Nobody cooks anything until I get my camera!  

As promised, here are the strawberry mini cakes.

 Butter cupcake tins and sprinkle in about a teaspoon of brown sugar.

 Place a few strawberry slices in the bottom of each muffin cup.

Like that

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, vanilla and milk.

Then add the flour

 and baking soda. I know, you like my teaspoon it's easy to find I don't have to look for it.  Mix well.

 Divide batter equally between cupcake wells.

 Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center is clean.  Peak in the oven part way through and admire them.

 Let cool for 5 minutes or so.

Cut the rounded tops off the cakes so each cake can sit flat. Then offer those tops to the peasants.

Dig them out and carefully replace any strawberries that didn’t stick to the cakes.

While cakes are baking, cook the reserved berries and brown sugar over medium-low heat, until thick and jam-like.

Add a spoonful of the cooked berries to the top of each cake and serve.


Strawberry Upside-Down Cakes
adapted from stetted.com
makes 20 mini cakes

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
•  ¾ cups raw sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 cups strawberries, sliced vertically

Preheat oven to 350. Grease cupcake tins. Sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar into the bottom of each cup, then arrange 4-5 strawberry slices on top. Reserve extra berries and sugar.
In a large bowl, cream butter and raw sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add milk and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.

Divide batter equally between cupcake wells. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center is clean. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a cookie sheet. Carefully replace any strawberries that didn’t stick to the cakes.
While cakes are baking, cook the reserved berries and brown sugar over medium-low heat, until thick and jam-like.
Cut the rounded tops off the cakes so each cake can sit flat. Add a spoonful of the cooked berries to the top of each cake and serve.

The weeping cherry tree is so pretty.

It's blooming in my neighbor's yard.

I want a tree like that but for now I'll enjoy looking at it.

 Asparagus with lemon and fresh parsley sauce.
Adapted from a recipe I saw in a reader's digest cookbook. Their photo looked good.

 There's is plenty of fresh parsley in the garden right now.

I think this is all I need to get started. 

 Anchovies?! Is that what they look like? No, I have never opened a can of anchovies before. They smell kinda fishy too.
Excuse me, while I fish (no pun intended)  6 of the 8 anchovies back out of the blender. I forgot it was only 2 and dumped the whole can in. Reading directions is over rated.

 What ARE capers? I thought that was something Jack and Jill did after he fell down the hill.these pickled things look sorta like pickled peas or something.

 anyway put in the chicken stock, parsley and lemon juice.

 Blend for about 1 minute.

Add olive oil and blend 30 seconds more. 

 Cook asparagus

 Spread out to dry and cool.

Pour the bright green sauce over the asparagus. 

 Maybe you'll make less of a mess than I did when I "tossed" the asparagus in the sauce.

 I had my doubts about making something with ingredients I'd never eaten before. It was really a very strong parsley flavor and I liked it.

 Asparagus with Lemon parsley sauce

• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 2 canned anchovies
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound asparagus trimmed

in a blender, blend the parsley, anchovies, lemon juice, stock, and capers for about 1 minute or until pureed. Add the oil and blend 30 seconds longer. Set aside

Cook asparagus until crisp-tender. Let cool and dry. Transfer to serving dish, toss with parsley dressing and let marinate for 1-2 hours.

The Refs make them stop when someone falls down.

A shove to the back...


 back up for more 


 Not to be left out the goalie tries to get a cross check in too

...Then they exchange words. It must be good because the ref tries to listen too!

 I think we have a new hockey fan.
 If you're anywhere near Knoxville Next game is March 19th do come and bring a friend it's lots of fun.

Cashew Chicken stir fry. Pretty good and quick to make.

There are no photos of chopping the onions because onions make me cry. I know, I may have chugged on over to namby pamby land but it's a fact, onions make me cry.

Use regular cabbage if you don't have Chinese cabbage.

fry the chicken until chicken is cooked (2-5 minutes). Set aside.

Then throw in those onions and quick shut the lid before I drop any tears in! Kinda gotta open the lid to stir, after all it is a stir fry. Anyway sorry to get sidetracked on my teary eyed kitchen drama. The onions'll be cooked in a couple of minutes

I added just the cabbage because I'm using some rugged cabbage that needs to cook a little longer than the rest of the vegetables

Put the lid on and let it cook for a few minutes or until the cabbage is a little tender.


Return the chicken


Add ginger soy sauce to taste

Tasting time! 

cook and stir until heated through.


Stir in Cashews

Serve over rice on a blue plate.
                                                                Just kidding about the blue plate part.

Cashew Chicken stir fry
Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 chicken boneless skinless breasts cut into pieces
• About 4 cups of chopped vegetables
• 1 cup cashews
• a package of Chinese stir fry seasoning mix
• up to 1/2 cup of water
• ginger soy sauce to taste
• a pinch of salt to taste

Beat eggs lightly and Add chicken pieces and stir well to combine. Set aside.
Chop vegetables.
In a large wok or frying pan, fry the chicken until chicken is cooked (2-5 minutes). Set aside.
Add the onion, in oil over medium-high heat (1-2 minutes)
Add vegetables to same skillet; cook and stir 4 minutes or continue stir frying until they soften.
Return the chicken. Add ginger soy sauce, water and stir fry seasoning mix.
cook and stir until heated through. Stir in cashews.

Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley.


         Ginger soy sauce

• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 cup minced ginger
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• a little honey

             make in advance.