Garlic-Balsamic Asparagus

There's not much new going on with Jonathan and me. We're just trying to enjoy a few laid-back weekends before this fall gets CRAZY! Anywho, this is a quick, tasty side item that can accompany lots of different dishes:

1 pound asparagus
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wash asparagus and snap woody ends off the bottom of each stem. In a small bowl, combine satl, pepper, olive oil, and garlic. Drizzle over asparagus and toss to coat.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the baking sseet. Drizzle any remaining oil and vinegar mixture over the asparagus.

Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, turning once.

Faux-Fried Squash

Here's one of my favorite ways to cook summer squash. This is a recipe I sort-of made up based on lots of recipes I had seen.

4-5 medium squash, sliced
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Combine breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Put sliced squash in a separate bowl and toss with some olive oil to coat. Dip each piece of squash into breadcrumbs, coating both sides. Place on a baking sheet, and cook in preheated oven for around 20 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

One of my sweet friends is getting married soon, and some of the girls in our class threw her a couples fiesta shower. I made these jalapeno poppers, and they were gone in about 2.3 seconds. I literally turned around and the plate was empty, and that made me happy. I liked that they weren't very spicy at all but were savory and creamy. Here's the recipe (found on Pioneer Woman's cooking site):


20 whole fresh jalapenos (about 2-3 inches in size)
2 blocks light cream cheese, softened
1 lb. thin-sliced bacon, sliced into thirds

Note: Wear gloves while removing seeds and membranes from the jalapenos, or your hands will be burning for hours like mine were (literally 6 hours on fire!!). Cut jalapenos in half, lengthwise, and remove the white membrane and seeds. Smear cream cheese into each pepper half, and wrap with bacon piece. Secure with a toothpick.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven on a pan with a rack for 20-25 minutes (use a pan with a rack so that the grease from the bacon can drip off). Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to crisp the bacon.