Food
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Cel, 00brating Green -Asparagus
I was researching ideas
for the March column--
St. Patrick's Day recipes
were what I had in mind.
As I looked for ideas, I
By Virginia Sasser
Journal Food Editor
them, dunk the tips in and
out of water several times
and then rinse thoroughly.
Trim or break off any
tough ends.
are a nice garnish for this
dish.)
Quick Asparagus
Quiche
2 (10 ounce) packages
frozen cut asparagus,
thawed and drained
1 pound fully cooked ham,
chopped
2 c Swiss cheese,
realized that around St.
Patrick's Day I had shared
a-ira.of my favorite Irish
t'gres or recipes that
'eli green in color with
Journal readers. What
could I feature that I
hadn't used before?
When I came across
a folder of asparagus
recipes, I decided that
asparagus was a green
spring vegetable that I
had never featured in The
Journal. Maybe it is not a
typical St. Patrick's Day
vegetable, but it will be
in season soon and it is
green !
Asparagus is grown in
green.houses year round.
Garden varieties are
usually available in our
area during the months of
April and May. Asparagus
is an excellent source
of folic acid, vitamins
A, C and K, and disease
fighting antioxidants.
Canned asparagus has
about half the nutrients
found in fresh asparagus.
When buying fresh
asparagus, choose bright
green spears that have
smooth skin and firm
1; -.,i. 'i Aparagus will
keep two"0r"three days in
the .!;efrigerator if stored
prolgrly. Trim or break
off'the butt end of the
spears and refrigerate
loosely covered, upright,
in a couple of inches of
water, or wrap the ends in
wet paper towels and store
in an unsealed plastic bag.
Prepare asparagus for
cooking by rinsing under
cool, running water. If the
tips have dirt or sand in
Asparagus can be shredded
roasted, grilled, stir-fried V2 c onion, chopped
or broiled. Microwaving 6 large eggs
2 c milk
and steaming asparagus 1 V2 c buttermilk baking mix
retains more nutrients 1 T dried parsley flakes
than boiling. I hope you % t pepper
will find a tasty way to use
asparagus this spring.
Roasted Asparagus
Makes 3 cups
2 pounds asparagus
Y c olive oil
/ c Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Trim asparagus and toss
to coat with oil. Place a
single layer in a baking
pan and sprinkle with
Parmesan cheese. Roast
for 8-10 minutes.
Asparagus with
Mustard Sauce
Serves 4
1 pound fresh asparagus
3 T sour cream
2 T mayonnaise
1 t prepared mustard
1 t lemon juice
1/ t hot sauce (optional)
Dash paprika
Snap off tough ends
of asparagus. Arrange
asparagus in a vegetable
steamer over boiling
waftr.- =,.-Cover and steam
for 6 to 8 minutes or
until crisp-tender. In a
small saucepan, combine
sour cream, mayonnaise,
mustard, lemon juice and
hot sauce. Cook over
medium heat to a boil,
stirring constantly. Cook
and stir for 1 minute.
Transfer asparagus to
a serving dish. Spoon
sauce over asparagus and
sprinkle with paprika.
(Sliced hard-cooked eggs
In two greased 9-inch pie
plates, layer the asparagus,
ham, cheese and onion. In
a medium bowl, beat eggs
well. Add milk, buttermilk
baking mix, parsley flakes
and pepper. Mix well.
Divide mixture in half and
pour over asparagus layers in
each pie plate. Bake at 375
for 30-35 minutes or until a
knife inserted near the center
comes out clean.
What is a Quiche? Quiche
(KEESH) is a savory, open-
faced pastry crust pie with
a savory custard filling of
cheese, meat and vegetables.
Asparagus
Guacamole
2 c asparagus, steamed
and chopped
2 V4 t lemon.juice
3 T onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
% t salt
/ t freshly ground black
pepper
Y t chili powder
1/ t cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash hot sauce
1/3 c sour cream
Tortilla chips
Blend all ingredients in
a blender until smooth.
Transfer to a glass bowl,
cover tightly and refrigerate
several hours or overnight.
Serve with Tortilla chips.
Asparagus Strata
1 pound asparagus
Food Festival Winners Told
Eighty-nine homemade
goodies were entered in the
recent Payne County Okla-
homa Home & Community
Education Food Festival
held Friday, February 10th.
Seven OHCE groups had
complete exhibits in the
show. Jodelle Stout, Chero-
kee, made the Champion
Cake with a chiffon cake;
Rita Breuninger, Lunch
Bunch, made the Champion
Bread, with her white yeast
tiread; and Nola Ellington,
Floral Valley, made the
Champion Pie, a fruit pie.
Reserve Champions in the
divisions were Nicole Byrd,
Elm Grove, with a German
chocolate cake; Daleene
Caldwell, Pine Vale, with
other specialty yeast bread;
and Marolyn McDuff,
Cimarron Valley, with a
pecan pie.
Group awards were given
according to placing of
exhibits. 1 st Place--Lunch
Bunch; 2 " Place--Pine
Vale; 3 d Place (tie)--Rising
Star and Floral Valley; 5 th
Place (tie)--Elm Grove and
Cherokee; and 7 th Place--
Cimarron Valley.
Placing "Best of Class" in
Rita Breuninger (left) received' Champion Bread on her
white yeast bread and Daleene Caldwell received Reserve
Champion Bread on her other specialty yeast bread at the
Payne County OHCE Food Festival. Photo provided
the respective classes were
those winning champion and
reserve champion as well as:
Angel Food Cake, Marilyn
• Barto, Rising Star; Choco-
late Cake, Carla Westfall,
Cimarron Valley; Fruit or
Nut Cake, Bonnie Kelty,
Rising Star; Italian Cream
Cake, Gloria Hesser; Lunch
Bunch; Novelty Cake Mix
Plus, Leslie Torres, Floral
Valley; Wheat Yeast Bread,
Rita Breuninger, Lunch
Bunch; Cinnamon Sweet
Yeast Rolls, Janet Wilson,
Pine Vale; Sweet Specialty
Yeast Bread, Pat Kerns,
Lunch Bunch
The Food Festival is hn
annual event of the Payne
County OHCE. This year
the event was conducted
by Cimarron Valley OHCE
group serving as the county
committee for the event.
For information about vis-
iting an OHCE group or
joining OHCE, contact the
Payne County OSU Coop-
erative Extension Center at
(405)747-8320.
1 T butter
V= c chopped onion
1 t curry powder
4 bread slices
1 c sharp Cheddar cheese,
shredded
1 Y= c milk
5 eggs, slightly beaten
Y= t salt
/a t pepper
Prepare a 2 quart
rectangular baking dish with
non-stick cooking spray. Set
aside. Cut asparagus into 1 to
2 inch pieces. Set aside. In
a medium skillet, melt butter
over medium heat. Add
onion and saut6 until tender.
Add asparagus and curry
powder. Saut6 2-3 minutes
more until asparagus is crisp-
tender. Arrange bread slices
in bottom of prepared baking
dish, cutting bread to fit as
needed. Spoon asparagus
mixture everdy over bread.
Sprinkle cheese over top.
In a medium mixing bowl,
combine milk, beaten eggs,
salt and pepper. Pour over
cheese. Cover and refrigerate
for several hours or overnight
or until milk has soaked into
the bread slices. Bake in a
preheated 375 F oven for 25
to 30 minutes or until center is
set. Let stand a few minutes
before cutting to serve.
What is a Strata? Strata is
a bread pudding-like layered
comfort food casserole made
with eggs, cheese and stale
cubed bread (or sometimes
hash browns). The strata
is assembled ahead of time
by layering ingredients in a
casserole dish and chilling
overnight or for 8 hours
before baking. A popular
one-dish brunch dish, strata
can also be made as a side
dish. To the basic recipe, you
can add infinite combinations
of vegetables, fish or meat.
Strata is eaten warm.
Easy Asparagus
Casserole
2 c asparagus, steamed
and cut into bite-sized
pieces
1 can condensed cream of
mushroom soup
1 can water
2 c coarse cracker crumbs
1 c Cheddar cheese,
grated
Y= c slivered almonds
1/3 c butter
Prepare a 2 quart baking
dish with non-stick cooking
spray. Steam asparagus and
cut into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the can of soup with
the water. Set aside. Mix
cracker crumbs and cheese
together. Layer the prepared
the cracker/cheese mixture,
asparagus and almonds.
Repeat layer. Pour the soup
mixture evenly over the
layers. Dot with butter. Bake
in a preheated 350 degree
oven for 25-30 minutes.
Asparagus Frittata
4 servings
1 pound asparagus,
trimmed and cut into 1 inch
.pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 t olive oil
2 T fresh parsley, minced
1 Y= c egg substitute
5 T shredded Parmesan
cheese, divided
,,a t salt
1/8 t pepper
/ c Cheddar cheese,
shredded
Steam asparagus until
crisp-tender. In an ovenproof
skillet, saut6 onion in oil until
tender. Add parsley and
asparagus. Toss to coat. In
a small bowl, combine egg
substitute, 3 T Parmesan
cheese, salt and pepper. Pour
over asparagus mixture in
skillet. Cook over medium
heat for 8-10 minutes or until
eggs are nearly set. Sprinkle
with remaining Parmesan.
Place uncovered skillet in
broiler, 6" from heat, for 2
minutes or until eggs are
set. Sprinkle with Cheddar
cheese. Cut into quarters.
Serve immediately.
(6 whole eggs may be used
instead of the egg substitute.)
(What is a Frittata? Frittata
is an egg based dish similar
to an omelet, enriched with
additional ingredients such
a meats, cheese, vegetables
or pasta. It may be flavored
with spices or herbs.)
Chicken Asparagus
Casserole
1 medium onion, chopped
/ c butter
1 can (10 % oz) condensed
cream of mushroom soup,
undiluted
1 ounce can mushroom
pieces, drained
1 can (5 ounces)
evaporated milk
2 T pimentos, chopped
2 t soy sauce
V t pepper
1.4 t Tabasco sauce
2 c Cheddar cheese,
shredded
5 c cooked chicken, cubed
12 ounces asparagus,
frozen and thawed or fresh;
cut into bite-size pieces
3 T almonds, slivered
In a large saucepan, saut6
the onion in butter until
tender. Stir in the cream of
baking dish with half of mushroomsoup,mushrooms,
.... ' ....... '!i
evaporated milk, pimentos,
soy sauce, pepper and
Tabasco. Stir in shredded
cheese until melted. In a
greased, shallow 2 ½ quart
baking dish, layer half of
the chicken, asparagus and
cheese sauce. Repeat layers.
Sprinkle with almonds
and bake uncovered at 350
degrees for 25 minutes or
until bubbly.
Asparagus
Casserole
2 pounds fresh asparagus,
trimmed, cut into 1-inch
pieces
V= stick butter, cubed
/a c flour
2 c milk
V2 t salt
/a t pepper
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1 c Cheddar cheese,
shredded
1 c crushed potato chips
In a large sauce pan, bring
½ inch of water to a boil. Add
asparagus; cover and boil
for 3 minutes or until crisp-
tender. Drain well; set aside.
In a large sauce pan over
medium heat, melt butter.
Stir in flour until smooth.
Gradually add milk. Bring
to a boil over medium heat;
cook and stir for 2 minutes
or until thickened. Add salt
and pepper. In an ungreased
11 x 7 inch baking dish, layer
half of the asparagus. Cover
with half of the sliced eggs,
shredded cheese and sauce.
Sprinkle with potato ChiPS.
Bake, uncovered, at 350
degrees for 30 minutes or
until heated through.
(Crushed French's French
Fried Onions may be
substituted for the potato
chips.)
Asparagus Pasta
Salad
1 pound fresh asparagus,
cut into 1 V2 inch pieces
16 ounces tri-colored spiral
pasta, cooked and drained
1 c cooked chicken, diced
1 c cooked ham, diced
1 medium tomatoes,
seeded and chopped
Y c black olives, sliced
1 Ya c zesty Italian dressing
1 1/2 t dill weed
Steam asparagus until
crisp-tender. Cool. In a large
bowl combine asparagus
with remaining ingredients;
toss to coat well. Cover and
refrigerate for 3-4 hours or
overnight.
Virginia Sasser taught family
and consumer sciences at Per-
kins Tryon High School for 25
years, and was state advisor
for Oklahoma FCCLA.
