alexandria cemetery

Our Sunday evening stroll last week was at the Alexandria National Cemetery. It's only five minutes from our house and we had never been! I love wandering around old cemeteries and this particular one is beautiful. The girls busied themselves collecting wild strawberries and Oliver was happy to roam around on his own and investigate the headstones.

Harrie + Harriet. And how about a name like Urquhart Ansley.

color-coordinated.

Asparagus Week!

My seven-year-old self (or more likely my age 3 to 20-year-old self) would be horrified to know that I have a slight obsession with asparagus. It took many years, but I finally came to love those green spears. A few weeks ago I declared it to be "Asparagus Week" at our house, much to the dismay of Amelia and Elsa (my seven year-old-self sympathized). I tried lots of yummy recipes, some old favorites and some new discoveries. There are a few combinations you can never go wrong with: asparagus + egg and asparagus + goat cheese. And prosciutto never hurts.

Avocado and Asparagus Egg Sandwiches
from Better Homes and Gardens

1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed
2 Tbsp butter
4 eggs
8 slices white, wheat, brioche or any yummy bread, toasted or grilled
8 slices crisp-cooked bacon

In a small bowl mash avocado with lime juice; set aside. Blanch asparagus. Drain. Finely chop three of the asparagus spears and stir into mashed avocado; set aside remaining spears. Melt butter in large skillet and break eggs into skillet. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook eggs to your liking. Spread avocado-asparagus mixture on four slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt. Layer bacon, egg, asparagus spears, and remaining bread. Makes 4 sandwiches.

 

Asparagus Chicken Penne Pasta Salad

My friend Sarah (who is also the source of most of my favorite recipes) introduced me to this delicious pasta salad several years ago.

4 boneless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 c. dry penne pasta
1 c. asparagus, cut into pieces
1 large ripe tomato, cut into chunks
1/4 c. chives, snipped into ¼” pieces

Basil Vinaigrette:
1/3 c. white wine vinegar              
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil                                
1 Tbsp capers
2-3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped       
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar                                     
1 clove garlic, crushed

Make basil vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients. Set aside.

Rinse and dry chicken breasts and rub with 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill on range top grill, browning well on both sides.  Grill for 3-5 minutes per side.  Check for doneness, being careful not to overcook.  Cool and cut chicken into ¾-inch chunks.  While chicken is grilling, cook pasta al dente in salted water.  Drain and place in large bowl.  Pour vinaigrette over pasta.  Add chicken and stir well.  Steam or parboil asparagus in salted water until al dente.  Add to pasta; along with tomato.  Stir well.  Sprinkle chives over salad, toss lightly and adjust seasoning.  Serve at room temperature.

I generally stick with a "less is more" philosophy when it comes to pizza toppings, but the flavor combinations in this pizza can't be beat.

Pizza with Prosciutto, Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions
(The other half is another favorite: apples and cheddar.)

Your favorite pizza dough (I used this recipe)
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
Prosciutto
Red onion (or white or yellow), cut in thin slices
Goat Cheese, crumbled
Mozzarella

Roll out pizza dough. Spread a little olive oil on the dough. Wrap prosciutto around asparagus spears and arrange on dough. Add onions and a little brown sugar to skillet and cook onions until caramelized (you don't have to use brown sugar but I think the sweet is a nice balance with the salty prosciutto). Sprinkle the caramelized onions, goat cheese, and mozzarella on pizza. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes.

 

Roasted Asparagus Fontina Pita Melts 
(Another amazing recipe from my friend Sarah.)

1 pound asparagus spears, thinly sliced on bias
1 cup sliced red onion or Vidalia onion
2 oz chopped prosciutto
1 Tblsp virgin olive oil
1 Tblsp freshly chopped dill
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
4 Greek-style pita breads
6 oz Fontina or Gouda cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375*. Cut asparagus about 1 ½ to 2 inches long on the bias. Combine with onion, prosciutto, oil and dill in medium roasting pan or oven-proof skillet. Mix to coat ingredients with oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes to roast evenly. Remove from oven.

Take sliced cheese and put in between halves of pita bread. Put in oven and roast for a couple of minutes until cheese in melted & pita is warm. Evenly distribute roasted vegetables in between halves of pita bread & cheese. Serve warm. Serves 4.

Quinoa, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Salad
Adapted from Lindsey at Perfecting the Pairing

Salad:

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
2 Tb olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup quinoa
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
5 green onions, chopped
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tb olive oil
1 ½ Tb white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
½ tsp sriracha sauce
Dash of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Toss your asparagus in 2 Tb of olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a prepared cookie sheet and roast in the oven until cooked through and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Once the asparagus is cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions (I just cook mine in a rice cooker).

In a small bowl or jar combine the dressing ingredients, stir or shake until combined.

In a large bowl combine the red pepper, tomatoes, green onions, roasted asparagus pieces, and cooked quinoa. Stir gently to combine. Toss in salad dressing, taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with crumbled goat cheese.

Asparagus Hash

Throw together diced potatoes, onions, and cooked pancetta in a skillet. Toss in roasted asparagus and top with a fried egg. A slightly runny egg makes the hash even better!

Roasted asparagus and Warm Goat Cheese on Flatbread

Spread some goat cheese on flat bread (I used Trader Joe's rustic ciabatta flatbread but even a simple baguette is yummy.) Warm it in the oven for a few minutes then top with roasted asparagus.

 

Not pictured: Egg salad with asparagus and dill, served open-faced on toasted bread. And of course plain old asparagus, roasted or grilled.

hiking with millipedes.

My friend Jessica found out about a trail at the Thompson Wildlife Management Area that is known for its beautiful wildflowers, especially large-flowered trillium. I suggested we load up all of the kids in my car on Tuesday afternoon and check it out. I never tire of driving out I-66 West and watching as the traffic eventually starts to thin out and the countryside opens up. I love having such close access to both city life and country life.

We found the trail head and the kids found their walking sticks. We immediately noticed the beautiful trillium lining the trail and covering the forest floor. There were many other flowers as well and a lot of butterflies. (And no mosquitoes!) I love the fresh green at this time of year.

We hadn't made it very far on the trail when we spotted a millipede. The kids reacted with so much excitement. We soon discovered that the trail was full of millipedes. I never thought I could be so grateful for millipedes. As it turns out, they are an excellent motivator for hiking. Elsa in particular yelled with excitement every time she found another millipede. Which was often. Oliver enjoyed his time in the backpack but was eager to explore freely when we finished the hike. It was so satisfying to see the kids having fun experiencing nature. And I know what you're thinking. Shouldn't Amelia be in school? Meh.

millipede examination.

We came across this one, lone lady slipper orchid on the side of the trail. It seemed like such a magical find.

Throwing gravel in the parking lot was a great source of pleasure.