Spring Quinoa Salad

 This salad was a bit of reprieve from the sugar, and the basily-lemony flavor is mouthwatering to recall! I feel like I haven't been cooking anything except baked goods and even those are few. 

I've been doing college visits, prepping for the SAT, and school stuff. But at least I took the SAT yesterday so that's done! 

I felt aweful for this girl. She drove to the wrong school for the test and only had twenty minutes to get to a school that's probably thirty minutes away from where we were. On top of that, she as a senior needed the score to get into some schools, so she couldn't wait for the May test. Hopefully she made it and could take the test.

Anyway, here's the recipe from Two Peas and their Pod.

Glen Miller - "In the Mood"

Ingredients:

 Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil

Directions:

In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.

Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.

Asparagus Soup

I got an immersion blender last year for Christmas. I love it. Really. It's the coolest kitchen gadget. Of course it shall always be outranked by a spatula in terms of usefulness, but whatchyagonna do? I'm not sure an immersion blender and a spatula would be of any use combined, but what do I know?

I spent all weekend (3 days, since its the end of the quarter!) with Herbie.

Quality time seems to have helped him warm-up (or at least we got to know each other better)

The weather's been freezing though, so it's a soup weekend.

This is from For the Love of Cooking.

 

"Carry on My Wayward Son" Kansas

 Ingredients

3 cups of asparagus, cleaned with ends removed and sliced into thirds
2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp flour
2 cups of low fat milk
Dash of nutmeg
2 tsp of butter
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Zest of one lemon. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, combine asparagus, broth, thyme, bay leaf and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Using a blender or an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth. Keep soup in the blender (or pour into a bowl if using an immersion blender) and set aside.

Place flour in the pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add pureed asparagus and ground nutmeg, stir to combine. Bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, lemon zest and sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Au Gratin Asparagus

I love asparagus. Love it. With butter. With cheese. All by itself. Warm. Cold. I love it.

So Au Gratin Asparagus seems like an unnecessary addition to perfection.

I had a little trouble cooking the aparagus through (I had to leave it in for nearly twenty more minutes)

                              "Twist and Shout" from the Beatles

 

 

In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter; stir in salt and flour.

 

Cook for about 4 minutes

 

Then add milk gradually, stirring. Add grated cheese and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat. Combine cracker crumbs with the walnuts. Reserve a few tablespoons for topping. 

 

In a buttered casserole, place a layer of asparagus, a layer of cracker mixture, then a layer of sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with the reserved crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until top is browned.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 cups asparagus

Preparation:

In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter; stir in salt and flour. Cook for about 4 minutes, then add milk gradually, stirring. Add grated cheese and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat. Combine cracker crumbs with the walnuts. Reserve a few tablespoons for topping. In a buttered casserole, place a layer of asparagus, a layer of cracker mixture, then a layer of sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with the reserved crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until top is browned.
Serves 4.

Asparagus Linguine with Almond Crisp and Broccoli

As an asparagus, broccoli, and pasta lover, I must say this recipe makes the three taste better together than they ever have alone (though I will always have a soft spot for asparagus with butter and broccoli with cheese). It is so simple and so good!

 I've adapted it slightly from Girl in the Kitchen by Stephanie Izard; I took out the mint, lemon and arugula because I didn't have it on hand the first time I made this and didn't feel the need to get it this time. You can access the original at Huffington Post. 

Sorry for the rushed post; I have four essays due next week on top of my work for other classes. (Teachers these days!)

• To make the crisp: In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper flakes. Carefully fold in the nuts, trying not to crush them. Cover and refrigerate until hardened.

   

• 1tsp. garlic powder
• 3 ounces butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1 batch Basic Pasta, cut into linguine noodles, or 1 pound dried linguine
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

•  To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the linguine in the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta. Drain and rinse the pasta and reserve.

•  Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the asparagus and broccoli and sauté until the asparagus is bright green and the broccoli florets are dark green, 3 to 4 minutes.

•  Season with salt and pepper, then add the broth, soy sauce, and the 1/3 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Add the pasta, tossing to coat with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

•  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the almond crisp and cook until it has started to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. 

•  Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or plates, then garnish with the remaining almond crisp before serving.

 

Ingredients

• ALMOND BUTTER CRISP
• 1tsp. garlic powder
• 3 ounces butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
• PASTA
• 1 batch Basic Pasta, cut into linguine noodles, or 1 pound dried linguine
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

• To make the crisp: In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper flakes. Carefully fold in the nuts, trying not to crush them. Cover and refrigerate until hardened.
• To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the linguine in the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta. Drain and rinse the pasta and reserve.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the asparagus and broccoli and sauté until the asparagus is bright green and the broccoli florets are dark green, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the broth, soy sauce, and the 1/3 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Add the pasta, tossing to coat with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the almond crisp and cook until it has started to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour half of the butter into the pasta, tossing to coat. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or plates, then garnish with the remaining almond crisp before serving.