Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

It's been a while since I posted a recipe but finals are over and I'm not sick anymore, so I'm back in the kitchen =]  I have been craving asparagus for quite a while and it was on sale at Wal-Mart last week so I picked up two bundles for dinners this week. I love asparagus for many reasons; its not only delicious and low in calories, but it's sooooo QUICK and EASY to make! You literally heat up some oil, throw in the asparagus and let it cook itself for 15 minutes while you occasionally stir it around. EASY right??

Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

1 bundle asparagus spears, trimmed
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


1. Prepare asparagus spears (See preparation instructions below)
2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
3. Add asparagus and toss the spears around in the oil to coat evenly
4. Salt and pepper to taste (I also throw a little garlic salt over them sometimes - optional)
5. Cook asparagus for approximately 5 minutes, stirring and rotating occasionally
6. Add minced garlic, continue to stir occasionally and cook for another 10 minutes (or until the thick ends of the spears become tender)
7. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the spears and cook until melted (about 1 minute)


Serve warm

How to prepare asparagus:
Rinse the spears in warm water. Then remove and discard the tough ends by either using a knife to cut off a few inches or you can 'bend' each stalk until it breaks at its natural breaking point. (I prefer the bending method to ensure that you are left with the most tender parts of the asparagus with minimal waste)

Oven Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Okay, so my pictures for this post aren't so great but the food definitely was! I wasn't sure what to make for dinner so I rummaged through the fridge and pantry to find something to throw together and this is what I came up with. It was super quick and turned out quite tasty. You can't go wrong with warm pasta and roasted veggies. I may even try adding spinach next time. mmmmmm...mmmmm....

I love roasted veggies and this dish is full of them! Roasting really brings out the natural juices and flavors of vegetables and they are wonderful!

Oven Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Serves: 2

Total Time: 35 minutes

1 Zucchini

1 Red Pepper

3/4 cup Grape Tomatoes

2 cups Pasta (I used bowtie)

1/4 cup Pesto Sauce

2-3 Tbls Herb and Garlic Marinade Sauce

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Chop zucchini, red pepper and grape tomatoes and place in a large bowl

3. Add marinade sauce and stir to coat vegetables

4. Arrange vegetables on a cookie sheet (I covered mine with tin foil for easy clean up =]), salt and pepper to taste and bake for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft and cooked all the way through 

5. As the vegetables are roasting, prepare noodles according to your preferences

6. Combine noodles, pesto sauce and cooked vegetables in a large bowl

7. Stir to coat vegetables and noodles evenly with pesto sauce. Add more pesto sauce if needed. 

8. Top with parmesan cheese and serve 

Note: You can even use my creamy pesto sauce instead of plain pesto sauce. I used plain pesto sauce in this recipe to limit my calories but you will LOVE the creamy pesto sauce.

Calzone

Tonight was the first time I have ever made calzones and they were a big hit. They are definitely one of my favorites and so fun to make. Plus, with only two people in the house, calzones are easier to make than full pizzas. 


Calzones are great because they are another meal that can be personalized and can be made with whatever fillings you desire. I filled my calzone with homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, spinach, green bell peppers and olives and my hubby filled his with homemade pizza sauce, BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives and pineapple.


The recipe for the homemade pizza sauce is also below. It is to die for! I found it online a long time ago but I don't remember where. It's the best pizza sauce I've ever had and it is so incredibly easy to make. You just throw it all in a blender, pulse and you're done!

Calzone


1 roll Pillsbury Original or Thin Pizza Crust
1/2 cup homemade pizza sauce (or Ragu sauce)
1/2 cup raw spinach
1 cup mozzarella cheese
8-10 Hormel pepperoni slices
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup large black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out pizza crust into a 6-inch circle and place on cookie sheet.

3. Spread homemade pizza sauce on one half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin between the sauce and the edge of the dough.

4. Layer with half of the cheese, pepperoni, spinach, bell pepper and olives and top with remaining cheese.

5. Fold dough over and pinch edges shut. Use a fork to smash down the edges to keep them closed.

6. Lightly brush the top with the beaten egg. If you don't have a basting brush, a fork works well. The egg gives the crust a nice golden brown color while cooking.
7. Cut three slits in the top of the calzone to allow heat to escape while cooking.

8.  Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes or until dough is cooked thoroughly.

Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce

Tip: Build the calzones on the cookie sheet that you intend to cook the them on. They are difficult to move once they are full and the dough could easily tear. You don't want all that goodness to fall out the bottom. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce


1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp sugar


Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until it reaches desired consistency.

Baked Veggie Kabobs

Kabobs are a healthy and quick side dish to any meal. They even make a great meal all on their own if you add marinated chicken, beef or pork to the kabobs. Today I decided to make veggie/fruit kabobs as a side dish. I used green and red peppers with chunks of fresh pineapple and cooked them in the oven but they are also delicious on the BBQ. This time, I didn't season my kabobs with anything because veggies have great natural flavor, but you can also baste them with your choice of marinade or sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. I highly recommend Lawry's Herb and Garlic marinade if you choose to baste the veggies before you cook them.

Some veggies that work well for kabobs include: red and green peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, red potatoes and any other veggies that you would like to use.

Fruit kabobs are also delicious and don't require any cooking. String bananas, strawberries, apple slices, grapes, pineapple and any other fruit on a skewer and serve for a healthy snack or side dish. Kabobs are so easy and so much fun to make with the family. Each person can personalize them and make them however they want.

Baked Veggie Kabobs


1 pkg. bamboo skewers
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 fresh pineapple
(other fruits or veggies of your choice)


1. Soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes or over night, if possible. This helps keep the skewers hydrated and will prevent them from catching fire while cooking
2. Chop pineapple and red and green peppers into 1 inch cubes
3. Thread onto skewers, alternating veggies and pineapple
4. Place wire cooking rack on top of a cookie sheet and arrange kabobs on cooling rack
5. Broil 6 inches from heat for approximately 10 minutes, turning kabobs after 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly.


Serve immediately.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

I got this recipe while searching online but I don't remember where I found it. This meal is a lot quicker than I expected and tastes so good! It is definitely one that will be made often at my house.


Side note: I made this for St. Patrick's Day so the sauce in the pictures is a lot more green than it's supposed to be =]  Also, I just used a rotisserie chicken and served it on the side but it is delicious if you combine it all together as well. 

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 3-4

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 box cooked pasta - I used garden rotini
• 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped

1. Cook and chop/shred chicken and place in large mixing bowl.
2. Prepare pasta to your liking, combine with cooked chicken and set aside.
3. Boil the heavy cream, stirring constantly, it will boil quickly. Continue boiling on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until it thickens up.
4. Add pesto and most of the cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Pour creamy pesto sauce over pasta and chicken, stir to combine and top with remaining cheese.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Today's quick and easy meal is, chicken stir-fry. It is probably the fastest meal I have ever made and I just used ingredients that I already had at home. It literally took me a little less than 15 minutes to throw this together and it is delicious and fairly healthy (next time, I'll use brown rice to make it even more healthy). It is quick, delicious and filling. Perfect for those busy nights.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2-3

• 2 cups minute rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 package frozen asparagus stir-fry (I use the Great Value band)
• 1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
• 1/2 - 1 cup Kikkoman stir-fry sauce (according to taste)

1. Combine water and rice in a glass or microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave for 8 minutes.
2. In a large sauce pan or wok, heat EVOO, asparagus stir-fry and chopped chicken* over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender.
3. Add Kikkoman stir-fry sauce (and chicken if not added in step 2, see note).
4. Heat thoroughly and serve over rice.

* I used left over rotisserie chicken that I shredded up. You can also use canned chicken or just cook and chop 2 chicken breasts. If the chicken is already hot, add to the stir-fry vegetables when you add the sauce in step 3. 

I'm back!

Okay, I haven't blogged for a really really long time but I am back =] I stopped blogging because I didn't like taking a lot of time after the food was done to take pictures of it. So, now I just quickly take a picture with my phone. So, needless to say, the pictures are not amazing but at least you get an idea of what the food looks like.

I probably won't post a new recipe everyday but I will try to get one or two new ones up each week. This blog is not only a good place for me to keep and record my recipes but for others to view and share recipes as well. If you have any recipes that you would like to share, please do. The more the merrier =]