Roast Asparagus with Parmesan

Spring time in New England is prime time for asparagus. We can only get it for a limited time, so I'm loading up while I can.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt & fresh ground pepper
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 450F. Trim the tough ends of the asparagus.
Toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt & pepper. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cheese.
Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese is melted, 10-15min. Add balsamic as needed.

Alternatively, steam the asparagus until tender. Toss the asparagus with olive oil, salt & pepper and balsamic.

NP

Fresh Grapefruit Mojito

I found this delicious drink at Mag Pie Pizza. Just in time for spring and summer.

Ingredients

• White Rum
• Dark Rum
• Grapefruit Juice
• Chopped Mint

Mix ingredients, chill, enjoy!
NP

Peanut Dipping Sauce with Veggies

This is an amazing snack that I just discovered. It will be making multiple appearances in the future. I didn't use the lime juice because I didn't have any. Recipe from Soups & Sides by C. Walthers

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp tamari/soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1-2 teasp grated ginger (fresh is key)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
• 2 teaspoon lime juice

Pair with delicious fresh veggies: carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, cucumber.
NP

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

• 1lb of ziti
• 1lb of ricotta
• 1 egg
• 8oz of shredded mozzarella
• 1 jar of tomato sauce

1. Cook the ziti al dente. Beat the egg into the ricotta
2.Preheat the oven 350F
3. Drain the pasta. Mix the tomato sauce and ricotta into the pasta.
4. Scoop the pasta into a 9 x 13 pyrex dish
5. Bake for 30-35 min. Sprinkle on the mozzarella on top of the ziti, bake for a further 10min.

Enjoy the baked, cheezy goodness.
NP

Hamantashen with Poppy Seed Filling

Friends, be ready to have your mind blown. These are traditional Purim cookies that a friend of mine and I recently made. Along with these we made other variations with various Jams for filling instead of poppy seeds. However, these were by far the best. I found this recipe on the New York Times (and they got it from "Schmaltz" by Shmil Holland). I took leftovers to my office and everybody agreed they were amazing!

For the Dough:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large egg yolks
8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature, in small pieces
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
Dash of salt
1 large beaten egg, for the glaze

For Poppy Seed Filling:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1/2 orange
1 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup raisins
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tablespoon brandy
1/2 tablespoon orange liqueur
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract


(1) Put the confectioners' sugar and the egg yolks in a food processor and blend. Add butter and lemon zest and process to blend. Gradually add the flour and the salt, pulsing until it forms a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

(2) Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Put milk, sugar and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Grind poppy seeds in a coffee grinder (or cuisinart). When mixture is warm, turn heat to low and add poppy seeds and raisins. Cook until the seeds absorb the milk and the mixture is thick, about 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice, brandy, orange liqueur and butter. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla extract, remove from the heat and cool.

(3) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 pastry sheets with parchment paper.

(4) Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and use a cookie cutter or glass to cut 3-inch circles. Put a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each, and press up the sides to form triangles. Brush the tops with beaten egg.

(5) Bake until golden and dough is delicately firm all the way through, about 15 minutes. If trays are on different racks, switch them after about 10 minutes.

Yields about 30 cookies!

Enjoy the baked goodness!

HB

Plumb Crumble Cupcakes

My love of fruit continues. Bring on the summer fruits!

Ingredients

• 2 oz butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoon port/dry red wine
• 8 oz plums, pitted & cut
• 1/2 stick very cold butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 350F. Butter silicone mini cupcake holders/Line cupcake tin
2. In a skillet, heat the butter, sugar, port; add plums. Cook for 10min. until plums are soft; set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. In a food processor mix crumble ingredients (butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon)
4. Pour plum mix into each cupcake cup. Fill 3/4 full. fill the rest with crumble mix.
5. Bake 15-20min, until set.

NP

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Kale Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans
• 2 Large Sweet Potatoes - peeled, diced
• 1 bunch Kale - chopped
• 1 onion - diced
• 1 14.5 oz can of tomatoes with garlic
• 10 corn tortillas
• Enchilada sauce
• 8 oz. Cheddar cheese - grated
  
• Cumin to taste
  
• Chili Powder to taste

1. Preheat oven 350F. Saute the onions add spices for last minute. Mix together: beans, sweet potatoes, kale, onion and tomatoes.

2. Coat tortilla with enchilada sauce. Stuff tortilla with bean mix. Roll and put seam sides down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

3. Cover with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese (lots of cheese). Bake until done (about 45min).

4. Let cool, serve with sour cream.