Asparagus and Eggs

1 bunch    asparagus
2 Tbsp    oil
1/2 tsp    salt
juice of 1/2    lemon or orange
4    eggs
1/4 cup    milk or cream
1/2 tsp    salt
1/2 tsp    pepper
2 Tbsp    butter

Trim the bottoms of the asparagus stalks and cut the stalks into bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and salt and toss. Cook for 4-5 minutes. In the meantime, beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in another frypan over medium- high heat. Pour in the eggs and stir slowly until all of the egg is cooked, about 3 minutes. Drain the asparagus and serve. Nice with hot buttered toast.

Quick and Simple Tomato Sauce

3 Tbsp    oil
1    onion, chopped fine
3    cloves garlic, chopped
4    very ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp    tomato paste
1/3 cup    red wine
1/2 tsp    salt
1/4 cup    fresh basil

Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic to the frypan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion starts to turn clear. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine, reduce the heat to low, cover and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. You may need to check the sauce once in awhile to make sure there is still a little liquid in the pan (if not, just add some water or more wine). Season the sauce with the salt and basil, and serve over your favourite cooked pasta.

Basic Cheese

2 Tbsp    butter
2 Tbsp    flour
2 cups     milk
2 cups    cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 tsp    dry mustard
a pinch of    paprika

Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a paste, and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the milk, a bit at a time so it doesn`t get lumpy. Return the pan to the heat and keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and starts to thicken. Stir the grated cheese, mustard and paprika into the milk mixture, reduce the heat to low and keep stirring until the cheese has melted. Great over steamed broccoli or cauliflower.

Tortilla de Patatas

2 Tbsp    olive oil
2    potatoes, cubed small
1    onion, chopped small
4    eggs
1 tsp    salt
1/2 tsp    pepper

Heat a frypan over medium heat, add the oil. Add the chopped onion and potato to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes or so. Beat the eggs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Reduce the heat to low and pour the beaten eggs over the cooked potato mixture. Cover the frypan and let the tortilla cook until the top is firm. Remove the lid and invert a plate over the frypan. Flip the frypan over so the tortilla drops onto the plate, and slide the tortilla back into the frypan and cook for 2 more minutes, uncovered. Serve wedges of the tortilla hot, cold or lukewarm.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Shrimp

2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 small tin baby shrimp, drained
zest of 1/2 lemon
sprig of parsley, chopped
salt
pepper

Scoop the tomato flesh into a bowl and mix it with the mayonnaise, shrimp and lemon zest. Add the eggs to the shrimp mixture. Season the shrimp mixture and stuff it into the tomato shells. Makes 4 tomatoes shells.

Mushrooms and Garlic

2 Tbsp    butter or oil
3/4 lb    mushrooms, quartered
1 clove    garlic, chopped
a squeeze of    lemon juice
a sprig of    parsley or mint, chopped
salt
pepper

Melt the butter in a frypan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring. Add the lemon juice and cook for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Ricotta with Honey and Nuts

1/2 cup    ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp    honey
handful of nuts (walnuts and hazelnuts are best)

Scoop the cheese onto two dessert plates. Drizzle the honey over top. Toast the nuts until lightly browned, chop them and sprinkle over the ricotta. Garnish with a pinch of oregano.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

1/2 lb    spaghetti
1/2 lb    ground beef
1    onion, chopped
2    garlic, chopped
2    green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp    tomato paste
1 19 oz    tin crushed tomatoes or 4 ripe, chopped
1 tsp    dried oregano
salt

Put the spaghetti on to cook. Fry the beef in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then add the onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste and stir it in. Add the tomatoes and oregano, bring to the boil, drain the pasta and serve. (For a thicker sauce, continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes, covered).

Banana Loaf/Muffins

2    ripe bananas
1 cup    buttermilk, or 3/4 cup milk and  juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp    baking powder
1/3 cup    vegetable oil
1/2 cup    white sugar
1/2 cup    brown sugar
2    eggs
1/4 tsp    ground cinnamon
1 tsp    vanilla
1 3/4 cup    flour
pinch    salt
butter

Preheat your oven to 375F. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then stir in the buttermilk and baking powder. And set aside. Mix the oil, sugars and eggs together in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add the spices, flour and salt and mix until well-combined. Stir in the banana mixture and pour the batter into the buttered loaf tin. Bake for an hour, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. OR, for muffins, pour the batter into a buttered muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes. (makes 6 large muffins).

Good Ol` Southern Corn Bread

2 Tbsp    butter, melted
2 Tbsp    sugar
3    eggs
1/2 cup    flour
1 Tbsp    baking powder
1/2 tsp    salt
2 cups    yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups    buttermilk

Whisk together the butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, until the flour is just mixed in. Add the cornmeal and buttermilk and stir until smooth. Pour the batter into a non-stick frypan and bake until golden, about 1/2 an hour.

Options: Add grated cheese with chili flakes; grated onion & cheese.

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