Roasted Asparagus

Ah, spring!  To Lower-48ers, this must mean sprouting blades of grass, flowering trees, and tulip bulps popping up out of the ground.  To those of us in Alaska, it means filthy mounds of melting snow, bare tree branches, and scoop-the-poop season.  Luckily for us...we don't really know any better!  We blissfully walk along the just-cleared paths of Anchorage's glorious trail system reveling in the barely-warm sunshine thankful that our record-breaking season of snow is officially behind us.

The produce section of every grocery store in America is stocked full of beautiful, green asparagus right now- the most springy of springtime vegetables.  Perfect time to post a perfectly easy and delicious dish to grace the side of any dinnertime plate (or breakfast or lunch, for that matter- let's not stereotype the poor veggie.)  Roasting vegetables is absolutely my favorite way to eat them, no matter the season.  I love the carmelized flavor and the crunchy charred bits you taste when you roast vegetables, and asparagus particularly so. 

This is the most basic way to roast aspargus, but sometimes I mix it up by adding parmesan cheese at the end, or roasting with a little balsamic vinegar.  Once you get the method down, you can experiment to figure out your favorite combination.

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, rinsed and drained (roughly 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
2 t. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  First, remove the woody end of the asparagus.  Take your fattest stock of asparagus and snap off the end.  Then line up the rest of the asparagus and cut off the ends to match that stock.  Toss the asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus, moving the asparagus around on the pan at least once during roasting.  Serve immediately!

Enjoy! xo H

Cheesy Corn Casserole

Like any good foodie, I love me some prosciutto.  And baby arugula.  A salad topped with dried figs, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette and I'm in heaven.  A pinch of saffron to enhance color and flavor.  A crusty baguette topped with brie and apricot compote.

Sometimes, even I'm just too pretentious for my own good. 

Every now and then, I just want a casserole made with cheddar cheese and Jiffy corn muffin mix.

You know, like the classic casserole your mom took to the church picnic when you were a kid?  You never wanted to know what went into making it.  You just scooped yourself a huge portion, enjoyed every delicious bite of it, and went back for another serving of marshmallow salad.  And no one judged you for it.

This is a casserole of humble ingredients that many of us already have in our pantry (for reals- I didn't even have to go to the grocery store to make this).

So for one evening, stash the grapefruit curd and kale salad and enjoy a dish of nostalgia.

Cheesy Corn Casserole

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 can of cream style corn

1 c. frozen corn, thawed under cool running water

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg, slightly beaten

½ stick butter, melted

½ c. sour cream (use light if you want)

½ c. plain yogurt (I used nonfat)

¼ t. cayenne pepper

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients, but only ½ c. of the cheese.  Pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch dish, or a round pie dish.  Top with remaining ½ c. cheese.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until set.

Enjoy! xo H