Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry (10 minute dinner!)

With the asparagus season so short lived, you want to take advantage. I've already filled my freezer with beautiful whole asparagus spears and cut asparagus to tide us over until next spring, and I still can't get enough of eating it fresh. What could be better? Ten minutes to dinner? Yes, please! The ultra easy recipe follows below.

Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry

Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry

Serves 3-4

You will need:

1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, cut into 1" or 2" pieces
2 cups frozen cooked shrimp, fully thawed, tails removed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/3 cup any stir-fry sauce
optional - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
optional - sesame seeds

Heat up the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add asparagus and sauté stirring now and then just until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp and allow to heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper if you like, then the stir fry sauce. Stir it well, turn off the heat, cover the pan and let sit for a minute. Serve over hot rice, topped with sesame seeds if you like. Enjoy!

Yellow Beets, & Yellow Beet Risotto

I found some bright, delicious-looking organic Yellow Beets at the farmer's market on Saturday. Gorgeous, huh?  I've been in a risotto sort of mood lately, so, despite the 90-degree weather Seattle has been experiencing this week, I decided to turn on the stove and make a yellow beet risotto.

Yellow Beet Risotto

Boy, am I glad I did. I used my basic risotto recipe, using red onion instead of white and skipping the garlic and wine (you don't need them here!), and substituted the yellow beets plus their chopped up greens in place of whatever veggies I would normally use. A splash of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkling of goat cheese added the final touches and kicked it up a notch! It was the perfect dinner on a warm summer evening. It tasted like summer, and was just oh-so-yummy!

Yellow beets - I will definitely be cooking with you again.