Frosted Watermelon Rosemary Frosé

Photo: Unsplash

When we asked you to vote between Half Baked Harvest’s four-ingredient popsicles and this recipe, it was a tie. In our world, you can have your cake (or popsicles) and drink frosé too.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (750 ml) Rosé

• 2-3 cups cubed watermelon

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

• 1-4 tablespoons honey or sugar (optional)

• Sugar, for the rim…and mint, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. The night before, pour the rosé between 2-3 ice cube trays and freeze overnight. (See below about making popsicles.)

2. In a blender, blend the watermelon, lemon juice, rosemary, and sugar or honey (if using) until mostly smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Chill until ready to serve.

3. Spread a little sugar onto a shallow plate. Rim each glass in sugar, if desired.

4. In a blender, combine the frozen rosé cubes and about 1 cup of watermelon rosemary juice and blend until slushy. Add additional rosé or watermelon juice to thin. Pour into your prepared glasses. Add popsicles and mint (if desired). Drink!

Thank you Half Baked Harvest for this recipe. Make sure you go check out the original recipe which includes how to make this into popsicles, tips and tricks as well as so many stellar other dishes to try. We LOVE her recipes so do yourself a favor and check them out.

4-Ingredient Creamy Popsicles

Photo: Half Baked Harvest

Poolside popsicles are calling your name this weekend. This week's Tailgate Treat is four-ingredient popsicles that are quick and simple.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup fruit jam (I use blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and mango peach)

• 1/4 cup whole milk or canned coconut milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, fruit jam, milk, and vanilla. Add additional milk, if needed to thin the mix if it feels too creamy.

2. Evenly divide the mix between 6-8 Dixie cups or popsicle molds. (The recipe recommends Dixie cups over molds as the pops can be hard to remove from molds). Insert popsicle sticks. Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight. To make layered popsicles, pour 2-3 flavors into each mold. Keep in the freezer until ready to eat!

Thank you Half Baked Harvest for this recipe. Make sure you go check out the original recipe which includes tips and tricks as well as so many stellar other dishes to try. We LOVE her recipes so do yourself a favor and check them out.

Taco Tomatoes

Photo: Delish

Whether it’s low carb you’re after or just a delicious dish to maximize the amazing tomatoes that summer brings us, here’s what’s for dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 3/4 lb. ground beef

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 (1-oz.) packet taco seasoning

• 4 large, ripe beefsteak tomatoes

• 1/2 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

• 1/2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce

• 1/4 c. sour cream

• This recipe can be vegan or vegetarian by subbing rice and/or beans for the meat and using dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free cheese (vegan).

• Pro tip - We are not all about kitchen gadgets but this chopper will change your life (and is fun and safe for kids who want to help). It’ll take care of the onion in no time flat.

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes.

2. Add ground beef and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 minutes. Drain fat.

3. Flip over tomatoes so they’re stem-side down and slice to make 6 wedges, being careful not to cut all the way through. Carefully spread open wedges.

4. Divide taco meat among tomatoes, then top each with cheese, lettuce, and sour cream before serving.

Thank you to Delish for this recipe. Make sure you go check out the original recipe which includes tips and tricks as well as other dishes you can make like this one (think lasagna stuffed tomatoes).

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Cherry Tomato Pasta

Photo: A Couple of Cooks

We love us some Sonja and Alex from A Couple of Cooks. This fabulous recipe is an easy and light option for those summer nights.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces short pasta (penne, rigatoni, orecchiette (shown here), shells, cavatappi, etc)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 2 pints of whole cherry tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Kosher salt

• Fresh ground black pepper

• 2 garlic cloves

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• ¼ cup pasta water

• 1 handful of fresh small basil leaves, chopped if large

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente. Start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes. Before draining, reserve some pasta water with a liquid measuring cup (at least ¼ cup). Drain the pasta.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a very large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes, making sure there is space around each tomato (they are not touching) and the pan is not crowded. If you’re using a medium pan, cook the tomatoes in 2 batches.* Cook for 1 minute without touching the pan, then 2 to 3 more minutes until blistered, shaking the pan several times to rotate the tomatoes. Turn off the heat and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, gently shaking several times to coat. Add 2 pinches kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Remove the tomatoes from the pan to a bowl.

3. Mince the garlic. Once the pasta is done, in the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup pasta water, scraping the pan with a spoon to release all of the flavor of the tomato juices. Turn off the heat.

4. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add the blistered tomatoes, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and basil. Season with 2 pinches of kosher salt and lots of fresh ground pepper. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve with the remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Greek Lemon Oregano Potatoes

Plain and simple, our co-founder is obsessed with potatoes and these are delish.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes (peeled and quartered)

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with chicken broth by 1 inch.

2. Bring to a boil and then decrease to an aggressive simmer for 10 mins. (Potatoes may not be fully cooked and that’s okay).

3. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.

4. Drain potatoes and place them on the foil-covered pan.

5. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat each potato and turn flat side down.

6. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.

7. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pomegranate French 75

Photo: The Cocktail Snob

Thanks to this week's Water Me Wednesday guest, the dynamic Camille Wilson, aka The Cocktail Snob, for this Tailgate Treat, a Pomegranate French 75.

Ingredients

• 1-ounce pomegranate juice

• ½ ounce lemon juice

• ½ ounce simple syrup

• 1-ounce gin

• Sparkling wine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add pomegranate juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin to a cocktail shaker with ice

2. Shake until chilled

3. Strain into a glass

4. Top with sparkling wine

5. Enjoy!

NOTES

Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup white, granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan

2. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved*

3. Turn down the heat and let cool

4. Add to your next cocktail!

Store any unused portion in your fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Marinated Corn And Artichoke Dip

Photo: Unsplash

Thanks to our Water Me Wednesday guest, the brilliant and talented Cyndi Kane for this Tailgate Treat, straight from her cookbook, "Save It Forward Suppers."

Ingredients

• One 11-ounce can of shoepeg corn, drained

• One 12-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped, but don’t drain!

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters

• 2/3 of a 4.25-ounce can of black olives, drained and chopped

• Small red or orange bell pepper, cut into small dice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon table salt

• Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

1. In a serving bowl, combine the corn, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, oil, vinegar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt and toss well.

2. Refrigerate it if you make it ahead.

3. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips. Forks are optional!

Game Night Crispy Potato Bruschetta

Photo: Oh She Glows

Oh She Glows is one of our favorites for healthy (but not too healthy you feel like a rabbit) plant-based recipes. This one too good to pass up.

Ingredients

FOR THE POTATOES:

• 2 large (500 g total) Russet potatoes (unpeeled)

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) grapeseed oil or virgin olive oil

• Fine sea salt

FOR THE AVOCADO-TOMATO TOPPING:

• 2 medium (7 g) garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup (15 g) lightly packed fresh basil leaves

• 2 cups (344 g/12-ounces) grape tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste

• 1 large (240 g) ripe avocado

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220ºC) and line an extra-large (or 2 medium) baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

2. With a sharp knife, slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Make sure they’re not any thinner than that, or they might not be sturdy enough to pick up with your hands and the edges will burn more easily while cooking.

3. Place the rounds into the center of one baking sheet in a mound. Toss with the oil until all sides of the rounds are fully coated. Spread into a single layer, spacing them a 1/2-inch apart. Sprinkle liberally with salt.

4. Roast the potatoes for 25 to 35 minutes (I do 30), flipping once halfway through baking, until tender and golden brown in some spots. I prefer these slightly overcooked so they’ll crisp up a bit around the edges.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. In a large food processor, mince the garlic and basil until finely chopped. Add the tomatoes and pulse—only 10 to 14 times—until the tomatoes are chopped into almond- and pea-sized pieces. Remove the bowl, take out the blade and set aside, and stir in the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Set aside to marinate.

6. Five minutes before the potatoes are ready, dice the avocado very small into almond-sized pieces. Fold the diced avocado into the tomato mixture. Taste and stir in more salt if desired. The mixture will look quite juicy/watery, but this is normal!

7. After removing the potatoes from the oven, add another generous sprinkle of salt on top. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon avocado-tomato mixture onto a fork and strain out the juices by tapping the inside of the bowl. Place the strained mixture onto the center of a potato round and repeat this process for the rest of the rounds.

8. Serve immediately, directly from the baking sheet(s)—I find serving from the baking sheet keeps them warmer, but if you prefer you can transfer the rounds to a platter before adding the topping. If the potatoes sit they will soften and lose their crispness, so I don’t recommend letting them sit around for longer than 10 minutes (usually not a problem in this house!). If you have any avocado-tomato mixture leftover feel free to polish it off with some tortilla chips!

This recipe is courtesy of the talented Angela over at ohsheglows.com. Check out her site for more recipes and to buy one of her great cookbooks.