asparagus

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter I

%#Letter I – What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Italian Pasta Mediterranean! This exotic colorful pasta dish will have you rolling your eyes in satisfaction over the hearty gourmet intensity. Its blend of gastronomic flavor tempts the taste buds to have a second helping of this culinary delight. 
ITALIAN PASTA MEDITERRANEAN 
Ingredients:

8 ounces penne pasta

Salt to taste

1/2 pound Italian salami, thinly sliced

1/2 pound asparagus spears

1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon marjoram 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Parsley Sprig for garnish 
Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large pasta bowl. 

Next to steam asparagus, place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Bring to boil. Trim ends off the asparagus. Cut into quarters. Place in top half of steamer pan set. Steam for 5 minutes until tender. 

For dressing, mix olive oil, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. 

Combine penne pasta, asparagus pieces, diced sun-dried tomatoes, and salami rounds. Pour olive oil dressing over all. Gently mix. Add pine nuts. Garnish with fresh parsley sprig. Serve warm with garlic toast. This is an excellent side dish to Chicken Cacciatore. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Asparagus Shrimp Linguine! Whether you scour the ditches and railroad tracks, visit the local Farmers Market, or drop by your favorite grocers, the growing season of asparagus is upon us. Now is the time to take full advantage of its abundance. Look for signs of firm, tight buds for tender morsels. The delicate purplish tips are the best of the stalk. Indulge thy self. Permission granted. 
ASPARAGUS SHRIMP LINGUINE 
Ingredients:

3 ounces lemon pepper linguine

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1/2 pound shrimp, precooked 

8-10 asparagus spears, cut-up

8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon herb and garlic seasoning 

1/4 teaspoon marjoram 

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 tablespoon nonpareil capers

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Instructions:

Cook lemon pepper pasta with sea salt according to package directions. Drain. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat lemon olive oil on medium. Add shrimp, asparagus, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, red pepper flakes, herb and garlic seasoning, marjoram, and basil. Fry shrimp and vegetables until crisp and tender, 4-5 minutes. Add linguine and cook until heated through. Swirl to toss gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese shavings. Garnish with capers. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Spinach Prosciutto Flatbread! As the King of Hams, prosciutto reigns. Its savory and aromatic flavor is a result of a slow-aged process known well by the Italians. You will immediately notice the paper thin velvety texture of prosciutto. The sea salting process has a regional influence on the curing results as well. Many remain trade secrets for all time. You and I reap the benefits by shopping around. Always keep a little prosciutto on hand. It can mean the difference between ho-hum and WOW!
SPINACH PROSCIUTTO FLATBREAD
Ingredients:

1 prepared flatbread 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, cut-up*

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup spinach leaves
Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush flatbread with one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread Greek yogurt over flatbread. Dot with goat cheese crumbles. Layer shredded mozzarella over all. In a skillet over medium low heat add one tablespoon olive oil, cut up prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears, tomatoes, and spinach. Stir with tongs to coat. Cover for 1-2 minutes or until spinach turns bright green. Spoon over flatbread. Bake assembled flatbread 2-3 minutes in oven. Cut into wedges and serve immediately. 
*Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus recipe may be found at the following link. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/08/10

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus! For all the asparagus lovers out there, prepared to be impressed. Really impressed. And if you’ve never had the desire to taste a delicate stalk of asparagus that seems to demand an additional fee on the restaurant menu, you may have discovered a reason to give it a whirl. Prosciutto. These two ingredients were destined to marry forever and ever, in my opinion. 
PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS 
Ingredients:

1-pound fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning 

6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
Instructions:

Raise the oven rack to its highest level, which should be about 5 inches below the coils of the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile take the asparagus spears and place in a gallon zip-lock bag. Add the olive oil and seasonings. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air, and flip to coat all pieces. Slice the prosciutto lengthwise. Taking one asparagus spear at a time, begin wrapping prosciutto midway from the tip to the stem base, spiraling as you go, overlapping the seams slightly. Place it on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick oil. Repeat until all pieces are prepared. Before broiling, make sure there is space between the asparagus. Broil for 3 minutes, remove the baking sheet, turn asparagus with a tongs, return to the oven, and broil another 3 minutes. Pieces should slightly char and appear crisp. The secret is to keep them spaced. For best results, choose medium-size asparagus instead of very thin stalks. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter I

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Italian Pasta Mediterranean!  This exotic colorful pasta dish will have you rolling your eyes in satisfaction over the hearty gourmet intensity. Its blend of gastronomic flavor tempts the taste buds to have a second helping of this culinary delight. 

ITALIAN PASTA MEDITERRANEAN 
Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
Salt to taste
1/2 pound Italian salami, thinly sliced
1/2 pound asparagus spears
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon marjoram 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parsley Sprig for garnish 
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large pasta bowl. 
Next to steam asparagus, place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Bring to boil. Trim ends off the asparagus. Cut into quarters. Place in top half of steamer pan set. Steam for 5 minutes until tender. 
For dressing, mix olive oil, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. 
Combine penne pasta, asparagus pieces, diced sun-dried tomatoes, and salami rounds. Pour olive oil dressing over all. Gently mix. Add pine nuts. Garnish with fresh parsley sprig. Serve warm with garlic toast. This is an excellent side dish to Chicken Cacciatore.