Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Sorry I missed you guys on Monday. I have had a major case of writer’s block and I’ve been kind of lame and haven’t tried a whole lot of new recipes lately.

I did make these delicious little bundles last week and they were a huge hit. When Joel saw me pull the asparagus out of the fridge, he immediately went into panic mode and got all wild eyed. He’s not a fan if you couldn’t tell. I quickly told him it would be smeared with cream cheese and wrapped in meat and that eased his mind a little. He tried it and actually really liked it. He even rated it as a “make again” item.

The asparagus was tender, the cream cheese was smooth and creamy and the prosciutto was salty and cripsy. A perfect combination of flavors and textures for a yummy side dish.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
recipe from allrecipes.com

1/2 pound prosciutto, sliced
12 asparagus spears
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. Spread prosciutto slices with Neufchatel cheese. Wrap slices around 2 or 3 asparagus spears. Arrange wrapped spears in a single layer on a foil lined medium baking sheet.

3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until asparagus is tender.

Happy Mardi Gras!

I don’t have any new Cajun recipes to share with you all for Mardi Gras but remember this King Cake I made last year? It’s super simple and delicious. You should totally make it!

Oh, and check out the delicious food here and here that you could scarf down if you are in the Big Easy. Mmm, just looking at those posts makes me drool.

Joel and I visited New Orleans last year for the Final Four Tournament (go KU!) and had quite the time. It was a first for both of us and we were lucky enough to see the sights as well as go to the the final three games of March Madness.  The architecture of the city was amazing along with the culture. And the smell of Bourbon Street is something I will unfortunelty not soon forget. It was great to visit and mark off the bucket list but it’s one of those places that I don’t feel like I ever need to go to again. Don’t get me wrong, it was lots of fun but the drinking, stripping, party all night scene is not for me.

To celebrate Mardi Gras, here are some of my favorite pictures and moments from our trip to NOLA.

Swamp tour. Gators. Turtles. Wanna know how to tempt out the gators? Hot dogs and marshmallows.


Mmmmm, rum tour.

Random NOLA jam session that broke in the rain. Awesome.

Bourbon Street craziness.

Beautiful doors of the French Quarter.



Street performers.


Jackson Square.

My Food Photography

I came to the conclusion recently that my photography has been lacking to say the least. I’m not going to say it’s awful but it definitely could be a lot better. Usually when it comes down to getting the photos taken, it’s about 15 minutes past starving and the boys are both hanging on me wondering when dinner is going to be done. So I end up plopping the food on the table, turning on my external flash which is attached to an umbrella, taking a few quick shots and hoping that a little photoshop editing can help. Not the best plan for a food blogger, eh?

I will say that my photography has improved as my blog has grown. Just look back at the early days and you will see what I am talking about. But it’s still not what I aspire and hope it to be.

So this year, I have made a promise to myself to only shoot in manual mode. I had been using aperture mode on my camera but I just fell into a routine and nothing was looking all that great. It’s amazing how much perspective and creativity can happen when one little switch is flipped on my beloved camera. I have had this darn thing for years and have just been terrified to use it in its intended form. But I’m taking the leap now!

You know what else? I am going to attempt to “style” my food too. Shocking, I know. I should have been doing this all along but I haven’t really attempted it because I usually just can’t find the time and Noah is always putting his little fingers into everything so it’s kind of hard to have things set up perfectly. So, I decided to plan out my shots and props while my little man is napping. I’ve been cruising blogs and pinterest for inspiration and now I am obsessed with expanding my “prop closet.”

I’m still struggling a bit with natural lighting. I would love to use it all the time but I am often taking pictures of our meal right before we eat it and it’s usually dark or getting there at dinner this time of year. I know full time food bloggers make their meals and photograph them at lunch time then reheat for dinner but that doesn’t fit the lifestyle of a toddler. Sooo, I’m working on it.

I can’t promise that everything will be gorgeous and wonderfully styled but I hope that you will see a marked improvement!

Quick Grilled Hunan Chicken

As I’m sure you already know, I am a big fan of Asian food. I made the menu for the next few weeks and about half of it ended up being Asian dishes…oops. But there is so much variety that it never seems like we are eating the same thing which is why I love it so much! So needless to say, there is going to be a lot of Asian food up in here for awhile. Yep, I just said that.

I am not a fan of hoisin sauce so I wasn’t sure how this chicken would go over but I was pleasantly surprised. The peanut butter, soy sauce and oils combined with the hoisin so that it wasn’t overwhelming but complimented it instead. It was a really great, quick weeknight meal. And it was even warm enough to grill it outside. Take that Minnesota!

Quick Grilled Hunan Chicken
recipe from food.com

4 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon hot pepper oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1. Pound chicken breasts to 1/2″ thickness.
2. Mix together hoisin sauce, peanut butter, garlic, and oil; spread over both sides of chicken.

3. Grill or broil chicken 4-5 inches from heat source until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

4. Slice chicken diagonally across the breast and serve on a piece of iceberg lettuce.

5. If you desire, serve with ramen noodles and steamed snow peas, as fast and easy side dishes.

Merry Merry Christmas

I don’t know about you but life has been crazy around here. Between last minute Christmas shopping, birthday celebrations, trips back and forth to the new house and unpacking there hasn’t been much time to breathe. So, I am taking this week off to savor this time of year with our family and friends. Noah is totally into Christmas this year which is beyond exciting for me! He tells us that Jesus was born on Christmas day and is excited to make his birthday cake. He wakes up singing Jingle Bells and doesn’t stop until he is asleep. He screams with pure joy when he finds where Kid is hiding for the day (his elf on the shelf). He has said “Noah bake Christmas cookies then Noah eat em” for a week straight. He tells everyone Merry Christmas and loves putting money in the Salvation Army bucket and ringing the bell. He is pretty awesome. So although it’s been pretty chaotic lately it has also been one of the best Christmases ever. His pure joy, love and excitement for Christmas this year is something I will always cherish and I just want to soak it up.

I will be back to my regular postings next week. Maybe I will be able to cook in my new kitchen by then. Joel, Noah and I hope you all have a wonderful and warm Christmas with the ones you love!

The Pro and His Caddies.

If you want to hear about our Halloween night or see more pictures of our little Ace, check out our family blog here!

Roasted Chickpeas

Today I am bringing you an addictive, crunchy snack that you don’t have to feel bad about munching on! Chickpeas are high in fiber, low in fat, contain important minerals and vitamins and they can naturally lower your cholesterol. That all combines to make a pretty good argument for whipping up these crunchy little morsels. And another added bonus is that they are ridiculously cheap to make.

This snack is easily customizable for any mood you are in. If you are craving Mexican you can sprinkle them with cumin and chili powder and maybe even a squeeze of lime juice! If you are going for an Italian spin, use basil, parsley and thyme. I went simple with mine by using course kosher salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper. They are surprisingly crunchy and were actually a nice replacement for my favorite snack of all – kettle chips. The salt and crispiness of these little guys satisfied everything that you crave in a chip.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Additional spices to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, rinse and dry your chickpeas.

2. Toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Add any additional spices/herbs that sound appealing to you. I kept it simple with salt and pepper but you could add anything to jazz them up. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 or so minutes, until golden and crunchy.

Spicy Crab in Cucumber Cups

I am starting my first vegetable garden this week. I gathered a lot of information in hopes that I will be successful in the square foot garden method. I don’t usually have much luck keeping plants alive so I am really hoping I can do it this time. I am going to attempt to grow zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, carrots, onions and cucumbers.

Hopefully the cucumbers will at least survive so I can make more of these because they were a huge hit. They were creamy and refreshing…the perfect summer appetizer! I love the cucumber cup idea and am thinking of what else I could stuff in there.

Spicy Crab in Cucumber Cups
recipe from Domestic Fits

3 long cucumbers
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup crab meat, excess water removed
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (Tabasco or tapito)
1 tsp brown mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. minced green onion
Garnish with chili powder or paprika if desired

1. Remove the peel from the cucumbers using a vegetable peeler. Cut the cucumber into 2 inch slices. Using a small melon baller, scoop out most of the inside. You want to leave the walls and a thick portion of the bottom intact.

2. In a bowl, combine the sour cream and the cream cheese with a fork until well combined. add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Fill each of the cucumber cups with the crab dip. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve within 2 hours of making (this is important becuase they get runny and soggy after awhile).

Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Cast Party Wednesday.

Club Sliders with Avocado Ranch

I don’t think I can express how happy I am that grilling season is finally upon us! During the summer we usually grill at least 3 times a week and I miss it terribly once the cold strikes. Grilling is so simple and everything that touches those wonderful grates turns to pure delicious-ness!

You know why else grilling season is wonderful? My time cooking gets cut in half since Joel does the majority of the grilling around here although I do enjoy getting out there too. It’s so nice to just sit on the deck and watch the ducks in the pond while my dinner pretty much cooks itself.

These little guys take a little prep with the bacon and all but I can’t complain…because it’s bacon, glorious bacon. Totally worth the extra work. While Joel is grilling, I assemble the avocado ranch and get all of the toppings ready. And don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you away. It’s a Rachael Ray recipe so it should be done in about 30 minutes.

The avocado ranch dressing is cool and refreshing on these juicy little burgers and also great as a dip for veggies or chips.

These will definitely be a regular on our menu rotation this summer!

Club Sliders with Avocado Ranch
recipe from Taste and Tell
makes 8 sliders, serves 4

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds ground turkey
1 small onion
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1 avocado
1 cup sour cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
a small handful of fresh chives, finely chopped
a small handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
16 slices good-quality white or whole wheat bread (I found slider buns at the grocery store)
lettuce leaves, for serving
2 plum or vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium high. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the bacon to the pan and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels to cool, then chop.

2. While the bacon cooks, place the turkey in a large bowl. Grate the onion on top of the turkey to get 3 to 4 tablespoons onion juice. Add the hot sauce, poultry seasoning, salt and lots of pepper. Add the cooked bacon, mix and form 8 slider patties, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide. Drizzle with EVOO to coat lightly. Cook on the grill, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. While the sliders cook, preheat the broiler (if you are using slider buns skip this step). Place the avocado in a food processor. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, chives, dill and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Process into a smooth, thick sauce.

4. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of bread (or trim 1 inch of crust all the way around the bread slices to form small squares); discard the crusts (skip if using buns).  Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler. Serve the bacon-turkey sliders with the lettuce, tomatoes and avocado-ranch sauce between the toasts.

Copycat KFC Biscuits

Biscuits fall into the “love hate” category for me. I love to eat them but I hate making them. If you follow my blog, you already know that I hate making dough of any kind because of all the kneading and messy, sticky fingers involved in the process. I just hate getting my hands dirty and half the time I forget to take my rings off until it is waaay too late. Then I have sticky, crusty rings. Lame.

Although these biscuits do require kneading, it’s not very much and they come together really quickly. And once you eat them, you will realize they are totally worth the effort and messy hands. I love the use of bisquick for its ease and the club soda for the airy texture it lends to the biscuits.

I love these as a side to any southern meal, especially fried chicken (duh). You could also throw in a fried egg and a sausage patty to make a great breakfast sandwich. That’s definitely Joel’s favorite way to scarf these down.

Copycat KFC Biscuits
recipe from Top Secret Recipes Classics

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 beaten egg
¾ cup buttermilk
¼ cup club soda
1 tsp. salt
5 cups Bisquick biscuit mix

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Combine all of the ingredients. Knead the dough by hand until smooth.

3. Flour your hands. Pat the dough flat to 3/4-inch thickness on waxed paper and punch out biscuits with a biscuit cutter.

4. Bake on a greased baking sheet for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 18 biscuits.