Baked Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus Spears

(adapted from "asparagus with Parmesan crust" on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

• 15-20 thin asparagus spears
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I used Gazebo's Lite Greek Dressing, see photo)
  
• 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
• Sprinkle of minced garlic
  
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wash and snap asparagus.
2. Place asparagus on a baking sheet, in a single layer (I cover sheet in foil to avoid a mess).
   
3. Drizzle with olive oil (or dressing).
   
4. Sprinkle with minced garlic and Parmesan cheese, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven (perhaps longer for thicker spears), until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately.

Garam Masala

A delicious Indian spice. This recipe worked for me when I wanted to make my Chicken Tikka Masala recipe and couldn't find garam masala in my grocery store.
 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  
    Directions:
  

1. Mix all ingredients until well blended
2. Store in an air-tight container
   

A Spicy Salsa (or Sauce)

Originally posted as part of my Chipotle Burrito Bols recipe (March 2009).


Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1 tablespoon onion, diced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (more or less for desired spice)
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Drain and discard about half the juice from the can of tomatoes.
2. Place all ingredients in a food processor or a blender and pulse until well mixed.
3. Blend more for a smooth salsa; less if you prefer chunky.
4. Taste test: I add more cayenne, lime, and cumin until I get the desired spice level and flavor.

Back at it...Stuffed Peppers and Cornbread

Ingredients

• 4 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 1-1/2 cup water
• 15 oz spaghetti sauce (I used Organic Ragu Traditional)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used a cheddar-jack mix)
  
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  
• 1/2 tsp ground corriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F
2. Mix rice, water, and garlic in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brown the meat in a skillet; drain; remove from heat.
   
4. Mix spices, sauce, cheese, and cooked rice in with the meat.
5. Spoon mixture into pepper halves and line them in a baking dish (I coated my dish with oil first).
   
   
6. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove foil and top the peppers with shredded cheddar. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
   
   

Note: We like the peppers on the crisp side. If you prefer them softer, blanch the peppers first or increase the baking time until they are the desired consistency.


I served these with a side of cornbread (recipe here).