Baked Scallops & Asparagus

I had some scallops hanging out in my freezer and thought I would finally rescue them and make a really easy and quick dinner. Do you ever have those days where you just don’t feel like cooking but can’t stand the thought of take-out? If so, this is the meal for you, as it only takes a few minutes. I baked the scallops at the same time as my asparagus and had dinner within about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Baked Scallops & Asparagus

12 Ounces Scallops
1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Finely Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Bunch Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Pull out a large baking sheet, and place asparagus on one side of it. Drizzle a little olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next mix together the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Drizzle the scallops with a little olive oil and then roll around in the breading to coat, place on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn on the broiler and continue baking for just a couple minutes until the scallops become golden and crisp. Serve immediately.
Serves 2

Thai Beef & Asparagus Stir Fry

I came across the most delicious recipe from Darlene on her food blog Blazing Hot Wok and had to try it out. I was immediately in love with this dish. It is so simple to make and super quick too! The sauce has the perfect balance of flavor, sweet, tangy, spicy and the beef and the Asparagus together is pure heaven! I will be putting this recipe in my permanent favorites collection.
Also, she talked about using a cast iron wok, which I had never seen and I ended up picking one up at my local grocery store! I love using cast iron for cooking, and using a cast iron wok was pure heaven, it got hot enough to truly sear everything immediately and stayed screaming hot the entire time! I must admit that my All Clad wok is getting retired for my new $20 wok! Thanks for the recipe and cookware info Darlene!

Thai Beef & Asparagus Stir Fry

1 Pound Beef Chuck Steak, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine or Dry Sherry
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
3 Cloves Garlic, roughly minced
1 Bunch Asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons Naam Pridk Phao (chili sauce)
2 Tablespoons Thin Soy Sauce, or regular is fine also
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce

In a small bowl, combine the beef, cornstarch and cooking wine. Combine well and set aside.
In another small bowl, make the sauce by combining the naam prik pao, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix well to combine ingredients, set aside until needed.
Make sure you have all your ingredients very close because the stir fry goes very quickly. Also, have a small dish of water available as well just in case you need to thin the sauce a bit.
Heat your wok over high heat until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable or grape seed oil, then the beef followed by the garlic. If your wok is hot enough, your beef will cook very quickly. When the beef is seared, but not cooked through, about 30 seconds or so add the asparagus. Cook for another minute. Add the sauce. It should caramelize very quickly because of the high sugar content. If it gets too thick add a little water. Serve with rice or on its own.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

My friend Heather was in town last weekend and asked me to show her how to make risotto, we decided that a mushroom and asparagus risotto would be delicious, so here is what we came up with.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

1 Large Onion, diced
1 Shallot, Minced
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt & Pepper
1 Pound Crimini Mushrooms, quartered
4 Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed and cut into strips
1 Pound Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Cups Arborio Rice
6 Cups Mushroom Stock (or chicken stock)
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for garnish

Heat stock in a saucepan and keep warm. In a large skilled sauté the onion and shallots with the salt & pepper over medium hi heat until softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Next add the asparagus and rice to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add one ladle of the stock to the rice and stir until all moisture is absorbed, continue adding the stock to the rice one ladle at a time while constantly stirring until all stock is absorbed and rice is tender. (This will take a out 30 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve with a shaving of parmesan cheese on top.

Grilled Veggies

Grilled Veggies

It’s finally warm here in Portland, and I celebrated by firing up the barbecue last night. I can’t think of anything better in summer than a delicious plate of grilled veggies! I grilled up some asparagus and peppers last night to go with my bbq chicken, and to be honest, I could have done without the chicken.
All I do is brush my veggies with a little olive oil and the sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and grill until tender, how easy is that?

Oven Roasted Asparagus

I love asparagus and am so glad its back in season. I could eat this with every meal, or even on its own as a meal by itself. My favorite way to cook asparagus is on the grill, but it’s been so cold out that it isn’t worth the effort. Instead of grilling I often just use my oven! It only takes a few minutes and you get perfectly tender, crispy asparagus every time.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

1 Pound Asparagus
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Bend asparagus and snap off tough bottom part (about 2-3 inches), then wash and set aside to dry. Place asparagus on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to ensure asparagus is coated thoroughly with the olive oil and salt & pepper.
Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 450 degree oven until just tender, if you desired you can turn on the broiler the last few minutes to slightly char the surface. Do not over-cook or asparagus will turn soggy.

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

This is a nice healthy quick meal to fix and has a lot of flavor. I love the taste of wild rice and the firm texture of all the different grains. If you want to make this more healthy you can definitely leave out the butter and the cheese. I of course add extra cheese to mine, but that’s ok right?

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

2 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1 Bunch Asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Cups Wild Rice
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil
Handful Parmesan Cheese

In large sauce pan, heat the butter, add rice and salt, cook until fragrant. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, add oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook chicken for about 5 minutes, add asparagus and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is tender. Add the chicken mixture to the rice and stir, serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over the top.