Nutty Sauted Asparagus

2 Tbsp tarragon-flavored vinegar, like Heinz
2 tsp sugar
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup toasted pecans

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and sugar until dissolved. In non-stick skillet, over medium heat, cook asparagus in olive oil for 3 minutes or until tender.

Stir in vinegar mixture, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss asparagus to coat. Top with pecans.

Makes 6 servings (99 calories per serving)

Japanese Salad

1/2 head cabbage (shredded)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 pkg ichiban noodles (broken)
*2 Tbsp sesame seeds
3 green onions
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
* fresh mushrooms
* 1/2 pkg bean sprouts

Prepare and mix salad ingredients. Starred ingredients are optional. Add to taste. Leave noodles out for now. Refrigerate. Add noodles and dressing just before serving.

Dressing
1 pkg seasoning from noodles (beef)
3 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp salt
1/3 cup oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper

Cherry Tomatoes filled with Goat Cheese

1/4 lb goat cheese
1/2 tsp salt
24 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp fresh gound black pepper

Combine cheese, basil, salt and pepper.  Mix with a fork until well blended.  Cut top off of each cherry and scoop out pulp.  Drain any juice from shell.

Usng a spoon, scoop about 1 tsp of mixture and carefully stuff into shell.

Jamie Oliver's Roasted Vegetables with Basil

Roasting brings out the best of veggies in a side dish sized for a crowd.


Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hour 20 min

Makes: 12 servings (1/2 cup each)


3 cups ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots, cut in half lengthwise

2 medium red bell peppers, coarsely chopped (2 cups)

1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn

1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing

4 1/2 cups Green Giant® SELECT® frozen whole green beans

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves



1. Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix carrots, bell peppers, corn and dressing. Spread in pan. Roast uncovered 30 minutes.

2. Add frozen green beans to vegetable mixture in pan; stir to mix.

3. Roast uncovered 25 to 30 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with onions and basil; stir gently to mix.


Can't wait to check out this show

Green Beans with Bacon and Feta

8 slices bacon - cooked, crumbled and divided
1 (16 ounce) package frozen cut green beans
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly browned but only slightly crisp. Drain grease, leaving a small amount in the skillet for later use. Crumble bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish, and set aside.

Cook frozen beans in a covered, microwavable dish for about 3 minutes until thawed, but not fully cooked. Drain liquid, pat dry, and set aside.

Reheat skillet with residual bacon grease over medium-high heat. Stir in bacon and garlic until garlic is lightly golden. Add green beans and feta cheese, and season with onion powder and black pepper. Cook and stir until most of the feta cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and garnish with remaining feta cheese and crumbled bacon. Serve hot.

Turnip Whip - Slow cooker

4 turnips, peeled and quartered
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 tsp saltwater
1/4 cup light cream
2 Tbsp soft butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In slow cooker, combine turnips, potatoes, onions and 1 tsp salt. Cover with water. cover pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Drain well. Mash; add cream, butter, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Beat until fluffy.

Makes 6 servings.

Lemony Roasted Vegetables

1 lb new potatoes (baby) halved or 3 medium potatoes cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 stalks celery sliced at an angle 1/2 inch thick
4 small carrots cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 c lemon juice
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
1/4 tsp cracked pepper.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Put potatoes, celery, carrots & onion in greased, shallow roast pan. Combine lemon, oil, rosemary, salt & pepper in bowl. Drizzle over vegetables, toss to coat. Bake 30 minutes or until potatoes & onion wedges are tender, stir once.

I think Asparagus pieces would be excellent in here too!

Parmesan Tomatoes

2 medium tomatoes
2 tsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
pinch pepper

Cut tomatoes in half; place in small baking dish, cut side up. Combine cheese, basil & pepper. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake at 325 F for about 7 minutes.

Honey Dill Carrots

I have never measured quantities but I use minimal amounts of honey-just enough to give it a slight flavor.

After cooking and draining carrots I stir in a small amount of liquid honey (just enough to coat carrots) and then I add dried dill weed.

Steak and Spinach Salad

6 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 tomato, sliced
1 pound top round steak, thinly sliced
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Arrange spinach on a large plate. Sprinkle with cranberries and walnuts, and arrange tomato slices on top. Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet (or a regular skillet coated with non-stick spray) cook steak over medium heat until no pink remains and steak is thoroughly cooked.

Arrange cooked steak over salad. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top, and drizzle with your favorite dressing. Note: I suggest using a light flavored dressing. Citrus dressings taste especially good on this salad! Mandarine oranges and feta is also really nice in this salad.

Blueberry Spinach Salad

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn
1 (4 ounce) package blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted


In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine the first five ingredients and shake well. In a large salad bowl, toss the spinach, blue cheese, blueberries and pecans. Add dressing and toss gently; serve immediately.

Serves 6.

We love salads in our house, especially in the summer time when it is too hot to cook inside. Add a nice grilled chiken breast to this to complete the meal! I found this at Allrecipes.com as well.

Bacon-y Bok Choy

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds baby bok choy
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt to taste


Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and drain the fat, reserving one tablespoon of the grease in the skillet. Add the olive oil, onion, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are starting to be tender.
Add the bok choy, and place a lid on the pan. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid; cook and stir until the bok choy is tender but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bacon, and season with salt. Serve piping hot!

We love bok choy in our house but always have it in stir-fry so I was thrilled to find this over at Allrecipes.com.

This serves 4 and is ready in 15 minutes (5 min of prep and 10 for cooking). Great side dish.

Japanese Salad

1/2 head cabbage
3 green onions
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/4 cu sunflower seeds
1 pkg ichiban noodles
fresh mushrooms
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 pkg bean sprouts
Dressing:
1 pkg seasoning from noodles
1/3 c oil
3 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Prepare & mix salad ingredients. Last 3 items are optional. Add to taste. Leave noodles out until you are ready to serve. Refrigerate. Add dressing and noodles just before serving.

Fresh Spinach Salad

1 garlic clove, halved
2 Tbsp cider or red wine vinegar
1 tsp each sugar, salt & dry mustard
6 Tbsp oil
8 cups crisp, young spinach (stems removed)
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced very thin (almost grated)
8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
2 or 3 green onions, finely chopped
fresh mushrooms, sliced T-saped
fresh cauliflower, sliced T-shaped

Beat first 7 ingredients & refrigerate. Prepare remaining ingredients; add dressing just before serving (remove garlic).

I got this recipe from an old room-mate's mom and have loved it ever since I tried it!