Ridiculously easy roasted asparagus ...

Asparagus was on sale for $1.88 a pound this week, so I bought two big bunches. My favorite way to make it is roasted in a hot oven, with a drizzle of good olive oil.
TARRAGON ROASTED ASPARAGUS
INGREDIENTS:
Fresh Asparagus, woody ends removed
Olive Oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
Dried tarragon
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash fresh asparagus and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the woody ends, either with a knife or break at the "snap." Lay asparagus spears flat in an oven-proof dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on sea salt, pepper and tarragon. Bake, uncovered, for about 5-8 minutes. I like to use the thinnest spears I can find. This should be crisp tender. You don't want it to be mushy.

Healthy and savory Italian favorite ...

I wanted something I could make without going to the grocery store. Turns out I had all the ingredients to make this hearty soup. It has that simmered-all-day flavor but takes just minutes to prepare. I love the spinach ... it adds color, texture and lots of nutrition!
TORTELLINI SOUP
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 package (9 oz) cheese-filled tortellini
3 large carrots, peeled & sliced into coins
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 - 6 oz bag baby spinach
Grated parmesan cheese
1. In a large pot, bring broth, water and Italian seasoning to a boil. Add tortellini and simmer for 3 minutes. Add carrots and simmer for an additional 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans. Add spinach and simmer for 2 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted.
2. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Katie's good cookin'!

This is another one of my daughter Katie's recipes from her favorite cookbook, The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2008).
Escarole simmered in good broth with a little wine, tomato, pasta and chickpeas is pure Italian comfort food! You can cook the soup a day ahead, up to adding the pasta. When you want to serve it, bring it to a simmer 10 minutes ahead and then add in the pasta.
SOUP WITH FRESH GREENS AND TINY PASTA
Serves 6 to 8 as a first course; 4 to 6 as a light main dish
Prep time 15 minutes; stove time 35 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup whole canned tomatoes, crushed with your hands (do not use canned crushed tomatoes)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium to large onion, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large handfuls escarole or curly endive leaves, fine chopped (2-1/2 to 3 cups)
1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, fine chopped
1/2 cup tiny pasta (alphabets, orzo or stars)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 cup or more fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. In a 6-quart pot combine the broth, wine, and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, chickpeas, greens, and basil. Simmer partially covered 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the pasta and simmer, partially covered, 6 minutes or until pasta is tender. Taste soup for seasoning. Serve hot, passing the cheese to be sprinkled on the soup as its final seasoning.

You say tomato, I say tomato salad!

Here’s a light and colorful side dish that complements everything from grilled meats to burgers or sandwiches. It can also stand alone for a satisfying lunch. And it's a perfect dish for an outdoor party buffet table or potluck as it won’t lose its appeal on a warm day.
TOMATO, RED ONION AND GARBANZO BEAN SALAD
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 box cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Feta Cheese
1 can pitted black olives, drained (optional)
Dressing:
1-1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Combine garbanzo beans, sliced red onion, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and black olives in a bowl. Pour dressing over all and toss gently. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

I didn't add the olives because I didn't want the extra salt and calories but they do add a lot of flavor and color to this salad.

Light and Lemony

This is the perfect easy dessert. I use an angel food cake mix and bake it in a great old square pan I got from my mother-in-law. I used Cool Whip for the frosting but real whipped cream would taste even better.
LOW-FAT LEMON DESSERT
1 baked angel food cake
1 can lemon pie filling
Lite Cool Whip
Sprinkles
Bake angel food cake from a mix. Slice cake horizontally and spread middle with lemon filling. Put top of cake back on bottom and frost outside of cake with Cool Whip, being sure to swirl. Sprinkle top and sides with colored sprinkles. Cover carefully with Saran Wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

My favorite soup recipe ...

You really have to try this soup recipe. It's chock full of great flavor and ingredients. We like it on the hot side, but you can make it as spicy as your family likes by adding or subtracting some of the spicier ingredients.

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
4 (15 oz.) cans fat-free chicken broth
1 bag small carrots, sliced in thin rounds
1 medium chopped onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder (I use 2 garlic cloves, minced)
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 small can HOT chopped green chilies
1-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley (use fresh if you have it)
1-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce (I use more)
3 boneless chicken breasts, baked, cooled, cubed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
3 (15 oz.) cans great northern beans, drained

In a large pot, add first six ingredients. Cook until very hot. Add corn, beans, spices, and Tabasco sauce. Bring to a boil. Add chicken. Simmer 30 minutes. Serves 6. You may need to add more chicken broth.

Home-made chicken noodle soup ...

There's nothing better for your body or your soul than chicken soup from scratch, a proven cold, hangover and bad-mood-cure. It's soothing and comforting, something we all need when we're under the weather. I have to admit I always use chicken stock from a can, but at least I get the low sodium variety!

EASY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH VEGETABLES AND EGG NOODLES
Ingredients:
• 2 large cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• carrots, thinly sliced
• celery, thinly sliced
• onion to taste
• 6 oz. uncooked egg noodles
• 3 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/2 tsp. dried leaf thyme
• chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
Preparation:
Combine chicken broth, pepper, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, parsley and poultry seasoning in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add noodles and boil for 5 minutes. Add cooked chicken and boil for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until noodles are tender. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley just before serving. I suggest cooking the noodles separately and adding them to the soup just before serving.

Mmmm ... Chocolate Cherry Cake ...

This is one of my all-time favorites ... I actually think of it as heaven in the mouth or dessert ecstasy! Got the recipe from my good friends Katy & Mary Ellen, and the back of the Pillsbury cake box!

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CAKE
1 pkg. Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil's Food cake mix (pudding in the mix)
1-21 oz. can Wilderness cherry pie filling
1 Tbs. almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 cake pan. In large bowl, combine beaten eggs with almond. Add cake mix and cherries, stirring by hand until well-blended. Spread in pan. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 Tbs. butter or margarine
1-6 oz. pkg. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine the powdered sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Pour and spread over warm cake. Cool completely. Allow frosting to FUDGIFY (Mary Ellen's word ... I LOVE it!). Cut into 48 bars or serve as cake with whipped cream.

Dump cake ...

This yummy dessert is from my Gather friend, Shan. You dump all the ingredients into the baking pan. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip ... or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Dessert doesn't get much easier! (FYI: I like to use the lite versions of the fruit.)

CHERRY-PINEAPPLE "DUMP" CAKE
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (20 oz) can prepared cherry pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick cold butter, cut into 12 slices
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Dump pineapple into a 9x13" baking pan; spread evenly. Dump cherry pie filling evenly on top of the pineapple. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the cherries. Place butter slices evenly over the cake mix. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 50-60 minutes, or til knife inserted in the center of the cake topping comes out clean.

Soup and Sammich!

WOO-HOO! Home-made Vegetable Soup with Ham, Melted Horseradish Cheddar & Sliced Red Onion on Toasted Caraway Rye Bread ... Yummy!

EASY VEGETABLE SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
2 14-1/2 oz cans chicken broth (low sodium)
1 16 oz can diced Italian-style tomatoes, including juice
1 can bean dark red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
1 can black beans (drained & rinsed)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (to include any combination of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans)
1/4 cup dry whole-wheat couscous (optional) or 1/4 cup orzo (optional)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
Top with shredded cheese.
DIRECTIONS:
Combine chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, rinsed beans, frozen vegetables, couscous or orzo, oregano & pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes.