Featured Recipes

It’s time for that great young asparagus to start showing up at the markets.  It’s always nice to try something different with it. Grab yourself some red peppers when the price is right and get in the mood for spring time!

Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers
2 red onions
1 lb. raw asparagus, trimmed
1/3 C. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
Sea salt or regular and freshly ground black pepper  to taste
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into shavings, to serve with it (optional)

Cut the bell pepper flesh away from the core in flat pieces to make grilling easier. Put the pepper pieces skin-side down on a preheated stove-top grill pan and cook until the skin is blistered and turning black or do them under the oven broiler, watching them closely.

Transfer the peppers to a small bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam for 10 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skins away from the flesh.

Cut the onions into wedges, leaving the root end intact to hold them together.  Add them to the grill pan on the stove top and cook for about 3 minutes or until they are just soft.

Put the peppers in a bowl with the onions, asparagus, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then serve it warm or at room temperature with shavings of Parmesan, if you like.

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Have you come across the great deals on strawberries this spring?  Rhubarb is coming on fast too.  Here is an option to the standard strawberry rhubarb pie. You know how everyone gobbles up cobbler made with the first fresh fruit of the season!

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks (4 cups)
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pint strawberries, each hulled and cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons margarine or butter (1/2 stick)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare filling: In 3-quart saucepan, heat rhubarb and 1/2 cup sugar to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until rhubarb is tender, about 8 minutes.

2. In cup, mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir cornstarch mixture and strawberries into rhubarb mixture; continue cooking 2 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup sugar. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream; quickly stir just until mixture forms a soft dough that pulls away from side of bowl.

4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead 6 to 8 strokes to mix thoroughly. With floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many biscuits as possible. Reroll trimmings and cut as above to make 8 biscuits in all.

5. Reheat rhubarb filling until hot; pour into shallow 2-quart casserole or 11" by 7" glass baking dish. Place biscuits on top of rhubarb. Brush biscuits with 1 tablespoon cream and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Place sheet of foil under baking dish; crimp edges to form rim to catch any drips during baking. Bake 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and rhubarb filling is bubbly. Cool slightly on wire rack to serve warm, about 15 minutes.

Serving: Serves: 8 Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

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