What Makes a HAPPY Marriage

29 Years ago we were peers in Kindergarten, playmates perhaps.  20 years ago we met in Civitas our freshman year in high school.  There he was, this cute boy sitting on the bleachers below me {class was in the theater room}.  All he had to do was look at me +  smile and he'd make me blush.  His smile was killer!  He wasn't the typical boy that our school was full of - he was kind, full of humor, used a suitcase for a backpack {a trend setter for our school}, an athlete, a musician + he wasn't too bad on the eyes either.  It wasn't long before our friendship started.  We remained friends for those four years ... nothing more, well maybe there was one special kiss.  Our paths didn't cross for another 3 years and again it still wasn't our time yet.  Finally, 2 years ago my love found me and we've been inseparable ever since.  I am so grateful every day that he found me ... 

So Grateful ... So Blessed ... So Fortunate   
      

"A long-lasting marriage is built by two people who believe in - and live by - the solemn promise they made." - Darlene Schacht 

People can be incredibly judgmental and negative about marriage ...  I see so much about how hard it is + how it takes so much to make it work and on and on.  I find this so disheartening.  Life is too short and I want to live and breathe happiness.  I want to positively change the tone about marriage.  Just like there is no one way to load the dishwasher, fold clothes or prepare a plate of food, there is no one way to have a perfect, happy marriage.  My marriage is perfect for me, but it is nothing like anyone else's.     

What does HAPPINESS + LOVE mean to you?

My husband means so much to me.  He's my number one fan + loves and adores me so much.  We say and text "I LOVE YOU" at least 200 times each day ... this is very important to us.  It doesn't get old, we love to say it, and we mean it.   

"The highest happiness on earth is the happiness of marriage." - William Lyon Phelps

Living a Successful HAPPY Marriage ...

Loving each other no matter what ... this means not always getting your way, letting go of your pride and ego + not always being right.   

Enjoying your wrinkles + grey hairs, appreciating every part of you, making love a lot and being fully present, having special inside jokes, saying "I love you" every day, getting to cuddle + sleep next to your best friend.

Always being there for each other, even through the bumps ...  because there will be bumps along the way, but if you have a strong foundation, you can get through them with grace. 

Having a strong partnership and commitment to each other + making this sacred.  

Having fun ... being playful, cooking together and appreciating the company.  

Patience and lots of it.  Being mindful of your mood and behavior + using kind, constructive communication.  

Making decisions together and showing appreciation.  

Marriage will thrive and flourish when you live and breathe your love and happiness for each other. 

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." - Mignon McLaughlin

This is where we got married, I love the cows in the background.

Why my marriage works for me ...

My husband and I are so deeply in love and in tune with each other.  We love being married + calling each other husband and wife.  Marriage is incredibly sacred to us and we put in the time to make it work.  We are best friends for life and have a mutual respect for each other.  If something is important to him, then it's important to me.  He loves that I put my ice cold feet on him at night and he takes pride in helping me warm up.  We talk about everything and work to not suppress our feelings + let each other know when something is wrong.  My husband is the strongest man I know and I love that about him ... yet we both allow ourselves to be vulnerable and this is a huge strength.  We do our best to listen with love and stay in the present moment ... sometimes this is hard, but if you stick to the original emotion, it's so much easier to get to the root issue.  I do my best to be a complaint free wife, this means nagging too ... it's much nicer to be grateful and just say "I love you" when those moments pop up.  Sometimes this means I have to check myself and take a deep breath and remember how much I love this man.  Kindness is so much better!  Saying a simple "How are you?" instead of complaining or nagging about something makes marriage so much lighter and happier.  We make mistakes!  Who doesn't?  We hurt feelings, usually unintentionally, but we apologize, own up to it and and move on.  

"... she's got gaps, I got gaps, together we fill gaps." - Rocky Balboa, Rocky {The Movie} 

We can get through stuck places, old patterns + fears because of our deep love and connection.  Our absolute deepest wounds do get triggered because we're deeply in love.  These things will surface when your love is true + real.  We allow ourselves to be vulnerable, go deep, be fully open + be loved ... love is so crucial when you are exposed.  We hold importance around honesty + truth.  We tell the truth even if it hurts or it's not something we want to hear, trust can only be built upon with full honesty.  We also take responsibility for our own healing and learning ... this allows us to grow together, heal + build our strengths.  This is not some safe, stagnant, roommate relationship ... we are on fire!  We have a vital love connection + make love a lot because it's important to us and our marriage.  We thrive because our connection is electric.  Our marriage is sacred, loving, wonderful, lively + filled with funny inside jokes.   

"Keep the fire lit in your marriage and your life will be filled with warmth." - Fawn Weaver     

His smile melted my heart 20 years ago and it still does all these years later. 

Happy Anniversary to the man my heart loves so deeply!

"I'm So Fortunate"

Home Is Wherever I Am With You

Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Believe it or not these delicious, big, soft cookies were a mistake. I was trying to make some of my traditional Newfoundland molasses tea buns (a sweet biscuit) and misread my own recipe. They spread way too much on the pan and got a bit crispy at the edges but stayed relatively soft at the center. I was quite irritated at the time but broke one in half and started eating it while I restarted the recipe. Then I ate the other half. Then I ate a second full cookie with some of the vanilla glaze I had ready for the tea buns. Then I began to wonder if this was a mistake at all!

My sister Barb was in town and took the remainder of the batch for her hiking group as trail fuel. They all reported that they loved them and came looking for the recipe. I quickly had to write down my error so I wouldn't forget it and well... here they are.

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 2/3 cup fancy molasses
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll out on a well floured surface to 3/4 inch thickness and cut the cookies out with  2 1/2 or 3 inch biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. The edges should just begin to brown when they are baked and the centers risen. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

If making these to store stacked or in a cookie jar I'd make a Royal Icing glaze which hardens better and is more durable. For that I use:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder and
• 3 tablespoons of lukewarm water

Beat together until well combined and fluffy, with the frosting forming soft peaks. Pipe or spread onto the cookies. Let sit for an hour or two to allow the icing to harden before storing in airtight containers.

Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Well, it may be a raining, drizzly miserable day right now in St. John's but we did manage to get some sun earlier in the week to have our first meal of the season off the back yard grill. We enjoyed these delicious pork chops which use a very simple marinade suitable for either chicken or pork. The Dijon and fragrant rosemary go very well together and I think are very complimentary to the pork chops. The touch of honey is meant to balance the tart mustard but it also helps create great grill marks and add caramelized flavor to the chops as well. It is a quick marinade and really doesn't need much more than 20 or 30 minutes before grilling.

Makes enough marinade for 4 to 6, 3/4 inch thick pork loin chops.

Marinade

• 3 tbsp whole grain Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove finely minced garlic

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together and pour over the pork chops in a glass dish or Ziploc bag. Turn the chops occasionally in the marinade.

Marinate for 20-30 minutes, covered at room temperature. You don't want cold chops to hit a hot grill or they are more likely to dry out.

Grill on a medium high temperature grill until fully cooked. I like the brush any remaining marinade over the pork chops as they grill. The internal temperature of the cooked pork chops should be 150 to 160 degrees F on a meat thermometer. (or 165-175 degrees F for chicken pieces)

Rosemary Dijon Grilled Pork Chops or Chicken

Bhapot dia Masur Dailor Pitika (Steamed red lentils mashed)...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masur Dail (Red Lentils)
• 1 clean muslin cloth or any types of clean pure cotton cloth
• 1-2 green chilles
• 1 small sized onion
• coriander leaves (chopped)
• Few drops of Mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Mustard paste/ Panitenga/ Kasundi
• Khorisa (Bamboo shoot) optional

Method:

• Wash the lentils and soak for 1 hour
• Drain the lentils and place them in the center of the muslin cloth
• Tie muslin cloth carefully with lentils as shown in the picture
• Now steam it in a steamer for 15-20 minutes or you can steam it in a pressure cooker when you are cooking rice...(just put it above the rice & water and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles)
• When done open it carefully and transfer in a bowl
• In the steamed lentils add all the ingredients and mashed it....Serve it with rice....I am sure you will love this..

Real Food Root Beer Float {How To Make + Where To Buy}

Scoops of Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream floating in bubbly Root Beer ... there's nothing like the Classic Soda Fountain Root Beer Float. 

I loved a good ole' Root Beer Float as a kid, it was one of my favorite extra special desserts.  It's the ultimate summertime drink but makes a fabulous treat anytime of the year.  There's something so nostalgic about it, a childhood memory for many ... it brings back special memories for everyone.

As a kid, I was determined to find the perfect way to make a Root Beer Float ... this took many trials which I happily gobbled up.  I made it so many different ways ... slowly pouring the Root Beer over the ice cream so it wouldn't create too much foam, placing glasses in the freezer first, making sure the root beer was extra cold, etc.  And then, I discovered THE perfect Root Beer Float.  ICE CRYSTALS ... those delicious little pockets of frozen Root Beer that form around the submerged ice cream ... that my friends makes a perfect Root Beer Float {in my opinion}.     

If you have the time to make your own Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and Homemade Root Beer, then go for it!  If that's not an option and you're craving a Root Beer Float but still want to have a healthy, REAL version ... there are some great options available.

So the question is ... HOW do you make a REAL FOOD Root Beer Float when you are short on time and just want to pick up the ingredients from the store?

WHERE TO BUY:

Root Beer

Revive Root Beer Kombucha - by LIVE Soda Kombucha {click here to find it} Raw, Organic, Creamy, Refreshing + Full of Probiotics

Virgil's Root Beer - by Reeds, Inc. {click here to find or buy here} Non-GMO, Uses Old Fashioned Root Beer Spices + Herbs like Anise, Licorice, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Clove, Wintergreen + Sweet Birch  

Vanilla Ice Cream

Jeni's Ice Cream - {click here to find} Milk from Grass-Grazed Cows, Whole Ingredients, No Flavorings + No Chemical Dyes

Straus Family Creamery Organic Ice Cream - {click here to find} Dairy from Pasture-Fed Cows that Graze on Lush Grass in Tomales Bay, CA, Non-GMO, No Gums, No Thickeners, No Additives, No Artificial Ingredients + No Coloring Agents 

Traders Point Creamery - {click here to find} Organic Grass-fed Ice Cream 

Not all of the ingredients may be "perfect" ... but compared to mainstream, highly processed, non-organic, GMO filled ice creams and root beer, these are the best Real Food options available.  


HOW TO MAKE:

• Place glasses in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill.  Optional - place scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream in the glass while the glass chills.  
• Make sure the Root Beer is very cold.
• Remove frozen glasses from freezer.  Fill with Vanilla Ice Cream.
• Slowly pour very cold Root Beer over the Vanilla Ice Cream.  Tilt the glass when pouring to create less foam.
• Optional - place floats back into the freezer for about 5 minutes, this helps develop extra ice crystals around the ice cream.    
• Serve immediately and ENJOY with someone you love!  

WANT TO TRY MAKING YOUR OWN ROOT BEER + ICE CREAM? 

Root Beer Kombucha by Hybrid Rasta Mama
Homemade Root Beer by Nourished Kitchen
Old Fashioned Root Beer by Wellness Mama 

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream by Recipes to Nourish 
Simple Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream by Live Simply 

What memories do have about the Root Beer Float?

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

Honey Dijon Pasta Salad

Honey Dijon Pasta Salad

Leftovers from the weekly Sunday roast dinner often provide sliced roast beef, ham or turkey to serve for lunch or even a quick dinner on a busy Monday at our house. Mondays are sometimes a bit of a food free for all around here. With the scattered timing all the after school and early evening activities the kids are involved in a sit down hot meal is not always possible. That's when a quickly put together pasta salad is most appreciated as fuel-to-go.

I did manage to make some delicious oven fried BBQ spice chicken on this occasion. Fried chicken and pasta salad often remind me of picnic food. With the weather as cold as it has been this week, reminders of summer picnics are pretty welcome too.

Honey Dijon Pasta Salad

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Easy Honey Dijon Pasta Salad - a great lunch item, side dish, pot luck addition or picnic take along recipe.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked pasta, (i.e. fusilli, penne, rotini...)
• 1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
• 1/2 cup deseeded cucumber, diced small
• 3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
• !/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
• HONEY DIJON SALAD DRESSING
• 1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest
• 2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper to season

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.
2. Pour over the other ingredients and toss together well.
3. Chill well.
4. Keeps a couple of days in the fridge. 

Kharoni Bhaat.....An Assamese folk way to get relief from common cold and cough......

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• Kolakhar 5-6 tsp  (Kolakhar is a traditional ingredient made by filtering water through the ashes of a banana tree, which is then called kola khar (The name derived from the locale term of Banana, "Kol" or "Kola".......courtesy: Wikipedia).

• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 1-2 green chillies
• 3-4 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp kaaljeera (onion seeds)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat mustard oil in a kadai and temper it with garlic, ginger, onion seed, chillies & kaaljeera .
• Now add cooked rice, kolakhar and salt. Mix it well and fry for 4-5 minutes.....your Kharoni Bhaat is ready to serve.

Keep in mind that before you start using any home remedies, it's necessary that you should identify the type of cough you are suffering from. Determining the type of cough will help you get the right remedies for your cough and in turn get the best results. Thank you....:)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

One of our regular readers provided the inspiration for this sinful cheesecake. She had taken our recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars and turned it into an actual cheesecake by doubling the recipe and putting it into a spring form pan.

I thought perhaps the cheesecake from that recipe might be a bit dense for that purpose so I set out to see if it would work with a creamier cheesecake recipe. I did cut back a little on the whipping cream that I normally put into a cheesecake to make it a little thicker to hold the cookie dough better and it worked very well.

The cookie dough in this recipe is the same as used in those decadent cheesecake cookie bars. It should be should be very cold when it's folded into the cheesecake batter so be sure to make it an hour or more in advance of the rest of the recipe.

Cookie Dough

Cream together very well:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Fold in just until a dough forms:

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
• pinch salt

Finally mix in:

• 1 cup chocolate chips

Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour.

Break off small nuggets of the dough about the size of the top of your forefinger. Place them on a parchment lined tray and keep chilled in the fridge. About 3/4 of these dough nuggets will go into the cheesecake batter. Reserve the other 1/4 to garnish the cheesecake after it is baked, cooled and glazed.

  
Cookie Crumb Crust

In a small bowl, combine:

• 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Press into the bottom of a lightly greased or parchment lined 9 inch spring form pan. (Grease bottom only!) Parchment paper is ideal here because it makes it very easy to release the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan.

Vanilla Cheesecake

Cream together:

• 2 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese
• 2/3 cup sugar

Add, one at a time

•  2 eggs

beating well after each addition. Add

•  2 tsp vanilla extract

Finally blend in

• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Fold in 3/4 of the chilled cookie dough pieces. Pour over the prepared base and bake at 300 degrees F for 60 - 70 minutes. The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the center at this point.

Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack (Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature. (NOT in the fridge). Refrigerate after fully cooled.

Top with chocolate ganache and vanilla whipped cream as well as the reserved cookie dough pieces.

Chocolate Ganache

In a small saucepan, heat almost to boiling:

• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Remove from heat and pour in

• 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips

Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Pour evenly over the cheesecake when it is still in the pan. Return to the fridge to let the chocolate set.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 rounded tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat to firm peaks and use to garnish the edges of the cheesecake. If you don't have a piping bag just cut a half inch opening off the corner of a large Ziploc bag and use that to squeeze the whipped cream onto the cheesecake.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Sanmiholi Xaakor logot maasor Jool (Fish curry with mix leafy vegetables)

(In this recipe I have used different types of xaak...For instance....Paleng, Khutura, Morisaa, Kosu xaak and more....)

Ingredients:

• Fried river fish- 4-5 pieces 
• Mix Xaak (leafy vegetables)3 cups (chopped)
• Onion- 1 small sliced lengthwise
• Ginger garlic paste 1tsp
• Green chilly 1-2
• Cumin Powder- 1tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Salt- (According to taste)
• Mustard oil- 2 tbsp
• Tomato- 1 chopped

Method:

• In a hot deep pan put mustard oil
• Now add sliced onion, ginger garlic paste, green chilly and fry for some time.
• Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and fry well.
• Now add the chopped xaak (leafy vegetables), salt and cook for 5 minutes. 
• Now add two cups of water and let the gravy boil.
• Cover with a lid and let it boil for another 5 minutes
• put the pieces of fried fishes into the gravy, cover the lid and put it on medium flame for about 10 minutes 
• Add lemon juice before switching off the gas . 
• Serve with rice

Homemade Khurma...A sweet delicacy

Ingredients:

• 3 cups maida (all purpose flour)
• 1 n 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• Refined oil/ghee for deep frying
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• water

Method:

• In a bowl mix maida, baking powder and 3 tbsp oil. Make a medium consistency dough with warm water. Cover and leave the dough for 15 minutes. 
• Now smooth the dough and divide in 4 parts. Smooth each part in a round ball shape. 
• Roll out the balls one by one. With a sharp knife cut it in small rectangular or square shape pieces. 
• Now heat oil for deep-frying in a pan. Fry all the pieces till brown in color and keep aside. 
• Now in a deep pan add sugar and 1/2 cup water . 
• Make a thick sugar syrup of it. When a drop of syrup dropped in a glass of water starts to thicken immediately, take the pan off the heat. 
• Add all the fried pieces and keep turning with a spoon to coat all the pieces with sugar nicely. 
• When completely dry take out in a bowl, cool and store in an airtight container.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Here's a great Easter idea that would be welcome at a weekend brunch any time of the year. We already have a great recipe for yeast raised Hot Cross Buns here on Rock Recipes but if you are dough-phobic or just don't have the time to make the traditional version, why not try this molasses version that's as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

Molasses tea buns are one of my favorites so I've used that recipe here but if you don't want the molasses version, you could try our regular Raisin Tea Buns recipe and just add the spices to that and then top those with the vanilla glaze. Either way, in about an hour you could be enjoying these at an Easter brunch or on any given weekend.

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1 rounded tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Remember that cinnamon roll crown loaf that I made last weekend? It was quite a large loaf and we had a large piece left at the end of brunch so I froze it for later in the week to use in this wonderful version of Spouse's favorite comfort food dessert, bread pudding. The light , sweet loaf turned out to be the perfect texture for a great bread pudding and as the photo beautifully demonstrates, it went very well indeed with a generous drizzle of my luscious, buttery, Homemade Caramel Sauce.

I'd use any leftover coinnamon rolls for this recipe, they should work equally well but if you want, you can find my Cinnamon Roll Couronne (crown loaf) here.

Bread Pudding

• 5 to 6 cups  cinnamon roll cubes

Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish well. Place the cinnamon roll cubes on an even layer into the greased baking dish

Whisk together:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Pour the mixture evenly over the cinnamon roll cubes, pressing down slightly to make sure all the cubes are soaked. Let stand for a half hour to for the custard to fully absorb. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes until the custard is set and no longer liquid in the center. Let the bread pudding stand for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with a generous drizzle of Homemade Caramel Sauce

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Spring Asparagus & Fennel Sauté + 31 More Asparagus Recipes

Nothing says SPRING like ASPARAGUS!  These beautiful green spears are abundant at all the farmers markets around here ... my family can't get enough.  In my home, we devour asparagus about once a week.  Get them while you can ... sadly this delicious vegetable is only around for a short time {this is a true ONE SEASON only vegetable}.   

Asparagus Tips + More:

• Aspargus is known to be excellent for supporting the kidneys + helps support digestion.
• It's a great source of folate + vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.
• It has antioxidants + some say is cancer fighting. 
• Asparagus breaks down starches + sugars quick - so make sure to eat it within 3 days of purchasing. Since it does not have a long shelf life, it is important to store bottoms sitting in water {like in a mason jar} or wrapped with a damp, clean kitchen towel to help keep it fresh. 

On to the recipe{s} ...

SPRING ASPARAGUS & FENNEL SAUTE

This side dish screams SPRING ... fresh + delicious, it won't disappoint.  

Equipment: Cutting Board, Knife, Microplane Zester or Standing Grater with Zester, Large Saucepan

{Affiliate links included help support this blog.} 

• 1 bunch asparagus, remove woody ends + cut into 2" pieces
• 1 fennel bulb + stalks and fronds, sliced 
• 1 medium-size Spring onion or red onion, sliced 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
• 1-2 tablespoons pasture butter, ghee or coconut oil {See Resources}
• 1/4+ teaspoon Celtic sea salt {See Resources} 
• 1 lemon, zest and juice 

1. Wash and prep produce. Remove woody ends of asparagus - cut into 2" pieces. Remove tough core from bottom of fennel bulb - slice bulb, stalks and fronds.  Remove outer skin from onion - slice.  Remove outer skin from garlic cloves - grate or finely mince.  Zest lemon and cut in half - set aside. 

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter or fat of choice over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion and garlic - cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. 

3. Add asparagus, fennel and sea salt - cook for about 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally {you don't want to overcook the asparagus, this dish is meant to taste fresh and vibrant}. 

4. At the end of the cooking time, add the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Stir and remove from heat.  Taste for desired saltiness, add more sea salt if needed.  

5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.    

Yield: About 4 servings.

Serving Suggestions: Delicious as is or serve mixed into your favorite pasta dish or on the side of meat/fish.  It pairs well with mashed potatoes and Celery Root Mash.  

Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


31 MORE ASPARAGUS RECIPES TO ENJOY:  

ASPARAGUS SALADS:

Mushroom, Asparagus & Egg Salad by Happy Mothering 

Asparagus Apple Salad w/ Fennel & Dill by Kitchen Stewardship 

Raw Asparagus and Mushroom Salad by Gourmande in the Kitchen 

Spring Salad w/ Shaved Asparagus & Lemon-Parsley Dressing by The Roasted Root

ASPARAGUS SOUPS:

Cream of Asparagus Soup by Fresh Bites Daily

Blended Asparagus Soup {Kid-Friendly} by Kitchen Stewardship

Creamy Leek Soup w/ Ham, Mushrooms & Asparagus by Divine Health From the Inside Out

Cream of Asparagus, Celery & Zucchini Soup by Delicious Obsessions

Asparagus Soup by Nourished Kitchen 

ASPARAGUS SIDES:

Very Simple Asparagus and Peppers by Scratch Mommy 

Roasted Asparagus by Simple Foody

Corn Off the Cobb w/ Red Pepper and Asparagus by The Organic Kitchen 

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus by Happy Mothering

Asparagus and Greens by Healthy Homemakers 

Roasted Asparagus w/ Lemon by Natural Living Mamma

Lemon & Garlic Asparagus by One Beet

Simple Roasted Asparagus by Fresh Bites Daily 

Spring in a Bowl: A Veggie Stir Fry Using the Freshest Tastes of Spring by Raising Generation Nourished

Quick Pickled Asparagus by Gourmande in the Kitchen 

Simple Garlic Asparagus Spears by Delicious Obsessions

Roasted Asparagus w/ Creamy Mustard Sauce by Fresh Bites Daily 

Cucumber Noodles w/ Asparagus + Ginger Scallion Sesame Sauce by Gourmande in the Kitchen

ASPARAGUS MAIN DISHES:

Mushroom Pesto & Asparagus Flank Steak Roll by Cavegirl Cuisine 

Crab & Asparagus Mini Quiches by Divine Health From the Inside Out

Lemony Asparagus Risotto by Oh My Veggies

Easy Gluten Free Quiche w/ Asparagus, Pancetta and Goat Cheese by Real Food Whole Heath

Spinach and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken w/ Roasted Asparagus by The Organic Kitchen

COOKING ASPARAGUS + MORE:

Preserving Asparagus 3 Ways - Freezing, Drying & Lacto-Fermenting by Common Sense Homesteading 

8 Tips for Buying & Handling Fresh Asparagus by Fresh Bites Daily 

Roasted Asparagus & Tips for Growing It by Learning and Yearning 

How to Steam Asparagus from Real Food RN 

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This post is shared at Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, Whole Food Fridays @ Allergy Free Alaska, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Allergy Free Wednesday @ The Tasty Alternative + Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop.