The Age of Asparagus

No joke.  I've been eating asparagus for days.

I had so much fun over Memorial Day weekend at Summer Camp that I totally forgot to customize my Green BEAN order for last week.  You have from Thursday at 2pm until Monday at 12pm to customize your bin and I missed the window.  It was worth it...   

So I called them up on Tuesday and they happily told me I could add a few items to my order to get to the $35 delivery minimum (I do the mixed bin with $28 produce + groceries).  I had remembered seeing on the website that they had asparagus, which is still in season - best in April but good until June, so I asked them to add a bunch to the bin.  

I was really excited to see what goodies the GB folks had decided to fill my bin with.  I got some delicious peaches and blueberries, lots of yummy veggies, and my asparagus!  

Before I had a chance to use them, a friend offered to come over and make dinner on Tuesday and said that asparagus was going to be on the menu.  Perfect timing - I told them that I already had some we could use, but they showed up with more!  It was thoughtful, but when we didn't even eat all of the asparagus that they brought, I was left with mine and more!  It didn't really matter, dinner was fun and delicious.  I would find some way to use up the veggies.

But not the next night, because I attended a dinner for work.  What was on the menu? A side salad topped with fresh raw asparagus, followed by an entree served with a side of grilled asparagus.  The chef must have known, like me, that asparagus is awesome and in season!

When I got home I realized that if I didn't eat this asparagus, it would go to waste.  So I packed myself a big salad for lunch the next day topped with fresh tomato, cucumber, and asparagus.  I didn't even make a dent - there was still a whole bunch and a half left.

So for dinner that night, as I was trying to figure out what to do with the abundance of asparagus, this song popped into my head - and a blog post was born!

One of my favorite weeknight meals to make is a Crispy Tortilla Thin Crust Pizza.  My parents started making these a few years ago as a low carb alternative to traditional pizza dough.  We bake them on a pizza stone and the resulting crunchy crust is perfection.  Not to mention how quick and easy they are to make.  They're great for appetizer bites or a DIY dinner.  

Last night's creation included the following ingredients 
(1 pizza):

1 Flour Tortilla
1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Marinara Sauce
2 tbsp. Fresh Sliced Basil Leaves
1/4 bunch Baby Asparagus
1 tbsp. Boursin Garlic & Herbs Cheese
4 slices Calabrese Salami
1 small Farm Fresh Egg

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees with the baking stone on the bottom rack.  

Starting with the tortilla, spread the olive oil over the top to cover completely.  The oil will create a barrier between the starch and ingredients that will keep it from burning or becoming soggy.  Next spoon the marinara over the base using the back side of the spoon to spread evenly.  Top with basil leaves, asparagus, Boursin and salami.  

Place the pizza on the baking stone and set your timer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown color.  Then pull the rack out and crack your egg right into the center of the pizza.  Set your timer for 6 minutes.  Remove promptly and finish with fresh cracked pepper.  The center of your egg will be slightly runny and delicious.  Looks pretty impressive eh?  

While enjoying my pizza dinner, I contemplated my next move with the remaining bunch of asparagus.  This bunch was thicker and going bad fast.  It was now or never.  The eggs were in the same boat. 

Note:  Ignore the date on your carton of eggs.  To check their freshness, you can float them in a bowl of water.  Very fresh eggs will sink right to the bottom and lay on their sides.  Eggs that are on their way out will teeter on their smaller point, butt end up.  Eggs that float need to be tossed.

Asparagus Egg Casserole it would be.  Half of my eggs were butt end up, luckily I didn't have any floaters.  Here's what went in:

6 med. Farm Fresh Eggs
2 English Muffins, cubed
1/2 bunch Asparagus
1 oz. Smoked Gouda, shredded
1/4 cup Raw Almonds

Reduce your oven heat to 350 degrees.

Crack the eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk until scrambled, whisk some more.  Add in cubed English muffins and set aside.  

Prepare the asparagus by trimming the cut ends away.  I like to do this by hand.  Each asparagus spear has a different breaking point.  If you hold both ends in your hands and bend the spear, it will snap at its natural root base.  The bit you discard is going to be tough and bitter.  By simply cutting away the ends, you're missing the mark.  If you don't believe me - try it and then take a bite of both pieces.   You can taste the difference.

Lightly spray your pie pan or baking dish with non-stick spray.  Pour in your egg and bread mixture and then top with asparagus spears, shredded cheese, and almonds.  Place the dish on the top rack of the oven and set your timer for 20 minutes.  Remove and let cool. 

Using a sharp knife, I cut into 6 wedges, had a small bite to taste (yum!), and then put the rest in the fridge to reheat for breakfast this weekend.  The trick with this is that the asparagus was roasted on top of the egg casserole and never got overcooked.  A minute in the microwave and it's a delicious and healthy no-hassle breakfast.

I saved the remaining asparagus spears for snacking.  It's great dipped in hummus or with a charcuterie plate of meats and cheeses!

Have you ever found yourself in the Age of Asparagus? 

If you came up with creative ways to enjoy your spears, let me know!

California German Potato Salad

I'm notorious for throwing together whatever is in my fridge and serving it to my friends for dinner, or bringing it as a dish to a potluck.  Sometimes it's a hit and people ask for the recipe!  Problem is, I rarely use recipes.  This blog will be an attempt to document the success stories and share my secrets.

On Sunday, my family had our annual Mother's Day picnic in the park and everyone is expected to bring something.  My fridge was pretty empty, as I use Green BEAN delivery every other week and my dropoff wasn't scheduled until this Wednesday.  I love the service because it allows me to eat fresh organic/local foods all year long and with my busy schedule it's super convenient.  If it sounds like something you'd be interested in, check it out and use my referral link!  

I get off track.  So I was looking in my fridge and found the following ingredients:

1/2 lb. Thick Cut Bacon

4 Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 Shallots

1 Ripe Avocado

3 Red Slicer Tomatoes

The dressing was vinegar based for a light summer salad:

2 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbs. Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbs. Dijon Mustard

Salt & Pepper

The night before, I fried up the bacon and boiled the potatoes.  You want to make sure the bacon is extra crispy and the potatoes are slightly undercooked.  

Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and drop into salted boiling water.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes (I didn't time this) until they are soft on the outside and firm in the center.  Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  I emptied mine into the bowl I would eventually use to serve the salad and placed in the fridge until I was ready to mix the salad.  

The bacon should be crispy and crumbled or chopped into small pieces.  I try to use an older knife when chopping bacon because the oils in it can dull a nice sharp knife.  This can also chill overnight until you're ready to make the salad.

The shallots should be finely diced, and the avocado and tomatoes cut into similar 1/2 inch cubes.  Throw these in with the potatoes and bacon.  The dressing is simple to make and a combination I use for all kinds of salads.  The dijon mustard adds a nice tangy flavor to the balsamic vinegar (I often add a little bit of champagne to this dressing for a sweet and bubbly element).  The easiest and most fun way to make the dressing is to put all of the ingredients into a small tupperware container, throw on the lid and shake it.  You can do a little dance if you're in the mood.  Toss the salad in the dressing and you're ready to go!

I call this a California German Potato Salad because it's full of yummy avocados and tomatoes.  Traditionally, German Potato Salads are made with a vinegar dressing rather than a mayo base - although they use a white or cider vinegar and we use balsamic here.  It was a nod to my German Matriarch Grandmother Grace Vogelsang :) 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did on Mother's Day.  I came home with an empty bowl.  Next time we'll have to double (triple) the recipe!

Me - Momma Cece - Grandmother Grace

Mother's Day 2015
Maryhaven Farm