roasted asparagus

Roasted asparagus with warm sherry and bacon vinaigrette topped with a fried egg, toasted breadcrumbs and shaved manchego cheese is a perfect spring dish.  Early Spring is usually abundant with baby asparagus and roasting them adds a nuttiness to its already sweet flavor.  Roasting asparagus is simple and can be done by using olive oil and salt and pepper.  Start the asparagus in a hot skillet, and finish off in the oven.  

To make the vinaigrette, cook bacon in a saute pan that you have cut into lardons.  Once the lardons become crispy, pour off all but a tablespoon of bacon fat.  Add diced shallots, garlic and sherry vinegar. Adjust seasoning with salt, add chopped parsley and toss with asparagus.  

Plate dressed asparagus and top with a fried egg, toasted breadcrumbs and shaved manchego cheese.  

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carmel apples

Even though lady apple season is during the fall, today is cold and grey and reminded me of a carmel apple recipe Daniel made during the holidays.  French ladies would carry them in their purses for their sweet floral aroma.  

Daniel started with 4 dozen lady apples, and put skewers vertically through the core.  Next he dipped the apples into a Guinness carmel sauce.  After melting 4 cups of sugar in a heavy bottomed sauce pan, he mixed in the Guinness and two tablespoons of butter, along with a pinch of salt.  

 

Allow the carmel to set slightly on greased parchment paper.  While still slightly warm, roll or dip your apples in your desired toppings.  Daniel used toasted hazel nuts and applewood smoked bacon with micro mint garnish for his, but you can use chocolate chips, popcorn, honey oats, or anything you can think of.

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chicken nuggets

Chicken nuggets, or "chick nugs" are one of my favorite things to make.  I found a chicken nugget recipe awhile back and was recently asked to share the recipe with my bosses wife.  Ah, pressure. Anyway I went to type it up and realized that I had completely misread the recipe.  Trying to impress my bosses wife, I sent her the original recipe.  I made the recipe that night according to the actual directions and was shocked at how different they turned out.  They were dry and not at all like the nugs I had made countless times before.  I jumped back on the computer and sent her my version.

She emailed me a few days later saying her daughter was a very picky eater (she is 14) and that she ate seconds of these little golden nugs.  She absolutely loved them.

Moral of this post, I will be confident in my recipes, and will continue to put my spin on things...intended or not.

14-16 oz (2 large) boneless chicken breast
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons panko
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Trim fat from chicken breast and cut breasts into bite size pieces.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Prepare a cookie sheet with the olive oil spray.

Combine breadcrumbs, panko, parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a large bowl.  Generously bread a few pieces of chicken breast at a time in the dry mixture.  Place the chicken breast on the cookie sheet and spray the top of the chicken nuggets with the olive spray.

Cook for 8 minutes, flip the chicken nuggets, and continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes.

Serve with criss-cut fries or steamed spinach.


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oatmeal wheat germ and chocolate chip cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups quick oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, wheat germ, salt and baking soda.  Set aside

Mix together butter and both sugars until fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.

Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, follow with oats and chocolate chips.  Cover dough and chill for 1 hour.

Drop teaspoon sized dough onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges begin to crisp.  I let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes before removing.