Asparagus Puff Ring

This recipe was the Grand Prize Winner in the first issue of "Taste of Home" magazine I ever received (April/May 1997). I am generally leary of baking any kind of bread, but since no yeast is involved, I gave it a try. Several times! It's so easy and really good. I keep meaning to try it with shrimp in place of the ham, but with our leftover honeybaked ham, well....it had to be ham again!

ASPARAGUS PUFF RING

3/4 cup water
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided

FILLING:

1 lb fresh asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
2 cups diced cooked ham

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each; beat until smooth. Stir in 3 Tbsp Parmesan.

Using 1 scant 1/4 cup (about 3 Tbsp) of dough, form a ring around the sides of a greased 10" quiche pan or pie plate (mounds should touch). Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes depending on thickness of spears; drain. In a saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually add milk; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in ham and asparagus. Spoon in to ring. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Asparagus Puff Ring-Dough

This is what the dough looks like in a pie dish before baking.

Microwave Nut Brittle

About a year ago, I ran across an Alton Brown recipe for microwave peanut brittle. Brittle peanut was a holiday tradition in my home growing up and the only thing I can ever remember my father preparing. I remember him standing in our kitchen over the stove stirring a big cast-iron skillet full of makings for peanut brittle.

I'm not a baker. I like to cook. Baking is a stretch for me so, if you know anything about candy, you can only imagine how I dread the thought of making candy. But my friend Donna's husband, Gene, loves toffee and peanut brittle. I thought I had the toffee mastered but had a bad run of luck with it last year so I'm a bit gun-shy. But this brittle recipe is so easy, full-proof, and quick that I have no fears!

A few notes before the recipe. Peanuts are, of course, the obvious choice. But just about any nut will do. I made one batch of peanuts and one of cashews using Emerald Salt & Pepper Cashews. Oh so good! Thanks to Alton's suggestion of using cinnamon and cayenne (who'd a thunk it?) the black pepper in the cashews bumps it up one more level. This is my new favorite.

First, my microwave is a 1000 watt oven, so you may need to adjust times if yours is another wattage. Secondly, it is very important to use a heavy glass Pyrex bowl as the brittle is extremely hot. Third, between each step I clean the utensil I am using (a wooden spoon) to stir the mixture and re-spray it with canola oil Pam. Fourth, have ready a cookie sheet.....I cover mine with aluminum foil and then spray it with Pam for easy clean up. Lastly, I have all my ingredients ready and lined up so they can be stirred into each phase without losing time. And it is helpful if you have someone else while you pour out the brittle onto the baking sheet to help smooth out the mixture so you won't have one big mound of candy......a thinner candy is crisper. REMEMBER REMEMBER REMEMBER........this mixture is extremely hot and could cause serious injury if you're not careful. Make sure no pets or children are anywhere near the kitchen in case you drop the bowl!


MICROWAVE NUT BRITTLE

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup........microwave 2 minutes, stir, then microwave 3 minutes

add, then stir:
1/2 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup nuts........if using halves or pieces of nuts, microwave for 2 minutes. If using full nuts, microwave for 3 minutes

add, then stir:
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter......microwave 90 seconds

add, then stir:
1 tsp baking soda

Pour onto baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with Pam. Spread out with utensils sprayed with Pam. It cools pretty quickly, then break it into the size of pieces you like.

Ham Jambalaya

For Christmas dinner, we picked a a Honeybaked Ham Co. ham. We don't get them very often since they're pretty pricey, but we do enjoy every bite! And there are so many wonderful recipes that use the leftover ham. This is a really, really easy one and if you like okra, and we do, this comes out so very tasty, thanks in part to the wonderful honeybaked ham.

This recipe serves four and I make the entire recipe so I'd have leftovers and am so glad I did! I wasn't paying attention to the recipe and cooked the rice separately, so if I thought this recipe was easy the way I did it, you could make it in a snap if you made the rice with the jambalaya instead of separately.

HAM JAMBALAYA

2 cups cooked ham, diced

1 cup green pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

10 oz sliced fresh okra

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 cup uncooked rice

hot sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients except rice in a large, heavy skillet; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in rice and simmer, tightly covered, for 20 minutes or longer, or until rice is tender.

WHITE CHRISTMAS IN CHATTANOOGA!!!!!

We woke up Saturday morning to a gently falling snow and thought......isn't this nice....a White Christmas. But it kept on and on until 3 p.m. We got around 5"! It was a wonderful surprise and a beautiful Christmas Day!

Lazy Christmas Eve afternoon

After a tiring morning at the Dog Park and getting ready for Santa, the girls spend a quiet afternoon resting and contemplating........

Shrimp Teriyaki Fried Rice

WOW!!! I can't believe it's been over a week since I posted anything! I got a bit busy around Christmas and, while I took photos of different meals, The Girls, and The Snow, I just didn't get it posted. But I'm back on track now and ready for 2011!

I thought I had posted this recipe before but didn't see it as I looked at past posts. I've made it several times and it has never disappointed. Whenever I cook up a batch of rice, I always make extra to stick in the freezer for a quick dinner. I try to stick with Brown Basmati rice, but I just love Jasmine rice so it's kinda 50/50 as to which I use. Either works wonderfully with this recipe. Also, if you can find the teriyaki sauce brand "Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki," USE IT! It makes all the difference. I've never had trouble finding this brand....it is carried in both of our local supermarkets.

Also, feel free to throw in whatever vegetables you have. I'll list the recipe I originally found below, but here are some of the variations I have used (and I usually half the recipe since there are just two of us): scramble an egg or two (or add Egg Beaters) and add to the rice as it warms and until the egg is cooked, julienned red peppers, frozen peas and/or carrots, cabbage (I'll add the cabbage near the end before I like the crunch, but add it early if you like it cooked/softer), or I like chopped water chestnuts, also for their crunch,  grated ginger..........you get the idea.  I've also substituted shrimp for the chicken. or used cooked, rotisserie chicken in place of the uncooked chicken.

CHICKEN TERIYAKI FRIED RICE
2 cups uncooked rice (4-5 cups cooked)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large chicken breast, finely sliced (about 1 lb)......shrimp also works
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1-2 cups sugar snap peas
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Cook rice as directed on packaged (or use leftover cooked rice). Over med-high heat, stir fry the chicken in 1 Tbsp olive oil until fully cooked. Remove from pan. Add the other Tbsp olive oil and saute green onions and carrots over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in peas, rice, and chicken. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and stir to distribute evenly. Cook another few minutes to heat throughout, stirring constantly.
I've served this with baked egg rolls or egg-drop soup.