Collard Greens Casserole

We've finally had some time to try some new recipes in the last few weeks.  Kent found and made this one, and it's definitely a winner!  Kent killed a turkey back in March, and we had been trying to figure out what to do with it.  So, we fried the turkey breasts like chicken and ate them along with this dish and some homemade chow chow.  It was definitely a Southern dinner!

Collard Greens Casserole
(from: yearofalabamafood.com)  
Ingredients

• 1 bunch of collard greens (Kent used seasoned canned greens - just try to get the water out)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 ham hock
• 1 pint water
• 1 pint chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 quarts cornbread batter (thin with buttermilk - Kent used Jiffy Mix)

Directions
Remove stems from collard greens and wash greens thoroughly, approximately 4 times. Cut greens into 1/2-inch strips.
Place onion and ham hock in a large pot with water and chicken stock. Cook 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Add more water if needed. Remove ham hock and let cool.
Add greens to liquid and cook approximately 45 minutes, or until tender.
Add crushed red pepper, white vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper.
Remove meat from the ham bone; chop meat into large pieces.
Place cooked greens into a cast-iron skillet or rectangular baking dish (if using canned greens, skip steps above and add drained greens to dish).
Sprinkle diced ham hock, 1 cup diced onions and tomatoes on top of collard greens.
Pour a thin layer of cornbread batter over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until bread topping is golden brown.
Serve with grilled okra, chow chow and hot sauce.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha Aioli

In the last year or so I've gotten really into brussels sprouts and have been looking for different ways to cook them.  I have roasted them before but have never tried them with a sauce.  This is a super easy recipe and can even be used as an appetizer.  Be careful, though, the sauce is really spicy!! 

Photo from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha Aioli
(From Authentic Suburban Gourmet)1 Lb. Brussels Sprouts, trim ends only and leave whole
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350

In a baking dish add the Brussels sprouts and toss with olive oil until well coated and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, so the Brussels are still firm. Serve with dipping sauce as a main dish or appetizer.

Sriracha Aioli
4 T. Mayonnaise
1 to 2 T. Sriracha (add more or less depending how hot you like it)

Mix the ingredients in a small bowl and let sit in refrigerator until ready to use.

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Kent and I both found this recipe in different places a few months ago.  We've made them several times, and they are so good!  I get tired of baked potatoes, but these have so much flavor and a different texture than traditional baked potatoes.

Picture from foodgawker.com

Rosemary Sliced Baked Potatoes
from Ina Garten
Ingredients:

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (divided) 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut crosswise into each potato at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom. (Kent puts chop sticks on either side of the potato so that he can't cut all the way through.)  Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary and toss well, working the salt mixture in between the slices. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan cut side up.

Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, until they are tender and golden and crisp on top.  Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and serve.  Adding a sprinkling of parmesan can also be great!

Crunchy Baked Okra - from Melissa

My sister-in-law prepared these for Father's day, and they were SO GOOD!!  They taste like fried okra, just less greasy.  You don't even need to thaw the okra before you cook them - warning:  your hands will get cold while you make this, but it's worth it!


Photo from:  thespottedfox.com

Crunchy Baked Okra
From: thespottedfox.com
Ingredients:
bag of frozen cut okra
Italian style bread crumbs
paprika
2 egg whites
salt & pepper

Directions:
In a bowl, toss together bread crumbs, a few healthy shakes of paprika, and salt & pepper.
In a separate bowl, toss a handful of your cut okra in the egg whites until they are nicely coated.
Take each piece of okra and cover with your bread crumb mixture. I usually push each side into the bread crumbs so they stick to the egg whites.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the okra on the baking sheet and make sure they aren’t touching one another.
Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, turning your okra halfway.

Glazed Pork Roast with Carrots, Parsnips & Pears

Photo from finecooking.com

Kent found this recipe on finecooking.com after we had bought a large bag of pears and were looking for a way to use them.  This was a really interesting recipe with a lot of different flavors.  My only complaint was that the parsnips were a little tougher than I would have liked.  I would advise cutting them much smaller than the carrots so that they can cook a little more.

Glazed Pork Roast with Carrots, Parsnips & Pears
Ingredients:
One 2-lb. center-cut boneless pork loin roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 Tbs. Dijon or grainy mustard
1-1/2 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. roughly chopped fresh sage
1/2 lb. carrots (3 or 4), peeled
1/2 lb. parsnips (3 or 4), peeled
2 firm but ripe Bosc pears, quartered, cored, and stemmed
1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil; more for the pan

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil the bottom of a medium roasting pan or 15x10-inch Pyrex dish and set the pork in the center. Season the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, and half of the sage; spread on the top and sides of the pork. If the carrots and parsnips are thick (about 1 inch or larger around), cut them in half or quarters lengthwise so that they’re all roughly the same thickness (about 1/2 inch thick at their thickest part). Toss the vegetables and pear wedges with the1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil and the remaining sage, season with salt and several grinds of pepper, and arrange around the pork.

Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan and roast in the center of the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast registers 145°F, 30 to 45 minutes. (The cooking time will vary widely depending on the thickness of the roast; start checking early, and check frequently once the temperature reaches 130°F.) Transfer the pork to a carving board. (If the vegetables and pears aren't fully tender by the time the pork is done, return them to the oven until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.) Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly. Serve with vegetables, pears, and pan juices.

Couscous and Broccolini Salad



Photo from Stone Soup

I found this recipe on pintrest and decided to make it over Spring Break. I've tried several different variations, and they always turn out well.  Below is the original recipe from Stone Soup.  Under that you'll find my variations.  It has a wonderful Asian feel and is so fresh and light.  I've had it for lunch, but it would make a great side for a larger dinner.  If you've never tried broccolini before, it's kind of a mixture between broccoli and asparagus and spinach.  You'll be able to fit in much more broccolini than you think, so even if you think the pot is full put a little more in!

Couscous and Broccolini Salad
1 bunch broccolini, chopped
1/2 cup couscous
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
small handful flaked almonds

1. Bring a cup of water to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add broccolini and cook for 4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Add couscous, soy, vinegar and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Stir to combine and season.
4. Stand, covered for another 4 minutes.
5. Fluff couscous with a fork. Taste and season.

Substitutions I've tried...
Broccolini - Spinach!  (you could also use broccoli or asparagus)
Cup of water for couscous - white wine... it adds a lot of flavor
Flaked almonds - sesame seeds (it helps to keep the Asian food feel if you don't like almonds)
Sherry vinegar - rice vinegar or red wine vinegar (the broccolini is kind of bitter already, so don't overdo the vinegar)

Brussels Sprout Hash with Caramelized Shallots

I know I know... I've gotten behind on blogging again.  With Spring Break coming up next week, I'm hoping to catch back up! 

My family never really ate brussels spouts growing up; I assumed they were terrible based on the way I heard people talking about them.  But recently, several of my friends started roasting them as a side dish for big dinners, and I have to say they're amazing!  I'll have to find a good recipe for simple roasted brussels sprouts to post soon.  Kent found the recipe below on Epicurious, but it was originally published in Bon Apetite.  We cooked this last week as a side for Stuffed Eggplant, and OH MY GOODNESS it was so amazing!  I promise that if you like brussels spouts even a little bit, you'll love this recipe.  It's pretty buttery, so we talked about cutting some of the butter out and substituting olive oil.  This is a great side dish for any meal!

Brussels Sprout Hash with Caramelized Shallots
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided
1/2 pound shallots, thinly sliced
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup water

Directions:
PreparationMelt 3 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar. Stir until brown and glazed, about 3 minutes.

Halve brussels sprouts lengthwise. Cut lengthwise into thin (1/8-inch) slices. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown at edges, 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons butter. Sauté until most of water evaporates and sprouts are tender but still bright green, 3 minutes. Add shallots; season with salt and pepper

Vidalia Onion Bacon Pie

My mother-in-law made this recently when we were at their house for dinner.  It was great, and everyone loved it!  It's similar to the Sweet Onion Corn Bake that I also got from my mother-in-law a few years ago but has different flavors and textures.  Both of these are great ways to use up those big bags of Vidalia onions!

Vidalia Onion Bacon Pie
Ingredients:
Pie crust (we used a premade crust from the store)
1 tablespoon butter
3 medium Vidalia onions, slivered
2 eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (plus more for topping)
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
4 slices thick, smokey-styled bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown.  Drain if necessary.  Combine eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Whisk well.  On bottom of pie, sprinkle half of the cheese.  Top with corn kernels, onions, and bacon.  Pour egg mixture over top.  Top with remaining cheese and freshly ground pepper.  Bake 40 minutes until top is set and browned.  Serves 8.

Creamed Spinach

Kent made this dish as part of our Valentine's dinner last week.  If you like spinach even a little bit, you will love this recipe!  The shallot gives it so much flavor!  It made a wonderful side dish and would be easy to double if you wanted to make it for a dinner party.  I can't wait until we have it again!

Creamed Spinach
Ingredients:
1 (9 oz) bag of spinach
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wilt spinach by placing it in a covered pan on medium heat and adding a little salt.  After the spinach has wilted, squeeze out any excess moisture and set aside.  Saute the shallot in oil until they become clear (2-3 minutes on medium high heat).  Add salt and pepper.  Add the tablespoon of flour and mix it in thoroughly.  Allow the shallot/flour mixture to cook for about a minute.  Add in the milk and drop the heat to low.  Cook for 3 or 4 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.  Take it off the heat and mix it into the spinach.

Crispy Latkes

Photo from Boston.com

I got several new cookbooks for Christmas this year.  My sister-in-law gave me the Foodista: Best of Food Blogs Cookbook (and clearly I like food blogs!).  So, this week I decided to try a new recipe.  Potatoes are one of my favorite foods, and I love finding new ways to use them.  This recipe is an entry from Maya Rock in Albany, New York.  To find out more about Latkes, a traditional Jewish dish during Hanukkah, visit her blog - Slice of Earthly Delight. 

Crispy Latkes
Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes
1/2 white onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or matzo meal
1 egg
Salt
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Peel and grate the potatoes and dice the onion.  Place the grated potatoes and diced onion on a paper towel or dry cloth.  Roll the towel up around the potatoes and onion and squeeze to remove any excess moisture.  This step will help keep the latkes crispy while you fry them.  Put the potato and onion in a bowl and add the flour, egg, and a little bit of salt.  Mix together.  Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.  Place spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons) of the batter into the hot oil and push them down to form flat pancakes.  Fry for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.  Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place the latkes on a rack with paper towels underneath so any extra oil can drip off.  Sprinkle them with salt to taste.  If you need to keep the latkes warm, place them in a warm oven while you finish making the rest of the batch.  Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Tomato Casserole

Kent's great-aunt, Mary Alice, has been making a wonderful tomato casserole for years.  A few years ago we finally got the ingredients from her and have been working on our own version ever since.  This is a great casserole to throw into the usual dinner rotation.  It's as easy as making a green bean casserole but has a lot more flavor.  We took this dish to some friends last week who had recently had a baby, and it reminded me that I had never posted this wonderful recipe on the blog.  So here goes...

Tomato Casserole
Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
French's fried onion rings
1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Saute the onions and pepper in butter until the onions become clear.  Mix the tomatoes (with most of the sauce), crackers, cheese, salt, pepper, sugar, and the sauteed onions and peppers.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Add the onion rings and bake 10 minutes more.

Crispy Asparagus

This is the other wonderful recipe that I have tried from my new The Greeks Have a Recipe for It cookbook.  I can't wait to try others!  I made this dish because I love asparagus but always cook it the same way.  It made a great side to the stuffed eggplant that I posted last time.  I will definitely be making this often!

Crispy Asparagus
3 lbs. asparagus
1 tbsp. grated Kefaloteri cheese*
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
3 tbsp. dry white wine
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and trim off tough ends of asparagus stalks.  Dip stalks first in flour, then in egg beaten with wine and then into bread crumbs, that been combined with cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Saute in oil for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.  More grated cheese may be sprinkled on top when serving.  

*I used Parmesan.

Stuffed Eggplant

I'm making a switch from some of the German recipes that I've been posting to a few recipes from the Greek cookbook that I mentioned a few weeks ago.  Kent and I went to the Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Birmingham with our friends, Caroline and Franklin, in September.  I bought the church's cookbook, The Greeks Have a Recipe for It.  I've been wanting to try some of the recipes and chose two to try recently.  They were both wonderful!  I love eating eggplant, but it can take a long time to cook.  Since the eggplant is sauteed in this recipe, it doesn't take as long to cook as it might in other recipes.  It's also nice that this recipe uses ground chuck instead of more expensive ground lamb like many Greek recipes.  This meal is great to cook for two any night of the week, but guests will also love it since it's a little fancy!

Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients:
2 long, medium sized eggplant
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. ground chuck
2 tbsp. tomato sauce
 3 tsp. parsley
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated Kasseri cheese*
Salt and ppepper to taste

Directions:
Wash eggplant and cut in half lengthwisee.  Scoop out pulp and set aside.  Reserve shell.  Saute onion and garlic in oil until golden (add the garlic after the onion has cooked a few minutes so that the garlic with not begin to burn).  Add meat and continue to cook until brown.  Add tomato sauce, parsley, water, pulp from eggplant, salt and pepper and cook 15 minutes longer, or until most of thee liquid is absorbed.  Remove from stove and fill eggplant shells with meat mixture.  Place in casserole and sprinkle each shell with cheese.  Add water, about 1 cup, to casserole and bake in 350 degrees until shell of eggplant in soft.

*I used Parmesan cheese, which is similar to Kasseri.  Kasseri could probably be found at Greek or Mediterranean grocery stores.

Open-faced Tian Sandwich

I got the idea for this recipe from a sandwich cookbook (Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book), but I changed some of the ingredients and preparation instructions to give it more flavor and make it easier to cook properly. I first made a tian when I was studying abroad in Arles, France. We stayed at a cooking school and studied the local foods and recipes of Provence. Making a tian can be very time-consuming, but yields a wonderful result! A tian, similar to a casserole, is both the name of the dish used for baking and the food inside the dish. The dish is usually a large rectangular earthenware dish - the food is a layered vegetable gratin (see picture). So, to make this sandwich, I layered the vegetables on slices of sourdough bread and then baked the bread and vegetables in a tian in the oven. I loved how it turned out - the flavors were amazing! I will definitely be making this again, even though it took several hours to put together! This is a great summer sandwich!

Open-faced Tian Sandwich
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut in half through the root and sliced into 1/8 inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1-2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds
2 crookneck yellow squashes, sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds (don't use the skinny parts)
2 or 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds
4 tablespoons of your favorite tapenade or pesto
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
4-6 slices of fresh sour dough bread
Freshly grated Parmesean

Directions:
In a small skillet, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the onions, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. When the onions begin to turn color, add a splash or so of water to deglaze the bottom of the pan and prevent them from burning. Continue cooking over medium heat about 20 minutes more, until the oinons are very soft and evenly caramelized. Stir in the sherry, and remove from heat.

As the onions are cooking, heat a small skilled over medium high heat. Place the peppers, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Saute these ingredients for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are soft and tender.

Add the caramelized onions to the peppers, stir in 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and remove from heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the bottom of a large baking dish (stoneware or glass will work best) with a little olive oil. Spread the tapenade or pesto evenly over the bread slices. Place them close together in the baking dish. Distribute the onion and pepper mixture over each slice.

At one end of the bread, place a round of yellow squash over the onion and pepper mixture. Then, place a tomato slice next to the squash, overlapping it about an inch. Follow the same procedure with a slice of the zucchini. Continue layering these ingredients until you reach the end of the bread slice - include as many vegetable pieces on each slice as possible!

Brush the vegetables with the remaining olive oil. Distribute the garlic, thyme leaves, and remaining salt over the vegetables. Cover the baking dish with foil and cook for one hour. Remove the foil and cook for 30 minutes more. The vegetables should be wrinkled and lightly browned - the salt pulls the liquid out of the vegetables so they will flatten out some on the bread. The longer you cook this dish, the better the flavors become! As soon as you take the dish out of the oven, sprinkle with Parmesan so that it melts. Serve warm. These sandwiches will easily reheat in the oven to make great leftovers!

Garlic and Herb Tomatoes

Kent and I did a lot of cooking this weekend - so be on the lookout for some new recipes this week! My tomato plants have been doing really well (with the exception of the plant that Jack tore in half when he got scared because my watering bucket broke and shattered all over the back porch!). So I wanted to use all of the tomatoes I picked while they were good. This recipe from Ina Garten is really simple and tastes very fresh. It could be served as a side or as an appetizer.

Garlic and Herb Tomatoes
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 pints cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to loose their firm round shape. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped basil and parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

Asian Asparagus Salad

Kent made this dish last night (while I was on the way home from an amazing Beachelorrette Party!). I love asparagus but sometimes get tired of cooking it the same way. This is a great recipe for fresh asparagus and the dressing gives a wonderful flavor! We had the asparagus with a grilled honey and ginger pork tenderloin (recipe to come later). It is really more like side dish than a salad and is super crisp. This would be a great dish to pair with anything Asian or even a meat dish that might be a little bland. This asparagus recipe will spice up your plate!

Asian Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

In a saucepan, cook the asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

Combine the soy sauce, oil, vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger and cumin; pour over asparagus and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Drain before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

This is one of my favorite meat dishes that Kent makes. We love to make it when we have guests over for dinner. And it is great left-over!

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
1 pkg. of pork tenderloins (usually 2 come bundled together)
4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4-6 gloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp. thyme
Olive oil

Method:
Clean silver skin and fat off of the tenderloins. Cut small slits in the tenderloins so that they can absorb more of the liquid. Rub down in balsamic vinegar (it may take more or less than the 4 tbsp. - use just enough to cover the tenderloins.) Mix the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Then add small amounts of olive oil, stirring, until the mixture forms into a paste. Rub the paste into the tenderloins. Allow it to sit for 30-45 minutes. (You can do the marinating ahead of time and refrigerate until 20 minutes before you begin cooking.) Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to determine when the tenderloins are finished - we like the thermometer to read 150-155 degrees (165 is the recommended safe temperature, but it may become dry.)

Suggested side dish - Grilled eggplant and zucchini
For 2 people use 1 large eggplant and 2 zucchini. Cut both ends off of the vegetables. Then slice lengthwise into long strips. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on a grill pan or George Foreman. When they are cooked through, drizzle with a balsamic vinaigrette. (A suggested vinaigrette can be found on the August 31st post below.) Other vegetables, like peppers or tomatoes could be used as well.

Fresh Asparagus

This is more of a tip than a recipe for cooking fresh asparagus. My friend, Sally, showed me how to easily cook this side dish for any meal. If you haven't liked asparagus in the past because canned asparagus is too mushy and fresh asparagus can be hard and stringy - you should give it one more try!

Take a bunch of asparagus and wash in cold water. Snap the thick ends off and discard. Take a long sheet of aluminum foil and place it on top of a cookie sheet. Fold the ends of the foil up so that liquid will not be able to escape. Lay the asparagus flat on the foil and salt and pepper liberally. Then either drizzle with olive oil or place thin slices of butter around the asparagus. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on how thick the stalks are.

For a slight variation, you can marinate the asparagus in the olive oil and salt/pepper then cook them on a grill pan.