Summer is Coming! And this is about food.

In an effort to inject a little personality into this blog, I am writing about something other than sewing, cutting, and gluing. 

I was walking around Trader Joe's the other day with an incomplete food list...very dangerous.  But, like the nerd that I am I was calculating the price of everything being tossed into the cart to stay within my $62.35 budget.  Unfortunately, I went over the budget by $0.70 (dang you CRV tax and bad math) but I wasn't so bummed out because I bought some seasonal items for tasty summer dishes.


Potato, Squash and Goat Cheese Gratin courtesy of The Kitchn



Classic Basil Pesto by Sunset Magazine



Sauteed Beets with Mustard and Lemon Juice from 5 Spices 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate 


All of these look SOOOOOO good.  (I own 5 Spices 50 Dishes, and I really like the book.  It is an easy way to cook Indian food...5 spices is all you need.  The dishes are quick, easy and delish.)  

Here is a quick dish I prepared last night.  I am all about quick, one bowl dishes.  It makes my life easy and I don't have to be in the kitchen for hours.  And, Hubby actually told me he liked the dinner, so it must have been good. 

Asparagus and Sausage Rice (super creative name)
(Serves two, or one very hungry person)

Time:  15 minutes (if the rice is already cooked)

Olive oil
10 Asparagus stems cut into one inch pieces (smaller, thinner asparagus)
2 Garlic cloves minced
2 Chicken Apple Gouda sausages (or whatever precooked sausages you like) sliced in half and then in 1/4 
     inch pieces
Cilantro minced - as little or as much as you like
1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of Brown Rice
Soy Sauce to taste
Pepper to taste
Sriracha to taste

In a skillet over medium heat sautee asparagus in oil until just before your prefered tenderness.  Add the garlic and continue sauteeing until garlic is golden brown and/or until the asparagus is tender.  Drizzle soy sauce to season (I made one drizzle pass across the pan).  Add the sausage and cilantro and heat through.  Add the rice and mix all of the ingredients until heated through.  Add pepper and Sriracha to taste.  Perform a taste test and adjust flavors as necessary.  Place into two bowls and enjoy!

~Leslie