asparagus

I ate asparagus growing up but it was never something I really loved. My husband and kids LOVE it. So I've been making it for them and eating it too, but it wasn't anything special... until I found this recipe for Parmesan Roasted Asparagus in my Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I love it! It's great even without the parmesan cheese.

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks have started me roasting my veggies a lot more. The flavor is just wonderful that way. I still have to steam some for Eleanor and Gregory (it's easier for them to chew), but Kurt and I really enjoy it this way.

I usually foil line my cookie sheet for easier clean up.

Just drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt (kosher) and pepper (freshly ground).

After 20 min at about 400, grate cheese over and put back in oven for a few minutes.

These asparagus were really skinny I usually like to get them bigger, they seem to have more flavor and don't get dried out as much.

Cream of Broccolli Soup

I have a regular cream of broccoli soup recipe that I use, but last time I was about to make it I decided I wanted it a little different and found this broccoli soup recipe on the Food Network website.

2-3 T butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

pinch of nutmeg

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 T flour

3 cups water plus 3 bullion cubes

1 head broccoli chopped.

1/2 c cream

Cook onions and garlic until onions are soft. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and cook for another minute. Mix in the flour until well combined flour. Pour in water/bullion and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer until thickens. Add the broccoli and cook until tender. Stir in cream.

(It's actually a broccoli cheese soup recipe, but I changed it a bit and just added shredded cheese as a garnish on top.)

agave

I've mentioned that I have been experimenting with using agave nectar in a lot of my recipes and thought I should post a little about it. Agave nectar is a natural sweetener made from the agave plant. It's sweeter than sugar so you use less of it, and it has a really low glycemic index so it doesn't raise your blood sugar like honey or sugar. I bought some at Costco called Wholesome Sweetener brand Organic Blue Agave.

I first heard about agave from a friend who no longer uses sugar, only agave. She uses Xagave brand, which I believe they sell in health food stores in Utah (or can be ordered online). Their website has a lot of info and yummy looking recipes (I've made a few).

Then after I read about it in Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber I decided to try it out. I obviously use it in baking and cooking, but I also put it on my oatmeal, in plain yogurt, in peppermint tea, etc. It tastes a little different from sugar which you can detect when you put it directly on stuff, but it's not strong and I don't even notice it when I cook with it.

beef broccoli

When it comes to meat I don't usually deviate from my habit of chicken breasts and ground beef. I just don't really know how to cook meat, so it intimidates me.

But I felt like doing something different and saw a package of 'stir fry beef' at the grocery store so I brought it home and found this Broccoli Beef Stir Fry recipe at Allrecipes.com and followed the suggestions of the first reviewer listed. It's really simple and really fast.

1/8 c flour

1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth

2 T sugar

2 T soy sauce

1 lb boneless round stake, cut in small pieces (I bought about 1/2 lb stir fry beef)

1/4 t ginger powder

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 head broccoli cut up (4 or 5 cups)

Whisk together flour, broth, sugar, ginger, and soy sauce. Set aside.

In a large skillet cook meat on high heat for 2-4 min. just until browned. Stir in broth mixture, garlic and broccoli. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Swedish Pancakes

Mom's Swedish Pancakes

2 c flour

4 c milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

butter to fry in

Whip up eggs first. Alternate adding a little milk and then a little flour, etc. Put a little butter in warm frying pan. Add enough batter to thinly cover the bottom of the pan (try about 1/4 cup); tilt pan rotating in a circle to spread the batter out evenly. Cook until edges become dry. Use pancake turner to flip over and cook the other side. Should be golden brown.

Fill with cut up fruit or spread with Nutella or jam and roll up. Top with whipped cream.

(As a kid we usually just ate them with maple syrup like regular pancakes. I'm sure my mom thought we were so strange. hehe)

Swedish Meatballs

Mom's Swedish Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c bread crumbs

1/4 c milk

salt and pepper to taste

4 Tbspoons finely chopped onions

1 egg, slightly beaten

butter to fry in

Mix together bread crumbs, milk, onions, egg, salt and pepper. Let sand for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and mix well. Form into small balls (1.5 in) and fry in butter, turning frequently. (I found I usually make them too big and then they don't cook as well. If they're falling apart or burning before they're done cooking, try making them a little smaller.)

Gravy

After you've fried the meatballs. Add about 1 or 2 cups water to pan along with some bullion cubes (enough for amount of water). Stir together 2 or 3 tablespoons with some water -just so it's pour-able. Slowly pour into pan while whisking. Bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons soy sauce (for color).

Eggplant Parmesan

I love this dish. It's a nice way to add something substantial to a pasta night without using meat. (These are the pictures you get. I don't have a final picture cause I realized I didn't have any mozzarella cheese so I covered it and put it in the fridge and made it for dinner the next day. Just imagine mozzarella sprinkled on top and baked in the oven. Mmm)

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons oil

1/3 parmesan cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Dip eggplant slices into egg and then flour. Heat oil and cook a few eggplant slices in frying pan until golden. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with rest.

Put eggplant in a casserole dish and sprinkle with parmesan. Spoon sauce over eggplant and then top with mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

Battered, and fried.

Sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese- I love my Microplane Zester!

Covered with sauce. (Sorry, I don't have a finished product. At this point I realized I didn't have any mozzarella so it went in the fridge until the next day and then I didn't have time to take a picture.)