French Onion Asparagus

This meal was wonderful!

Marinated beef tips (bought these already marinated, can't take credit for their yumminess), with Squash and Tomato Spiral, and these French Onion Asparagus.  The whole meal was delicious!  One of our new neighbors has gone out of his way to be kind, so we prepared this as a thank you meal to share with him.  Definitely worthy of a thank you meal!

This recipe was inspired by Pinterest as well.  My sister-in-law made French Onion Asparagus Pasta, a recipe from Pinterest.  I made this side dish inspired by the pasta dish she made.  Here is the recipe as I made it:

- 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tbsp oil

- 2 onions, sliced

- tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp sugar

- 1 1/4 beef broth (or 1 cup beef broth and 1/4 cup red wine)

- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped in half or thirds

- salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter and oil.  Add onions.  Cover onions and cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.  Uncover.  Add salt and sugar (sugar helps with the caramelizing process).  Continue to cook onions for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly.

When onions have caramelized, add broth.  Bring broth to a boil.  (Add wine if using.)  Add asparagus, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to simmer.  Cook to desired asparagus tenderness, 4 minutes to 30 minutes.

This was wonderful!!  And, the pictures...

...because the onions are too pretty not to share!

As the onions are starting to brown

Aaah, now the onions are caramelized, so pretty and so yummy!

The finished dish

Squash and Tomato Spiral

This was a pinterest idea gone right!  I didn't do everything exactly as suggested, but definitely a great idea!  We will have this again!  Here is the recipe as I did it:

- diced onion (maybe a quarter to a third of an onion)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

- 2 squash, sliced
- cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

- seasonings and a little Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan.  Add onions and garlic, cooking until translucent, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning.

Put sauteed garlic and onion in bottom of baking dish.  Place sliced squash in a spiral around edge of dish.  Add tomatoes to the middle of the spiral.  Drizzle top with olive oil.  Sprinkle with seasoning (I used Jane's Crazy Salt, but salt and pepper would be great as well) and Parmesan cheese if using.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.

Yummy!  Serves 4

Kale 3 Ways

Last Monday was rainy and dreary.  I packed up the three kids (two mine, one nannied) and we headed on a great outing...to B.J.'s!  It is odd, but I am an impulse buyer at grocery stores, even B.J.'s!  That particular day my impulse purchase was Kale!  A one-pound bag of chopped fresh kale for only $1.99.  Not a bad impulse buy!  I needed a green that night to go with our supper, and kale has been on my too-try list for months.  

A pound of kale goes a long way with only 3 eating it.  It took us one week and three recipes, but we ate it all!  Here are those three ways:

Kale Chips

I include this picture as proof that my 3 year old ate kale.  This first picture, no surprise, was her favorite (but she ate it all 3 ways!).  Random side note:  you can also see one of my tricks when I serve her casseroles; I separate the big chunks of vegetables from the rice so that it looks like rice with a side of vegetables.

Toss kale with a little olive oil and salt.  Spread on cookie sheet in a single layer (this was reinforced over and over again in the recipes I studied).  Bake at 250 - 275 for 20-25 minutes.  Eat up!  Truly soooo yummy!

Add to Soup

Because Kale is a pretty rigid green, it holds up well to being added to soups.  

I added a little bit of the kale to the soup; let it simmer with the other vegetables and then pureed as normal.

Sweet and Savory Kale

This was really yummy!!  The end product is similar to collard greens.  (Confession:  this picture is of the thumbs down preparation.  I tried the recipe that will follow but added apples...not a good idea.  Too sweet!    The recipe included is yummy!  I just wanted to included how the kale looks at the beginning and what the end product looks like.)

- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
- kale (about 6 oz) I just used as much that filled my pot
- "splash" of craisins
- salt and pepper to taste

In pot, add stock, onion, and garlic.  Heat over medium heat, allowing onions to soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in Dijon mustard and cider vinegar.  Add kale and then splash with craisins!  Cover with lid.  (I periodically stirred; I don't know if that was necessary or would be better to just let cook down on its own.)  

Do you like kale?  What is your favorite way to enjoy it?  This was a new green to me, but it will definitely be added to the rotation!  

Fried Green Tomatoes

Can you say, "Delicious!!"  This was such a wonderfully good summer treat!  Will and I got 2 green tomatoes and one light purple eggplant at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.  

insert teaching moment:

I asked the farmer what the difference between the dark purple and light purple eggplant is.  She said that the light purple is a little sweeter and less bitter than the other.  I l.o.v.e eggplant; Will tolerates it.  So, we both wanted to see if the light purple would make him like it more.  The verdict:  he says go light purple! 

We put the kids to bed early on Saturday nights to be ready for an early Sunday morning.  After the kids went to bed, we set about to have a super casual date night of frying and eating tomatoes and eggplant!  Well worth it and highly recommended!  

- 4 medium-size green tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal mix
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 egg whites
- 3 tbsp olive oil

Cut tomatoes into 1/2-in thick slices.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Let stand 10 minutes

Combine cornmeal mix and panko in a shallow dish.  Place flour in a second shallow dish.  Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy.  Dredge tomato slices in flour, shaking off excess.  Dip in egg whites, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Cook tomato slices over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Season with salt to taste.  Keep warm in a 225 degree oven.  Repeat procedure until all tomatoes are cooked.

Serve hot with dipping sauces!  We used pepper jelly sauce and sriracha remoulade.  Enjoy!

Look at this casual, but yummy date night with the husband!  a picnic at your coffee table, chatting on the couch or watching a movie, or a little of both!

Southern Living magazine, June 2012, p. 118

Sneaky Mashed Potatoes, Part 2

Earlier I posted about making sneaky mashed potatoes with half potatoes, half cauliflower. So good! But now, I have a new favorite! Sneaky mashed potatoes with parsnips; thank you Rachael Ray for introducing me to the Parsnip! RR describes the parsnip as "a carrot with attitude." I mainly wanted to do this post because I wanted to remember her ratio of potato to parsnip.

3-4 medium potatoes to 2 medium parsnips

These were great! Anna-Kate ate them. Will enjoyed these, asked me to make mashed potatoes with parsnips instead of the cauliflower ones. I definitely recommend them!

Vegetarian Lasagna Casserole

This dish was wonderful, probably one of my favorite own-creation recipes! Will's comment was, "This is restaurant-quality. I would order this again when I came back to the restaurant." Will loves my cooking, but this was higher than normal praise! Enough humble commentary, on to the recipe:

I love watching cooking shows, so that I can drool and wish I had more culinary skills and learn as much as I can from them. Yesterday I watched Rachael Ray's show, her Best Recipes of 2011. There were two different lasagna or lasagna-type recipes. This recipe is those two combined with some tweaks of my own. Definitely try it!

- 1/2 box of favorite pasta, cooked about 1-2 minutes less than package directions

- 2 portabella mushroom caps, diced
- about 1/3 - 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
- 1/2 jar of favorite marinara sauce (we are currently in love with Harris Teeter's arrabiata sauce; it's quite spicy and rich in flavor); your favorite homemade [spicy] marinara would also be yummy here
- few splashes of broth (I used beef broth) for thinning

for Bechamel Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 rounded tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg

- 1/2 to 2/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta.

At the same time, saute the diced portabella mushroom until tender. Add the thawed spinach to the pan. Stir until well mixed.

Add the spicy (or favorite) marinara sauce. Add a few splashes of broth to thin (if needed). Allow to simmer.

In a separate pan, make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.


Toss the pasta with the mushroom sauce and then arrange in a (9x9) casserole dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with parmesan cheese. Broil in the oven to brown the top.

Enjoy!This would be an easy one to double for a 9x13 or to freeze half and eat half. You could really play with the flavor by choosing any sauce. I really liked the bechamel combined with a spicy marinara, because it made it into a creamy spicy marinara. So yummy! This would make a good side dish. Or, a good vegeterian night with some roasted broccoli on the side or a salad starter.

Sneaky Mashed Potatoes

This idea is not new and not mine, but I am so glad I finally tried it!! Last night I made my mom's country-style steak recipe (to come on the blog as soon as I perfect it like she has), which meant I had to have mashed potatoes. My family-oriented goal: get more vegetables into my toddler. My actual, selfish goal: allow me to eat a generous scoop of mashed potatoes but not regret the amount of carbs I ingested.

I finally made mashed potatoes where they were actually half potatoes, half cauliflower. I, knowing the cauliflower was in there, didn't taste it. My husband, swearing he always knows when I try to make something more healthy, said he wouldn't have known to ask if something was different this time. And, my toddler ate mashed potatoes for the first time in the last 3 times of making them. That is a true, good endorsement!

- about 5-7 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced for boiling (or however many you need to feed your family)
- one small head of cauliflower, cut in small pieces
- milk, to your desired thinness (the way you always would in your own mashed potatoes)
- butter, 1/4 cup or more :)
- salt, pepper to taste

Boil potatoes and cauliflower in same pot. When tender, drain water. Add milk, butter, salt, pepper. Mash. I like mine halfway between chunky and smooth. I have found the key to good mashed potatoes is taste them. Make sure they are salt/peppered well. Add if needed.

**Basically make the mashed potatoes you like, just cut the potatoes in half and sub in cauliflower!

I mean it, try this!!! Not only do you get out of peeling so many potatoes, you get to eat more with less guilt!

Spaghetti Squash

I have wanted to try making spaghetti squash for a long time. I finally got enough inspiration to try it! It is as easy as it is tasty!

Split open spaghetti squash. Scoop out seeds. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 425 oven for 45 min to one hour, until squash is tender enough to shred with a fork. It really is so cool to watch a really big squash turn into spaghetti!

I made a whatever-I-have-in-my-pantry marinara sauce. Diced onions, fresh mushrooms, and diced tomatoes. I think next time I would pair a sausage and marinara, or a spicy marinara. The squash is slightly sweet, so salty sausage or spicy would be a good complement.

Let me know if you have the perfect spaghetti squash marinara!

Daddy Burke's Slaw

This is the second of two recipes that Will asked that I learn to make from his mom. If you like slaw on your hotdog, you will love this! If you have never tried slaw on your hotdog, this is the recipe to try!

- 1 head of cabbage, chopped or 1 bag slaw from store
- 1 onion, chopped or grated
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp mayonaise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp catsup
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp pickle juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestshire Sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp accent
- 1/8 seasoned salt

Mix. Put in jar or bowl. Cover. Will keep for two weeks.

Broccoli Casserole

- 1 (14 oz) pkg frozen broccoli florets
- 1 cup of rice
- 1 stick butter
- 1 can cream of mushroom
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced onion (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions. Microwave broccoli for 5 minutes. Add butter and microwave for 5 more minutes. Add soup and rice, mix well. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Add cheese and bake 5 min longer.

Herb Stuffed Tomatoes

- 5 beefsteak tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 3/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1 cup grated provolone (I have used parmesan or whatever cheese that sounds good to me)
- 1/4 cup tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp butter, softened
- 2 tbsp EVOO

Cut the tomatoes in half, horizontally. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside of the tomatoes, discarding the seeds and reserving the pulp and being careful not to puncture the outer shell. Chop the reserved pulp and put in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper and mix gently to combine. Place the tomato halves in a buttered casserole dish, and fill with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the top of the tomatoes with EVOO. Bake at 375 until the tops are browned, approx 20 min.

Grandma Harrill's Candied Sweet Potatoes

These are the yummiest sweet potatoes you have ever tasted. They are super sweet (notice 3:1 sugar:water ratio), but you really can't beat them. My Grandma Harrill made these for us until she was 92. How did she cut those sweet potatoes?!

- 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2-3 tsp
- 1/2 cup water
- dash of salt
- 3-4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/8 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, water, salt. Stir until sugar is almost dissolved. Place on stove on high.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Drop in water/sugar mixture. Cook on high for approx. ten minutes and then on medium heat for approx 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Cook uncovered. Juice will boil down and thicken. Don't stir potatoes!!!!

Add butter and when syrup has cooked down about half, add vanilla. Pour into shallow baking dish. Sprinkle 2-3 tsp of sugar (cinnamon good too) over potatoes. Cook in oven for 5-10 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

- 3 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk

Mix and put in baking dish. Use mixer to beat. Strings will cling to mixers. Mixture will be smooth.

Topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix and sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture.

Bake 30 minutes at 350.