Carl's White Cake

I made this cake for book club but have fallen in love with this recipe and made it several more times for various occasions including my own birthday. It is so buttery and yummy. It is a little bit technical because nothing about it comes from a box, but well worth the effort.

Carl’s White Cake Recipe

2 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
3 tsp vanilla extract

4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 8″ cake pans.
Separate eggs, set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter until soft. Add sugar; beat several minutes (until fluffy!). Add vanilla.  Add one egg yolk at a time, beating after.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Flour-milk-flour-milk-flour.
Beat egg whites. When peaks are soft, add sugar. Beat until peaks are stiff, but don’t over beat!
Fold egg whites into flour mixture.  Pour batter into cake pans.

Cook 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner’s sugar (plus more if necessary)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter until soft. Add sugar gradually, along with vanilla and milk/whipping cream.

Tom's Pasta Sauce

"The School of Essential Ingredients" by Erica Bauermeister has not only become one of my favorite books but also contains a couple of my favorite recipes. The recipes are not included in the book, but the author has included a few of the recipes on her website, Here. I will include a couple of the recipes that I use the most on this blog but the others are worth checking out and the book is also worth a read.

 Tom’s Pasta Sauce Recipe

Note: For best results, use Knorr’s extra-large soft chicken bouillon cubes.

Crush the whole tomatoes in a food processor, or chop them finely by hand.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 extra-large soft chicken bouillon cube (see note)
1 cup onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup red wine
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed (see note)
1 cup tomato sauce (more if you want)
Salt and pepper

1 pound penne pasta
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium-low heat until bubbles form. Crush the half bouillon cube into the oil and mix thoroughly.  Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté until translucent.

2. Add ground sausage, increase heat to medium, and cook until meat is no longer pink.  Add milk and simmer until absorbed.  (Don’t worry if it looks strange at first; the milk will mellow the wine and make for a wonderful, lush sauce.)  Add wine, reduce heat to low, and simmer until wine is absorbed.   Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-3 hours, covered if you want a rich, but slightly thinner sauce, uncovered if you want a thicker sauce and the smell to roam through your house.

4. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook penne pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl.  Ladle sauce over pasta; top with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately.
Yield: 6-8 servings

The BEST Slow Cooker Refried Beans

I found this recipe a long time ago on Pinterest. I kept it in my "Recipes I've Tried" folder and referred to it time and time again.  Earlier this year I again went to retrieve this recipe only to find it no longer available. Luckily, I know all the ingredients by heart but I don't have the exact measurements. The last few times I have made it, I have just guessed and they still taste fabulous! So this is my recipe for refried beans that is sure to please any crowd.

The BEST Slow Cooker Refried Beans

1 onion chopped into large chunks
1-2 Tablespoons of minced garlic
1-2 Jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it. At least add 1 for flavor)
1-2 lbs of dry pinto beans (soaked over night)
1 Tbsp Salt
1 stick of butter
1-2 Tbsp vinegar
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cube of chicken boullion
1-2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp montreal steak seasoning
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and soak beans overnight
2. In a large slow cooker, layer this way, Onions, garlic, jalapeno and top with dry beans and salt. Fill with water an inch above the bean mixture. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Once beans are soft, transfer to a blender and blend with about one to two cups of the liquid that they were cooked in along with cooked onions and jalapenos. Throw out the rest of the water.
4. Transfer blended beans back to the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir and let sit until flavors are all mixed in.

These beans are great to freeze and use for quesadillas or chimichangas. Just put in a a freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer.

Crustless Ham and Cheddar Quiche

I went through a phase where I tried all kinds of quiche recipes. This is by far my favorite and I use this recipe interchangeably with whatever I have in my fridge, cooked vegetables, lunch meat, or sausage, this recipe is really just a base for whatever I want it to be. And my kids love it.

Crustless Ham and Cheddar Quiche

2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots (or any other vegetables)
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (I sometimes use rice milk as a substitute)
1 Tbs cold butter
1/2 cup baking mix (bisquick or pancake mix works)
8 oz chopped ham
2 cups shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In medium pan saute onions and carrots in olive oil over medium heat for four minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and add milk to combine.
4. With pastry cutter or fork mix cold butter into baking mix until small pea sized pieces form. Add this to the egg and milk mixture and mix until combined.
5. Add ham, cheese and sauted vegetables to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon to combine.
6. Spray caserole dish or pie plate and pour into dish. Bake for 30-40 mins until tooth pick comes clean.

My Favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup (Panera Bread Copycat)

When we lived in Henderson, Panera Bread was one of our favorite places to eat. Mostly because my kids always at so well there and we loved all of the food. Their version of Broccoli Cheese soup has become our favorite and there are a lot of good copy cat recipes on line but I more or less follow this one.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (Panera Bread Copycat)

1 Tbs melted butter
1/2 med chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half cream (I always just use milk or sometimes rice milk for my non-dairy children)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli chopped small (I tend to use quite a bit more and sometimes have to add a little         bit more liquid)
1 cup grated carrot
1/8- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (its weird but its what makes it panera)
1-2 bay leafs
8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onion in 1 Tbs butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 mins.
2. Slowly whisk in milk and chicken stock. add nutmeg and bay leaf and let simmer for 5 mins or less.
3. Add vegetables and sauted onion, let simmer on low for about 20 mins until all is tender.
4. Remove from the heat, remove bay leaf and stir in cheese until melted. and serve!

Best Zucchini Bread (from Kayescupboard.com)

Kayla is one of my mission companions. She started food blogging about the same time I did, although she has kept it up and her site is way better organized than mine. But we have similar taste in recipes and food and this one comes from her blog. I love it!

Best Zucchini Bread

3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C applesauce
1 1/4 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 C shredded zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Grease and flour 2 bread pans, preheat oven to 325
2. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Beat eggs, oil sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini and nuts. Pur batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 40-60 mins until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 mins remove bread from pan and cool completely.

Mandy's Sheet Cake

I want to print this blog so that I have my own cookbook, but before I do, there are several recipes that I need to add, that have become some of our family's favorites or the past few years. So I will comment very little on these recipes. 

Just a quick note, this is my sister-in-law's sheet cake recipe that she got from her Grandma Nyles. It has become my favorite version too.

Mandy's Sheet Cake

Bring to a boil:

    1 Stick of butter

    1/2 C of oil

    1 C water

Pour over and mix into:

    2 C sugar

    2 C flour

    1/4 C cocoa

Add:

    2 beaten eggs

    1/2 C buttermilk

    1 1/2 tsp soda (mix it into buttermilk)

    1 tsp vanilla

Bake in sheet pan @ 350 degrees for 20 mins

Frosting

Melt:

     1 Stick of butter

     1/3 C buttermilk

Pour into and beat:

     1/2 32 oz bag of powdered sugar

     1/4 C cocoa

Add:

     1 C nuts (optional)

     1 tsp vanilla

Frost cake while hot. 

BLT Day!

We celebrated BLT day a little bit early this year. But I will never make a BLT any other way again. Yes, you've seen this on Pinterest and I am here to tell you IT IS AMAZING!!! And this is why... 1. The bacon doesn't fall out of your sandwich when you eat it. 2. The Bacon to sandwich ration is perfect. 3. It cooks perfectly with no mess.
Oh and in case you were wondering, BLT day is December 1st. It's a Wells family tradition and we will probably eat BLT's then as well. Celebrate with us... but do it the this way!

The Giant Cookie

You've heard of cookie in a cup. Well, this is a thousand times better. It is the recipe for one giant delicious cookie that will take away all sweet cravings with just a few bites and the calories don't linger around the house for days on end tempting their fate to enter your belly and later your waist. James made this for me while I was at the gym tonight (because he loves me). I know it is a little bit counter productive, but at least I went to the gym. We shared the cookie and it was the perfect amount. No leftovers, no over indulging, I would almost call it guilt free,... if it weren't packed with calories... but at least it limits the calories that you can intake all at once. Overall, this is a very delicious recipe, so delicious in fact that we tried it tonight and I had to blog about it tonight. The picture is a link to the original site, and the auther has other giant cookie recipes if double chocolate is not what your craving tonight.

The Giant Cookie

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp beaten egg (crack an egg, beat it and measure two Tbsp)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips + 1 Tbsp (divided)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or baking mat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter and sugars together with a fork until creamed. Mix in egg and vanilla.
3 In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Pour dry ingrediants in the wet and mix to combine. Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
4. Place the dough in the center of the baking sheet and bold inta tall ball using a spoon. Dot the top of the cookie with 1 Tbsp of chocolate chips. Bake for 14-15 minutes or up to 16 minutes. The cookie will appear very soft but will firm up as it cools. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet.
5. You should probably share with someone you love, unless you are having a really bad day. Just a suggestion.

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

I LOVE vegetarian cooking. I always have. We've been doing a little bit more of it here and it has been delightful. Although, Lucy hasn't cared for it that much... even though she doesn't really like meat I think she's less fond of all those fresh veggies that she's been seeing on her plate lately. She's always good to try a bite or two, but she lets us know when she's ready for "Mac n' Cheese" or "Chicken Nuggets." (Don't worry we never give in). 

This is one recipe that I've already made twice and I love it. I love the fresh lemon flavor, I love the zucchini, I just love it. It also makes great leftovers. And I do make it with the whole wheat noodles. They taste really good as well. Please try this one. It will be worth your time. 

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon- Yogurt Sauce

(The name alone is a mouthful. Click the picture to go to original site of recipe)

8 oz of whole wheat spaghetti pasta

1/2 cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp grated lemon zest

salt and pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil (or less)

3 medium zucchinis cut into thin strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes cut lengthwise

1. Cook pasta according to directions

2. While pasta is cooking make your sauce in a seperate bowl by mixing together yogurt, lemon, cheese, and salt and pepper.

3. Saute zucchini in olive oil until starting to become translucent, add garlic saute until zucchini is translucent. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes, remove from burner. 

4. Add sauce and noodles and stir until well incorporated. 

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes (Fat free)

I'm on a fat-free, low sugar diet right now because of a recent surgery and I made these tonight. I really liked them. Naturally not as good as James' pancakes that everybody else ate around me, but these were just as satisfying to me. The original recipe doesn't call for any sugar. I couldn't imagine eating them with out a little bit of sugar in them so I will add that to my recipe below.


Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes

1/2 cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup cottage cheese (I used fat free)
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
1 Tbsp sugar

Blend it all in a blender until everything is well mixed.
Cook like regular pancakes on a skillet. This recipe makes two medium sized pancakes.
Be creative and top with whatever you like. (I topped with low sugar fruit preserves).

Simply Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I don't really like the name for this recipe... I think it's miss leading, but I will respect the author's choice of names and add it here that way as well. Click the picture to see the original recipe site. I will include the changes I made to the recipe here.
I love enchiladas. Green ones, red ones, beef ones, chicken ones, cheese ones,... it doesn't matter.. I love them. So I'm always looking for new enchilada recipes. I tried these ones the other night and I loved them. I had to cut out a lot of the fat in mine, but they were still delicious even with the changes. My family ate them, and loved them. Even the kids. So it's a winner.

Simply Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb chicken breast
1 med onion chopped
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil and about half a Tbsp)
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups monteray jack cheese (or any cheese really)
1/4 cup butter (again, I half-ed the butter)
1/4 cup flour (you don't need quite this much if you are using less butter)
1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream (I used fat free sour cream)
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
I added some green salsa that I had to the chicken mixture. I think it added a lot. I will add salsa (whatever kind I have in the fridge) in the future

1. In a frypan, cook chicken and onion together in oil over medium-high heat until chicken is just done. (This is where I threw in some salsa to add some flavor. Just about a half a cup.
2. Divide cooked chicken evenly between 8 tortillas; add 1 1/2 Tbsp cheese to each tortilla.
3. Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9X13" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.
4. Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in chicken broth then bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chilies; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.
6. Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges is bubbly

Savory Honey Mustard Pork Chops or Yummy!

I am tired of all our regular recipes so I have been trying new stuff like crazy. Some have failed, but there have been a few recipes, like this one, that we will add to our most favorite list. Best of all this is a really easy recipe with very little prep time involved.  Serve up with some potatoes and steamed greens, and you got yourself a beautiful dinner. (I'm still dreaming about these pork chops... they are so good!)

Savory Honey Mustard Pork Chops

1 1/4 cup of chicken stock

4 pork chops

1 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Coop pork chops in butter in large skillet about 6 minutes per side or until no longer pink in center. Combine stock, mustard, honey and cornstarch; stir to dissolve cornstarch. Add to skillet and cook until thickened. 

Kool-Aid Play Dough

One of James' classmate shared this recipe with me. WE LOVE IT!! The Kool-Aid adds such a bright color that won't stick to your hands plus it makes the play dough scented. It is also edible, even though it is disgusting, it is safe to eat.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 small package of unsweetened Kool-Aid
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water

1. Boil Water
2. Mix dry ingredients
3. Add oil and water
4. Mix together with wood spoon until it reaches a play dough like consistency.
5. When cool enough to touch, knead together.

My Favorite Taco Soup

I've been meaning to post this recipe for ages. I love soup! That's not a secret. I love Taco Soup and this recipe has such a great flavor, it's the one I use all the time. This recipe is adapted from The Food Nanny's Cookbook. There are just a few changes that I've made to it and it really is the best. Warning: This recipe makes a lot. Either for a big family or a small family with company, this soup can feed the masses for cheap!

My Favorite Taco Soup

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans red kidney beans, drained (Personally, I like one can kidney and one can pinto)
2 cans corn (not drained)
1 2.5 oz can sliced olives (not drained)
2 cans diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 can beef broth
1 small can tomato sauce (optional)

Top with cheese, sour cream, and chips

1. Brown ground beef with chopped onion and green pepper. Drain fat if needed. Add all other ingredients and cook on medium heat until soup is hot and flavors all blended. (You can also put it all in a crock pot and let it cook on low for 5-6 hours)

Lessons learned while making this cake!

I once took a cake decorating class. I loved it because, I got to decorate cakes. I did not make the cakes. I did not make the frosting. I got to explore my creative side with colors and piping tools and my canvas was the cake. When I finished my cake decorating class, I made one cake. I actually bought the frosting for the cake from a bakery,... and the cakes. I like to bake. And I like to decorate cakes. Putting those two processes together has always been overwhelming to me. So I gave all my cake decorating supplies to my sister in law and washed my hands of the idea.
Mel came into my life and inspired me to be creative again. She asked me to make this cake for her son's first birthday. (I won't show the original that I was trying to copy... It's too embarrassing.) I was excited to try cake decorating again. I was also excited to finally overcome my fear of butter cream frosting. And this is what I learned in the process. And I did learn all of these lessons the HARD way.
1. It takes 30 minutes to bake a cake in two 6X2 inch cake pans. (8 inch is the smallest it goes on the instructions on the box.
2. You can NOT use regular food coloring to die white chocolate. It doesn't work. You have to buy a special kind that is oil based not water based.
3. When following a recipe for butter cream frosting, the couple of tablespoons of milk it says to add are not suggestions. You should actually add them.
4. When using gel food coloring (with frosting not chocolate) a little goes a long way.
5. Piping frosting onto a cake that doesn't have enough liquid, doesn't stick very well, and is a lot of work.
With those lessons learned, I am more prepared to make the same cake next week. I will update on the progress I make. It should be a much simpler and smooth process.

So many good recipes....

I have tried so many good recipes lately I have been a little overwhelmed to blog them all. I am going to write about a few of them here and add the link so you can find them. I will go back and include the recipes later. You can click on the titles or pictures to find the recipe page link.

Slow-Cooker Lasagna Soup

This is the sauce this recipe calls for.
It's in the soup isle. 

This is not exactly a summer time dish, but I made it tonight and it was soooo good. It is also really easy and bonus, way less calories than regular lasagna. I think I really even like it better than lasagna because it is not so overloaded with cheese. Cheese is only a garnish on the top. Oh my goodness this was good. I also really liked the Italian Turkey Sausage. I will always use turkey sausage when making this because I imagine it would be quite a bit greasier with regular sausage. YUM!!


P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps

These really are spot on. Maybe even better. I added just a little more heat when I made them with just a little more chili garlic sauce. If you don't want any heat just flavor I suggest only one teaspoon of the chili garlic sauce instead of the two that it calls for. I also added about half the peanut butter because I don't like a strong peanut flavor. It can be over-powering sometimes. James and I both agree it doesn't really need the nuts at all, and instead of half a can of water chestnuts I used the full can. Because I love water chestnuts. They were also super easy to make and the ground chicken really made a big difference too. Sometimes it's hard to find but it's not overly expensive. This is another really good and healthy recipe. I will be making this one again and again, and probably never going to P.F. Chang's again.



Olive Cheese Bread

A friend introduced us to this recipe quite awhile ago, but I didn't ever try it myself until tonight. This is NOT a healthy recipe but it sure is tasty! I am not particularly an olive lover, especially green olives, but they really bring this recipe together. I don't like pimento stuffed green olives so I just used plain green olives. This is a really good recipe to make when you have company because you can have a little and you will be reassured that the rest will get eaten with no leftovers to taunt you in your fridge.

Nutella Brownies

These were delicious and about the simplest brownie recipe you will find. I will include the recipe below because it's just that simple. I think they need just a little bit of salt so I have included it in the recipe below. The link on the internet shows them made in individual brownie cups but honestly I think it is best just in a 8X8 or 9X9 glass pan. They will be more moist that way. Also get creative with the toppings. I used white chocolate and pecans, but I think they would be great with chocolate chips, toffee, caramel, any kind of nut... you name it.

1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
10 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
toppings

mix together and bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees.

More recipes to come. I promise.

Mexican Rice

I learned how to make "real" Mexican rice in Mexico. I love it. But honestly it was without a recipe and it doesn't always turn out. It is delicious when it does however. I have been looking for a recipe that tastes similar but has instructions and measurements I can follow. I hit the jackpot with this recipe. It's delicious, easy, and doesn't take too long. Plus it's way healthier than the rice I used to make.

Mexican Rice

2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium tomatoes
1/4 onion choped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
4 cups hot chicken broth (Or 4 cups water and 2 bullion cubes)
1/4 cup frozen or fresh peas
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add rice, stir to coat with oil. Lower the heat to medium and cook until each grain is separate and pale golden- approximately 8-10 minutes.
2. While rice cooks place the tomatoes, onions, and garlic (and boullion cubes if you are using instead of chicken broth) in the blender and puree.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and pour tomato mixture over the rice. Mix well.
4. Add hot broth (or hot water) peas, carrots and salt, stir. Replace the lid and let sit for 10-15 minutes. If any liquid remains, replace the lid and cook for several more minutes.

Fuity-O's

This is a Stewart recipe. If my sister-in-law were available to read this blog she would laugh at me for adding this recipe (She's on a mission). I was a skeptic for a long time about this recipe being any good. I for one think Cheerios are disgusting and didn't think there was a way you could make them taste good. The first time she made them for me, I didn't like them at all, but she admits she was a frugal college student and bought all off brand items to make them. The first time I "really" tried these was Christmas 2011 at my in-laws house in Silver City. I was sold! I could not stop eating these yummy simple treats. And best part they are even easier to make than rice crispy treats and a lot less calories. So if you need an easy treat to take to a scout meeting or a neighbor down the street and you have 5 minutes... cook up some Fruity-O's!

Fruity-O's

This is a double batch

1 (3 oz) package of Jell-O
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter (or margarine)
4 cups Cheerios

Grease a 9X9 pan or baking dish. In a large sauce pan, blend dry Jell-O, corn syrup, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in Cheerios until thoroughly coated. Turn into prepared pan. Grease spoon or spatula and spread mixture in pan. Refrigerate. When set, cut into squares.

Asparagus Cashew Rice Pilaf (with chicken)

My friend Rachel shared this recipe with me. I forgot to ask her if I could share it, but I know she got it from somewhere else so I'm sure it's okay.
I LOVE ASPARAGUS! Growing up it used to grow out at my Grandpa's farm. We would get a couple of bunches each year from him, but there wasn't much and it seemed like a treasure each time. My mom would make Cream of Asparagus soup. We loved it. I don't think she ever bought asparagus, because the only time I remember having this soup was when my grandpa would give it to us. Maybe, it was as expensive then as it is now and that's why she didn't buy it. Regardless, whenever I find it on sale (and sometimes just when I want it) I buy a lot of it. I also make cream of asparagus soup, although I make it different than my mom did growing up, but it is so delicious. I didn't have a lot of other recipes for asparagus so that was mainly what I used it for. Rachel made this for my family one night and I have loved this recipe ever since. It is so light and yummy and for some reason it brings out the asparagus flavor better than any other recipe I've tried. So enjoy!

Asparagus Cashew Rice Pilaf (with chicken)

2 Tbsp Butter
2 oz uncooked spaghetti noodles (broken)
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/4 cup uncooked Jasmine rice
3 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/2 lb asparagus (cut into inch pieces, and you can use as much or as little as you want. I like more rather than less)
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1 grilled chicken breasts diced or shredded (The original recipe doesn't call for chicken but that's how Rachel served it to us and that's how I've made it. I just rub a little olive oil and salt and pepper and bake it, but it would be so good with grilled chicken)

1. Melt butter over medium low heat. Add rice, onion, and garlic. Saute until rice starts to turn a light golden brown color. Add broken noodles and saute a little longer. Add broth, bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat and simmer on low for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked through and liquid is gone.

2. Grill or cook chicken breast, shred, or cube. Set aside.

3. Broil asparagus on foiled baking sheet for 3-4 minutes. Throw rice, chicken, and asparagus together and serve warm topped with chopped cashews.