WEEKEND COOKING

Cooking on the weekend is such FUN!  Whether you are hosting a Saturday night dinner party or, a nice Sunday luncheon, you will LOVE these recipes!!  Cooking at home, with FLAIR.....one of my favorite things to do! 


Asparagus is one of the best side dishes.  FRESH and ALWAYS tasty!  


I found this recipe in this month's COOKING LIGHT MAGAZINE. *A favorite resource for excellent and healthy recipes.   Very good! 

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes 

• 1  pound  asparagus, trimmed
• 2  teaspoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2  cups  halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2  teaspoon minced fresh garlic  *(I use the kind in the 
• produce section, in a jar) 
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 3  tablespoons  crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper

Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper.

Baked Catfish

6 catfish fillets
2/3  cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup milk (skim is fine)
1 egg, beaten OR 2 egg whites
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 to 3 tbls. butter, melted

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the Parmesan cheese, flour, salt, pepper  and paprika in shallow dish and set aside. Mix together milk and beaten egg or egg whites. Dip the catfish fillets in the milk mixture and then into the flour mixture. Place in a single layer in a pan which has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  


Sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with butter.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes.

Source:  The Baton Rouge Advocate  *FLAIR TIP:  Local newspapers (online) are often GREAT locations for AMAZING recipes!  My cousin, Susan Roman Huckaby introduced me to the Baton Rouge Advocate recipe section over 15 years ago and, this newspaper truly publishes DIVINE recipes! 

Best Carrot Cake 

• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 3  large eggs
• 2  cups  sugar
• 3/4  cup  vegetable oil
• 3/4  cup  buttermilk
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  grated carrot
• 1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1  (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
• 1  cup  chopped pecans or walnuts

Buttermilk Glaze 

• 1  cup  sugar
• • 1 1/2  teaspoons  baking soda
  • 1/2  cup  buttermilk
  • 1/2  cup  butter or margarine
  • 1  tablespoon  light corn syrup
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

  Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 3/4  cup  butter or margarine, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1  (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3  cups  sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Source:  MY RECIPES.

HAPPY COOKING!!  Please leave a comment if you enjoyed one or all of these recipes!!