Roasted Asparagus – A Must Try

Tags

asparagus, food, summertime

I have to admit, for 30+ years I hated asparagus. The texture, the taste and most importantly the smell. I avoided asparagus like the plague, until now.

Roasted Asparagus

So what is the upside of eating asparagus?

1. Asparagus is loaded with fiber, vitamin C, B6, E, vitamin K, and many more. Vitamin K is for bone health and folate, which aids in cell development and may help prevent anemia. All around it is a great vegetable to eat.

2. It’s super versatile. You can blanch it for vegetable platters, stir fry it, roast it or grill it.

What is the downside?

1. TMI – Your pee smells. When asparagus is digested, the amino acids break down in our bodies to release that famous “asparagus” smell in urine. Surprisingly not everyone is affected by this, but not to worry, this is totally normal, and luckily, not permanent.

Roasted Asparagus

The whole recipe takes no more than 4 minutes to put together and 10 minutes to cook. It is simple and delicious and I am now converted.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 1 – 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced finely
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• pinch each salt and pepper

On a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper, toss together asparagus, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 425ºF oven, until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and eat. Leftovers can be used in salads, pastas or as part of a antipasto platter.

Try it today, it is delicious. I am converted.

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I am a girl who loves food. I grew up with a Mom who was an excellent cook. She wrote a cookbook when I was a child, and as they say, the rest is history. Started a catering business in 2005 and haven’t looked back. I am a mom to 2 beautiful girls and I want them to love food as much as I do. In the meantime, I love life and love my job @ http://www.monicaskitchen.com

 

Eating my way through Chicago

Tags

Art Smith, Chicago, Chicago food, Chicago Restaurants, GEB, GEB Chicago, Graham Elliot, James Beard, Masterchef, Southern Food

I feel like Chicago is often overlooked when it comes to food meccas. But here’s the deal, they have some epic restaurants Alinea, Next, Blackbird, The Purple Pig and Girl & the Goat. While I wish I could have scored a reservation at one of these restaurants, I did score 2 great places on my trip.

#1 GEB Chicago – Graham Elliot Bistro

Most people know Graham Elliot from MasterChef, but he is so much more than that. At the age of 27 he became the youngest Four Star Chef to be named in any major U.S. city and was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” in 2004. In recent years has accrued several prestigious accolades, including multiple James Beard Foundation nominations. He is very cool.

GEB is a hip bistro. The food is divine. Normally as you know, I take pictures of everything, but at GEB I was start struck. As we sat down and ordered a drink, who walked in? Graham Elliot himself!

Me and Graham Elliot

Let’s talk food. I started the night off with the pumpkin soup. Probably the best soup I have ever had in my lifetime. It was topped with a coffee spiced granola, fried sage & creme fraiche. Best $12 ever spent. The main course. Strip loin, bone marrow, onion jam, truffled fingerling potatoes and grilled sourdough bread. Oh. My. God. A vegetarians nightmare and my dream come true. It was an incredible plate of food. Hands down I recommend eating at GEB, I cant wait to do it again.

#2 Table fifty-two

Chef Art Smith is a southern boy. He was Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, he was on Top Chef Masters, and he is a James Beard award winner. Table fifty-two is the home of Southern hospitality in Chicago. Who doesn’t like southern food?

The atmosphere at Table 52 is so relaxing. You feel like you are in the south, sitting in a grandmothers dining room. It is beautiful, and the food… the food is sinful.

Roasted beet salad

Fried Green Tomatoes

Pickle Board

For starters we had a roasted yellow beet salad served on top of whipped ricotta, fried green tomatoes served with pimento goat cheese and a southern pickle board. What is a southern pickle board? It is a southern charcuterie board made up of cheeses and homemade crackers, pickles and meats. All the starters were amazing.

Fried Chicken

The main course. When you go to a southern restaurant what is the first thought that comes to mind? Fried chicken perhaps? It was the juiciest, most crispy chicken I have ever had. It was made with love and I could taste it. And what goes best with fried chicken? Mac & cheese.

Sinful Mac and Cheese

There is not much I can say about this mac and cheese. It was made with butter, cream, and 3 types of cheese. It was the richest thing I have ever eaten and I still dream about it.

Hands down Table 52 is a romantic, relaxing restaurant in downtown Chicago that serves up the best southern food I have ever had. Next time you are in Chicago, try one or both of these restaurants, you will not be disappointed!

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I am a girl who loves food. I grew up with a Mom who was an excellent cook. She wrote a cookbook when I was a child, and as they say, the rest is history. Started a catering business in 2005 and haven’t looked back. I am a mom to 2 beautiful girls and I want them to love food as much as I do. In the meantime, I love life and love my job @ http://www.monicaskitchen.com

 

I love me some basil

Tags

basil, cooking, garden, summer

Summer is coming and summer to me means fresh herbs from my garden.

Every year I plant a few planters full of herbs. The standard herbs – Italian parsley, chives, sweet basil, rosemary, cilantro, thyme.. But this year I added a few new ones.

Thai Basil – one of my favorite basil’s so I knew I needed to plant it this year. I use it in my fresh spring rolls, Thai curries, and stir fries. It tastes more exotic than my regular sweet basil and looks a bit different too. Thai basil has smaller leaves and purple stems and it is delicious!

Tuscan Basil – this stuff is awesome. It is a cross between basil and fennel and it rocks! It is funky looking too, it looks like a lettuce leaf. I went to a local farm in Kanata and the lady introduced me to it. I tried it and I was hooked. So far I have used in it a steak
salad as a lettuce element, and on top
of my bolognese sauce.

My advice, don’t be afraid to experiment with new herbs and flavors. Plant some herbs and add a few knew ones to the mix. A little experimenting is always fun.