Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter Sauce

Asparagus has been my favorite vegetable since I was in grade school. My grandparents used to lease out a section of their ranch property to an asparagus farmer, and we often got to can or freeze some of the harvest.  Asparagus fields are also fantastic for playing hide-and-seek in, but that's another topic for another day... :)

Even though this recipe has more words in its title than ingredients in its list, hands down - it's our most favorite way to eat asparagus.  Bo requests it all the time, and I willingly oblige.  It's just too easy and too delicious not to whip up while your main dish is cooking.  And the smell of browning butter is something to behold.  If I could bottle that scent up, I'd be a go-zillionaire.
 
Enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter Sauce

adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake asparagus for 12 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, until golden and fragrant*. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the roasted asparagus and serve immediately.

*  You'll know the butter is ready when you see little dark brown bits in the bottom of your pan that look burnt.  And you'll want to lick the pan because the smell is just so heavenly.

Ingredient Lineup:

The butter is just melted...

And then clarifying (becoming clear)...

Hurrah for the browned bits!

Gratuitous Asparagus Photos.

Create Your Own Thai Curry

I stumbled onto this link the other day, and thought it was just too fun not to share!  You drag and drop ingredients (meat, veggies, sauces) into a bowl and it spits out the recipe for Thai curry!  And from there, you can either print or email the finished recipe.  I tried it with a bunch of choices that I typically have on hand - like red curry paste, chili paste, and veggies.  It's both cute and fun!

Enjoy,

Create Your Own Thai Curry on Fine Cooking

Strawberry Yum Yum Dessert

In my line of work I am exposed to the public every day. I kind of think of my job as bartenderish. I get to hear it all. Fights. Make up lunches. Business meetings. Gossip sessions. I try to mind my own business as much as possible...but let's be honest here: Some of you don't care who hears.

The best part about waiting tables is that I get to know some of you. Enough that you are willing to share family stories, celebrations and even recipes.

This recipe came from a couple that visits the restaurant every month of so. They are a really cute couple and while they had differing opinions about how this recipe was made, therefore making this recipe an experiment.

One said 1 cup of pop, the other said 2. One said no milk, the other was sure it was included. I went with the woman's version thinking there was no way she would be wrong.

She was.

My cake was a bit on the wet side from too much pop and the banana creme topping was a bit grainy thanks to adding straight powdery pudding mix to my whip creme.

It Was Still Awesome. This will become one of my go to cakes. But next time I will go with the actual directions from a local TV station and a gal who goes by Kitchen Kimberly. She calls this Strawberry Yum Yum Dessert.

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) box strawberry gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 c. strawberry flavored soda
1 c. milk
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant banana cream pudding mix
1 (8 oz.) tub whipped topping
Freshly sliced strawberries, to taste
Optional garnish: Fresh sprig of mint

1. Bake yellow cake according to package directions using a 9 x 13-inch pan; cool in pan 15 minutes, then use a skewer or the tines of a fork to poke holes at ½-inch intervals all over the cake.

Or you can use a wooden spoon because that is what's within reach...

2. Mix the strawberry gelatin with 1 cup of boiling water for 2 minutes or until completely dissolved; stir in the cup of strawberry soda. Slowly and evenly pour the mixture over the cake; cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, if desired.

 

3. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 box of instant banana pudding; stir until thickened. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread this mixture over the chilled cake.

4. Slice strawberries over the top, arranging in an overlapping fashion, if desired, or garnish each piece of cake with sliced strawberries.

Enjoy!

Kitchen Kimberley's Tips:
• The banana cream topping is also delicious without the cake! Enjoy it as a fruit dip for fresh strawberries or other seasonal fruits.
• The variations on this recipe are endless! Try white cake with orange gelatin and orange soda, then use cheesecake instant pudding mix for the topping; garnish with fresh or canned orange slices.
• Find more great recipes in my cookbooks! All three of my books are available on my website: www.kitchenkimberley.com

Rabbit Food

 Happy Easter, everyone!!

Rabbit Ears Salad Servers