Asparagus Carbonara

Another spring day, another use for asparagus.  And this one is a new favorite!

This dish was seriously delicious, even with "thinning it out" by using fat free half and half in place of heavy cream.  I was a little worried that it wouldn't hold up, but fortunately I was wrong.  It was creamy and flavorful and perfect.

And while we're talking about spring days, what's up with this weather?  80 degrees yesterday...a predicted 93 degrees today...I can't believe I'll be turning on the AC in mid-April.  I want my spring back!!

Well, at least eating this will make me feel like it's 60 degrees...

Asparagus Carbonara
adapted from Closet Cooking

6 ounces penne
1 bunch asparagus
5 slices bacon
3 cloves garlic
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons fat free half & half
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, cut bacon into bite size pieces and fry in a large skillet.  Once cooked, drain most of fat out of pan.

Cut asparagus into penne shaped pieces then add to pan.  Add garlic and pepper and toss together.  Mix egg yolk, half & half and cheese in a bowl.  Set aside.

Drain pasta, reserving a little bit of water.  Add pasta to pan and toss.  Remove from heat and wait for sizzling to stop.  Add egg mixture and toss to coat.

Taste at this point and decide if you need to add reserved pasta water.  I didn't need to, but if you do, add slowly, then toss.  Top with more pepper, if desired, and serve.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Shaved Asparagus Salad

What words pop into your mind when you're thinking about spring?  I have a few:

baseball (go YANKEES!)
flowers
cleaning (guess I should start my spring cleaning one of these days...)
asparagus

Yes, asparagus.  One of my favorite vegetables.  And perfect this time of year.

I made this salad on Easter and it was a big hit.  It was nice to bring something different to the table, literally.  And you can bet this will be seen on our table a lot in the near future.

Shaved Asparagus Salad
from Chow

zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot (from about 1 medium)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons pignoli nuts, lightly toasted, cooled
1 pound asparagus spears, tough bottoms removed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Combine lemon zest, lemon, vinegar, shallot and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

Using a peeler, thinly slice asparagus lengthwise into strips and place in a bowl (I threw the tips in, too).  Whisk oil into vinegar mixture in a thin and steady stream.  Adjust seasonings according to taste.

Add pignoli nuts, dressing, half of the cheese and all the parsley to the asparagus and toss.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.  Add remaining cheese to top and serve.

Linked to:  Tastetastic Thursday

Roasted Salmon, Potatoes, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes

I have a confession to make.  I've been struggling lately with juggling work, my daughter and everyday life - and my dinner prep.  I try...I really, REALLY try to make a menu plan every week.  And then I never stick to it.

I need a meal plan intervention!  Any volunteers?

All I have to say is, it's a good thing I have this blog...it's definitely keeping me motivated to stay on track and keep cooking delicious stuff.  Like this one.  Delicious, and easy, and one pan, and healthy...what else do you need?

A great meal for tomorrow's Lent observers!

Roasted Salmon, Potatoes, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes
3 salmon filets
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
12 small potatoes, cut in half
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a baking dish, add potatoes and drizzle with oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 15 minutes.  Add asparagus and cook for another 15 minutes.

Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to pan with tomatoes.  Drizzle vinegar over all ingredients, return to oven and cook for 10-12 minutes.  Serve right out of the pan!

On the side

People are always asking for easy ideas for side dishes.  I have a lot of them in my arsenal, since I usually put most of my effort into the main dish (at least on a daily basis).  Simplicity is best with certain vegetables.  Asparagus is one of them - it doesn't need to be "dressed up" in order to be delicious and ready to serve.

Roast some asparagus today - you'll be glad you did :)

What's your favorite side dish?

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic
1 pound asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into thirds
10 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a ziploc bag, combine asparagus, garlic and oil and let sit for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 450.  Place asparagus on baking pan and add salt and pepper.  Roast for about 15 minutes, or until asparagus is slightly brown.  Cooking time may vary depending on how large your asparagus is.

The Honorable Cheese

Did you know that April is Grilled Cheese month?  Yep, it is.  You're welcome.

Some major damage could be done with that theme...I could easily eat cheese all.day.long.  And bread.  And any other goodies that can be thrown in between.

But we all know I'm behaving.  Boo.  Time to get creative.

Everyone has their own preferences when grilling chicken.  Do what you like, but I'll tell you what I did anyway :)  For this dish, I sliced the breast thin and seasoned it with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

I busted out my Griddler to cook the chicken and the quesadilla.  Grill plates for the chicken, griddle plates for the quesadilla (now, why hasn't anyone bought the waffle plates for me yet?  hmmm...).  You could even grill the asparagus in advance if you wanted to, but I didn't...I quickly steamed it.  In hindsight, I may have even left it uncooked.  Hmmm.  Maybe next time.

Quick, easy, delicious and low in points!  We both enjoyed this for lunch while watching the Yankees kick some Red Sox ass.

Chicken, Asparagus & Goat Cheese Quesadilla
2 tortillas (Trader Joe's Reduced Carb Whole Wheat)
2 tablespoons soft goat cheese
1/2 cup grilled chicken, diced
baby asparagus spears
extra virgin olive oil

While griddle is heating up, spread 1 tablespoon goat cheese on each tortilla.  Add chicken on top of one tortilla, then asparagus, then top with other tortilla.

Spread a tiny bit of oil on outside of tortilla and place on griddle, then oil the other side.  If using a press, close the top and cook the quesadilla until cheese has melted and tortilla is slightly brown.  If using a pan, flip after a few minutes, then cook on other side.  Remove and cut once slightly cooled.

WW Points+ = 6

Daring Cooks: Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

Part of the reason I started this blog two months ago was to push myself out of my comfort zone by preparing dishes I wouldn't normally even consider.  That's the main reason I joined Daring Cooks, and this month was the first challenge I was eligible to participate in.  Mission accomplished - the assignment was one that I've never attempted before...

The February 2011 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by Lisa of Blueberry Girl. She challenged Daring Cooks to make Hiyashi Soba and Tempura. She has various sources for her challenge including japanesefood.about.com, pinkbites.com, and itsybitsyfoodies.com.


I couldn't believe how easy it was to prepare everything!  First was the buckwheat soba noodles and spicy dipping sauce (which is served on the side).  I topped the noodles with some sliced scallions.  There were other things that were suggested to add on top (ham, sliced scrambled egg, cucumber to name a few) but this was just fine.  The sauce was delicious (and actually not that spicy!) and gave the noodles all the taste they needed.


For more details, check out the recipes, courtesy of Globetrotter Diaries and about. com.  

And then, the tempura.  Again, I was very happy to see how easy it was to make tempura batter and will definitely be making it again soon!  I was also surprised to see how thin the batter was - I thought maybe I did something wrong - but it all worked out just fine.  


I used all vegetables - yams, mushrooms, onions, asparagus and green beans.  Next time I'll include shrimp, lobster, scallops, and other proteins.Delicious, light, and fun to make.

The recipes for the tempura can be found on Pink Bites and itsy bitsy foodies.  Lisa also influenced the tempura a bit with things she learned from her Japanese grandmother.


I had SO MUCH FUN with this challenge, and can't wait for the next one!  :)