I love asparagus. Serve it to me any way: grilled, roasted, pureed in a soup … thrown across the room while I catch it like a seal. Yes, I am slightly weird. Yes, I love it that much.

With spring in full bloom, it’s the perfect season to enjoy my favorite vegetable. So when I came across Claire’s recipe for Skillet Asparagus Tart (which she adapted from Good Housekeeping), my watering taste buds were begging me to make this dish. Not only does this tart feature the most amazing vegetable ever made, it’s filled with lemon zest, cream, and fresh Parmesan. When you top it with fresh basil or any other herb of your choice, the result is truly delicious. 

You will need: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, butter, ice water, asparagus, eggs, milk, cream, lemon juice and zest, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (or any other fresh herb).

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray a nonstick 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, salt and pepper. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture appears coarse. Add ice-water to the mixture until moist clumps form and dough can be held together when you form it into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to about 13 inches. Carefully move crust over the skillet and press it down to the bottom and up the sides. Remove any overhang. Bake crust for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside.

In another 10-inch skillet, add about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, or until just tender.

Remove asparagus from the skillet, rinse it off and let it cool slightly. Once cooled, cut into 5-inch long spears and set aside.

Prepare the filling by whisking the eggs, milk, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt until fully mixed.

Place the asparagus on top of the crust so the leafy top is in the middle. Arrange it so you form a circle. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the asparagus to cover it. Sprinkled the top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, or herb of your choice. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tart is firm but a little jiggly in the middle. Let sit to firm up, then serve warm.

I’m so glad Claire shared this delicious tart recipe with us; I will definitely be making this again soon. You can find more of Claire’s wonderful looking dishes on her blog, A Realistic Nutritionist.

Printable Recipe

Skillet Asparagus Tart

by claireg12 on March 30, 2012 in Desserts, Special Occasion March 30, 2012 DessertsSpecial Occasion

See post on claireg12’s site!

4.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 8

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A perfect savory tart that will make a great addition to your Easter brunch menu!

Ingredients

• FOR THE BISCUIT CRUST:
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ¾ cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 dash Each Of Salt And Pepper
• 6 Tablespoons Cold Butter, Cut Into Cubes
• 8 Tablespoons Ice Cold Water
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 1 pound Asparagus, Ends Trimmed
• 3 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Skim Milk
• ⅓ cups Light Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
• 1 dash Salt
• ⅔ cups Parmesan Cheese
• Basil Leaves, For Sprinkling On Top

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a non-stick 10-inch skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder and salt and pepper. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture appears coarse and sandy. Add ice-water to the mixture until moist clumps form and dough can be held together when you form it into a ball. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to about 13 inches. Carefully move crust over the skillet and press it down to the bottom and up the sides. Remove any overhang.

Bake crust for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside.

In another 10 inch skillet, add about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove asparagus from the skillet, rinse it off and let it cool slightly. Once cooled, cut into 5 inch long spears and set aside.

Prepare the filling by whisking the eggs, milk, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt until fully mixed.

Place the asparagus on top of the crust so the leafy top is in the middle. Arrange it so you form a circle (kind of like bicycle wheel spokes). Carefully pour egg mixture over the asparagus to cover it. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tart is firm but a little jiggly in the middle. Let sit to firm up and serve!

Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping.

 
 
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Amber is a stay at home mom who lives in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It’s a long way from where she grew up, in Wales (yes, way over in the U.K.). The recipes in her blog Sprinkled with Flour include her original creations as well as her family recipes. Go check them out!

 
This dairy-free Coconut Honey Rice Pudding from Fuji Mama rocked my world. It had the traditional creaminess of rice pudding but with the extra richness that only coconut milk can offer. My kitchen also smelled amazing for many hours, which was an added bonus.

To make it, you will need: soy milk (or almond milk or any other kind), coconut milk, vanilla extract, sugar, long grain rice, honey, sea salt.

In a saucepan, pour in your milk.

Then add the coconut milk…

A bit of sugar and a pinch of salt …

A dash of vanilla …

And then at last, the rice.

Bring the milk to a simmer and stir the ingredients along the way, making sure that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Over the next 20 minutes you’ll see the liquid begin to thicken as the rice absorbs it and releases its starch.

Soon you’ll be able to make a track with a spatula and that is when it is ready to remove from the heat.

Pour in the honey at this point. It adds a wonderful earthiness that you just can’t get with sugar.

While it’s still warm, spoon it into serving dishes and drizzle the top with a bit more honey if you’d like.

It will melt into the warm pudding and be absolutely, utterly dreamy.

Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe, Rachael (a.k.a. La Fuji Mama). Check out her website La Fuji Mama for other amazing treats!

Printable Recipe

Coconut Honey Rice Pudding

by fujimama on April 14, 2010 in Dairy Free, Special Dietary Needs April 14, 2010 Dairy FreeSpecial Dietary Needs

See post on fujimama’s site!

4.63 Mitt(s) 11 Rating(s)

Prep Time: -

Cook Time: 35 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Coconut honey rice pudding—a rice pudding with an Asian twist, made with coconut milk, soy milk, and Japanese rice* and sweetened with a bit of honey and sugar. So comforting, that if you close your eyes, you might be able to sense your mom hovering nearby.

*Note: Japanese rice is often labeled as medium-grain rice, sushi rice, or Calrose rice at the store.

Ingredients

• 1-¾ cup Coconut Milk
• 1-½ cup Soy Milk
• ½ cups Japanese Rice
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 pinch Sea Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Clover Honey, Plus More For Drizzling

Preparation Instructions

1. Mix together the coconut milk, soy milk, rice, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium size saucepan.

2. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring often, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed (about 20 to 25 minutes).

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the honey. Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes and then divide it among bowls and drizzle with honey and serve.

 
 
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There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

 
Have you ever made nut butter at home? If not, what are you waiting for? It is so easy and much cheaper than buying at the store. I make homemade peanut butter and almond butter all of the time. I like to try new variations of my favorite nut butters, so when I saw Erin’s (Naturally Ella) recipe for Sea Salt and Honey Almond Butter I knew I was in for a special treat. I had everything in my pantry so I busted out my food processor and got started. 

To make it you will need: almonds, honey, and sea salt. Yes, there are only three ingredients involved in making this delicious almond butter. Big time bonus, huh? 

Place the almonds in the food processor. 

Turn on the food processor and let it work its magic. 

The almonds will go through different stages. Keep the food processor going until the almonds release their oils. 

The almonds will start to ball up right before it is ready. 

Then the almonds will turn into a smooth and creamy butter. When you get to this stage, you are good to go. 

Turn off the food processor and scrape the almond butter into a large jar. 

Sprinkle in sea salt. 

Add in the honey. Stir until combined. Taste the almond butter and adjust sweet/salty combination to your liking. 

Cover the jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator. 

Homemade nut butter in under ten minutes, with only three ingredients—you’ve got to get in on this! It’s so easy and so good! I am in love with the sweet and salty combo. I could eat it straight from the jar, but I try to control myself. I love to eat it on apple slices, toast, or crackers. It is great for breakfast or a healthy snack. 

Thanks Erin for sharing your Sea Salt and Honey Almond Butter recipe. My jar is already half empty and it’s only been a few days. I guess I will be whipping up another batch soon. For other delicious and healthy recipes, visit Erin’s beautiful blog, Naturally Ella. 

Printable Recipe

Sea Salt and Honey Almond Butter

by Erin on March 26, 2012 in Condiments March 26, 2012 Condiments

See post on Erin’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: -

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

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Homemade almond butter that beats out store bought any day!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Dry Roasted Almonds
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Honey

Preparation Instructions

Place almonds in a food processor and turn on. Almonds will go through different stages but you will want to let your food processor run until the oil has released and almond butter has smoothed out (it will ball up right before this happens). Turn off food processor and transfer to a mason jar.

Stir in salt and honey; taste. Adjust sweet/salty combination to your liking. Cover with an airtight lid and keep in the refrigerator.

 
 
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Maria and her husband Josh (who she affectionately refers to as her “dough boy”) blog at Two Peas and Their Pod. They’ve been featured on Saveur, Eatocracy, Gourmet Live, Glamour, and the Los Angeles Times, to name just a few. They’d also just recently added a little pea to their pod. We’re so glad to have them here!

 
I thought about simply writing “best weeknight dinner…ever” and leaving it at that, but I also wanted you to know just why I liked this dish so much. I was first drawn to Natalie’s recipe because of the solid reviews. Each person said how much their family loved it and how they’d made it again and again, so it was no surprise when I found the same true for me.

As I eat less meat these days, I’m always in search of recipes that move meat from focal point to flavoring, and I think this recipe perfectly exemplifies that. Sweet potatoes are a little unexpected in a dish with Mexican flavorings, but paired with a small amount of spicy meat it’s a winning combination. The spinach and beans make the dish even heartier and healthier.

I don’t have children (yet!), but I know that assembling foil packs is a fun way to involve kids in dinner preparation. Give this recipe a try, and I’ll bet you join the other reviewers and me in declaring Sweet Potato Foil Packs a weeknight favorite in your home.

Here’s what you need.

Start by browning the meat. I used ground turkey instead of beef because I prefer it, but any type of ground meat would work!

To the browned meat, add the taco seasoning…

The tomato sauce…

And the beans, stirring until evenly mixed.

Next, cut six large pieces of aluminum foil, making sure to give yourself enough room to fold in all four sides. (Think of it like wrapping a gift; you don’t want to get to the end only to realize you don’t have enough!) Spray each piece of foil with cooking spray before assembling packets. Start by adding the sweet potato…

Then top with a little pat of butter. Butter and sweet potatoes? Yum!

Then add a pinch of salt, followed by a portion of spinach, meat, beans, and plenty of cheese. Do you hear me? Plenty of cheese! Note: I used frozen spinach which I thawed, drained, and squeezed dry as that’s what I had on hand, though the recipe calls for fresh spinach.

Once you’ve assembled your foil pack, pull together the sides and fold down. But be sure to leave a little breathing room in there!

Then fold up the ends, just like wrapping a present.

After sealing all the foil packs, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Once baked, open (being careful of any steam) … and inhale. The smell is divine!

We served the foil packs on flour tortillas with a dollop of sour cream and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro.

Thanks to Natalie for this delicious weeknight recipe! I can’t wait to make it again and try new variations. Do visit her blog Perry’s Plate for more of her great recipes. She’s always cooking up something good!

Printable Recipe

Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos

by Natalie | Perry's Plate on February 25, 2011 in Beef, Main Courses February 25, 2011 BeefMain Courses

See post on Natalie | Perry's Plate’s site!

4.94 Mitt(s) 17 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6

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Taco – tortilla + sweet potato cubes = a gluten-free alternative to tacos that your kids will adore!

Ingredients

• ½ pounds Ground Beef Or Turkey
• 2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
• ½ cups Tomato Sauce
• 1 can (15 Oz. Can) Black, Kidney, Or Pinto Beans, Drained
• 6 cups Sweet Potatoes, Peeled And Cut Into 1/2-inch Cubes
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1-½ cup Chopped Fresh Spinach
• 1-½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream, Salsa, And/or Guacamole For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and beans. Set aside.

To assemble packets, spray the foil with non-stick spray. Place 1 cup sweet potato cubes in the center of each piece. Top with a small piece of butter (about 1 teaspoon) and a pinch or two of salt. Sprinkle some chopped spinach over the sweet potatoes, followed by about 1/3 cup of taco meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold the sides in, then bring the top and bottom ends of the foil together in the center and fold, sealing the packet.

Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing the packets on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: For the taco meat, I used some leftover Hidden Veggie Chipotle Taco Meat I had in the fridge (recipe in my TK box).

 
 
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Three Many Cooks is the always-entertaining food blog of Pam Anderson and her two daughters, Maggy and Sharon. Pam is a well-known and much-respected food writer and author, Maggy is a “hippy adventurer meets 1950s housewife,” and Sharon refers to herself as a recovering food snob learning to survive on a graduate student’s budget. Theirs is a strong relationship both inside and outside the kitchen, and it shows in the food they create and the stories they tell.

  April is National Grilled Cheese Month!  So what better way to celebrate than with a newly discovered and loved grilled cheese sandwich? I’ve had my eye on Lindsay’s recipe since I saw it first on her blog Pinch of Yum. I was intrigued by all the flavors and placed it in my TK recipe […]

  When I saw this recipe from TK member The Church Cook, I thought I was buying into a lemon-flavored shortbread cookie experience. Oh no, my friends–these Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies were better than a typical shortbread cookie—times four hundred thousand. These cookies are soft and pillowy; they walk the the line—perfectly—between tart…

  Last month a group of our old friends, as well as a few new friends, started a Supper Club. It’s going to be a great way for us to visit with friends we’d never see otherwise. Schedules these days are hectic and we’re finding being intentional about our time with friends is important. This […]