Grilled Asparagus

So first off - this is my first time EVER posting to this recipe blog!! Can you believe it? Seriously -How long has this blog been around? Second - I'm no cook. And this is not fancy. But it is DANG good. A friend of mine mentioned he love Asparagus on the grill. So I thought I'd try it. It is the yummiest summer meal ever! We just grilled chicken and had sliced nectarines. Delish! But hurry!! Summer is almost over!

So here's what you do!

Take 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled, 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt
Preheat a grill.
Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary.
Remove from grill and serve immediately (eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience).

Look for firm asparagus stalks with firm deep green or purplish tips. Also check the bottom of the spears. If they are dried up, chances are they have been sitting around for too long. Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness, usually 2/3 of the way down the spear. If the spear is less than 6 inches long, chances are it has already been trimmed for you.

Happy Eating!

No Bake Cookies

I'm sure that many of you have mastered The Art of The No Bake Cookie but, until Friday I had not! I finally figured it out! For some reason mine always turned out crumbly and I was always frustrated because I wanted yummy ones and mine never were! Well, I think I've got it! I read somewhere online that if you don't boil them for the EXACT time that the recipe calls for you will not get good results. Well, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

Directions:
Lay out foil or wax paper BEFORE you make the cookies.

Combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a heavy boil for exactly one minute. Remove from heat.

Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal; stir well to mix up all the ingredients and plop spoon sized amounts onto foil or wax paper and let cool.

The key to making these set right is to boil them for one minute exactly. You start counting the minute once the mixture comes to a ROLLING BOIL. Use a clock with a second hand or a digital with a stop watch for accuracy.

If they never really get firm, then you didn't boil them long enough.

If they get too crumbly, then you boiled them too long. Adjust accordingly the next time you make them.


GOOD LUCK!

Megan's Granola Bar Recipe

In the pan (before being cut)

Megan made these for our family last summer and they were wonderful. I made them tonight so that we can enjoy them tomorrow at the beach!

Melt together until very hot, but not boiling:

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup honey (I used Agave nectar)

Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

2 cups rice crispies
2 cups corn flakes (measure, then crush)
4 cups quick oats
3 tsp. baking powder
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup toasted coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds

Once it cools you can add dried fruit, raisins, chocolate chips, cinnamon etc. Press into a cookie sheet and bake at 300* for approximately 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

These are similar, but better than the granola bars you can buy at the store!

Summer Fresh Fruit Salad

I got this recipe from Sparkrecipes.com. I modified it a little bit, but it's great as a salad to go with a meal or even for a summer-y dessert.

16 large Strawberries, fresh
20 Pecan halves, or 1/4 cup, broken or crushed
1/4 cup raisins, golden seedless
1 Mango, fresh, diced without skin
1 Tbsp. Honey
1/4 cup coconut, unsweetened, flaked
2 Tbsp. quinoa, precooked/cooled


Instructions

1. Cook quinoa just like white rice. Measure two to one (1 cup Quinoa to 2 cups water). Bring to a boil, lower temperature and cover for approximately 14 minutes. Cool.

2. Rinse strawberries, trim tops and cut inot a medium bowl. Add raisins and coconut flakes.

3. Slightly crush the pecans so they are not whole halves, add to bowl.

4. Dice mango, no skin.

5. Add cooled quinoa and honey. Turn carefully with a spoon to coat all of the above with honey.

My modifications:

My mango wasn't ripe enough. I used unpeeled nectarines. I also added blueberries (not pictured) because one small child had been promised some blueberries!