From the category archives:

Vegetables

Fried Green Tomatoes: A Southern Delicacy

by Joi on August 19, 2010

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 – 2 TBS All-Purpose Flour
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil for frying
3 medium-sized round green tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Heat about 1/8 inch oil in a large skillet – over medium heat.   Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, and pepper in a large bowl.

Coat the tomato slices, one at a time, in the egg mixture, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

Fry the slices in the hot oil until the cornmeal is a golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes – each side. The goal is to turn the tomatoes only once during the cooking time.

Carefully remove the tomatoes from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt while they’re still piping hot!

We LOVE fried green tomatoes around our house and eat them joyfully each summer. I even serve them at breakfast: Toast English muffins and place a fried egg on the bottom half. Place a fried green tomato on top of the egg and top with the other half.

Outstanding!

Freezing Green Tomatoes:

I have never tried freezing green tomatoes (for the record, none ever last long enough in our kitchen TO freeze) but I have heard of people who slice and coat the tomatoes, place them on a baking sheet, and place the sheet into the freezer.  When the tomatoes are frozen solid, they place them into a freezer bag or freezer container.  Word is they thaw and fry up beautifully.

I’m going to have to give this a shot.  How surprised would my family be to see fried green tomatoes on the Thanksgiving table?  I think my hubby would tear up with happiness.

This would be me headed out to the garden to commence the ceremony….

Amco Tomato Mozzarella Slicer: One Sharp Kitchen Gadget

by Joi on July 19, 2010

I was recently sent a new kitchen gadget to review – which means I’ve been walking a little straighter, smiling a little more, and continually  humming, “What a Wonderful World.”

Yeah, this gal loves kitchen gadgets.

The source of the humming this time around is the Amco Tomato Slicer. Ingenious!

We eat a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of tomatoes – year round, really, but never more so than during the summer. We eat the ones from our own garden and we buy regularly from local farmers’ trucks. Our farmers and their families feed our country and tend our land – the least we can do is buy from them on a regular basis.

We also love cheese in our home – so a Tomato Mozzarella Slicer was a perfect fit for our kitchen.

It’s fantastic! I’ve used it for red tomatoes, green tomatoes, and mozzarella. It keeps my hands clean and gives my knives a day off. Giving knives a vacation day is just a good managerial strategy – keeps them sharp, you know.

My oldest daughter (Emily) has a fierce allergy to touching tomatoes – her hands break out when she comes into contact with the juices. This kitchen gadget would be ideal for anyone with such an allergy. They could slice tomatoes for their family and give hydro-cortisone the day off as well.

The Tomato Mozzarella Slicer creates uniform, attractive tomato slices for sandwiches, burgers, and salads. It also allows you to slice green tomatoes perfectly for fried green tomatoes – a staple in my kitchen.

Here’s a fresh, quick, delicious, and easy recipe to try for a change of pace from traditional salads:

Quick & Easy Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Slice a couple of tomatoes and a ball of mozzarella. Lie them on a platter in an attractive manner – fanning them out mozzarella, tomato, mozzarella, tomato, etc. Then drizzle (or mist) lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Now, sprinkle fresh basil over the mozzarella and tomatoes. Outstanding!

This type of quick salad is as healthy as it is good – it adheres to the basics of the Mediterranean Diet, which is always a great way to eat. It’s perfect served alongside soup, spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, or any Italian recipe you can think of. It also makes a healthy snack for watching television or playing games.

Product Description for this Kitchen Gadget

Slice tomatoes into uniform 1/4-inch thick slices with one easy motion. Create perfect slices every time for hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Simply position tomato in holder, center slicing blades above tomato and press down. Slicer can even cut mozzarella for perfect caprese salad. ABS with stainless steel blades. By Amco. With unique, patented kitchen products Amco’s devotion to innovation has driven new industry standards and redefined categories. They continue to revolutionize the market with ingenious gadgets that simplify and enhance the culinary experience. With a team of in-house designers whose sole purpose is to conceptualize and design new kitchen tools, Amco continues to be at the forefront of innovative, efficient and timeless kitchenware products.

Head over to Amazon for a closer look and to order your’s today: Tomato Mozzarella Slicer

Recipes From the Root Cellar: Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

by Joi on July 15, 2010

I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful cookbook to preview: Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables. I can’t even tell you how much a cookbook fanatic and collector like me loves getting her oven mitts on new cookbooks! Especially when they’re as packed with great recipes as this cookbook is.

Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables is wonderfully written by Andrea Chesman. She is the author of several cookbooks, including, Mom’s Best Desserts and Mom’s Best One-Dish Suppers.

About Recipes From the Root Cellar
Nothing tastes better than the seasonal bounty of local farms. Everyone loves the spring-is-here excitement of peas and asparagus and the summer sweetness of tomatoes and corn. Now it’s time to give the hearty, long-lasting bounty of the autumn garden its due. Whether these vegetables are eaten straight from the garden, out of a well-tended root cellar, or straight from the market, their flavors reward the home cook, and their nutritional benefits pack a powerful punch.

Sweet winter squashes, robust hardy greens, jewel-toned root vegetables, and potatoes of every variety are the staples that make eating locally so delicious and satisfying during the cold months of late autumn and winter.

These cold-weather treasures work wonderfully well in soups (Celery Root Bisque, Creamy Leek and Root Vegetable Soup, Portuguese Kale Soup) and baked entrees (White Lasagna with Winter Squash, Chicken Pot Pie with Root Vegetables, Winter Vegetable Pot Roast), but they also shine in winter salads. Warm Goat Cheese and Beet Salad; Endive, Pear, and Walnut Salad; and Thai Cabbage Salad can be the centerpieces of light winter dinners or delicious preludes to the main event.

With this collection of more than 250 recipes, veteran cookbook author and gardening enthusiast Andrea Chesman deliciously demonstrates how locavores in all parts of North America can eat seasonal produce year-round. Whether they’re eaten in soups or salads, side dishes or entrees, root-cellar vegetables can be a delicious part of every cooks winter kitchen.

Recipes include:

  • Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Garden Cornbread
  • Deep-Fried Root Vegetable Chips with Garlic Aioli
  • Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
  • Cashew Carrots
  • Applesauce
  • Braised Collards with Bacon
  • Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
  • Deep-Fried Onion Rings
  • Root Vegetable Bread Pudding
  • White Lasagna with Winter Squash
  • Ravioli with Smoky Greens
  • Baked Winter Squash
  • Mashed Potatoes with Greens
  • Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables
  • ….and hundreds more!

One of the most delicious soups in the world is Italian Wedding Soup.  Words can’t even describe this soup! Below is a perfect version of Italian Wedding Soup from Recipes From the Root Cellar.

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe


12 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
1 pound ground turkey, or 1/2 pound ground pork and 1/2 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup acini de pepe, pastina, or orzo (or other small pasta shapes)
1-1/2 pounds Lacinato kale, cut into ribbons (about 18 cups lightly packed; remove and discard tough stems)

Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.

To make the meatballs, combine the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic,1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor.  Process until well mixed.  Alternatively, mix by hand in a large bowl.  With wet hands (to prevent the meat from sticking), form the meat mixture into 1/2-inch balls (the size of marbles) and add to the simmering soup.  Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Increase the heat slightly, add the pasta, and boil gently until cooked al dente, about 10 minutes.  Add the greens and continue to boil gently until tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning, remove from the heat, and serve.

Kitchen Note: The greens can be altered with the season, using curly kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, chard, spinach, broccoli di rube, chicory, and cabbage, so feel free to substitute.  – Page 107, Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables

Whenever I make Italian Wedding Soup, I always use orzo – but the other suggestions the author makes are pastas I’m going to have to try.  I’m especially intrigued by the use of kale.  I’ve always used spinach and have never even thought of anything else.  But Kale, mustard greens, or cabbage – fascinating!  I can’t even tell you how much I love curly kale – so I know what I’ll be adding to my next pot of Italian Wedding Soup!

Truth be told, I’m craving a big bowl of soup right about now – in spite of the fact that it’s over 100 degrees outside (at least that’s what one of my outside cats just reported).  Soup is always the perfect thing for a meal, isn’t it?

Here are a few of the other soup recipes in Recipes From the Root Cellar:

  • Cream of Garlic Soup (YUM!)
  • Cabbage and Tomato Soup
  • White Bean and Cabbage Soup (my husband will love this one)
  • Miso Noodle Bowl
  • Onion-Miso Soup
  • Chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, turkey broth, mushroom broth (!!!)
  • … and many more

I LOVE that she included recipes for vegetable broth and mushroom broth. When cooking things like stuffing or dressing, I always need at least one that’s completely vegetarian for my daughter, Brittany.  This mushroom broth will be ideal.

The applesauce recipe will also be put to great use as we have a great number of apple trees in our yard.  The author also includes recipes for Applesauce Crumb Cake and Maple-Apple Tea Cake.

In addition to the many recipes that I’ll use again and again, I also love the tips and quotes sprinkled throughout the 365 page cookbook.  There’s also a great section called “An Introduction to Winter Vegetables” – very informative.  There are cooking, buying, and storage ideas for Collard Greens, Kale, mustard greens, cabbage, garlic, leeks, shallots, onions, artichokes, squashes, beets, and many more.

From pages 18 and 19:  Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes can be thinly sliced and added to salads, much like water chestnuts.  Their flavor is ore developed when cooked, and they are best roasted (see page 159).  They can be cooked alone or with potatoes and mashed.  They are also quite good pickled – just adapt your favorite dilly bean or bread-and-butter recipe.

If you love cooking and you love food – you’ll love this cookbook.  We all know we need to eat more vegetables for our health – it’s cookbooks like this one that help us feed ourselves, and our families, the kind of vegetable dishes we’ll all WANT to eat.  Again and again.

Click the following link to read more about Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables and order your own copy from Amazon.

Recipes from Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens

by Joi on June 28, 2010

The recipes below are from Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens by Chef Jennifer Schaertl. (You can read my review of this VERY delightful cookbook by clicking the link.)

Holy Moly Chicken Pasole

Makes 2.5 Quarts

A gourmet version of tortilla soup, this rustic version is actually thickened with finely diced pieces of corn tortilla that break down as the stew simmers. It’s also a great way to utilize leftover chicken, which makes it a standard on my rotation of Soupe du Jour in my restaurant. There’s always leftover chicken laying around!

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded off the bone
8 c chicken stock
1 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic
1 green bell, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1/2 c tomato puree
1 large tomato, diced
1 T oregano
5 corn tortilla finely minced
1/2 tsp red pepper
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 c cilantro, chopped

  1. In a large stock pot over a medium-high heat, bring the shredded chicken, stock, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add all of the other ingredients except for salt, pepper, and cilantro.
  2. Once the tortilla has begun to break down and thicken the stew (about 30 minutes), season to your tastes with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Nobody Better Lay a Finger on My Corn Fritter

Makes 15-20 fritters

Beautiful little side dishes, but I usually put them in bread baskets along with the rolls at my restaurants. The corn is sweet and juicy inside this fluffy pan fried biscuit. The kids will eat with butter and the adults will dip it in the soup, but everyone will be all over this moist and flavorful fritter.

3-1/2 c all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 T sea salt
5 eggs
2/3 c whole milk
3-3/4 c yellow corn kernels, canned or defrosted, but well drained
2 T butter, melted plus more for frying

  1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, corn and melted butter and fold until completely moistened. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to be lumpy!
  2. Place a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add just enough melted butter to cover the bottom of the pan, and drop corn batter by tablespoon full into the hot butter. Fry until brown on both sides, and transfer to a baking sheet to bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes once all the fritters have been fried. Cool slightly before serving.

Make no Mistake Coffee Cake

Makes approximately 18 pieces

Whether for brunch, dessert, or coffee table edible décor for company, this is a fool proof classic. It mixes together easily, looks beautiful, and tastes a buttery and divine. I’ve served it as a complimentary table gift at brunch serves, but my good friend and wonderful pastry chef friend, Tsuki, makes it for her family all the time.

Cake:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 T Baking powder
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 T Cinnamon
4 T Butter
4 T all purpose flour

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13-inch disposable pan with pan spray.
  2. Make certain that the butter is a soft, room temperature to make sure it creams easily. Using a whisk cream the butter, sugar, and salt together until they become light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
  3. Sift the remaining dry ingredients into a clean bowl or plate using a fine wire strainer. Fold in half of the dry ingredients to the cake batter and then half of the milk and vanilla. Repeat with the last of the dry and wet. Combine the filling ingredients in a separate container.
  4. In prepped pan layer add 1/2 cake batter, sprinkle 1/2 filling, and then the other 1/2 of the cake batter. Carefully spread the batter evenly with a spoon or spatula, trying to keep the filling in place. Sprinkle remaining filling over the top.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes and serve.

Rhubarb Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

Makes approximately 18 pieces

Use the same bowl for the crust and the filling with this recipe, rather than making multiple dishes for washing. This is also a crazy adaptable recipe. Substitute berries or any other fruit that is in season for the rhubarb, or even 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of lemon zest to make a traditional lemon bar. Feel free to dust them with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer, but I don’t feel the distraction is needed.

Crust:

2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 c butter at room temperature

Filling:

5 eggs
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 c rhubarb, medium dice

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, work the flour, sugar and soft butter together until a soft dough ball forms. Press this dough evenly into the bottom of a 9×11 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  2. Work quickly because this filling works best if poured over the crust while it’s hot from the oven. Simply whisk together the filling ingredients in the same bowl that you made the crust.
  3. Pour over the piping hot crust and put back in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and set. When cool, cut into desired shapes, but I prefer diamond shapes. They stack just as well as squares, but look far more striking to the eye.

For more recipes like these, order Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens by Chef Jennifer Schaertl today. This is one of the funnest cookbooks you’ll ever use. Again and again and again…

Vegetarian Recipe: Baby Spinach, Grape, and Walnut Salad

by Joi on June 26, 2010

The following recipe is from an excellent cookbook and guide to eating a Vegetarian diet: The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Being Vegetarian – Second Edition. Try the recipe (outstanding), then grab a copy of the book. It’s filled with wonderful recipes you’ll use again and again, whether you’re vegetarian or not.

Baby Spinach, Grape, and Walnut Salad: A Vegetarian Recipe

2 TBS balsamic vinegar
3 TBS virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch dried oregano
2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed
2/3 cup red grapes, seedless and sliced in half
1/4 cup raw walnut pieces

In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, pepper, and oregano with a blender, mixer, or fork until thoroughly mixed.

Add spinach, sliced grapes, and walnuts to the bowl, and toss with vinaigrette. Serve on a chilled plate.

And a great tip from The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Being Vegetarian – Second Edition: To maintain your frozen vegetables’ nutrients, do not cook or zap them in a microwave. Instead, to thaw frozen vegetables for a salad, simply put the vegetables in a strainer and run hot water over them for about 30 seconds until they’re thawed.

I use the technique above each time I make Spinach Artichoke dip – works brilliantly!

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables? Be Creative!

by Joi on June 17, 2010

Today is actually Eat Your Vegetables Day.  What better time to have a vegetarian supper.  In our house, we have at least 2 suppers a week without meat.  Fortunately, we all love vegetables so much that we never even miss it.

Some people have a lot of trouble getting their kids to eat vegetables.  It’s funny, my three daughters have always been really, really good about eating their vegetables and fruit.  Compared to a lot of other kids, they’re culinary saints.  I’m not sure if the reason is that I’ve always fixed them and tried to make them as creative and delicious as possible or if we’re just lucky.

One reason may actually go back to when they were babies.  When each of my girls were ready to eat baby food, I started them out with vegetables.  My thinking was that if they got accustomed to the sweet, delicious fruit baby food, they might not be interested in the corn, green beans, sweet potatoes, or beets.  So, each of our babies had corn as their first baby food.   Then sweet potatoes… then apple sauce.

Whatever the reason(s), they’ll try any vegetable or fruit put in front of them and finish off most of them.

Any parent of “grown” children knows that when your children reach their teens and twenties, you get new children: Their boyfriends/girlfriends!  Our youngest daughter’s boyfriend is a sweetheart and we love him to distraction.  When it comes to vegetables, he’s like most kids – if it’s green, he doesn’t even want to look at it!  He loves green beans, though, but they’d darned sure better be seasoned with ham or bacon!

One of my signature dishes is a great Spinach Artichoke dip.  My husband, all of my girls, and our oldest’s boyfriend adore this dip.  But I always make sure I have salsa or a cheese dip for Mr. Not-If-It’s-Green!

If you have kids in your family who have similar aversions to fruit and vegetables (even if it is just green ones), take heart.  With a little creativity, you can present vegetables and fruit to them as a fun food.  Many restaurants are making it easier.

  • When you take your kids to Subway, order a fun little bag of apple slices.
  • At fast food restaurants, order salads to go with their sandwiches instead of fries.
  • The fruit and yogurt parfait at McDonald’s can be approached as  a “treat.”  Treat it with the same excitement you would an ice cream cone and your kids will pick up on the excitement.

Around the house, let your kids help in the kitchen.  Encourage them to pick out vegetables and fruit they want to try at the supermarket, then let them help you fix them. Many parents make the mistake of treating fruit and vegetables as something “healthy” that their kids HAVE to eat…. sort of like medicine!  Treat vegetables and fruit like any other food – something delicious and fun to eat.

Disney’s Family Fun website offers a lot of cool ideas for getting your kids to eat their vegetables.  The adorable creation above is their Cucumber Snake.  Is he cute or what?  His “snake pit”?  Hummus!

Gather lots of different vegetables for your kids to come up with their own creations.  You can use hummus, ranch, or peanut butter for dipping fun.

Click the following link for the recipe/directions: Crazy Cucumber Snake: Get Your Kids to Eat Their Vegetables!

Bobby Flay and Hellman’s Make a Killer Potato Salad Recipe

by Joi on April 23, 2010

Our food blog has nothing but big love for Bobby Flay, nothing but mad love for Hellman’s, and nothing but wicked love for Potato Salad – so, yeah, this recipe falls under can’t miss as far as we’re concerned.

Be sure to click the link following the recipe for a video of Bobby Flay making the potato salad, himself.

Bobby Flay’s Green Onion Potato Salad

2 lbs. red potatoes
1 Tbsp. PLUS 2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided
1-1/4 cups Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 green onions (green and pale green part), thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley

Instructions:

  1. Cover potatoes with water in 4-quart saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain and cool slightly. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
  2. Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, vinegar, jalapeno peppers, salt and black pepper in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients and toss gently. Season, if desired, with additional salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Check out the Bobby Flay Video for this Green Onion Potato Salad!

While in Hellman’s neighborhood, be sure to check out their special Sweepstakes – with instant prizes! You can play daily for a chance to win great stuff.  There is also a printable coupon to save $1.00 on two jars of mayo.

Fresh Ways to Make Asparagus: Grilled and Baked Recipes

by Joi on April 12, 2010

I mentioned a few posts back that I’ve kind of gotten stuck in Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce Heaven.  Not that’s a single solitary thing wrong with this delectable dish – but I’d been wanting to try a new dance step with asparagus.   So, I did just that a couple of times this week.

Baked Asparagus: Wednesday night, I baked asparagus.  I washed the fresh asparagus (about 1-1/2 pounds), and snapped off the tough ends.  I laid the asparagus down – with sides not touching – in a baking tray (a shallow cake pan is fine).  I sprinkled the stalks with olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped parsley (about 2 tablespoons), and garlic powder.  Then I baked them just until the asparagus was tender – a little over 5 minutes.

Cast Iron Skillet Asparagus. Sunday Night, I used my cast iron grill skillet.  I let the iron skillet heat up (to a medium-high temp.) while I prepared the asparagus (washed, trimmed).  Then I brushed olive oil onto each stalk before placing it into the skillet.  I seasoned the asparagus lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic pepper.  I turned the stalks over after a few minutes, lightly seasoning the newly exposed side.  At this point, I added a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan.  The water created a lovely little sauna for the seasoned asparagus and, in no time at all, they were ready for the platter.  When I removed them to the platter, I lightly squeezed a little fresh lime over the glistening beauties.

Notice I say “lightly” seasoned?  The reason for this is the fact that cooking with cast iron gives you an outrageously amazing flavor that I frankly don’t want to mess with.  Because of this incredible flavor, you can bypass the extra calories that come with many sauces, seasonings, and spreads (sigh, even Hollandaise Sauce).  If you’re an asparagus fan, you seriously have to try this technique – it’s outstanding.

It’s tough to give exact times when giving vegetable recipes such as these simply because people like their vegetables cooked differently.  I prefer mine to retain a little crispiness, while others like for them to collapse under the weight of a fork.

As always, just stay close by and test for yourself when you think your vegetables (in this case asparagus) are done.

Another tip:  You might even want to use one asparagus stalk as a guinea pig.  Take him through the motions and see how much, if any, seasonings you think are necessary.  I SWEAR, cast iron magically creates its own flavor and seasonings.  After taking my single stalk through the motions, I realized it was delicious as it was but that I wanted to experiment with more seasonings…. lightly.

I can’t wait to try asparagus recipes (as well as other vegetable recipes) on the grill.  Grilled asparagus, grilled corn, grilled bell peppers, grilled mushrooms – all served alongside an orzo/rice combination makes my mouth water and my heart beat a little faster.  What a tasty summer this will be!

The beauty at the top of the post is the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Cobalt Square Grill Pan 10.25-in.. This grill pan, which will soon become your best friend in the kitchen, is available through Amazon. Click the link for more information.

Potato Asparagus Casserole Recipe

by Joi on April 9, 2010

I gotta tell you, I absolutely, positively cannot get enough of asparagus.   It ranks right up there with chocolate, coffee, green tea, and avocados for things I want – in the worst possible way – daily.  Here’s a recipe I know you’ll love.  My favorite way to serve asparagus is steamed with creamy, Heavenly Hollaindaise Sauce – but I’m trying to branch out and serve it differently from time to time.

Okay, I tried once.

Hung by the strands of my own honesty.  At any rate, here’s the recipe.

Potato Asparagus Casserole Recipe

5 baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups diced fresh asparagus
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup butter (not margarine)
2 Tbs water
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

Layer sliced potatoes in the bottom of your dish. Top with the onion, then asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put pats of butter on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with water.

Cover and bake for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender. Top with grated cheese and allow it to melt deliciously into the vegetables (as if you could stop it if you wanted to). Serve and enjoy!

Yield: Six servings

Corn Pudding: A Perfectly Delicious Easter Recipe

by Joi on March 29, 2010

Corn Pudding Recipe: An Ideal Easter Casserole

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 TBS margarine
1 (17 oz) can creamed corn
1 (8 oz) can whole kernel corn (drained)
1/4 cup flour
4 eggs, beaten lightly
1 (13 oz) can evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash nutmeg

Saute onion and green pepper in margarine until the onion is tender – about 8 minutes.

Mix both cans of corn (remember to drain the whole kernel corn), flour, and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the onion mixture, evaporated milk, salt and pepper. Pour into ungreased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Place casserole dish in a large baking pan and fill pan half way up the side of the casserole dish with hot water.

Bake at 325 degrees for 75-80 minutes or until center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 Servings

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