Welcome to My Kitchen

Old family recipes are the best. A friend recently noted that grandma's recipes are often a list of ingredients, with few or no instructions. The recipe sharer assumed you knew what to do with the ingredients.

Many shared recipes of the past were seasonal in nature. As various foods came in season, cooks exchanged recipes to utilize the bounty. Local asparagus season will soon be here, and Marilyn Fink, the grandma in the above conversation, shared her recipe for Pickled Asparagus soon after we moved to Odessa. The recipe has two lines of instruction. I have expanded the instructions for readers who may be new to water bath canning.

Pickled Asparagus

Asparagus

6 cups water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 Tbsp pickling salt

1 1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper

6 cups vinegar

1 Tbsp cayenne pepper

Dill weed

Garlic cloves

Wash and drain asparagus stalks. Trim tough ends from stalks and cut length to fit in jars. Pack in tightly. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon dill weed and 1/2 clove garlic, sliced, to each jar.

Combine water, sugar, salt, black pepper, vinegar and cayenne pepper in a large kettle and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, bring water to cover jars, to a boil in a water bath canner with rack.

Ladle the hot brine into the asparagus filled jars, tipping the jars to remove any air bubbles. Make sure brine comes to within 1/2 inch of the rim. Wipe rims with a damp paper towel. Place new canning lids and rings on jars and screw firmly finger tight.

Carefully place filled and capped jars in boiling water bath and process 5 minutes for pints, 10 minutes for quarts.

This amount of brine is generally enough for 6 quarts, and it usually takes about one pound of asparagus per quart.

Fresh Asparagus, Tomato and Chicken Penne came up in the "My Food and Family" e-newsletter. Tomatoes aren't in season yet. Chicken thighs were what was on hand, and macaroni substituted for the penne. This recipe is being added to my collection of "What to Make for Dinner When You Don't Know What Make" recipes. This recipe can accommodate dozens of substitutions.

Fresh Asparagus,

Tomato and Chicken Penne

3/4 cup whole-wheat penne pasta, uncooked

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 pound thin fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

1/2 cup chopped onion

6 ounces (3/4 of an 8 ounce package) cream cheese, softened

2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook penne or preferred pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.

Meanwhile cook and stir chicken in a large skillet over medium heat until pink is gone, add asparagus and onion and cook another 7 to 8 minutes until chicken is done and asparagus is tender crisp.

Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. In a medium saucepan, whisk cream cheese, Italian seasoning and the cooking water over low heat until blended. Add to chicken mixture along with the drained pasta and cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add tomatoes, mix lightly. If sauce is too thick, thin with a bit more cooking water until desired consistency. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Note: fresh green beans would work in this recipe. Also, I used the whole package of cream cheese. Tomatoes would add color and tangy flavor, but this is a summer-tomato-only kitchen.

Frittata Primavera, an asparagus filled dish, has the structure of a breakfast casserole, minus the bread, but works well as a luncheon main dish or dinner selection. Fruit salad and soft dinner rolls would complete the meal. This recipe originally came from a Precious Ricotta Cheese magazine advertisement.

Frittata Primavera

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup, peeled and diced potato

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 cup sliced, small white mushrooms

12 ounces cooked, fresh asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch pieces, tips reserved

1 cup diced, cooked ham (optional)

12 large eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp dried

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet. Add potatoes, onions and mushrooms, cooking over medium heat until tender. Add asparagus pieces and ham.

Season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture in prepared pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cheeses, half and half, parsley salt and pepper. Stir in beaten eggs until well combined. Pour egg mixture over mixture in baking dish. Top with the reserved asparagus tips. Bake 45 to 55 minutes until middle is set. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 10 to12 servings.

Note: cooked fresh green beans could be substituted in this recipe. Also, this recipe can be easily cut in half if fewer servings are needed.

White vinegar, 1/4 cup to 1 gallon water, as a 10-minute soak for fruits and vegetables will reduce the bacteria that causes spoilage and make your fresh produce last longer. No, they won't taste like vinegar. You will be amazed at how long berries will last after a vinegar soak. Drain or pat dry all produce before storing.

– Share your favorite asparagus and spring produce recipes by sending them to Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa WA, 99159, email them to therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Follow "Welcome to My Kitchen" on Facebook. The ground is warm enough for direct seeding of vegetable gardens, but there is still time for starting tomatoes and pepper seeds indoors.