Circle B Kitchen

Coconut-Rum Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

2013-06-17T18:22:20Z

There must be a point at which quick breads cross the line into cake territory, but I'm not sure where that line is. So I will still call this a bread, even though I know it must be inching ever so close to cake-ness.

One thing is for certain though… this bread is dang good. The recipe comes from the good people at Cooking Light, so in addition to being ever so tasty, it’s also a little lighter than your run of the mill banana bread. It does call for a whole cup of sugar, which I think you could dial back a bit if you so desired. But with only ¼ cup of butter, it’s pretty low in the fat department.

But I didn’t use butter. I substituted virgin coconut oil, which not only adds more health benefits than butter, it also ups the coconut ante, which seemed a no-brainer in this recipe.

Along with the bananas and coconut, the addition of rum and this incredible lime glaze, it all came together to create a tropical version of banana bread that’s just fun and perhaps different enough to be worthy of a place on the dessert table.

So just in case there’s room in your file for one more super delicious banana bread, you might want to give this one a try. Here’s the recipe…

COCONUT-RUM BANANA BREAD WITH LIME GLAZE

Click here for a printable recipe

This banana bread was ever so good. The only change I made was to substitute coconut oil for the butter. I softened it ever so slightly in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it worked great. And I must confess that I doubled the lime glaze and really soaked the bread with it. I have no regrets.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened (I used virgin coconut oil)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk to combine.

Place granulated sugar and butter (or coconut oil) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool bread completely on wire rack.

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Cheesy Beer Popovers

2013-06-07T12:14:21Z

If you wanted a glimpse into the eating habits of the Circle B Kitchen, you need look no further than the plethora of recipes in the appetizers section of the recipe index. It’s inordinately long compared to say, the soup section. So there you have it, we do like our finger foods here… anything stuffed, topped or dipped that can be whipped up and served with a glass of wine, sangria or a cold beer on a lazy summer evening or a cozy winter night.

So in spite of the fact that my list of appetizer recipes might be rather long, it doesn’t seem complete without a beer popover, you know? I found this on the Craft Beer website and yes, they turned out super scrumptious and qualified for a coveted spot on The Circle B list of hor d’oeuvres.

In addition to the beer in the batter, these yummy little popovers are filled with Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, green onions and fresh basil. The recipe suggests that you use a pale ale or mild English beer in these.

I used a pale ale and it was great, but I'm sure that any beer you have on hand would work just fine. To serve, just dip or top them with a little basil pesto, pour yourself a cold one and pay homage to the happy hour gods.

The original recipe is for a standard-sized popover, but I was convinced that they would make perfect little mini popovers for happy hour and I was not wrong. The other variation I have not tried (yet) was to serve these as a breakfast popover doused with maple syrup.

However you decide to serve these, you’re gonna be glad you did. Here’s the recipe…

CHEESY BEER POPOVERS

Click here for a printable recipe

These popovers can be served drizzled with maple syrup or smothered in homemade pesto. Use either a standard-sized popover or muffin tin, or to make bite-sized popovers, use a mini-muffin pan and cut back on the cooking time by about 5 minutes. If you'd like a little kick to your popovers, which we did, use spicy Italian sausage or add some cayenne pepper to the batter.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 sweet or spicy Italian sausage links
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup smoked (or regular) mozzarella, grated
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup oak aged pale ale or English mild, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 green onions, green and white portions finely sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil
salt and pepper
maple syrup and/or pesto

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray your muffin or popover pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium pan, heat olive oil. Remove sausage from casing and add to the pan. As the sausage begins to brown, add bell pepper.

Season with a pinch of salt. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant and sausage is cooked through.

Spoon the sausage mixture into each muffin tin and top with grated cheese.

Use a blender to mix eggs until frothy; add the milk, beer, flour, green onions and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture comes together. Divide batter amongst muffin tins, filling to just below the rim.

Bake on the center rack until the popovers puff up and the tops turn golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Serve immediately with maple syrup or basil pesto.

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Nacho CheeseBurger

2013-05-28T18:14:33Z

Because life is short and summer is coming and you can never have too many burgers in your grilling repertoire, I’m following up last week’s stellar salmon burger with this week’s stunning Nacho CheeseBurger. Yes, it’s a burger encore, folks, and I’m pretty excited about this one.

All credit here goes to Bobby Flay for its invention, and it’s nothing short of genius. Boy howdy were these ever good. I did end up having to make a couple of refinements to the recipe that I’ve noted in the recipe headnote. But every component of this burger, including pickled jalapenos (do not leave these out!), blue corn tortilla chips, nacho cheese sauce and a delicious salsa contributes something special and combine beautifully to create this southwestern nacho-esque burger extravaganza.

If I didn’t know it before, I am completely convinced now that Mr. Flay is a master of creating extraordinary balance of flavors and textures. The creaminess of the cheese sauce serves as a perfect foil for the spicy salsa which is offset superbly by the pickled jalapenos. Adding the crunch of blue corn tortilla chips is just, like I said, genius. I have to admit that I cut back on the amount of heat in the salsa recipe, but if you’re one of those who prefers to have your hair explode in flames, go ahead and add the full chipotle in adobo called for.

At first glance, these burgers may look like a bit of work to put together, but both the salsa and cheese sauce can be made a day or two ahead, leaving you with just the grilling and assemblage on the day of.

So once you have your components all ready, here’s how to assemble these puppies…

Place your burger on the bottom bun, top with the nacho cheese sauce, that yummy salsa, pickled jalapenos (do not leave these out!) and then some blue corn tortilla chips and the bun topper. Then grab a whole bunch of napkins; you’re gonna need ‘em. Here’s the recipe...

Nacho CheeseBurger

This is simply one of the best burgers around. Each component brings something special to the party. The only problem I encountered with the original recipe was that the cheese sauce turned out too thin. I have reduced the amount of milk to 1 cup instead of 1 ½ and it comes out just right. I made a few other changes which I’ve noted in the recipe below. Oh, and here’s a little tip for working with chipotles in adobo that a reader shared with me. After opening the can, I run the whole thing through the blender (well, not the can), and place in a sealed container and back into the fridge. To use, 1 tablespoon equals about 1 chipotle pepper.

Click here for a printable recipe

Salsa:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced (I used ½)
3 plum tomatoes, finely diced
2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt

Nacho Cheese Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
6-8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese
Salt freshly ground
pepper

Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (I used ground turkey)
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Sliced pickled jalapeños and blue corn tortilla chips, for topping

MAKE THE SALSA
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt.

MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook over moderate heat for 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the Jack cheese until melted, then stir in the pecorino; season with salt and pepper. Let cool until spreadable.

MAKE THE BURGERS
Light a grill. Form the ground meat into 4 patties and brush with oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat until browned outside and medium within, 4 minutes per side. Place the burgers on the buns, top with the cheese sauce, salsa, jalapeños and chips, and serve.

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Bacon-Guacamole Salmon Burgers

2013-05-23T16:31:30Z

The weather here has finally warmed up, the trees are leafing out and I’m happy to say that after 7 long months, we’ve at last been reunited with our grill. To celebrate, I decided to grill up some burgers, but got it in my head to throw some salmon on there instead. (I may or may not have been feeling too lazy to thaw out the ground meat and form them into burgers).

Well, folks, don’t let people tell you that laziness doesn’t pay off sometimes, cuz this “burger”, while a cinch to make, is better than any I’ve had in a while. Oh, wait, no, there was that bison burger my son made for us last summer that totally knocked my socks off. But not counting that one, this is my new reference point for burger deliciousness.

Now, before you burger purists get your panties all in a twist, I DO know that technically this is not a burger. But it’s just too good to simply be called a sandwich. No, it’s grilled, it’s on a hamburger bun, it’s ludicrously delicious and I’m callin’ it a burger.

So here’s the easy part… grill up some skin-on salmon filets; mix up some guacamole, cook up some bacon so it’s crispy; heat up some burger buns (preferably on the grill).

Then just layer it all up on those slightly charred burger buns, slathering on as much guacamole and bacon as you’d like, and place the other bun on top of it all. Admire your handiwork… and then I think you can take it from there. Here’s the recipe…

Bacon-Guacamole Salmon Burgers

Click here for a printable recipe

When grilling salmon, I always keep the skin on so it doesn’t dry out on the grill. It makes a ton of difference in the flavor too. After you grill the salmon, the skin will just slide right off. You can use your favorite guacamole recipe for this, adding as much heat to it as you like. I think a little heat is great with the salmon. Your call.

Serves 4

4 6-oz salmon filets (skin on, pin bones removed)
8 slices of cooked, crispy bacon, cut in half
Guacamole (recipe follows)
4 hamburger buns

Guacamole:2 ripe avocados
¼ cup finely minced red onion
1/3 cup tomatillo salsa
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Chopped jalapenos to taste (optional)

Remove the seeds from the avocados and mash, leaving a few little chunks. Stir in the remaining ingredients and taste for salt, adding more salsa or lime juice if needed.

Set the grill to medium high heat and brush with oil. Brush the tops of the salmon filets with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Grill the salmon skin-side down for 5 minutes and then turn over and grill skin side down for another 4 or 5 minutes, depending on how thick your fillets are. You really don’t want to overcook them! When the salmon is just cooked through, remove from the grill. The skin will just slip right off.

Heat the buns, cut side down on the grill for a couple of minutes.

Schmear a generous amount of guacamole on each bottom bun. Top that with two halves of the crispy bacon. Place a salmon filet on top of the bacon and then a little more guacamole on top of the salmon. Top that with a couple more bacon halves and then the top bun.

Serve with lots of napkins.

Enjoy!

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Circle B Coconut Pudding

2013-05-16T21:44:15Z

Like most people, I’m all about ethereal desserts redolent with salted caramel or exotic fruits, speculoos-infused pastries or French macarons layered with some decadent ganache, but you know, sometimes you just want a bowl of pudding. And here's one classy little pudding that isn’t so hip that it can’t deliver a truly comforting spoonful of homey deliciousness.

A few weeks back I had a craving (yes, another one of those) that I just couldn’t put my finger on. I absolutely knew I wanted pudding, but I so seldom indulge my sweet tooth, that I seemed to have lost the art of interpreting its signals. OK, yes, I get it, you want pudding, but what KIND of pudding?? After numerous attempts to point out just about every pudding recipe I had and repeatedly receiving the negative head nod, I pulled out my recipe for coconut pudding and finally got it. The big YES! Coconut pudding was definitely IT!

I love this recipe. And I love this pudding. I love it plain with just a bit of toasted coconut on top, but I also love it with a little layer of chocolate inside and maybe a few chocolate shavings mixed on top with the toasted coconut.

The big question when I went to make it was whether or not to put coconut IN the pudding. In the end, I opted to keep the pudding smooth and creamy and just add coconut on top, and I think it’s best that way. But if you prefer, you can stir a little coconut into the pudding itself for an extra boost of coconut flavor and texture.

The added bonus is for those who might be lactose intolerant… we’re making this entirely with coconut milk – no dairy. There are eggs, so we can’t claim to be vegan here. But if you would like to use a vegan egg substitute and leave out the butter, you’re good to go.

So just in case your sweet tooth cravings are trying to lead you to something creamy, luscious, simple and homey with just a bit of sophistication, here’s just the thing….

CIRCLE B COCONUT PUDDING

Click here for a printable recipe

This pudding comes out super luscious and creamy. I've combined a couple of recipes to create it, but there are a couple of options for you to consider. The first is whether or not to add shredded coconut to the pudding. I prefer to keep the pudding smooth and creamy, but if you'd like to add a little more coconut flavor and texture, you can stir some into the pudding. I've also added a layer of chocolate, which, of course, makes this yummy and decadent. A few chocolate shavings on top makes it pretty speical. Coconut extract really boosts the coconut quotient, but try not to use coconut flavoring which has a more artificial flavor to it.

Serves 4

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups lite coconut milk (about 1 1/3 cans)
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract (not flavoring)
1/2 cup coconut flakes, divided

1. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Very gradually whisk in cocnut milk,taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.

2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and s tir the butter, coconut extract, and vanilla into the hot pudding.

3. Pour the pudding into individual ramekins or dessert cups, or you pour it into one large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

Toast the coconut on a small sheet pan in a 375 degree oven for about 5-6 minutes. Keep a close eye on it because it can burn quickly. Stir once or twice if it starts to get too brown around the edges.

If using the one-bowl method, before serving, whisk the pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes. Top with toasted coconut.

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Meatless Monday Cheese-y Zucchini Black Bean Skillet

2013-05-10T14:16:15Z

Here’s a stellar example of Meatless Monday at its finest… easy, healthy, simple, delicious, and as an added bonus, we’re going to do it all in one pan so your clean-up is going to be minimal.

But the best part really is how good it is. And you know it must be good or it wouldn’t be showing up on this blog. Perhaps it does sound a bit, you know, pedestrian; perhaps a tad mundane, but I assure you it is not. We love it ever so much.

Every time I make this (and believe me, it’s often), I wonder and marvel that these few, simple ingredients have created something so surprisingly tasty. Alchemy at its finest. A perfect example of “the thing being more than the sum of its parts.” A can of black beans, a can of tomatoes, a bit of chopped pepper, some red pepper flakes, zucchini, some rice and the whole thing topped with cheese. Perhaps it’s the little kick from the red pepper flakes, but whatever, I could eat it all day.

And that brings me to its next virtue. You really could eat it all day. Everything in here is good for you, so feel free to help yourself to seconds. And I promise you will want seconds.

As if that’s not enough (because really it is), the whole thing gets cooked in one pan! What’s better than super cinchy clean-up, I ask you?

AND here’s an added bonus about cooking the rice. My favorite rice for this is brown jasmine rice and we all know that brown rice takes a little longer to cook than white rice. I use my rice maker, but that can take 45 minutes. When pressed for time, I just bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Dump in between 2/3 and ¾ cup of brown rice (jasmine or basmati are lovely in this). Let it boil away, partially covered for about 22 minutes. When it’s tender, drain it like you would pasta and throw it in the skillet with the rest of the ingredients. It will be perfect, I promise. I mean, how easy it that?

So let’s see, we’ve got healthy, easy, quick, simple and scrumptious with very little clean-up. I guess my work here is done. Here’s the recipe…

CHEESE-Y ZUCCHINI BLACK BEAN SKILLET

Click here for a printable recipe

There are so many great things about this dish, not the least of which is the fact that you can have it on the table in like 20 minutes (even faster if you already have your rice cooked). And yet a word of warning... do not leave out any ingredients. You might think that you don't like green pepper, but you MUST have the green pepper. There is an alchemy that is created here between these ingredients that is truly more than the sum of its parts. Oh, and if your diced tomatoes don't seem to have much juice, you can add a little chicken broth to the mix if you like.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I use brown jasmine rice)
1-1/2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini (baby zucchini are wonderful here)
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper (I add a little more)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I add a little more)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup chicken stock (optional)
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup grated Cheddar, and/or jack or any good melting cheese(I add a little more)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, garlic, crushed red pepper and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and undrained tomatoes. (adding a little chicken broth here is optional -see headnote)

Increase the heat to medium high and add the cooked rice. Stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese, replace the lid until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy.

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No-Bake Almond Date Bars

2013-04-29T19:09:21Z

A couple of months ago my daughter offered me one of these date bars she had just made (she found the recipe here), and since that moment, I kid you not, my refrigerator has not been without a container of them. As soon as we get down to one or two left, The Husband starts getting nervous and anxious and biting his nails and I have to assure him that I really am about to make the next batch.

I’m eating one right now while I’m typing this, just to get me into the most optimal state to explain their deliciousness. Because boy howdy, are these ever good. Like really really good and super easy to make.

There are only 5 ingredients and you will do no baking. You will need a food processor, however, and a knife to chop a few dates, but that's about as complicated as it gets.

Five ingredients and none of them is sugar. And I promise you will not miss it. There is a small amount of coconut oil in the recipe, but other than that, we’re talking almonds, oats and dates. It just doesn’t get much better than that, folks.

But let’s talk about dates for a moment. For this recipe you really must use Medjool dates. I have tried it with regular pitted dates and believe me, it’s just not the same. This is just one of those instances where size matters…

And flavor. Medjool dates are just so much more date-y tasting and basically luscious and if you want your date bars to be luscious, you will have to hunt down some Medjools. I have found them at both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, but most large-scale stores carry them these days.

So basically we’re just going to process almonds, salt, coconut oil and dates together to create the top and bottom layers of the cookie bars, then puree dates and water together for the filling. And then assemble thusly…

Line your baking dish with parchment paper...

Divide the ground almond mixture in half and press half of it into the bottom of your pan..

Spread the date puree over the top of the ground almonds...

Top that with the rest of the ground almond mixture...

And refrigerate. I would recommend a couple of hours minimum in the fridge, but one hour will do if you’re in a panic.

There just aren’t many cookie bars in this life that make you feel good about eating two or three (or six), but here’s one that you can eat with impunity. Or a good cup of coffee. Here’s the recipe…

NO-BAKE ALMOND DATE BARS

Click here for a printable recipe

Recipe from OhSheGlows

Be sure to use Medjool dates in this recipe. Regular dates do not work as well. And to make these gluten-free, just use gluten free oats.

Crust:
1.5 cups whole raw almonds
1.5 cups regular oats (old fashioned)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
10 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil

Date filling:

25 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped (~2.5 cups)
1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Line a square pan (I used 8in x 8 in) with two pieces of parchment paper going opposite ways. In a food processor, process the almond, salt, and oats until a fine crumble forms. Now add in the dates and process until crumbly again. Melt the coconut oil and add to the mixture and process until sticky. You can add a tiny bit more oil if the dough is too dry. Remove from processor, set aside 1/2 of the mixture for later, and press the rest of the mixture very firmly and evenly into the pan.

2. Grab your pitted and roughly chopped dates and water and process in the food processor until a paste forms. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl often. You can add a tiny bit more water if needed, but you want the paste quite thick. Scoop out the date mixture onto the crust and gently spread with the back of a wet spatula until even.

3. Sprinkle on the reserved half of the mixture you set aside and gently press down with fingers. Refrigerate in the fridge until firm for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Cut into squares and serve. Store in the fridge or freezer.

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Lasagna Rolls

2013-04-26T16:40:51Z

I recently came across another food blog in which the author mentioned that the recipes presented in her blog were not the dishes that she cooked on a daily basis. They were dishes that might intrigue or inspire, but the food cooked at home did not make it onto the blog. She also mentioned that the recipes and dishes posted on the blog were often never made again.

I thought that was interesting, (and totally cool, by the way), but it got me to thinking that I wanted you to know that the recipes here on the Circle B Kitchen blog are exactly what I cook every day. This is a collection of my recipes and what I cook for breakfast, lunch or dinner on any given day. Of course there are a few recipes that I might reserve for special occasions, but for the most part, this is the food we love and the food I love to cook.

And speaking of things I love to cook... that brings me to today’s installment of one of the Circle B Kitchen’s favorite recipes…. Lasagna rolls!

Lasagna rolls may or may not be easier to make than one big lasagna, but they’re certainly easier to serve; they’re a fun departure from the traditional and just different enough to make it a great dish to serve to guests or if you want lasagna for just one or two people.

The ingredients are more or less the same as traditional lasagna, but this is how we assemble it…

Just spread each cooked lasagna noodle with the ricotta cheese mixture,

Then top it with some cooked Italian sausage and a little more grated cheese and roll it up.

Place each roll in a baking pan that has been coated with a little marinara sauce. Top each roll with a little more sauce and grated cheese and bake until heated through and bubbly.

If you’re only serving a few people, you can do these in individual gratin dishes, or easily fill a large baking dish for a crowd.

So there you have it, people…. Easy to make, easy to serve and incredibly luscious lasagna rolls. Here's the recipe...

LASAGNA ROLLS

Click here for a printable recipe

These are very simple to put together and a fun way to serve lasagna without worrying about whether it will fall apart when you cut into it. You can easily leave out the Italian sausage if you would like to make this a vegetarian main course. Because of its simplicity, be sure to use high quality ingredients. I like to use Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio cheese blend and of course, some homemade marinara sauce. Enjoy!

Serves 5-6

10-12 lasagna noodles
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
12 oz Italian cheese blend (see headnote)
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (or remove from the casings), cooked and crumbled
2 – 3 cups marinara sauce

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions (I cook them just a little under that) in boiling, salted water to which a little olive oil has been added. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

Mix together the egg, the ricotta cheese and grated cheeses and set aside.

To assemble, spread a little marinara sauce in the bottom of your baking dish.

Working with one lasagna noodle at a time, spread enough of the cheese mixture the length of the noodle, up to about one inch at the end. Top that with a sprinkling of the cooked Italian sausage and then a little grated cheese. Working from the cheesy end, roll the noodle up over the filling and place in your baking dish, seam side down. Continue with the rest of the noodles.

Top the filled noodles with marinara sauce and a sprinkling of the grated cheeses and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Springtime Asparagus

2013-04-18T23:36:27Z

They say it’s spring…“they” being the people who don’t live in the Midwest. I’m sure there are many of you enjoying sunshine and flowers and green trees and colors other than brown and gray. I don’t actually know that, but I have to believe that somewhere the calendar is telling the truth, and that the poetically lovely version of April is happening somewhere. At the moment, we’re “enjoying” the decidedly unpoetic and rather dismal version of April that includes snow, wind and 32 degree afternoons in which the sun is something we remember from some distant time that just isn’t now.

But we soldier on… The calendar says it’s spring, so we shall have asparagus!! Despite the weather, somebody out there is growing asparagus and I, for one, will have as much of it as I can. So if, like me, you need asparagus in your life right now, here are some of my favorite ways to indulge in spring’s firstborn…

We will begin with my very favorite way to eat asparagus. It’s as simple as it is indulgent and can be from fridge to plate in a matter of minutes. For each person, you will need 3 or 4 asparagus spears and 1 egg…

Saute the asparagus in a little olive oil (or butter), salt and pepper for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it is as cooked as you like. A nonstick pan is best for this.

Remove the asparagus to a plate and crack the egg(s) into the pan.

Cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still a bit runny, about 4-5 minutes.

Place the egg onto the asparagus, season liberally with salt and pepper. A little grated parmesan on top is wondrous.

Nextly is a new asparagus recipe that I recently happened upon and that we really liked. In this one, you dip each asparagus spear in egg whites, then in a super tasty mixture of almond flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Then you just spray them with cooking spray and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. De-lish!

Lastly, might I suggest that you roast or sauté some asparagus until tender-crisp, place them on your plate and then top with goat cheese and crumbled bacon. You will be ever so glad you did.

If you’re in even worse shape than I am and need even more asparagus recipes, here are a few from some past posts that are divine and sure to bring spring sunshine into your life…

Asparagus roll-ups

Linguini with Asparagus pesto

Asparagus with New Potato Salad and Buttermilk Dressing

And here's the recipe for the Almond-Crusted Bake-Fried Asparagus Spears

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Marinated Artichoke Hearts

2013-04-11T19:14:02Z

From the “Why make your own when you can buy them?” file I thought that today we would talk about marinated artichoke hearts. I will start by saying up front that I'm not a big fan of marinated artichoke hearts in a jar. At least not the ones found on most store shelves. If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know how much we here in the Circle B Kitchen love artichokes, and marinated artichoke hearts can be incredibly awesome, but up until a few weeks ago, my enjoyment of them has been pretty hit and miss.

It thus became obvious that I had to take matters into my own hands, and thanks to Saveur magazine, I have found the marinated artichoke heart that I think I’ve been wanting, missing and looking for. And, as it turns out, I also found out why I haven’t so much liked the ones from the jar.....flavor! As in missing. None. Nada. Totally lacking in.

Because these babies have flavor! And to create a flavorful marinade for our artichoke hearts it really doesn’t take too many ingredients… in addition to good extra virgin olive oil, we’re using lemon juice, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper. Just combine everything but the lemon juice in a pan with your artichokes, simmer briefly, let them cool, add the lemon juice and either serve them right away or store in the fridge. I keep a jar in the fridge and add to it when it starts to get low.

Now what to do with our beautifully flavorful marinated artichoke hearts? Some favorite applications include tossing into salads; topping pizzas; stirring into pastas; layering into sandwiches (so good!); topping crostini; they’re great in omelets; stuffed into chicken breasts, baked into quiche or breads. And, of course, we can’t forget the ubiquitous artichoke/spinach dip.

I just like eating them out of the jar. Here’s the recipe…

MARINATED ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Click here for a printable recipe

Recipe courtesy Saveur Magazine

I have used both canned and frozen artichokes in this and they work equally well. Adjust the lemon juice and/or red pepper flakes to suit your tastes, and as for storing them, I keep a jar in the fridge and replenish as needed.

1 9-oz. box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (or the equivalent of canned)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Rinse artichoke hearts under cold water. Combine artichokes, oil, salt, thyme, oregano, and chile flakes in a 1-qt. saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, 10 minutes.

2. Let cool to room temperature and stir in lemon juice. Serve or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week.

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