Asparagus Gratin

1 lb thin asparagus

1 1/2 cups water

S&P

1 T butter

1 T flour

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup monterey jack cheese

Bring water to a boil and boil asparagus for 5 minutes

Add asparagus to a skillet, cook stirring occasionally 2-4 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to baking dish.

{keep asparagus water you boiled them in}

Melt butter in now empty skillet over medium heat,

add flour and cook, stirring constantly until. Cook until thickened about 3-5 minutes

Turn heat off whisk in part of each cheese.

Use reserved asparagus water to thin out

cheese mixture as you go along.

Season with S&P.

Pour cheese mixture over top of asparagus in baking dish.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and place in

broiler for a few minutes, watch carefully.

You just want to turn the cheese brown.

{I have not made this yet, but I may use Shirley J mix to make my cheese sauce}

Carver's Salad

Ingredients:

1 small bunch baby spinach

1 head romaine lettuce

1 16 oz. bag craisins

1 cup sliced almonds, *roasted

1 golden delicious apple, sliced or cut into pieces

Honey Cider Dressing:

3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons honey

6 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 ½ Tablespoons finely minced onion

1 ½ Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

¾ Cups Oil

Directions:

Honey Cider Dressing

In a small microwave safe dish or in a saucepan, heat cider vinegar and honey together until honey dissolves.

In small bowl whisk mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together until smooth

Add in onion, fresh parsley, honey and cider vinegar then whisk together until combined.Whisk in the oil to emulsify then chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Salad:

In a large salad bowl, toss lettuce, apples, craisins and *roasted almonds. If eating immediately, toss the salad with dressing and serve.

Notes: To toast almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pre-sliced almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and put in the oven for 10-20 minutes. Watch them closely to be sure they do not over roast.

Chicken and Veggie stirfry

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts cut real thin

5 cups raw veggies cut into strips

Sauce:

3 T soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 packet dry Italian dressing pack

pour 1 T of sauce in saute pan and saute chicken, when cooked add veggies and remaining sauce.

Serve over rice

{90 second Uncle Ben's brown rice is perfect for this}

*the sauce is the key to this very tasty dish