Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus
March 23rd, 2012 § Leave a Comment
When I first started cooking, I thought asparagus was a “fancy” vegetable that you only had on special occasions or at nice restaurants. Little did I know, when it’s in season (spring – early summer) you can find it easily at your local farmers market or grocery store. And to my joy, a recent trip to the Sprouts near my house turned up a crop of asparagus that looked too good to pass up. Not too thick and not too skinny – just right for roasting and no special occasion required.
Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus
Ingredients
2 pounds thick asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place asparagus in a shallow baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle oil over asparagus and roll the stalks around until coated. Sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper.
Bake until asparagus are crisp-tender and cheese has melted and is crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
Olly Olly Oxen Free
March 21st, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Olly olly oxen free: a catchphrase used in children’s games to indicate that players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game.
Where, oh where have all my posts gone? Where, oh where could the be? Yes, I’ve been away for a bit, but fear not. I’m still in the kitchen. I’m still running. I’m still keeping busy — a little too busy at times — and have gotten a little sidetracked.
I’ve been hiding from an issue that I’m about to open up about. This is a tough one because I am afraid of what people might think, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that it might be helpful to get it out there — for me and for anyone else who struggles with the effects of “too much”.
Running is a big part of my life. Bigger than I tend to focus on here lately, but even with my blog’s name, you kinda get it, right? Well, if you’ve been following along for the past year or so, something has been awry with my training for quite some time (see here and here for examples) and I have just pushed it aside and pretended like nothing was wrong. Anyone who bottles up their thoughts and emotions knows that this can lead you down a disastrous path. It can feel like running in the dark with no headlamp — uncertain, scary, troublesome, embarrassing.
I thought there was something physically wrong with me. That my breathing issues were being caused by asthma or allergies or even that pesky scar tissue in my lung from having a mean case of Valley Fever years ago. I was searching for something — anything — to give me a reason for what I was (am) going through. No such luck. After my “failure” at this year’s Rock ‘n Roll AZ marathon, I finally went to my doctor to see what was going on. After some chest X-Rays, CT scans and a bunch of hmmm’s, I still had no answer.
That’s when things started to get real for me. And no, I’m not talking about the cheesy “Real World” drama kind of real. I’m talking about the “holy crap there’s a bunch of stuff on my mind and I don’t know how to deal with it” kind of real. Between the ultimate disappointment for my first DNF, a trend of bad long runs/marathons, a bad case of bronchitis, a growing work load, personal stress and a bunch of other crap that I’ve kept inside… something was bound to breakdown. In my case, it was my breathing. And unfortunately, now it comes in spells when I’m not even running.
I get it. My mind is telling me something is not right and it’s trying to get my attention with this annoying breathing thing. I know, brain. I need to pay attention to what you have to say. I need to relax. I need to stop bottling things up. I need to let go of the stuff stowed away that’s not doing me any good to keep around. Oh sure. Sounds easy enough, right? If it was easy, I wouldn’t need to be opening up here. If it was easy, I wouldn’t be constantly forcing myself to take deep breaths because I feel like I’m not getting enough air. If it was easy, I’d be better right now.
Good news — yes, there’s some good news — is that I’m on the right track. At least I think I’m on the right track. My running is going well (including the AMAZING experience I had on my first Ragnar Relay team), but my confidence has been shaken and I’m struggling to get it back. I’m working on it. I’m working on me. I’m working on getting through this to find a happier, healthier me. I know I have some work to do, but I’m willing to do what it takes. In the meantime, I’m still here.
Like this:
Apple and Fennel Slaw
March 6th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Between working, running and spending time with my husband, I don’t have a lot of time during the week to fix dishes that take a tad more effort. But the weekend is another story. I like to save dishes such as this Apple and Fennel Slaw for when I’m not feeling rushed and I can take my time prepping the ingredients to create something lovely.
This slaw is crunchy, light and refreshing – a perfect complement to a meal. The sweetness of the apples is a nice contrast to the slight licorice/anise flavor of the fennel and the creaminess of the dressing pulls it all together.
Ingredients
1/2 head green cabbage
Ice water as needed
1 lemon, halved
2 fennel bulbs
2 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, including tender green parts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Using a sharp knife, cut the cabbage in half through the stem end. Using a mandoline (or very sharp knife), slice the cut face of one half into thin slices. Place the sliced cabbage in a large bowl and add ice water to cover. Set aside.
Fill another large bowl with ice water and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into it. Fill a large saucepan three-fourths full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the juice of the remaining lemon half to the boiling water.
Cut off the stems of the fennel bulbs and remove any bruised or discolored outer leaves. Working with 1 fennel bulb at a time, cut the bulb in half lengthwise and cut out any tough core parts. Using the small julienne blade of the mandoline, slice each half and place immediately in the bowl of lemon water. Repeat with the remaining fennel bulb. Once the fennel is all cut, transfer with a slotted spoon to the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. (Reserve the bowl of water and lemon for the apples.) Drain the blanched fennel and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer to a fresh bowl of ice water and set aside.
Working with 1 apple at a time, quarter it and cut away the core. Starting with the rounded side, slice each quarter on the mandoline and place immediately in the reserved lemon water. Repeat with the remaining apple.
In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, milk and the salt. Whisk to combine. The dressing should be both sweet and tangy, and the consistency should be pourable, not thick. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Drain the cabbage, pat dry and place in a large bowl. Drain the fennel, squeeze gently to remove excess water, pat dry and add to the bowl of cabbage. Drain the apples, pat dry and add to the bowl. Add the green onions and parsley. Pour the dressing in and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (It’s best to refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight to let the flavors soak in.)
Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma
