with this salad. We served this up for lunch, and modified it only slightly to put together an excellent kids' lunch for our 3 year olds. All it took was removing the offending radish slices, subbing in some orange pepper slices on the side, and these kids gobbled up their meals.

Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad

adapted from Bon Appetit

3 Tbs olive oil

1 Tb fresh lemon juice

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sumac

1 1/2 lbs sugar snap peas, trimmed, stringed, cut in half on diagonal

1 bunch radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

4 ounces feta, crumbled

2 Tbs coarsely chopped fresh mint

Freshly ground black pepper

kosher salt

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and sumac.

2. Toss together snap peas, radishes, feta, and mint cheese in a large bowl. Pour dressing over, and mix together to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs (for Food52)

2013-03-29T09:05:00.001-06:00

Check it out! We revisited our Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs for Food52 today. Here’s a link to the full article.

The most exciting things? We experimented with dipping the eggs in multiple different dyes to create new colors. We love the soft robin’s egg blue that was a result of a soak in blueberries followed by a quick dip in turmeric. And, we shot some new pictures of pretty pastel eggs to share with you!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo + Links We Love

2013-03-28T10:43:00.000-06:00

Here is an easy dinner that I made earlier this week. I stumbled upon it in the latest issue of Sunset Magazine. I had roasted a chicken (yum!) and needed a recipe to use up the leftovers. This recipe fit the bill, was truly ready in less than 30 minutes, and my whole family polished it off. (My 3-year-old looked at me funny when I told her to finish her pasta, and then she demanded more broccoli. Curious.) You can find the recipe for chicken and broccoli alfredo right here.

Also, we thought we'd share a gathering of links that caught our attention this week:

I could use one of these right about now: Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Grilled Thyme. Whoa.

Or, it's non-alcoholic cousin, the Lemon Thyme Soda.

I'm pleased to see that Ork Posters has released a Denver print. I need one!

This Apple Tart with Cinnamon & Honey looks perfect for Easter.

Top 10 Almond Butter Recipes

2013-03-26T10:32:00.001-06:00

We’ve been regularly enjoying whipping up nice big batches of homemade almond butter. It’s made from one ingredient – freshly roasted almonds. The taste and smell of super fresh almond butter is to die for! It’s really much more delicious than the store bought stuff in jars. And bonus – much cheaper to make at home. So, let’s celebrate this lovely ingredient with ten delicious ways to use Almond Butter.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Similar to these, but made with almond butter instead of peanut butter. And sprinkled with flakes of sea salt. These little treats, by Sprouted Kitchen, are a great way to spoil yourself – they’re made with all natural ingredients, whole foods, no weird stuff. And the taste is unbeatable!

image credit: Sprouted Kitchen

Almond Butter Banana Bread

A classic banana bread recipe with a twist – add 1/3 cup fresh almond butter to complement the sweet mellow banana flavor with fragrant nuttiness of almonds.

Almond Butter Granola Bars

These bars, by Anja’s Food 4 Thought, are packed with goodness: almond butter, bananas, almonds, seeds, rolled oats and dried fruit. Tasty and filling. The perfect snack between meals to keep hunger at bay. Definitely a keeper.

image credit: Anja’s Food 4 Thought

Simple Black Bean Burgers

These lovely veggie burgers, by our friend Ashley at Edible Perspective, are packed with black beans, corn, and tons of amazing spices. Plus the surprise ingredient that helps bind them all together – almond butter!

Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

I never thought to use almond butter as an ingredient in frosting, but what a genius idea. This pumpkin cake plus almond butter frosting looks amazing!

image credit: Eats Well with Others

Flourless Almond Butter Cookies

A simple recipe for crisp almond cookies – made with just a few ingredients – really lets the fresh almond butter flavor shine through!

Simple Almond Butter Smoothie

Milk (or nutmilk) combined with banana, cinnamon, and a few Tablespoons of almond butter create a thick and nutritious smoothie that would make a filling breakfast or snack.

image credit: Healthy. Happy. Life.

Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies

Chocolate and almond is a flavorful match made in heaven. Don’t try to argue. Just check out this recipe for chocolate & almond butter brownies. Yum!

image credit: Gluten Free Canteen

Almond Butter Square Energizers

These squares, by Scandi Foodie, are like pared down granola bars. They’re made with nutritious whole food ingredients, they are packed with flavor, and it all comes from the good stuff. You know, flaked coconut, dried cherries, and other goodies like that!

Almond Butter Cake

This rich but simple cake includes the goodness of butter and the fragrance of fresh almond butter. This dense cake is not too sweet, so it could be a dessert or breakfast. Or snack. You know!

image credit: Inspired to Bake

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

2013-03-20T19:00:00.000-06:00

I have been enjoying a long winter of citrus fruits. Every January, I get a little burst of lemon fever, and it carries me right into the springtime. Here we are, on the very first day of spring, and I have a bit of sweet citrusy heaven to share: Meyer lemon ice cream.

This was my first time ever buying a bag of Meyer lemons. I was mostly surprised by how orange in color they were. I kept reaching into my little bowl of lemons thinking I was going to grab a tangerine. While Meyer lemons are not quite as sour as regular lemons, you could easily substitute regular lemons into this recipe.

I adapted my favorite ice cream recipe to come up with this. It is a custard-based recipe, so it takes a little extra time but the creaminess is so worth it. This ice cream is lemony, but it isn't too tart. The perfect balance of flavors.

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

3 egg yolks

3/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

zest from two Meyer lemons

2 tbs sugar

pinch of salt

Whisk the egg yolks briefly in a small bowl. Set a strainer over a heat-proof bowl. Heat the half-and-half and 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. When hot whisk a little of the hot half-and-half into the egg yolks and then whisk warm yolks into the hot mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and quickly strain. Add the heavy cream. Cover the mixture and chill.
Once chilled, stir in the lemon juice, zest, and the 2 tbs of sugar. Add salt. Freeze according to your ice-cream maker's instructions.

Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

2013-02-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

If I were forced to choose, I would say that my very favorite flavor combination is that of chocolate and peanut butter. I have a good friend whom I nearly had to cut ties with when I discovered that while she likes chocolate and peanut butter, she does not like them together. This boggles my mind. Boggles, I tell you! I'm sure there are more of you out there -- probably closing out of your browser tab as you read this -- but for the rest of you, I hope that you love this chocolate cupcake, filled and topped with creamy peanut butter. I sure do!

I made these sweet little lovelies for my husband's birthday, and they were a great success. Perfectly chocolatey cupcakes, not too light and not too dark, with a heavenly core of peanut butter goodness. The icing has great peanut butter flavor and isn't too light and fluffy (I want a little more substance).

I even had to chance to experiment with my icing kit which I am pretty wretched at using. (I did not include my first disastrous attempts, but I probably should have just for the yuks.) But really, all you need is a butter knife and you can just slather that icing right on the top. No need for frills. On that note, don't be intimidated by the lengthy recipe below. There are a few steps, but it really isn't very difficult or time consuming (if it was, I wouldn't bother with it myself.)

Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

adapted from Annie's Eats and Ina Garten

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients: 

For the filling: 

1 cup confectioners’ sugar 

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the cake: 

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 cup sour cream 

2 tbsp. milk 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 1/2 cups sugar

 2 large eggs

For the peanut butter icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two muffin tins with 12 cupcake liners.

To make the filling: Combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.

To make the cake batter: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I used a hand mixer), combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated.

Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cupcakes are completely cool, top with peanut butter icing.

To make the peanut butter icing:
Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (again, I used a hand mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Simple Tomato Soup (The Best Ever)

2013-02-21T12:02:00.001-07:00

I’m completely obsessed with this tomato soup. It’s intensely tomato-y and rich without being creamy. It’s addicting, and it’s so simple to make. I found out about it when I tried it at The Kitchen [Next Door], in Boulder, and then was overjoyed to see that they share their exact recipe for it online. OVERJOYED!

So, this is very simple. That’s a good thing. Lots (and I mean lots) of butter give this soup its silky richness, onion is softened in that butter for a luxuriously long time, and then really high quality whole canned tomatoes are added. San Marzanos are recommended, but we subbed in Muir Glens with great results. After all the simmering is taken care of, you puree this soup in the blender with a little splash of heavy cream.

The Kitchen serves this soup drizzled with flavorful olive oil, and a side of toasted chewy rustic bread. It’s to die for. If you like tomato soup, you’ve got to try this one. My parting words – don’t be afraid of all that butter!

Simple Tomato Soup (The Best Ever)

Recipe from The Kitchen [Next Door]

1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion

3 16 oz cans of high quality whole peeled tomatoes, undrained

1/3 cup heavy cream

salt to taste

drizzle of high quality olive oil for serving

In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. Finely slice the yellow onion and add to the melting butter with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to very low, cover the pan, and cook onions in butter for about 30 minutes or until translucent and soft but NOT browned.

Add tomatoes with all the juices from the cans. Increase heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree in batches, adding cream while blending. Taste and add more salt if desired.

Serve drizzled with olive oil and a side of crusty bread.

Molten Chocolate Cake

2013-02-06T20:52:00.001-07:00

What’s the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day? This chocolate molten cake, if you ask us. Dinner reservations, aphrodisiac foods (hehe), and even a significant other are really not necessary. Just this lovely cake with the molten chocolate center.

This is a favorite of Dulcie’s, but before now I’ve never attempted to make this at home before. I had an idea that it was complicated and fussy and included extra steps and dirty dishes, such as a special molten chocolate batter you had to make (separately from the cake batter) and plop into the middle. Sort of like these Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins. But I was wrong! This molten cake is simply a rich chocolate cake that is undercooked so that the center stays deliciously molten. Easy.

We made these cakes in 6 oz ramekins and baked them at 450 for 8-9 minutes. Our directions, via Food & Wine, specified a longer cooking time. For us, this created a first batch of plain old chocolate cake that was cooked all the way through. So we say – err on the side of cooking these for too short vs. too long.

Keep in mind that we live at high elevation in Colorado (about 5,000 ft). This recipe makes 4 cakes, and we baked ours in two batches so that we could experiment a little and be sure that we’d end up with a molten center. Also keep in mind that plain old chocolate cake is also delicious, so this is really a win win. DON’T BE NERVOUS! Ready for the recipe? OK!

Molten Chocolate Cake
Recipe via Food & Wine
Serves 4

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch salt

2 Tbsp flour

Prep: Preheat oven to 450. Butter & flour four 6 oz ramekins.
Gently melt the butter with the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Do this in a double boiler if you have one. Or a poor man’s double boiler (bowl balanced over pot of boiling water) if you don’t. You’re in good company, that’s how we do it!
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt until thickened and pale.
Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture. Spoon the batter into the ramekins and bake at 450 for 8-9 minutes. (Food & Wine recommends 12 minutes but we found that to be too long, but possibly because of high altitude issues. We’re at 5,000 ft. If anyone gives this a try please let us know!)
Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Serve immediately.

Oh yes and also! Valentine’s Day is coming and if you love chocolate and delicious foodie stuff, you should really check out our Valentine’s Day boxes & ~~Artisan Chocolate Sampler~~ (sold out), via Colorado Crafted. They’re packed full of really unique, special, artisan-made treats and we are in love with them! Shipping is free, but order before 2/11 if you want them delivered in time for V-Day.

Vote for us! And, our 5 Favorite Two Tarts Recipes of All Time

2013-02-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

We are excited to have been nominated in the category “Best Recipe Blog” for The 2013 Homies, over at The Kitchn. If you’re a fan of this blog, help us avoid looking wildly unpopular and head on over there to vote for us!

We’re in good company as there are plenty of other wonderful food blogs to discover while you’re over there. The categories for Food Photography & Healthy Food Blogs are worth checking out as well.

Long Live the Homies! And vote for us if you want to. You don’t have to, but you can if you want. Like, only if you like us and stuff. You know…mumble mumble mumble.

Our 5 Favorite Recipes of All Time

To celebrate this nomination, we would like to share with you our top five favorite recipes from this blog.
These recipes are our tried-and-true favorites among the many we’ve posted here. We’ve been talking about doing this for quite some time because when we ask each other “What are you having for dinner today?” or “What did you have for breakfast?” (and apparently we talk about what we’re going to eat or what we just ate A LOT!), we find ourselves mentioning a few favorites over and over. So, without further ado, here they are:

Oven-Puffed Pancake with Berries

A weekend brunch favorite. This recipe is a favorite because we pretty much always have the ingredients on hand, it’s very easy to whip up, and it looks impressively gorgeous. An all around winner! I even make this for dinner sometimes. This horrifies Dulcie, but hey – who can say no to this pancake?

Spring Herb Quinoa Patties

These are a lunchtime staple for both Dulcie and I. If you’ve got leftover quinoa and an egg, you’ve got the basics required to make these delicious crisp little patties. They’re wholesome and filling, amenable to any herbs or cheese you have on hand, and are even a hit with the toddler crowd.

Homemade Granola

We both love this granola recipe because it’s the type of thing that is simple to make, lasts a long time in the pantry for whenever you’d like to snack on it, and the final result tastes so much better than anything you can buy. Coconut oil & honey are the delicious base. Add the nuts, seeds, and fruit that you love to make this perfectly customized for your tastes. Dulcie has discovered that millet is a delicious crunchy addition. I’m partial to a blend of sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds!

Ginger Gold Rush Cocktail

This cocktail is sweet and spicy, a perfect combination of bourbon, ginger liqueur, and lemon. Its simplicity lets the pure ingredients shine, which is something we always love in a recipe (cocktail or otherwise!). This drink comes together easily enough to serve at dinner parties and we get compliments on it every time it is served.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This is a staple for any potluck or picnic style event. It taste great warm or cold, transports easily, and is always a big hit. This is a special quinoa salad because it’s packed with flavor thanks to all the fresh herbs (almost anything green and fresh will work its magic here) as well as the garlic, feta, and olives. Oh and the cheese can be easily omitted for a vegan dish, which is sometimes required. Especially here in Boulder, CO!

Paloma

2013-01-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

It has been far, far too long since we've posted a cocktail. Please, don't think that I've become a teetotaler all of a sudden. Goodness, no. But lately, I've reached for either red wine or bourbon on the rocks, and that does not leave much to write about. (I wish that I could write about red wine, but I also don't want to go down that road. It is hard enough now that my liquor tastes have been elevated well above what my income should allow.)

But here we are teetering on the edge of February, and grapefruit has been calling my name. I've done plenty of mixing with gin and with vodka, but today tequila comes into play. Say hello to Paloma.

I stumbled upon this lovely lady while flipping through the pages of Bon Appetit. They were using this cocktail to tout one of the trendiest liquors of the year, mezcal. Well, mezcal has not yet graced my liquor cabinet, but I have plenty of tequila which palomas are typically made with, so here we are. Fresh grapefruit, tangerine, and lime juice, tequila, sparkling water, and just a touch of sugar. This Mexican drink is traditionally made with grapefruit soda, but is there anything more lovely and refreshing than fresh grapefruit juice?

I added some tangerine because my grapefruit just wasn't yielding the amount of juice I wanted it to, and I love the natural sweetness that it imparts. While this drink is perfect for winter with all that happy citrus, I can see sipping this one all summer long.

Paloma

adapted from Bon Appetit

kosher salt

1 grapefruit, juiced

1 tangerine, juiced

2 tbs fresh lime juice

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup tequila, divided

ice

1/2 cup sparkling water, divided

1. Put some kosher salt on a place. Dab your finger into some grapefruit juice and then run it around the edge of two highballs. Dip the rim of each glass into the salt.

2. Combine juices and sugar into a small pitcher and stir together. Then divide equally among the two highballs.

3. Stir 1/4 cup tequila into each glass, and then add ice. Top off each glass with 1/4 cup sparkling water.

Roasted Cauliflower, Olive, and Israeli Couscous Salad

2013-01-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make: I have been a food blogger for a couple years now, but until embarrassingly recently I just wasn't that into food blogs. My co-blogger was (and is). But I just gave her a blank stare when she would ask me if I read any number of really popular blogs. It is really only the past couple of months that I have jumped on board, and this may go hand in hand with the purchase of my iPad. Now I'm surfing away in the kitchen, and discovering new (or not so new) and fabulous food blogs making what I want to eat. (Wow, who would have thought? Yes, as I said... embarrassing.) This recipe for delicious warm cauliflower and Israeli couscous, which has become a staple in my kitchen, comes from one of the new-to-me blogs that I have been enjoying.

Oh My Veggies has earned its place on my meager reading list. It is a vegetarian food blog, and I am not vegetarian, but I have always eaten vegetarian more often than not. Kiersten, OMV blogger, is funny and personable, but better yet, her recipes are tasty and accessible - just what I'm after. This recipe uses mostly pantry staples (love that!), so when I grab a head of cauliflower at the market, I know that I can whip this up. The thing that makes this priceless is that my preschooler eats it too. That guarantees a repeat recipe in this household.

I highly recommend bolstering this dish with a little side of harissa (here is our tasty homemade version). It gives the dish a spicy kick-in-the-pants that makes me happy.

Roasted Cauliflower, Olive, and Israeli Couscous Salad

adapted from Oh My Veggies

3 tbs olive oil, divided

1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets

1/2 cup pitted kalamatas, halved

1 cup Israeli couscous, uncooked

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tbs lemon juice

1 clove garlic, pressed

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Spread cauliflower over a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil (saving 2 remaining tablespoons oil for later) and stir to coat. Sprinkle with some salt. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, add Israeli couscous and 1 1/2 cup water to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until water is absorbed. Remove from heat. (Check the directions on your Israeli couscous -- they are often different.)

4. Combine couscous, roasted cauliflower, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tbs olive oil, lemon juice, and pressed garlic. Pour over the salad, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups + Big News!

2013-01-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

First let’s talk about these delicious homemade peanut butter cups. A layer of creamy peanut butter is sandwiched between two layers of dark chocolate ganache - these are a luxurious treat made with pure and simple ingredients. It doesn’t get any better.

Next let’s talk about our Big News! We have started a new business! What are we doing you ask? It has to do with our very favorite delicious artisanal foods, so we think you might be interested. We are curating tasting boxes that are exclusive assortments of unique gourmet foods handcrafted by Colorado artisans. Colorado has been quickly gaining momentum in the foodie/locavore scene and is becoming a really excellent place to search out new and exciting food products. In fact, did you know Boulder was recently named “The Foodiest City in the US” by Bon Appetit?

We’ve been busy searching our state to find foods that are created with exacting attention to detail and quality that’s unmatched, and we are so excited to share them with you! It’s called Colorado Crafted – check it out and let us know what you think. Or like us on Facebook to get updates about products & limited edition seasonal boxes (like for Valentine's Day!). And we have a special box just for our Two Tarts fan.

In fact, the ganache we used to make these peanut butter cups is one of the products we’ve curated for Colorado Crafted, and boy are we excited about it! We’ve even created a limited edition Two Tarts Chocolate Sampler Box for you. You’ll be able to try a jar of this ganache along with a bar of hand-crafted pure chocolate by another amazing artisan for only $20. And as always, shipping is free anywhere in the US!

Think pure single origin cacao beans – sourced directly from farmers in Nicaragua at better than fair trade prices – blended with organic cane juice and coconut oil. This is some incredibly deep, rich, smooth ganache; a happy situation where the very best simple ingredients come together to showcase amazing flavor. Awesome over ice cream, drizzled over fruit, and of course – eaten with a spoon!

Let’s move on to the making of these lovely peanut butter cups. All you need is chocolate (we love this ganache, but these peanut butter cups can be made with any melted chocolate of your choice) and creamy peanut butter, and tiny muffin papers. I got mine on Amazon.

Simply drizzle or dollop the chocolate on the bottom of your paper muffin cups. Chill. Dollop peanut butter. Top with melted chocolate. Chill until firm. Enjoy. See? This is so simple that I don’t think I’m really allowed to call it a “recipe”, but these are so pretty, delicious, and easy that we just had to share them with you!

I actually tried my hand at making homemade peanut butter, as you can see from the pictures above. This isn’t necessary at all – in fact I have to admit that I couldn’t discern a flavor difference. Sadly, this probably has to do with the freshness and quality of the pre-roasted peanuts we used. The technique is exactly like our Almond Butter recipe, if you’re interested.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Yield: approx 18-20

mini muffin paper cups (you can buy them on Amazon)

6 oz ganache, or any high quality chocolate of your choice. Order the ganache in a limited edition sampler box here!

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

Slowly and gently heat the ganache or chocolate until melted. We put our jar of ganache in about 2 inches of water, then slowly heated it on the stovetop. The double boiler or the Jacque Torres microwave method both work nicely, too.
Meanwhile, line up your mini muffin cups on a baking sheet. Using a small spoon, drizzle enough melted chocolate into each mini muffin cup to completely cover the bottom. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.
Dollop a teaspoon(ish) of cream peanut butter into each cup, and smooth until relatively flat.
Top with more melted chocolate, then chill in the refrigerator again until the chocolate is completely firm.

Gingersnap Key Lime Pie

2013-01-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

Every other food blogger is sitting down to write about salads and lentils and oatmeal, but not me. After spending my holidays laid up with various colds and sinus afflictions, I am ready to eat. This gingersnap key lime pie is the perfect January treat - fresh with citrus and spiced up with the surprise of a wintry gingersnap crust.

This recipe is straight out of the pages of the newest Ashley English cookbook, A Year of Pies: A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies. Ashley is a woman after my own heart as she lives the seasonal locavore dream. This book is brimming with both sweet and savory pies (emphasis on the former), and as the title suggests, it is organized by season which I always appreciate. All too often I pick up a cookbook and drool over the recipes only to realize that the author must live in a climate that has an everlasting growing season (hmmm, California?) and only the freshest of all produce will do. So it is nice to turn to a chapter entitled "Winter" and find many seasonal beauties. (Brandy and Spice Apple Hand Pies? Yes, please!)

Ashley English's recipes are also not overly tricky, and this key lime pie is actually one of the easiest pie recipes I have ever made! It does require that one ingredient that might not be so easy to find: key limes. I was happy to find a rather inexpensive bag of them at my grocery store, but I hear that bottled key lime juice works just as well. (I also would go ahead and use just regular old limes.) This recipe is actually lighter on the lime juice than many other key lime pie recipes (and thus, a bit less tart). However, I thought it had an excellent balance of tart, creamy, and sweet.

Gingersnap Key Lime Pie

Gingersnap Crust:

10 oz gingersnap cookies (about 2 1/2 cups)

6 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1/4 cup key lime juice

3 tbs grated lime zest

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

3 large egg yolks, beaten

1. (Make the crust) Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9-in pie pan and set aside. Crush the gingersnaps by pulsing them in a food processor. Combine the crushed gingersnaps and melted butter in a bowl. Stir until incorporated. Press the mixture into the pan, pressing halfway up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool.

2. (Make the filling) Add to bowl and whisk together until fully blended the lime juice, zest, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks.

3. Pour the filling into the prepared cool crust and bake 15 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Iced Sugar Cookies

2012-12-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is the essential Christmas cookie. Simple buttery sugar cookies decorated with colorful icing, and just perfect for those festive cookie cutters that you have waiting patiently in the drawer 364 days out of the year.

I am not really one of those people who gets excited about things like Christmas cookies year after year. I mean, of course I want to eat them. But as far as making them, and cutting out cookie upon cookie into reindeers and trees and santas... well, it took having a kid to really see the fun in that. And now I have that kid, all aglow with the magic of Christmas. Thank goodness. It is wonderful to be able to channel her excitement.

For this kind of classic recipe, I find myself turning to my ol' trustworthy Joy of Cooking. I just want something tried and true, that people turn to year after year. And here it is: the steadfast holiday sugar cookie.

Iced Sugar Cookies

3 1/4 all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 sticks (20 tbs) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tb milk

1 tb vanilla

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until well blended. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and zest and beat until mixed.

3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, and stir until smooth. Divide the dough in half, and place each half between two large sheets of wax paper. Roll out to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Keeping the wax paper in place layer the dough onto a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375 and grease your cookie sheets. Peel away the top layer of wax paper. Cut out your cookies using your festive cutter of choice. With a spatula, transfer to the cookie sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Roll up the scraps and continue cutting out shapes until all dough is used. (You can refrigerate the dough if it becomes to soft to handle.)

5. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, just until the cookies are lightly golden on top, 6-9 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet to a rack and let stand until cookies firm slightly. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on cookie cutter size.

Quick Cookie Icing

4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tbs water

Stir sugar and water together until smooth, adding more water or sugar as needed for the desired consistency. Add food coloring as you like. Makes 1 cup.

Tangerine-Almond Tart with Chocolate Drizzle

2012-12-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

In the summer, it is so easy to be inspired by fruits and vegetables. In the spring, anything new and green is a promise of all the deliciousness to come. And even in fall, pears and pumpkins feel cozy and fun. But in the winter, it can be hard to muster up that excitement that comes so easily throughout the rest of the year.

But when I received a handful of juicy tangerines in my Door to Door Organics box, a few still holding onto their vibrant green leaves, I was both inspired and excited. A mad googling ensued, and being the tart-lover that I am, I came up with this delicious creation.

Tangerines, almonds, and chocolate? I know, it is a trifecta of winter flavor. Better yet, this tart has a fabulous shortbread crust. The recipe that I am working from is from EatingWell. Their recipe called for a rather laborious crust involving whole wheat pastry flour and lots of kneading and rolling. No thanks! This shortbread crust takes fewer ingredients (that we all have), plus you just press it right into the pan.

I loved the way this tart turned out. The citrus and almond flavors were in perfect balance. The chocolate is, well, always a pleasure. If you don't have picture perfect tangerines on hand, oranges will absolutely do the trick.

The chocolate drizzle is something that I haven't done before, and you can see that my work is not so very beautiful. But even my amateurish job impressed my dinner mates. TIP: Spoon your melted chocolate into a sandwich bag, and then cut the tip of a corner off. Squeeze away.

Tangerine-Almond Tart with Chocolate Drizzle

Crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp grated tangerine or orange zest

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbs unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

1 large egg yolk (save the white for the filling!)

Filling:

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

1/2 cup tangerine juice (about 3 tangerines) or orange juice

zest of 3 tangerines (about 3 tsp)

3 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400. Butter the bottom of a 9.5-in two piece tart pan. In a food processor, process the flour 1/3 cup sugar, zest, and salt for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk (don't forget to save the white for the filling) and process just until it comes together in a ball. Pat the dough into the tart pan, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and then bake for 18-20 minutes. Set aside.

2. Turn oven down to 375. Clean out your food processor. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let cool for a few minutes.

3. Place the almonds and 1/3 cup sugar into the food processor and process until almonds are ground. Add eggs, egg white, tangerine juice, and zest to the processor, and process until well blended. Scatter half of your chocolate chips over the crust. Pour the tangerine filling into the crust.

4. Bake the tart at 375 for about 25-30 minutes. The filling should be set. Melt your remaining chocolate chips in a double boiler (I used a small metal bowl placed over a pot of boiling water -- the bowl should be above and not touching the water), or you can use a microwave if you have one of those newfangled gadgets. Drizzle the chocolate decoratively over the tart (see my tip in the paragraph preceding the recipe!)

2012 Gift Guide for Food Lovers

2012-12-09T20:17:00.001-07:00

Dulcie and I both love to daydream about the kitchen accessories, tools, and awesome cookbooks we want to acquire next. Now is the time of year to get those wish lists in order, so join us! Here’s what we’re into these days.

First of all, there are some really exciting cookbooks that were published in 2012.

I’ve been a long time fan of Deb over at Smitten Kitchen, so of course I’m excited about her new cookbook, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.	Kinfolk’s images are inspiring, helping you to envision a simplified way of approaching food, friends, and entertaining. Kinfolk Volume Six	Kate is known for her artfully messy food scenery and dramatic lighting. And her recipes are always delicious. What Katie Ate: Recipes and Other Bits and Pieces.

Next, let’s move on to some functional and beautiful kitchen tools and accessories.

These Bamboo Kitchen Utencils by West Elm have stylish colorful handles, and at 6 bucks a pop, they are a great budget option.	Measuring Hedgehogs – the world’s most adorable way to measure.	Monogrammed Stainless Steel Shaker by Williams Sonoma.

Want to browse more of our gift & cookbooks ideas? Good news! We’ve been making boards over at Learni.st. Check out the rest of our lists, along with everything else we’ve been thinking of over there. Comments are welcome, we’d love to hear from you!