Roasted Asparagus with Lemons, Asiago and Almonds

Don’t punish me, but I’ve been a bad bad girl. Well, not in life. I’ve been super nice in life. But I’ve been a bad bad blogger.

To be fair, I have had a lot going on since I returned from Colorado and the only free time I seem to be able to find is in my airplane seat. Yes. I am on an airplane again.

In the twelve days since I got home from Colorado I…

Celebrated a good friends birthday…

Did an unhealthy amount of work on the yard to prep it for planting and spent way too much time at Home Depot (yes I’m attempting a garden which I’m sure will be the source of many a future post)… 

Landed a new job (more to come on that down the road)…

Hosted a spring time soirée with great friends and this little love bug…

Attended my first, and definitely not last, Stagecoach.

And I still managed to cook up some tasty morsels and take a shower or two.

Phew… it’s been busy. But good busy. Fun busy. Exciting busy.

Now Wes and I are headed East for a little vacay before my New York show next week. He keeps reminding me that I need to remember my priorities. And he is right. Cooking is a priority. Writing is a priority. I will try to do more of both.

Here is a tasty spring side that will easily brighten any table. You enjoy this while I single handedly eat my way through Manhattan.

You will need…

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup sliced almonds

1 lemon, thinly sliced

¼ cup asiago cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees.

Lay out the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and lightly toss till they are well coated. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the thinly sliced lemon evenly over the asparagus and roast for 15 minutes until the asparagus are starting to brown and are tender.

While the asparagus is roasting, put the almonds on some aluminum foil and roast them at the same temperature for 5 minutes until toasty.

When the asparagus is done, lay them out on a nice platter and top them with the roasted lemon.

Sprinkle the asparagus with almonds and asiago and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Asparagus with Lemons, Asiago and Almonds

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup sliced almonds

1 lemon, thinly sliced

¼ cup asiago cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees.

Lay out the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and lightly toss till they are well coated. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the thinly sliced lemon evenly over the asparagus and roast for 15 minutes until the asparagus are starting to brown and are tender.

While the asparagus is roasting, put the almonds on some aluminum foil and roast them at the same temperature for 5 minutes until toasty.

When the asparagus is done, lay them out on a nice platter and top them with the roasted lemon.

Sprinkle the asparagus with almonds and asiago and serve hot. 

Poached Salmon Fettucini Pasta with Grilled Asparagus

I have a new found love ya’ll.

Yes I know I’ve been spending time in the south.

No, Wes and I did not break up. We are better than ever.

The new love is Denver. Actually, everywhere I went in Colorado was pretty spectacular.

A land where the vibe is mellow, the people love to be active and the food is freaking amazing.

Even the food served at the tradeshow I was working was the tasty.

Way to step it up Mile High City!

In an attempt to make my work travel a bit more enjoyable, I’ve started tacking on days here and there to my trips so I can properly enjoy the city that I’m in.

I flew out to Colorado on Friday to spend a little extra time with my girlfriend Nicole (formerly of London via Los Angeles via Wyoming).

Knowing my food obsession, she made a conscious effort to take me to tasty and interesting spots to tickle my fancy.

Osteria Marco in downtown Denver was so good I went back twice. If you get a chance to dine at this homey but chic underground eatery, I HIGHLY recommend the rabbit.

And if you make it to Fort Collins, CO you have to check out Scrumpy’s for a cider flight, a bomb sandwich and some fresh baked cookies.

The food in Colorado was exceptional, but I got way more out of my trip than just a full belly.

I gained some serious confidence.

Four years ago when I had just started cooking and was contemplating the creation of New Food Tuesdayz, everything literally was new. I knew NOTHING about food other than I loved eating it.

I knew nothing of how things would be prepared, what cheeses I preferred, what wine would go well with the food I ordered.

But four years, over a thousand recipes attempted and hundreds of amazing meals consumed have brought me a long way. In a foodie state, I was able to hold my own in some serious food conversations with people whose lives are all about good eats.

The highlight was being asked if I owned my own restaurant by a veteran of the business.

No sir I don’t. But hopefully I will be changing that soon.

This pasta dish I made would have fit in perfectly at a few of the restaurants I dined at in the last few days.

Simple ingredients, bold flavors and a homey vibe really make this an easy to execute crowed pleaser.

You will need…

1 lb fresh fettucini pasta (or boxed pasta cooked per the instructions if you don’t have the time)

1 lb salmon, skinned removed and cut into 4 ounce pieces

2 tablespoons garlic, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup white wine

2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, white and light green parts roughly chopped

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

Paremsan cheese for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat.

Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Make sure the asparagus are all lightly coated in oil.

Place them on a warm part of the grill and cook the asparagus, turning once until they are grilled on the outside and slightly tender. Be careful not to over cook. About 7 minutes.

Remove them from the heat and set aside to cool. When the asparagus have cooled, shop into 1 inch pieces and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to the package instructions or if you are using fresh pasta, about 3 to 5 minutes just until the pasta is al dented. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

While the water is heating, heat the remaining olive oil and butter together in a large pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes and white wine to the pan.

Simmer the white wine and tomatoes until all the alcohol has burnt off and the wine has reduced slightly. About 5 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and add in the green onions and the salmon to the pan.

Cook the salmon in the liquid, flipping once until the salmon is cooked through. About 5 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked through gently break up the fish into smaller pieces with a fork or tongs.

Toss in the pasts, asparagus and Paremsan to taste. Toss well.

If there is not much liquid left and the pasta is dry and not saucy, pour in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with fresh pepper and Paremsan.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Poached Salmon Fettucini Pasta with Grilled Asparagus

1 lb fresh fettucini pasta (or boxed pasta cooked per the instructions if you don’t have the time)

1 lb salmon, skinned removed and cut into 4 ounce pieces

2 tablespoons garlic, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup white wine

2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, white and light green parts roughly chopped

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

Paremsan cheese for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat.

Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Make sure the asparagus are all lightly coated in oil.

Place them on a warm part of the grill and cook the asparagus, turning once until they are grilled on the outside and slightly tender. Be careful not to over cook. About 7 minutes.

Remove them from the heat and set aside to cool. When the asparagus have cooled, shop into 1 inch pieces and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to the package instructions or if you are using fresh pasta, about 3 to 5 minutes just until the pasta is al dented. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

While the water is heating, heat the remaining olive oil and butter together in a large pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes and white wine to the pan.

Simmer the white wine and tomatoes until all the alcohol has burnt off and the wine has reduced slightly. About 5 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and add in the green onions and the salmon to the pan.

Cook the salmon in the liquid, flipping once until the salmon is cooked through. About 5 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked through gently break up the fish into smaller pieces with a fork or tongs.

Toss in the pasts, asparagus and Paremsan to taste. Toss well.

If there is not much liquid left and the pasta is dry and not saucy, pour in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with fresh pepper and Paremsan. 

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

I’ve let you down my friends. Where was I this week when I could have been blowing up your news feed and inboxes with an influx of Thanksgiving recipes?

The last week has been spent in the kitchen working on some great dishes and some serious quality time with family.

This year, I was not in charge of the Thanksgiving meal so I decided to really embrace my Wednesday and Thursday outside of the kitchen.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t spend Tuesday in the kitchen and that I won’t be cooking for hours after yoga today.

You better believe that there will be more amazingly tasty dishes being born today. Just like this one.

You will need…

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb asparagus, rough ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons rice

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 slices prosciutto

½ lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss together the asparagus, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper.

Lay the asparagus out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them for 20 to 30 minutes. Just until they are browning.

In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil and add in the onions.

Cook until the onions have softened, about 7 minutes.

Add in the asparagus, nutmeg and the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Pour in the rice and chicken stock and season well with salt and pepper.

Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the soup until the rice has cooked. About 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, spread out the prosciutto on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until crispy. About 7 to 10 minutes.

When the rice has booked, remove the soup from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and blend the soup in batches in a food processor or blender or use an emersion blender.

Serve hot with crispy proscuitto on top.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb asparagus, rough ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons rice

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 slices proscuitto

½ lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss together the asparagus, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper.

Lay the asparagus out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them for 20 to 30 minutes. Just until they are browning.

In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil and add in the onions.

Cook until the onions have softened, about 7 minutes.

Add in the asparagus, nutmeg and the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Pour in the rice and chicken stock and season well with salt and pepper.

Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the soup until the rice has cooked. About 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, spread out the prosciutto on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until crispy. About 7 to 10 minutes.

When the rice has booked, remove the soup from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and blend the soup in batches in a food processor or blender or use an emersion blender.

Serve hot with crispy prosciutto on top. 

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Corn

I think I’m having some issues with denial.

Yup, I am in complete denial of the fact that summer is over and autumn is bearing down on us.

By the way. I strongly prefer the word autumn to the word fall. It just sounds so much more rich and important. Shocking. I’m off track.

The point is, autumn is now in our midst and so are the last days of my favorite summer things. Goodbye watermelon. Goodbye leaving work and still having hours of sunlight. Goodbye tan lines. And worst of all, good bye my dear heirloom tomatoes and fresh summer corn. You will all be dearly missed.

I’m sending them off with one last hurrah. Together.

And it is a damn tasty hurrah.

You will need…

2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)

3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Corn

2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)

3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. 

Lemony Shitake Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

Oh goodness. As I’m sitting here thinking if I should write about how I’m headed back to a grueling five days of work in Vegas, or about how I get to meet one of my bestie’s brand new baby tomorrow, and a serendipitous moment occurred.

While I’m lying in bed typing and deleting, typing and deleting, an eye catching commercial came on. And what was it an ad for? Top Chef. My number one must watch show.

A show in which no one can seem to cook this damn dish correctly. I find risotto to be a slow and low stress dish to cook. Yet somehow, chef after chef heads home after cooking it.

Maybe I should teach them a thing or two.

Don’t let their failures stop you from trying this dish. If you add the liquid a little at a time, cook it off slowly, and add in great flavors, you will have a hit every time.

You will need…

1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces

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4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

5 cups chicken stock

1 small onion, chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Salt and pepper to taste

Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Toss in the asparagus and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over a medium high heat. Add in the mushrooms and season well with salt and pepper. 

Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms start to brown.

Add in the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, and set aside with the asparagus.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a low simmer.

While you are heating the stock, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over a medium heat. Add in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. 

Add the rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.

Add the wine and the lemon zest and season well with salt and pepper. Stir, often until the liquid is absorbed.

As soon as the liquid has been absorbed, pour in ½ cup of the simmering stock and continue to cook, stirring often until the stock has been absorbed.

Continue to add stock to the rice, ½  cup at a time. Lightly simmer the rice and stock until it is absorbed before adding the next ½ cup. Stir often.

Before the last ½ cup of stock, add in the mushrooms, asparagus and cheese.

Add in the last of the stock and simmer, stirring consistently until all the liquid is absorbed.

Serve hot topped with a little extra cheese.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Lemony Shitake Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

5 cups chicken stock

1 small onion, chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Salt and pepper to taste

Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Toss in the asparagus and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over a medium high heat. Add in the mushrooms and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms start to brown.

Add in the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, and set aside with the asparagus.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a low simmer.

While you are heating the stock, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over a medium heat. Add in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.

Add the wine and the lemon zest and season well with salt and pepper. Stir, often until the liquid is absorbed.

As soon as the liquid has been absorbed, pour in ½ cup of the simmering stock and continue to cook, stirring often until the stock has been absorbed.

Continue to add stock to the rice, ½  cup at a time. Lightly simmer the rice and stock until it is absorbed before adding the next ½ cup. Stir often.

Before the last ½ cup of stock, add in the mushrooms, asparagus and cheese.

Add in the last of the stock and simmer, stirring consistently until all the liquid is absorbed.

Serve hot topped with a little extra cheese.