Summer Girls

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer around the country, but here in Tucson our spring is over as soon as it hits 100 degrees (you know, in April). So when summertime hits, what do you crave? Fresh vegetables and light, citrus flavors. Oh, and cheese. Because we all know by now that these Vazquez girls live by one rule: you can never go wrong with cheese. So in the spirit of summertime, we bring you a sassy little summer sidedish that can accompany just about anything.

Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Gorgonzola

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• Zest of half a lemon
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Preparation:

First, break off the bottom tips of the asparagus; they'll break off naturally where they should. Then, chop the asparagus spears into thirds and place in a bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add asparagus. Sautee until the spears are tender but still crisp. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare your accompanying dish.

After they cool, add the zest from the lemon. You can also add a little lemon juice if you'd like. Toss the Gorgonzola in and serve! (The original recipe called for feta, so you can also try that. We were skeptical at first of the pairing of the lemon with the Gorgy, but it actually worked really well, so we recommend it!)

This dish can be paired with just about anything. We made burgers and had the asparagus instead of fries and it was delicious! This is also a perfect dish to take with you to a summer party or on a picnic, since you don't have to worry about keeping it warm. Add a little music to take you back, and you'll be ready to face the heat!

Bon appetit. Buen provecho. We think it's fly...

Mariana and Paula