season: summer

Sarah and I decided that we were going to cook an extravagant meal for Nathan and Daron each season. Last Fall we had an amazing feast, which included beef stew, jalapeno cheese biscuits, and homemade individual apple pies (in the shape of an apple of course). Well, to continue our cooking, we decided to make a summer meal that included pasta with fresh farmers market tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and for some green veggies, we added broccoli. For our cocktail of the night we juiced a watermelon and added some Bacardi Rum. For dessert we had fresh from scratch nectarine cupcakes. They were to die for!!! Fall is coming up in a few short weeks and we are totally excited about our next meal for them!

Tomato, Basil Pasta Recipe:

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 pound cooked and drained short pasta (such as campanelle)
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese
• Small basil leaves

Directions:

1. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss in cooked and drained pasta. Tear tomatoes and cheese; scatter over pasta. Garnish with basil leaves, and sprinkle with pepper.

Nectarine Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

Makes 1 dozen

• FOR THE CUPCAKES
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 medium nectarines, peeled, halved, pitted, and finely chopped (1 1/4 cups)
• FOR THE TOPPING
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 medium nectarine, halved, pitted, and very thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir together milk and vanilla.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating twice with milk mixture.
3. Line a standard muffin tin with baking cups. Fill each with 1 tablespoon batter, 1 heaping tablespoon chopped nectarines, and an additional 2 tablespoons batter. Bake until edges begin to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool in tin.
4. Make the topping: Whisk together cream, sour cream, and sugar to medium peaks. Top cupcakes with a dollop of cream and nectarine slices.