Asparagus For Allofus!

 

So, I'm going to continue with the appetizer/side dish theme from the last post. We can always use more side dish options or at least I can.  I think that we can all agree, bacon is a crowd pleaser and not only that just about everything is made better with the addition of bacon. Seriously, a person very dear to my heart once told me that he was always able to keep kosher until the day he had a bacon cheeseburger, from that day on he was a non-kosher Jew. He was a bacon lover from that moment on.  I love that story. This is a super simple recipe that you can whip up easily before company comes over or just to satisfy a hungry family.  The addition of the slightly spicy, tangy vinaigrette cuts the salty (and delicious!) fattiness of the bacon. Seriously, its amazing! I am totally in love with my newest creation xoxo.

 



Bacon Asparagus Bundles with Serrano Chili Vinaigrette

Written, developed and tested by: Vanessa Madigan

 

 

 
Ingredients:
1 16oz. package thin sliced bacon
1 bundle of asparagus, relatively thin
olive oil for drizzling
2 Tbs Paprika
2 Tbs Black Pepper

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1Tbs sugar
2 Serrano chilies, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
• Trim the asparagus, it will end up about 4 or 5 inches.  This is important to get rid of the woody base, yuck.
• Drizzle the asparagus with your olive oil.
• Take about 4 pieces of your trimmed asparagus and starting at the bottom wrap your bundle tightly all the way up until just the leafy tops are peeking out. Place each one on a cooking sheet with the lose end down so that it wont curl up when cooking.
• Dust your bacon wrapped asparagus with the paprika and black pepper.
• Place your baking sheet in the oven and let the bacon and asparagus cook for about 12 to 15 minutes.  The bacon will brown, cook and shrink up.

• While your bacon and asparagus are cooking you can make your vinaigrette 
• In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, add all of your ingredients; the chilies, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture becomes emulsified and does not separate.
• When your bundles are cooked remove from oven and they are ready to serve! Drizzle them with the Serrano vinaigrette and enjoy!

All Kidding..A Side!

 

Side dishes finish a meal and occasionally they can be the star!  Lately, Ayman and I have been eating a ton of vegetables, we are really trying to be as healthy as we can be.  We go on walks, which is much appreciated by our two perfectly wonderful but very athletic German Shepherds, we eat a mostly vegetarian diet and are drinking a stupid amount of water. Do I feel better? I guess. Do I miss the hell out of Filibertos carne asada burritos and Diet Coke? Oh my God, you have no friggen idea!  In order to keep meal time interesting and avoid getting stuck in the spinach salad rut, I bring home tons of vegetables from the store that I have no idea what to do with and then we, well, we just figure something out with what we have so that they don't rott away in the fridge.  I don't cook with Brussels sprouts on a regular basis, in fact, I think I have only made the once or twice in my 40 years.  Don't get me wrong, I like them, its not love for certain, but I do like them, I just don't ever make them.  Two pounds of these tiny cabbages made their way home with me the other day and I pushed them aside repeatedly until I realized that their time was coming to an end and I needed to use them now.  I put together the following recipe with 5 simple ingredients that we all have laying around.  It turned out fantastic and I will most certainly make it again!

 

 



Lemon Feta Brussels Sprouts
Written, developed and tested by: Vanessa Madigan



Ingredients:
2lb Brussels Sprouts

6 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lemon, juice and zest

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

 

Directions:

• Clean your brussels sprouts and cut each one in half.
• Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Once your pan is hot, add the brussel sprouts to the pan and saute for about 15-20 minutes  until the outer part is a caramelized and has begun to brown. The brussels sprouts should be tender and a bit wilted
• Once the brussels sprouts are cooked add the garlic and saute until translucent.
• Next add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Top with the crumbled feta and lemon zest and serve!