The Green Just Called Me

Oh how lovely it was yesterday to leave the house, get into the car and actually go somewhere. Our strawberry day is always magical for us but today it took on even more sparkle. Our hope that life is slowly moving forward to some kind of normal. When paying for our luscious berries, I spied a big bunch of asparagus on a table…normally I would probably just leave it be if I happened to see some at our commissary, but the beautiful green just called to me and before you know it, it was in our car going home. I do love the vegetable…but it always seemed better suited for a real chef in a real restaurant, but what is life without an occasion culinary challenge? I’m happy to report that this recipe was a hit. Impress someone today!

The Usual Cast of Characters

  • 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) or is it really optional?
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

The steps to Glory

Step 1 Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Step 2 Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer

Step 3 Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

Here’s a helpful hint!

To remove woody ends, grab the stalk of asparagus at either end and bend until it snaps. It will naturally snap where it starts to get tough.

And the strawberries were delicious as well!

Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style. Home and garden. Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friday features. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home. Pit Stop. Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters. Sweet Inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create bake grow. . Fresh market. Faith and family. Snickerdoodle. Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday Wednesday Aim Home style gathering celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Friday Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Tuesday.

Friday Favorites #531

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Hope

Summer is right around the corner…on the agenda, summer camp, 4th of July celebrations, swimming pool time and fun family vacations to new exciting places…wait one second, not this year. As the bits and pieces of our planned summer season slowly fell off our calendar, I felt the disappointment, for myself and my family. It’s selfish I know and it is hard not to fall into mindset of “unfairness”. It’s going to be a challenging summer for everyone and , with hope, I find the rest and relaxation I’m craving. Speaking of cravings…

I am also planning to enjoy the most wonderful comfort food…Have you ever experienced Rosemary Focaccia? I mean at home, not in your favorite fancy Italian restaurant. Super easy to make and a delight to the tastebuds. You can seriously finish reading my blog, head for the kitchen and have the deliciousness on your plate in a few wee hours!

Ingredients

1. 1 envelope dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

2. 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water

3. 4 cups bread flour plus 3 tablespoons

4. 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

5. 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

6. 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon chopped Rosemary

7. 1 teaspoon sea salt

8. 2 tablespoons Dough enhancer ( a magical ingredient I just recently discovered. So far I have had rave reviews on my experiments with it. You can pay a fortune for it from a famous baking company or order it from Walmart. You won’t be sorry)

The Easy Peasy Steps:

1. Dissolve yeast in wam water in the bowl

2. Add 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup oil, and salt to the mixer.  Beat until smooth. Add teaspoon of Rosemary and dough enhancer and beat about 4 minutes. The dough will be sticky.

3. Remove dough. Sprinkle with remaining flour and knead until smooth.  Place dough in a lightly oiled pan, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour. Basically until this


Turns to this.

4. Coat 15×10 inch baking pan with oil. Press the dough into the pan.  Cover with a towel and let rise about an hour

5. Preheat oven to 475 degrees

6. Drizzle the top of the bread with olive oil. Make shallow indentations in the dough in rows using your finger tips.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining rosemary and salt.


7. Bake until the top is lightly browned, 12-14 minutes.

8. Remove the bread from the pan and cool before slicing.


9. Best enjoyed with family and friends…

…and silly little girls!

Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style. Home and garden. Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friday features. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters. Sweet Inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create bake grow. . Fresh market. Faith and family. Snickerdoodle . Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday Wednesday Aim Home style gathering celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Friday Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Tuesday. Simple homestead. Dare to share.

Friday Favorites #530

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Adjusting

The coming week is the most exciting one all year in Annapolis…usually. Things are not usual now, and to dwell on it might not be the best use of time and energy. I am sad about it, I just can’t lie. It will be hard this week, but I am choosing to concentrate on what is happening rather than what is not happening…and it’s not so bad, different but not bad. Next year we won’t take any of it for granted and that might make it even better.

We won’t have the pleasure to see 1,000 Midshipmen throw their hats into the air, but we will see how smaller more intimate groups come together in the spirit of putting the needs of others before themselves.
We won’t see the Blue Angels take to the sky over Annapolis, but we can watch them online cheering millions with hospital flyovers.
We won’t see our Main Street filled with excited crowds of tourists, but we can enjoy the stores with smaller, more local shoppers and have a chance to really talk to our local merchants.
We won’t see a stirring Memorial Day parade…
…but we can enjoy our own personal bike parade! Different is pretty nice after all.

Friday Favorites #529

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet HomeTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

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Amy at A Day of Small ThingsPin

Penny at Penny’s PassionTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jennifer at Busy Being JenniferTwitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

<a href=”http://www.simplysweethome.com/category/friday%20favorites/&#8221; target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><img src=”http://www.simplysweethome.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Friday-Favorites-Button.jpg&#8221; border=”0″ /></a>You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! Continue reading