A Simple Summer Salad

This has become a favorite lunch of mine. With the fresh asparagus, lemon zest and salty tang of Parmesan, it's the perfect combination. Aren't the colors wonderful? I cook the asparagus stove top in a little olive oil, which makes its own vinaigrette when you add the lemon juice. You also could roast them in the oven or if you have a grill, you could do the asparagus outside and serve this as a first course for supper.

Warm Asparagus Salad
Found in Very Fond of Food by Sophie Dahl

Ingredients:
12 asparagus spears
2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:
Boil the eggs about 4 or 5 minutes, not completely hard boiled. Plunge into cold water and peel.
Cut the tough ends off the asparagus and heat the grill or a pan on the stove to high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and grill the asparagus until brown and done, about 5 minutes.
Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with the Parmesan, zest, salt and pepper. Arrange the eggs on top and sprinkle with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil.
Serves 2.

The Picnic Game: Baked Beans

Did you ever play the picnic game as a child? Well, Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations is hosting a virtual Picnic. In order to participate in the Picnic Game, each blogger chooses a letter and brings a dish that begins with that letter.  Join in the fun!

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing.....

A: Artichokes Steamed and Dressed with Mayonnaise from Mae at Mae's Food Blog

And my letter is B: Baked Beans
 
Be sure to visit Louise next weekend for all the other letters and their matching dishes!

Ah yes...I remember when I used to spend two days making perfect baked beans. And every once in a while I still make them from scratch. But my mother, because we did a lot of picnicking on the boat, knew tons of shortcuts for picnic foods. These baked beans are a perfect example. The ingredients were never written down, but I've been making it forever so did some guesswork for this post. Just eyeball it and if you need or want more of anything, add it. Obviously, we love bacon. We never cared for soupy baked beans either; you'll find these just right: they won't leak sauce into all the other items on your plate. 

Mother's Speedy Baked Beans

Ingredients:

2   28 ounce cans Baked Beans
(I used original pork and beans; nothing fancy)

1/2  pound  bacon, diced, raw, diced

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup light brown sugar

Method:
Drain both cans of beans slightly; just the juices on top is enough. (The brand I used to use is not available at my market anymore. I didn't have to drain those.) Pour 1 can of beans into a casserole. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon dry mustard, then about 1/4 cup light brown sugar. Pour in the other can of beans and cover with 1/2 cup ketchup and the raw diced bacon. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 oven for an hour or until bacon is crisp and the beans bubbly.

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

These simple cupcakes are little gems, especially if you like pecan pie. The batter is very fluid and as the cupcakes bake, the pecans rise to the top just like a pecan pie. The bottom of the cupcake is very moist and tastes like maple syrup. You must use cupcake liners and allow them to cool, although I gave in at the warm stage and tried one. As long as you peel the liner off carefully, all will be well. These are super to take along for picnics or backyard grilling.

Impossible Pecan Pie Cupcakes
From Baking Bites

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

3/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups chopped, toasted pecans

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter until light. Whisk in eggs, followed by maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

Add in flour mixture and whisk until flour is very well incorporated and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

Divide pecans evenly into prepared muffin cups. Pour batter over pecans. Batter should just cover the pecans in each muffin cup.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cakes are set and spring back when gently pressed.

Cool on a wire rack. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before removing wrappers.

Makes 16.