Asparagus Fried Rice

by Irene Lindvall

It has been awhile since I have made a new dish where both Eric and I said "YUM!". I believe I heard "Yum" no less than five times while we were eating this, and there was asparagus in it. I used fresh asparagus, frozen rice, and turkey bacon instead of sausage. The not so secret ingredient that makes this dish great is white pepper. Eric wanted to know if I could make this dish again tomorrow. Smiles all around.

Things I learned from this recipe:

Always prep your food when making fried rice. Timing is critical and you cannot prep for the next step while manning the wok.

Frozen rice is the best for making fried rice.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Definitely

The recipe

 

Roasted Cauliflower with a Fried Egg

by Irene Lindvall

I knew I was taking a risk when I answered the question "What's for brunch today?" with the word "cauliflower". I did get a little bit of a look. I am not a huge cauliflower fan, but I definitely don't dislike it. In fact, we've had roasted cauliflower at Pinxto in Seattle and Eric really liked it. This cauliflower left a little to be desired and it probably didn't help that I overcooked the egg. One of these days my entry will be all about cooking the perfect egg. I really need to get better.

Things I learned from this recipe:

I opted for crispy turkey bacon instead of the sardines because I just couldn't bring myself to by them. While eating I did wonder if the sauce that the sardines sit in would've helped flavor the cauliflower more since I didn't roast the bacon with it.

Would I make this recipe again?:

No

The recipe

Tomato and Bagel Salad

by Irene Lindvall

I have been making this recipe for many years now. I still remember the first time I made it and Eric and I were both amazed at the taste. I'm pretty sure I made it again the next day because we liked it that much. It's basically a caprese salad with bread, I can call it what it is, but it's much more because of the delicious dressing you add on top. I have never once made it with asparagus because Eric is not the biggest fan, but I'm sure it tastes great.

Things I learned form this recipe:

Keep on making the things you love.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Yes

The recipe

Ricotta and Pea Pasta

by Irene Lindvall

Eric hates peas. I know I've mentioned this before, but I feel it worth noting again because we had a discussion about why I was making this. My goal in making dishes with ingredients he hates is to show him that dishes can be made where it is not the predominate taste and that maybe he can tolerate or even like the dish even though it contains peas, for example. I would say I was mildly successful with this dish. The puree did not taste too pea-like, but I did add too much salt which really became the predominant flavor. Too bad. Also, not pictured were the hot dog chunks I added to make sure we had some protein. 

Things I learned from this recipe:

So many things can be thawed in a bowl of cold water. I have been doing that a lot with seafood and tonight I did it with the peas.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Maybe

The recipe

Grilled Lemon & Chive Potatoes

by Irene Lindvall

This is our first full grilling season and we are getting a lot of use out of it. I'm so glad I saved this recipe of grilled potatoes. We've done baked potatoes before, but never just red potatoes. I should disclose that I've been having a little difficulty coming up with balanced meals when sticking to recipes so I was particularly happy when I decided we should add salmon and asparagus to the meal. I think I subconsciously knew it could all go on the grill and thus get me out of cooking so I really do owe Eric a lot of thanks for manning the grill. Everything came out great and I found a recipe for the asparagus since we've never done that before, and Eric found a lime one for the salmon. Please see the recipes below - they're all great!

Things I learned from this recipe:

Fresh cut chives from my deck are the best. My friend gave me a pair of herb scissors for my birthday and they work great for quickly cutting the chives.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Yes

Potato recipe

Asparagus recipe

Salmon recipe