Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Parmesan and Basil

HELLO SPRING!  Where have you been all of my life, or at least the last month?!  I think I can speak for everyone...Thanks for showing up you sexy SOB.
Anyhow, with Spring comes Asparagus, speaking of sexy.  Long, gorgeous and delicious.  Wrapped in salty Prosciutto with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a burst of freshness from the Basil.  This is reminiscent of an appetizer I blogged a couple of years ago but with a couple extra ingredients and served as a side dish. Bake it or grill it....you'll love it.
Your Welcome.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Parmesan and Basil

Serves 4

1 bunch of Asparagus, ends trimmed
4 slices of Prosciutto
1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
4 Basil leaves
Olive Oil
Lemon, optional

Preheat the oven or grill to 400F.
Lay a piece of Prosciutto down, sprinkle a scant tbsp of cheese over the meat and a Basil leaf on top of that.  Lay the Asparagus down and wrap the Prosciutto around it.  Drizzle a little oil over them.
Grill or Bake for 7-10 minutes, making sure not to overcook them.  The asparagus should still be tender crisp.  Sprinkle with any remaining cheese and squeeze a little fresh Lemon juice over top just before serving, if you're so inclined.

Flatbread 2 Ways

Our family has an annual weekend called "Cousinpalooza" in February.  We get together, eat, drink, sing, play in the snow if the weather allows.  It's an awesome time filled with laughter, love and this year, spreading germs.  The nastiest dang virus made it's rounds.  Now, that's a lot of love.  However, before we all came down with said ridiculously long lasting virus, we got to indulge in some fab food, this flatbread included.

I couldn't make up my mind, so I came up with two.  The ingredients are so simple and really, to give you exact measurements would be a bit silly.  Add as much as you'd like.  Both of these have such fantastic flavour and texture.  Have good honey on hand.  They both benefit greatly from a nice drizzle.

Flatbread 2 Ways

Makes 4 Flatbreads

4 store bought Flatbreads

Pear, Pancetta & Blue - Makes 2 Flatbreads

Olive Oil
1-2 Pears, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Pancetta or Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 -3/4 cup Blue cheese, Gorgonzola or Stilton, crumbled
Baby Arugula
Honey
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400F

Drizzle a little Olive Oil on 2 of the flatbreads.  Add the pear, then the cheese, then the bacon.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper, add fresh Arugula and drizzle with honey.

Goat Cheese and Oven Roasted Tomatoes with Thyme - Makes 2 Flatbreads

Olive Oil
1 pint of Cherry Tomatoes
1 Tbsp freshly chopped Thyme leaves
Salt & Pepper
1/3 cup Goat Cheese
Honey or Balsamic Glaze

Preheat oven to 400F.

On a sheet pan, covered in parchment paper, toss the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 of the Thyme leaves and Salt & Pepper to taste.  Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until they just start to burst a little.

Drizzle a little Olive Oil on 2 flatbreads.  Crumble each one with the goat cheese, add the oven roasted tomatoes, rest of the fresh Thyme leaves and some freshly cracked black pepper.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and drizzle each one with a little honey or Balsamic Glaze.

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Flavours

Good golly it's been a looooong time since I've shared a recipe!  Life just kind of got in the way.  Jeepers.  Hopefully now with things settling down a little, I can spend more time in the kitchen!

With the cold weather kicking in as expected in my part of the world, I turn to soup almost daily.  Sometimes it's a mish mash of veggies, simmered in stock with a couple of potatoes and pureed into a thick but nourishing bowl of love, or leftover protein and veggies in an aromatic stock with grains or pasta.  Whatever it is, it never fails to warm up them chilly bones.

This soup has all the yummy Thai flavours combined into one super delish pot of love. It's not authentic so don't be chirpping off about that. Just make it and enjoy. It's simple and kind of has an addictive quality to it, as Thai food does.  Hit's all the right spots for me.

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Flavours

Serves 4-6



1 tbsp Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups peeled, cubed Butternut Squash
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp Red Thai Curry Paste
1 cup Coconut Milk
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Cilantro or Parsley

In a heavy bottom pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, ginger and garlic, cooking for 2-3 minutes.  Add the butternut squash and cook another 2 minutes.  Pour in the broth and salt and  cook until the squash is tender.
Combine the curry paste and Coconut milk in a bowl and stir to combine.  Pour into the soup.  Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 10-15 before putting in the blender*, or use a hand blender and blend it directly in the pot.
Once it's smooth, add in the lime juice.  Serve and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, squeeze of lime and Cilantro or Parsley.

*Be very careful blending hot liquid in a blender.  It can splatter and burn.  If the soup is warm, pour it in the blender, put the lid on and cover the lid with a tea towel, holding the lid on tight.

Spinach Blue Cheese and Pear Salad

OH MY! It's been forever since I've posted a thing!  Sometimes life just gets in the way....of blogging apparently.  I've been cooking my tush off the last few weeks but I haven't had time to come up with anything new.  My apologies.

I just had a cookie exchange/girls night at my cousins cottage.  Mothers and daughters and it was a riot!  We all bring 2 different kind cookies ...I bring 2 different freezable dips and we exchange.  Seeing as that only takes a whopping 2 minutes, we eat and drink the rest of the night.  We had a fantastic dinner and luckily my cousin Jill made this delish salad.  The second I took a bite I knew I was blogging this.

There's a million salads like this out there but this one is so simple and really darn good.  If you don't have spinach, use arugula.  If you don't have a pear, use an apple.  Not the end of the world.  Now, go make this.  You won't be sorry.

Spinach Blue Cheese and Pear Salad
Serves 6

3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
6-8 cups baby spinach
1 pear, cored and diced
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Stilton or Blue cheese, crumbled

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey and lemon juice in a small jar.  Pour over the rest of the ingredients and serve right away.

Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread

My cousin Robin came up with this delicious spread for a girls night. With very few ingredients she created a super flavorful and extra delish spread that pairs great with crostini, flatbread or crudites.
Imagine this tossed on pasta or stuffed into chicken?! It's too easy not to make!

*To roast tomatoes heat the oven to 400F.  Slice Roma or Plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and spread on a  baking sheet lined with parchment.  Drizzle over some olive oil, a little salt and pepper and dried Basil and/or Oregano.  Roast for 35-45 minutes.  Once cooled, they freeze well.

Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Spread

10 roasted Tomato halves*
1 140g package of Goat Cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
tsp good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 Basil leaves, sliced in ribbons

Squeeze the excess liquid from tomatoes and chop into smallish pieces.  Combine the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a dish and mix to combine.
Can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Vichyssoise - Lightened Up

Looks like this might be the last heat wave we have until next year.  Although, I feel like summer flew by this year, I do look forward to fall and the abundant soups that will adorn my table.  However, it's still to hot this week for a steaming bowl of soup so I give to you, Vichyssoise.  A delicious potato leek soup that is generally served cold but is equally as good warm or at room temperature, which is my favorite.
This soup comes together in a flash.  I've lightened it up by cutting back on the butter and heavy cream that that's usually involved in this creamy soup.  By all means, if you want to fatten it up, you can.  Add more cream and less broth.  Also, if you have a homemade chicken broth, use it.  I've gone both ways and both are good, the homemade broth takes it up a notch.
If there's ever a a week to make it....it's now.  It's hot but I'm not complaining.

Vichyssoise - Lightened Up

Serves 4-6

1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
3 leeks, whites only, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, minced
3 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken stock, homemade or store bought
1/4 cup heavy cream
Chives for garnish

Melt the butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic.  Saute, stirring often for about 5 minutes until softened, not browning.  Add the potatoes and the stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool off for a few minutes.  Using a blender or food processor, carefully add the soup and blend. (Hot soup can explode in a blender - be very careful and hold a tea towel over the lid to prevent that.
Once the soup is blended, stir in the cream.  Check for seasoning.
Let the soup cool off and then refrigerate if you'd like it cold, otherwise let it come to room temperature.

Pimento Cheese

If you're on a diet, stop reading this now.  It's not for you or the health conscious.  This is cheesy &  creamy.  

Pimento Cheese is a Southern US thang.  "Caviar of the South", if you will.  There's a ton of different versions but this is the one I came up with.  I'm not sure what possessed me to try it but I did, and I'm glad and so were the people who got to partake.  You can serve this with crackers, make little tea sandwiches, grilled cheese, spread it on a burger,  stuff it in chicken, stick it in celery....you get the idea.

Pimento Cheese

8oz Cream Cheese, light or regular
1/2 cup Mayonnaise, light or regular (not Miracle Whip)
1 cup Old Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup Smoked Gouda, grated
1 small jar (4oz) Pimentos, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne (optional)

Combine everything and let it sit for at least and hour before serving.