Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

This is such a great side dish to any meal. I made this one in the picture at Christmas time (it looks like a wreath) So cute!

Here is what you need:

2 bushel of asparagus
1 package of prosciutto
2 cups Parmesan
1 red onion

Pre heat oven to 350

Cut the "woody" portion of your asparagus off, or let it snap naturally as you bend it.
Wash your asparagus and let dry on paper towel.

Thinly slice your red onion
*cut onion in half then slice 1 half of the onion thinly (they will look like red onion crescent moons)

Next lay out you prosciutto onto a cookie sheet.
Lay about 4-6 asparagus per prosciutto slice onto the prosciutto. (OR just evenly adjust your amount so that each roll up has an even amount.

Next to the asparagus lay 3-4 slices of red onion.

Roll these babies up!

Place in oven for about 15-30 (turning once) min until done. You want the prosciutto to get a slight crisp to it.

When they come out sprinkle with as much or as little Parmesan as you like.

To make it a Christmas wreath place in a circle and add chopped tomatoes. This would be an awesome addition to spread around a turkey for presentation!

*** also for any left overs: chopped up and add to scrambled eggs or egg whites, so good!

ENJOY!!

Muffin Tin Meatloaf

 Here is what you'll need.

1lb ground beef
1/2 lb Spicy Italian ground pork
(you can honestly make this with any ground meat)
1 zucchini diced
1 red or yellow pepper diced
1 large onion diced
Seasoned bread crumbs (about 1 to 1 1/2 cup)
1 Large Egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Ketchup
2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
4 russet potatoes peeled, boiled, mashed. (will need butter and milk for mashed potatoes)

Seasonings: (all of these added to your liking)
Red pepper flakes
Italian grinder (mix of italian spices i.e. rosemary, thyme, etc
Salt & Pepper


What now???

Pre-heat oven to 350

In a skillet on MED/ MED HIGH heat sauté onions, peppers, and zucchini until soft.
Let the veggies cool while you begging to mix the rest…

Take your meat and place in a large bowl.
Next you'll add in:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 Egg
2 good squirts of ketchup
Minced Garlic
Worcestershire sauce

Now the fun part…get in the with your BARE HANDS and squish it around, I promise you'll love it.
Once it all seems to feel well incorporated add in the cooled veggies and seasonings and do it again!

If the meat mixture feels too wet, add more of the seasoned bread crumbs.

Muffin tin tiiiiime!

Fill your tins….. like so:

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes to an hour depending on your oven, size of tin/meatballs.

When the mini meat loafs are about 10 min from done, top with some ketchup like so:

While your meat loafs are baking away prep your mashed potatoes (if you like mashed potatoes with your meat loaf)

Peel your 4 russet potatoes, chop into small (not too small) pieces that will boil quickly.

Once cooked until for tender, drain water from potatoes.

Place potatoes back into pot on low heat. Add as much butter as you want. I end up adding 1/2 a stick. add in about a 1/2 cup of milk and start mashing. Add more milk if potatoes look dry…then salt to taste. 

LET COOL enough to handle:

Next: scoop mashed potatoes into a gallon size ziploc bag.

Squeeze potatoes to one side and snip the corner off. 

Once your Meatloaf is cooled you can swirl on some of those yummy mashed potatoes. It's sort of like frosting a cup cake, except its potatoes and your cake is made of delicious meat!

Afterwards you can place it all back in the oven to warm up before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Fall Wreath (She's Craaaaaftay!)

Making a wreath is very easy and inexpensive. I spent $25 at Michaels to make this wreath. I still have left over materials. I bought a wreath there and all the trimmings. All you need is a glue gun, a bit of paint if you use a letter, and a bow maker if you want a fancy bow. The two owls were originally supposed to be ornaments that hang. Have fun!!!

Below is the before. Trimmings only at this point.

The bow below.

 A lil instagram final photo shoot ; )

Refrigerator Pickles

4 medium cucumbers ( or 6-8 Persian cucumbers) sliced very thin

2 teaspoons of salt

    Combine sliced cucumbers and salt and let set at room temp for 1 hour.

    Drain

1/2 C rice vinegar

1/4 C sugar

1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or black)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon salt or less if desire

Refrigerate 3 hours before serving

Makes an excellent fresh cucumber salad

Will keep well in refrigerator and served as pickles

I add chopped red onions sometimes. It gives a nice additional flavor. 

Purple Pickled Eggs

Hard Boiled Eggs:

6-8 eggs (large)

Medium pot

Vinegar (2 tablespoons)

Gently place eggs in pot

Fill with water until just covering the eggs.

Turn the burner onto high.

Drop in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar

Let the eggs boil until it's at a rolling boil for one 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Once at a boil TURN OFF HEAT, but leave pot on burner....COVER the pot with lid and leave it alone for 20 min.

Once 20 min is up drain pot, run over with cool water.

Get a large bowl (big enough for 8 eggs and some ice cubes and water.

Throw those eggs into the ice bath in the bowl. Place in fridge for at least 20-30 min. 

DRAIN....PEEL, set aside

NEXT: 

3 cans of PICKLED BEETS, I like the sliced kind best.

DRAIN the liquid into a jar or tupperware you don't mind getting potentially stained. (I used an old pickle jar...seemed fitting. 

To the jar filled with pickled beet juice add:

 2 table spoons vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1tsp salt

A couple dashes of pickling spice

DROP your hard boiled eggs into that purple bath.

Like so........

Next you should let them soak for at least 4 hours min. They are best after 24 hours +. You can leave these for about a week and a half in a cold fridge.

They will look like this above, a nice deep purple is what you want. You can eat these babies just as they are with some salt.....

SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD...... OR

Make deviled eggs with them! Recipe to follow soon!

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings (boneless)

These are SIMPLE!
DELICIOUS!
aaaaand if you didn't guess it already, completely 100% boneless ; )

Supplies:

1 bunch cauliflower (chop in florets (mini trees)
1 oven, preheated to 350
1 jar Frank's Red Hot WING SAUCE
garlic/herb seasoning
extra virgin olive oil
S&P (salt and pepper, not the female rap group...not this time)


1) Take cauliflower florets, place on baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO, and S&P. Toss to coat. Bake for about 10 min or until soft & a bit roasted.

Take out of oven and toss with Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce (half the jar). (let sit in sauce on pan for about 5 min, to really get all the sauce soaked up. It's like a hot sauce hot tub!

Then sprinkle with roasted garlic and herb seasoning
TOSS
BAKE (5-8 more) min. Toss once mid way through.

Take out of oven and enjoy with some bleu cheese dip or ranch!

Gnarly Guinness Shepherd's Pie

This one I started out with 2 steaks slow cooking in brown gravy for 8 hours....I know that's a lot of fore thought and work (Not necessary, but worth it)

I browned 1 POUND GROUND BEEF (set aside and let cool)
1 back frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 packet brown gravy
5 russet potatoes peeled and chopped (to make mashed potatoes)
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 large onion
1 big boy beer EXTRA STOUT Guinness (you'll need a little more than half for the dish, and the rest for the cook)
LARGE DEEP baking dish.

Brown your ground beef, add chopped onion and cook till tender. (set this aside and let it cool)
Make your gravy-follow package instructions, once prepared add to ground beef/onion mixture in pan.
ADD: Salt & Pepper and anything else for spice that you like. I added garlic & red pepper. Next add Guinness to this and let simmer until thick. Add the Guinness in slowly to make sure you don't make it too liquidy (yes it's a new word)

Next start your mashed potatoes.
Peel, chop, plop (into boiling water till soft)
Drain
MASH  do the moooonsta mash... ok no just mash the taters.(add in about a 1/2 cup milk and a few tablespoons of butter to help it get creamy)

Get you baking dish....LARGE/DEEP...Rachael Rays casserole dish is PERFECT for this dish.

Add in the meat, gravy, Guinness mixture of heavenly yumminess!
Add the bag o' frozen (now thawed) veggies.
Now top with mashed potatoes

Bake at 375 for 20-25 min

Take out and add cheddar cheese mixture to the top

bake an addition 10-15...until cheese is bubbly, gnarly, and oozing love.

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