Just Bein' Honest

Happy Smile: the daughter read my blog today.

Consequence: she found my thanks, not cranks bracelet for me.

Oh THANK YOU sweetheart! I can't TELL YOU how MUCH I was missing it!

On the other hand, the photo on my header was taken in my VERY OWN YARD today! Spring is definitely coming!

And despite spending most of the last three days in the car, I managed to set a new high for success for me. I was making a dinner for a friend and was able to use up remaining sour cream, turkey, the last little bit of flour from a bag, a can of chicken broth, and some mozzarella cheese that was hanging around. Add a few more ingredients that I bought -- what do you think I made?

And since now you're wondering kitchen things, if you need a good recipe for asparagus, we tried a new one tonight (courtesy of America's Test Kitchen) and it is a keeper!

Pan Roasted Asparagus w/Red Onion & Bacon

Pan Roasted Asparagus

1 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
2 lbs thick asparagus spears, ends trimmed or snapped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Red Onion & Bacon
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
1 large red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T maple syrup

1.  Cook bacon in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; set aside.  Pour off and discard all but 1 T fat from pan.
2.  Return skillet to medium high heat and add onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until edges darken and onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add vinegar and maple syrup and cook until liquids reduce and cling to onions, about 2 minutes.  Transfer onions to bowl and cover with foil.  Rinse skillet with water and dry with paper towels.
3.  Heat oil and butter in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.  When butter has melted, add half of asparagus to skillet with tips pointed in one direction.  Add remaining asparagus with tips pointed the other direction.  Distribute spears evenly; cover and cook until asparagus is a bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.
4.  Uncover and increase heat to high; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until spears are tender and well browned along one side, using tongs to occasionally move spears from center of pan to edge, 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer asparagus to serving dish, adjust seasoning.  Top with onion, sprinkle with bacon.

Now I'm going to tell you how I messed this up and made it 'my own' recipe.

First, I didn't have any bacon.  I only had a little bit of left over prosciutto. I threw that in the pan, but of course it didn't take 8 to 10 minutes and there wasn't a whole tablespoon of fat left. So I put in a little olive oil and then added the red onion. Oh, that's the other thing.  I didn't take the prosciutto out, and I only had about HALF a red onion, but it was plenty!  From there I followed the recipe except for one more thing.  I went ahead and cut the asparagus spears in half. Some people in my family like tops and some like bottoms, so this way, nothing gets wasted left on a plate.

My husband had multiple portions, and I used up the last of the prosciutto, half a red onion that was left from the other night and a pat of butter that was begging for attention.  To quote Hannibal Smith: