During these spring weeks, we have some form of asparagus on the table almost every night. I usually make this dish when I have leftover bacon (I know, that's almost an ironic statement) but if you want to make it from scratch, you can cook your bacon while your pasta is boiling. All in, this dish takes about 25 minutes from start to finish, but if you have the bacon on hand, it could be done in as little as 15! I sometimes make the bacon in the morning for a dinner meal while I am packing lunches and getting breakfast in the table. Nobody minds getting a little bacon treat with breakfast and it gets dinner on the table in a snap. Another bonus with this pasta is that it tastes great cold for a lunch dish or reheated the next day as a leftover. Just make sure you cook the pasta al dente, so it doesn't get mushy when reheated. It sounds simple but tastes delicious, make sure you give it a try.
Ingredients
250 gr dried penne
10 strips bacon
12 asparagus
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsps olive oil + 1 tbsp olive oil
5 small leaves sage or 1 tsp dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
If making bacon from scratch, cook your bacon until crispy. Break up into bite size pieces.
While bacon is cooking, heat water to boiling, add salt and cook pasta to al dente, 8-10 minutes. Pasta should be firm to bite but taste cooked not floury. Once cooked, drain.
Slice asparagus thinly, 1/2 inch slivers.
Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a frying pan until hot. Sauté asparagus, salt and pepper until cooked through and scorched a little, 4-6 minutes.
Thinly slice garlic and add to asparagus halfway through cooking. Mix thoroughly and don't let the garlic burn or it will be bitter.
Turn off heat. Add butter, pasta and sage. Mix throughly.
Finish with extra olive oil and serve immediately.
Perfect for breakfast lunch and dinner. How often can you say that? Let's sweeten the pot. This dish can be ready in as little as 30 minutes. If you have leftover bacon, (in my home that means putting some aside to use the next day), you can shave this time in half!
This dish is packed with protein, is super tasty, is a great source of summer veggies and if that wasn't enough, leftovers makes a mean sandwich. In fact, I always make a little extra to pack for lunch the next day. Serve a hearty side salad with rice, quinoa or lentils and you have a great summer main. Make sure you cook some up while you can find asparagus everywhere.
Ingredients
3 eggs
20 stalks asparagus or 1 small bunch
2 tbsps water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsps feta cheese, crumbled
5 slices tomato (1 medium)
Directions
Cut off or snap off asparagus tips. Wash and drain to ensure they are clear of sand.
Add olive oil to a frying pan or skillet until heated through.
Beat eggs. Add water, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add asparagus tips to medium sized fry pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté on high heat until tender and lightly browned, 4-5 minutes.
While asparagus cooks, preheat oven on broil.
Add egg mixture. When edges start to cook, mix with a wooden spoon to break up. Cook until bottom of eggs are set and top is still runny. Remove from heat.
Add sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.
Place under broiler. Broil for 2-3 minutes until top of omelette is browned.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for atleast 5 minutes.
Slide omelette onto a serving dish and serve immediately.
These were a hit the very first night I made them. I could barely get the ice cream on the 'waffles' fast enough before someone was waiting for another. Instant cake batter makes waffles that are a little sweet and a little crispy, kind of like that drop of cake batter that cooks to a crisp when it sticks to the side of the pan. Yum! Using instant cake batter and ice cream makes them an almost instant dessert. Dress them up with some crushed nuts ( I love to use salted peanuts for that salty sweet combination), coconut or chocolate chips, or crushed peanut brittle and you are done!
Ingredients
1/2 package instant cake batter
1/2 block of your favourite ice cream
1/2 cup crushed salted peanuts
Directions
Prepare cake batter according to instructions.
Prepare waffles as you normally would in your waffle maker. Set in the oven to cool slightly.
While the waffles are still warm, slice the ice cream into squares.
Place ice cream between two waffles.
Press sides of the sandwich with exposed ice cream into crushed peanuts.
Serve immediately.
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