Roasted asparagus crostini with ricotta, bacon, and caramelized onions

Unlike some people I know, I am not hip or trendy. Although I am addicted to designer jeans -and so ashamed of this fact, but, c'mon they're like a second skin- I will never be caught dead in those trendy jeans that are out to suffocate everyones ankles. Nor will I ever be able to pull off the adorable short A-line hair cuts. I never wear high-heals, and my toes do not peep well, so those are out too. I'm trying to get into the new belting thing, but even that is iffy.

No, I am far too practical, and I like things like Subarus and Birkenstocks that never really go out of style, mostly because they were never really in style. However, when it comes to food, I think I could be trendy.

A food blog for starters. Those are trendy, right? I mean everyone and their mom seems to have one. Another hot trend in the culinary world right now: crostini.

And so, crostini has been on my mind lately. I almost literally threw this meal together, so I don't really have any exact measurements for it, but I will say, it was quite tasty.

Roasted asparagus crostini with ricotta, bacon, and caramelized onions
about 4, maybe?
1 white onion
6 or 7 pieces bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 bunch asparagus
loaf of good artisan bread (I used ciabatta; you probably won't use the whole thing, but I wouldn't judge you if you did)
ricotta cheese (low or whole fat, don't bother with the fat free stuff)
plenty of olive oil
To carmalize onions, cut the onion into smallish pieces and toss in a saucepan with a splash (1 tbsp?) of olive oil and a pinch (1 tsp?) of brown sugar. Cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to avoid burning. Set aside when deep brown and soft. Do not wipe pan, but use it to cook the bacon, also on medium heat, until crispy. Then crumble bacon and set aside.
To roast asparagus, I will use Cindy's recipe that she shared from her comment on this recipe. (thanks again Cindy!) Wash and trim asparagus, then cut into 1" pieces. Toss together with some olive oil. Lay on a rimmed baking sheet in one layer, season with salt and plenty of pepper. Roast in oven for 10 minutes at 425.
To grill bread, cut into 1/2" slices. Brush lightly with olive oil. Lightly is the key here; olive oil has a low smoke point, and the bread will burn quickly if you coat the oil too thick. Then place on grill (stove top grill or bbq). Apply gentle pressure to the top of bread and count to 30. (A George Foreman grill would be great for this.)
Flip bread and count to 30 on the other side.

To assemble crostinis, spread bread with ricotta, then top with bacon, onions, and asparagus. Drizzle olive oil, balsamic, or lemon juice over top. Enjoy.

Dessert idea: spread crostini with ricotta, sprinkle with berries, and drizzle with honey.Mmmm....

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Herbalicious flatbread

I have a fabulous problem: every time I see my mom, she loads me up with herbs that she buys in huge bundles from New Seasons. They are wonderfully fresh, aromatic, and liven up everything I put them in. This is great for many reasons, including the fact that every herb (or plant for that matter) that I am given or that I buy, ends up dying. While my neighbors apparently cannot control their rosemary bushes that are growing like weeds, I spent almost a year trying to nurse my little potted sprig back to life, before finally giving up when winter hit.

The constant supply of herbs from my mother is only a problem because the over-abundance can, sadly, lead to some herb fatalities. For example, I discovered a handful of brown and withering thyme in the back of the refrigerator. So, today was the day I decided that I must use up the herbs.

I wanted something fresh tasting, but also something that really show-cased the herbs and wouldn't over-power them (such as if I had followed my husband's suggestion of caramelized onions). I was thinking flatbread, but who wants to deal with all the kneading, rising, pounding down, and being patient? I didn't quite want a pizza, either, so I decided to use a savory tart crust that I could incorporate herbs into, and then just lay it out flat like a pizza. I am quite happy with the results.

Herbalicious flatbread
The tart crust recipe is this one from Chocolate and Zucchini, but I substituted the dried herbs for about 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary. Yum. Also, all the steps aren't necessary if you are just making a rustic flatbread. After you have incorporated the water and oil and kneaded the dough a couple times in the bowl, simply turn it onto the greased baking sheet and roll it out to desired thickness on the sheet. Then proceed with the following:

1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
8 turns of the salt mill
6 turns of the pepper mill
2 tomatoes on the vine, sliced
about 1 1/4 cups asiago, grated
parmesan for sprinkling

To assemble: coat the dough with the oil. Then spread the minced garlic, half the sage, and half the oregano over the dough. Evenly cover with salt and pepper. Spread tomatoes over dough in one layer, sprinkle with asiago cheese and the remaining herbs. Bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes (until browning around outer edge of the flatbread). Sprinkle with parmesan. Enjoy.

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