by on April 28, 2014   •   38 Comments Soups/Stocks/Stews

Spring Ramp, Radish & Spinach Soup

As much as I love the hearty sugar shack fare we enjoy during sugaring off season in Quebec, I’m ready to lighten up for spring.

Last weekend, we had one final maple-coated feast, which we were privileged to enjoy with Alana and family, who were passing through town. Cider-glazed ham, maple baked beans, tourtiere, and heaps of roasted asparagus with ramps kept us around the table for over an hour. Then dessert – maple taffy poured on a slab of snow from my chest freezer – kept us at the table a while longer.

Later, the children scattered to play a board game while we lingered over coffee and discussed blogging, cookbook writing, food and family. It was wonderful to have a slow afternoon, with no nagging thoughts about what I should be doing instead. Since handing in my manuscript for Brown Eggs and Jam Jars, I’ve been reveling in the spare hours and the respite from the enormous project.

It’s a new season, both out and about on the homestead, as well as in my work life of blogging and book writing. Today’s soup recipe feels like a cleanse, and in many ways it could be squarely placed in the detox camp. I wholeheartedly believe in spring cleaning my body with real foods, so consider this the beginning.

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by on April 14, 2014   •   10 Comments Dinner

Roasted Asparagus with Buttery Lemon Breadcrumbs

Our traditional Easter dinner is looking a little different this year.

My beloved first born’s birthday happens to fall on Easter Sunday, so we’re shifting things around to make space for both special occasions. My sister-in-law is hosting a multi-family dinner on the Saturday night of the holiday weekend, and I’m taking on Easter brunch the next day, reserving dinner later that night for Ben’s birthday celebration.

Seeing as he’s in charge of the menu that evening, I imagine we’ll be dining on pulled pork, poutine, and donuts for dessert, a decidedly un-Easter meal if there ever was one. In an effort to make up for it, I’m planning a buffet of seasonal spring foods for the brunch earlier in the day.

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by on March 10, 2014   •   13 Comments Pantry & Spotlight Ingredients

For the love of Asparagus (Recipe Round Up)

There is a light at the end of the Winter tunnel! Spring is just around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited. Never mind that there are snowflake flurries whirling just outside my window as I write this, I am still dreaming of blossoms, and sunshine, and Spring produce finally making its appearance.

As one of the first fresh Spring vegetables to make its appearance in the farmer’s market, asparagus is also one of my favorite Spring produce items. It’s a burst of much anticipated green after the long winter.

Asparagus is delicious even at its simplest, lightly steamed, grilled, or sauteed, and eaten plain. Yet it is also a versatile vegetable that adds a lot of nutrition and flavor to soups, tarts, pizzas, and more! You can even can it to enjoy long after spring ends.

Here’s a round-up of some of our favorite Simple Bites recipes for Asparagus. Also, check out this post for tips on selecting the best asparagus and instructions for how to trim it.

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by on June 10, 2013   •   47 Comments Breakfast & Baked Goods Quick Bites

Breakfast in minutes: One-Pan Crispy Bacon and Roasted Asparagus with Baked Eggs

Our weekend farmer’s market outing was a soggy affair, the kind where you dash through the droplets, a child in each hand, and make a beeline for the tarps. It was not the time nor the place to leisurely stroll from stall to stall admiring the butter tarts and the goose eggs; instead I headed straight for the asparagus.

I picked up two fat bundles, thinking I would -finally- get a batch of pickles put up, but the asparagus didn’t last more than a few hours in my kitchen. On Sunday, as the water dripped down off the porch roof and I faced yet another chilly, wet day, I wrenched open the fridge and pulled out bacon, eggs – and the local asparagus.

We needed something substantial and beautiful to beat the weather blahs. Strong coffee is good and all, but it only does so much. This quick breakfast of crispy bacon, eggs, and roasted asparagus hit the spot and I’m a little shy to admit that Danny and I polished off the entire pan between the two of us.

Later on the sun came out, but at that point, the weather didn’t matter anymore.

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by on April 24, 2013   •   62 Comments Dinner

Asparagus Goat Cheese Galette

Asparagus Goat Cheese Galette on simplebites.net

Written by Allison of Some the Wiser.

Until recently, I thought pie was one of the best things life had to offer me. Pie, in all its shapes and sizes, is incredibly delicious. However, I’ve always wondered about the old saying “Easy as Pie” because the only thing that is easy about a pie is the eating of it.

Then, I discovered the galette. It’s like a pie but, I dare say, it’s better and perhaps even a bit easier than pie. The crust is buttery and flaky, but it’s not as finicky as pie crust and is pretty in its own simple, rustic way.

Best of all, you can fill it with any number of delicious fruits or vegetables, meats or cheeses, and the galette will be the star of the meal.

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