Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Perfect Pairing:  Easter dinner

37 days!!  37 days until I am a married woman.  I can hardly believe the wedding is so close.  I apologize to everyone in my life who encounters me, because I seem to have forgotten how to discuss anything but the wedding.  Blogging and choreographing new Zumba routines have also moved to low priority.  Stick with me!  I will be back.  There are actually be a few food related wedding items in the works, and I plan on writing about them here.  So many fun things.

Speaking of fun things…. My bachelorette party.  Holy smokes, was that a great weekend!  I was overwhelmed when 23 beautiful ladies joined me to celebrate finding the most amazing man. 

The weekend included a fun game night (wedding themed Cards Against Humanity) with my out of town besties.

A private Zumba class with all of my favorite routines and ladies.  Before and After.

Nails!

Then an incredible cocktail party, lingerie shower, dinner, and night on the town.

Of course we had amazing food!

My incredible Maid of Honor!

This about sums it up.  My feet still hurt.

This is a cooking blog, right?  Right!  Prosciutto wrapped asparagus!!  I made these bundles for the man alongside some killer meatloaf and they were amazing. 

Asparagus is quickly blanched in boiling water and then plunged into an ice bath, then wrapped in salty prosciutto (that gets crispy in the oven) and topped with freshly grated parmesan and salt and pepper.  Yum.

These adorable bundles would be great at your Easter meal.  You can do all of the prep ahead of time and then throw them in the oven 15 minutes before the meal.

They are surprisingly good leftover.  Just put them under a low broiler until warmed and re-crisped. 

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing:  Sweet and Tangy Bean Dip

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Trail Mix Wheat Berry Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Orange Vinaigrette 

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Deviled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Herbs

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Un-Recipe Files – Strawberry and Prosciutto Grilled Bread

  

This is such a simple and delicious appetizer.  It received rave reviews every time I made it. 

Cut a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise.  In a small bowl mix olive oil and a good dose of salt and pepper.  Brush the seasoned oil on the cut sides of the bread and grill until lightly charred and toasty. 

This cutting down the center thing was a revelation.  In the past when I grilled bread (like for this whipped ricotta appetizer) I cut individual pieces of bread, brushed with olive oil, and then grilled each one.  Then one time my cousin’s husband was helping me in the kitchen and did it in two large pieces.  Duh.  Why didn’t I think of that??

After the bread is perfectly grilled slice into pieces, top with strawberry jam or preserves, and then top each piece with some prosciutto.  Of course, if you can get your hands on some homemade strawberry jam that is the best.  I’m spoiled.

It is salty and sweet and chewy and crispy all at the same time.  Yum.  I'm hungry.

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Pesto Turkey Burgers with Goat Cheese

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: All Purpose Breakfast Casserole

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Un-Recipe Files – Prosciutto and Pineapple Grilled Pizza

When I first started the Un-Recipe Files I warned that the pictures will probably be taken on my phone and would most likely not be beautiful.  Case in point.  So even though the picture may not show it, this is a really good pizza. 

Instead of going the traditional route with Canadian bacon I used thinly sliced prosciutto.  I love how it gets crispy while it grills and the salty flavor pairs so well with the sweet pineapple.

This is what I used:

·         Pre-made crust (like Boboli)

·         Jarred pizza sauce

·         ¼ lb of sliced prosciutto

·         1 small can of pineapple chunks

·         Fresh mozzarella and/or shredded mozzarella

I topped the crust with the sauce, prosciutto, pineapple, and cheese.  I grilled the pizza on a grill-safe pan until the bottom was crispy and the cheese melted and starting to turn golden.  You could certainly cook this up in the oven but I like the grilled flavor. 

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Caramelized Onion, Fontina, and Prosciutto Flatbread

Perfect Pairing: Great music

I struggled with the name of this recipe.  There is so much I want you to know about it!  In addition to the caramelized onion, fontina, and prosciutto there are chopped dates and a salad of fresh greens.  I could not figure out how to make all of those things fit in the title. 

I made this for a recent get together with my girlfriends.  We all loved it.  I look forward to those nights so much.  We always have so much to catch up on with each other’s lives.  There is never enough time to cover all of the topics.  I talked about our planning process in this post.  We always have a delicious spread, this night was no different.  We all end up hanging around my island and munching on the dishes.  By the end of the night it is a bit of a mess but you can tell we enjoyed ourselves!

I absolutely loved this flatbread.  It had the perfect combination of sweet and salty.  The salad on top adds a brightness that pairs nicely with the rich cheese and prosciutto.  I will definitely be making this again.

The Perfect Pairing for this flatbread is great music.  Great music is a must at any party, in my opinion.  My absolute favorite group right now is Mumford and Sons.  I think they are pretty well known, but I feel like I need to promote them to those folks who don’t know them yet.  I dare you to listen to them and not tap your toe.  When I hear Mumford and Sons I feel like I am in a pub in the Temple Bar district of Dublin.  Some of my favorite songs are listed below with YouTube links if you are interested in listening to them before committing to an iTunes purchase.

If you like Mumford and Sons you would probably also like the City and Colour album, Bring Me Your Love.  I ran across this group on Pandora and found myself “liking” their songs over and over.  They have a great laid back sound that is perfect for background party music.  Admittedly, their lyrics are pretty depressing so I suggest just focusing on the melody.  That is why it is perfect for background music!

One final favorite is Galway Girl by Mundy and Sharon Shannon.  This song was wildly popular when I was in Dublin a few years ago.  Just listening to it makes me want to go back to Ireland.  I was in Dublin for work and extended a few days to experience Dublin and the Cliffs of Moher.  I was ridiculously lucky with the weather at the cliffs (so I am told).  Check out that view.

Loved this guy on the streets of Dublin.

Mumford and Sons

Roll Away Your Stone

Little Lion Man

Sigh No More

Awake My Soul

The Cave

Who am I kidding??  The entire album is fantastic.

City and Colour

The Girl

Sleeping Sickness

Against the Grain

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Manchego Cheese with Brown Butter Honey Sauce

Perfect Pairing:  Prosciutto and Arugula

 

I can hardly believe it is Thanksgiving this week!  Not only is it the best culinary holiday of the year it officially kicks off the holiday season festivities. 

Last year for Thanksgiving we were in San Francisco visiting my brother and sister-in-law (Jon and Kelly) for their famous Thanksgiving party.  We were all having a great time cooking dishes, munching on appetizers, and taking group photos.  One of those group photos will go down in history.... All the ladies were together in the backyard and my brother was taking the picture.  He said, "On the count of three, say Kelly's pregnant!"  Chaos ensued.   The picture below really captures the moment. I am clearly the first person to catch on while others are still posing for the photo.  I love the shocked look on my face and Kelly's mischievous grin.

That is officially my favorite Thanksgiving memory.  A year later we have Lilla in our lives and she is the most precious little baby in the world. 

I am going to miss Jon, Kelly, and Lilla this year but I have no doubt that I will have a wonderful holiday here in the Midwest.  I get to spend it with my wonderful parents and extended family, handsome boyfriend, and my other brother's family.  His kids (who happen to be the most adorable children in the world) are going to have a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We are pretty traditional when it comes to the Thanksgiving menu.  The dinner does not vary much. Why mess with a good thing??  I can be a little more adventurous when it comes to the appetizers.  The key is to keep them light and easy.  You don't want to ruin the main event!  This manchego cheese appetizer is the perfect thing to put out because it only takes a few minutes of prep and everyone will love it.

Previously I wrote about my affinity for cheese plates, and how to create the best combination of cheeses, condiments and crackers.  I think cheese plates are one of the best things to set out before a dinner party.  Sometimes you don’t want to buy 3 or 4 different types of cheese, especially if you are having a more intimate group.  Serving Manchego Cheese with Brown Butter Honey Sauce makes the most of one type of cheese; you won’t miss having a variety laid out. 

Manchego is a sheep’s milk cheese from the La Mancha region in Spain.  It is a hard, crumbly cheese that is a little tangy and nutty.    It is perfectly complimented by this Brown Butter Honey Sauce.  The sauce is a cinch to make and is so incredibly delicious.  I would recommend pouring the sauce on the cheese while it is still hot.  After it cools it hardens just a bit, which makes it the perfect texture.  Top it off with a sprinkle of sea salt and you have an amazing appetizer.

The Perfect Pairing for Manchego Cheese with Brown Butter Honey Sauce is thinly sliced prosciutto and arugula.  All of the flavors taste great together on crackers or crostini.

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Prosciutto Wrapped Breadsticks

Perfect Pairing:  Wheat Thin Crunch Stix, Honey Wheat Flavor

Prosciutto wrapped breadsticks are the perfect thing to serve alongside a cocktail as your guests arrive for a dinner party.   The breadsticks are coated in a cream cheese mixture that has lemon, chives, garlic, and parmesan.  Then the sticks are wrapped in paper thin slices of salty prosciutto and peppery arugula. They are crunchy and creamy, savory yet slightly sweet, and full of flavor.

The Perfect Pairing for this appetizer is the new product, Wheat Thin Crunch Stix in Honey Wheat.  When I went to the store to buy the ingredients I was planning on getting the long skinny breadsticks that are often referred to as Grissini.  They were nowhere to be found at my store, so I decided to try out the new Wheat Thin Stix.  While I wish they were a little bit longer, I loved the flavor.  They had the characteristic sweet flavor of traditional Wheat Thins which was perfect for this recipe.  I call it a happy accident!

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Parmesan Pepper Lemon Biscuits

Perfect Pairing: Caramelized onions, prosciutto and arugula

Yesterday I wrote about the wonderful evening I recently had at Ravinia seeing the Gipsy Kings.  When I was creating the menu I wanted to include a sandwich but not your everyday turkey sandwich.  I think one of the most important parts of the sandwich is the bread, so that is where I focused my time and energy.  I found this biscuit recipe in a Food Network Star cookbook.

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