Easy & Tasty Asparagus Recipe!

To me there is nothing better than a recipe which is easy to prepare and tastes yummy! Not only did this recipe satisfy my vegetarian daughter but my carnivore hubby enjoyed it as well! This is one of those versatile healthy recipes where you could substitute other veges for the asparagus!

Asparagus Quesadillas

ASPARAGUS FILLING:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces, and lightly steamed
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

QUESADILLA:
6 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup green or red salsa
6 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions


1. To make the asparagus filling: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute.
 
2. Add the asparagus, tomatoes, and cilantro. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until the flavors are blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
 
3. To assemble the quesadillas: Divide the asparagus filling among the tortillas, positioning it on one half of each. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack. Fold the tortillas in half.
 
4. Clean the skillet and coat it with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Press with a spatula to flatten slightly. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
 
5. To serve, cut each quesadilla in half and top with the salsa, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Sweet Potato Latkes

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Sweet Potato Latkes

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 - 3 tbsp onion, grated
1 egg
2 - 3 tbsp matzo meal
salt to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl. If the mixture is too wet, add more matzo meal.

In a large skillet, heat oil until quite hot. Take a handful of the potato mixture and make a patty in your hands. Slip the patty into the oil and let it cook over a medium-high heat until it is crispy, about 3 minutes. Continue placing patties into the oil until the pan is full, but there is still room to turn them over. With a spatula, gently turn the latke over and cook until it is crispy and cooked through, another 3 or so minutes.

Drain on a paper towel. Continue cooking in batches, if necessary until all the potato mixture is cooked. Serve immediately.

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Latkes or Potato Pancakes

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Ingredients    
2 cups potato, cubed
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
3 tablespoons matzo meal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash.

2.In a medium bowl, mix shredded Yukon Gold potatoes, mashed potatoes and onion. Add in eggs, matzo meal and salt; mix well.

3.Feel consistency of the dough; mixture should hold together without being sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add more matzo meal until dough is no longer sticky.

4.In a large skillet over medium heat, warm enough oil or butter or margarine to cover 1/4 inch of the skillet.

5.When hot, drop mixture by heaping tablespoon to oil; flatten with a spatula and cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve.

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A Thanksgiving Side Dish

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This side dish not only tastes yummy, it helps to add color to the beauty of the bountiful Thanksgiving spread. Food always seems tastier when it's arranged like a beautiful painting on the dining table. I love how the colors and textures all blend to make a delicious eye pleasing treat to eat!


Five- Minute
Cranberry Sauce

8 oz sweetened, dried cranberries (about 2 c)
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C water
1/4 C chopped ripe mango

Directions
Puree cranberries with orange juice and water in food processor
until cranberries are almost smooth but still retain some texture,
1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in mango.

Recipe Tips
You can serve this immediately, or make it up to
5 days ahead and add the mango the day before.
It's good either chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes
Mellow mango sets off tart cranberries in this fresh, fast relish

Baked Acorn Squash

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When the summer is at an end and the crisp fall air is sending chills through your bones it is a perfect time to turn on the oven and warm up the house. I especially love recipes which use the harvest vegetables of the Autumn season and give off aromas that tantilize ones sense of smell.



This acorn squash recipe is something you can fix for an everyday meal or use to dress up a fancy dinner!

Ingredients:
Acorn Squash
Maple Syrup
Walnuts
Butter or Margarine

Preparation:
Cut an acorn squash in half. Remove seeds and fiber. Place squash cut sides up in an ungreased baking pan. Spoon one tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine into each half. Sprinkle with walnuts and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately one hour or until the squash is tender.

Lassi a Tasty Drink to Calm the Spices

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Lassi is a sweet Indian drink made from yogurt - it's perfect for cooling your mouth while eating spicy food.

Since my cooking has evolved into making more vegetarian dishes there has been an increase in the spices I use. It seems quite a few dishes I prepare have a little kick to them. We've found this drink to be useful for cooling the taste buds off as well as having plenty of nutrients and tasty too!

INGREDIENTS

2 c plain yogurt
1 c milk or water
2 T sugar
20 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Bowl: Pour yogurt into bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, then sugar. Add ice cubes and stir until somewhat melted. Pour into glasses and serve.
or
Blender: Process all the ingredients together then strain into glasses.

Variations

Mango Lassi
1 c yogurt
1 c mango, peeled and chopped
2 T powdered sugar
10 ice cubes

Banana Lassi
1 c yogurt
1 banana, peeled and sliced
2 T powdered sugar
10 ice cubes

A College Visit Vegetarian Gift

You know summer is ending when the nights become cool and crisp. Another sign of Autumn being in the air is the use of the oven and the aromatic aromas filling every corner of your humble abode. The last sign is your college bound student leaving to go live in their dorms/campus apartments and ones head filling with worries if their child is eating well.

What I do is take the opportunity of an occassion to go visit them and bring some homemade goodies. One of my favorite treats in the fall is making an Eggplant dish. This year I'm going to bring this Eggplant Rollatini dish and we will see how fast the young adults clean their plates.

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Ingredients
2 large eggplants (3 pounds total)
salt
1 c fresh mozzarella, grated or chopped
1 c goat cheese, crumbled
2 green onions, thinly sliced OR bunch of chives, chopped
2 t thyme or rosemary, minced
pepper
grilled tomato sauce (make this while the rollatini bake)
olive oil

Directions
hinly slice (1/3-inch) the eggplant, arrange on trays, sprinkle with salt, flip, and repeat. Let sit for one hour, the rinse well and pat dry.
Meanwhile, combine cheese, green onions, thyme, and a dash of pepper.

Brush each slice of eggplant with a bit of oil and fry over medium heat a minute or two until tender, flip, and repeat. Stack each finished slice on a plate as you fry the rest.

Lightly oil the baking dish and preheat the oven to 400.

Place one or two tablespoons of filling at the end of each piece, roll into a tube, place in baking dish, and use a toothpick to keep it from unraveling. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices and filling, and arrange the finished rolls in a single layer in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce.

To serve, spread a bit of sauce on each plate, top with 2 or 3 rollatini, remove the toothpicks, and enjoy!