Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts ***

I am so far behind on my postings that it's not even funny.  Hubby was unemployed for a while, and everything was so crazy that I mainly just stuck to old tried and true recipes.  I'm going to try to catch myself up on all the new stuff we've tried, though, so you've been warned. ;-)

These were AMAZING.  I mean, our family is crazy about Brussels sprouts and bacon, so there really was never a question.  I took these to our family Christmas Eve celebration, though, and even the folks who don't like Brussels said that they were good!  The general consensus is that they don't even taste like Brussels, since the bacon flavor is so predominant.  However you want to look at it, they were great.  Not to mention easy.  I can honestly see doing these as a side dish over the weekend or something (when you have a bit more time).  I used those sprouts that come cleaned and in the steaming bags, mainly just because I'm lazy.  Worked perfectly, though!  I forgot to take a pic of this one, but if you follow the link, you can see hers.  Mine were basically the same.  Some of the larger sprouts worked better when cut in half, so mine we're necessarily as pretty.  Ha!

BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ FitFoodieFinds)

12 strips of bacon
12 medium/large brussels sprouts
pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375*F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.
Then, prep brussels sprouts by washing and patting dry with a paper towl.
To make bacon wrapped brussels sprouts. Place a brussels sprouts at the top of a piece of bacon. Then roll it up, your bacon inside the brussels sprout and place on baking sheet. Season with pepper, to taste.
Bake at 375*F for 30-35 minutes depending on how crispy you like your bacon.
To serve, insert a toothpick into each sprout.

Crockpot Green Beans ***

These were delicious!  I would definitely use the bacon strips.  I had a pack of bacon pieces to use up, and while it was still great, I think it would have been even better with the real deal.  I had to double the recipe for my crew (growing boys will eat you out house and home), but other than that stuff, I really didn't change much.  Can't beat the simplicity on this bad boy!

CROCKPOT GREEN BEANS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ RecipesThatCrock)

2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian cut green beans
2 pieces of bacon
4 T butter
water (enough to cover your beans)
salt and pepper to taste

Pour your cans of green beans in your crock pot.
Tear up your uncooked bacon into pieces and scatter in your crock pot.
Cut up your butter into pats and place evenly around your crock pot.
Add enough water to cover your beans by a half inch.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
*luckymommy/Amy's notes: I doubled the recipe.

Sweet Corn Cake ****

This is probably the boys' favorite thing that I make.  Out of everything.  It helps that I only make it once a year, though, lol.  I typically make it to serve with our annual New Year's Day Hoppin' John meal.  It's ridiculously good, but with the creamed corn and the sugar, what's not to love?  I do usually back off the sugar amount a bit.  I double the recipe, but I only use about 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar total, depending on my mood.  I also use the baking Stevia instead of regular white sugar.  You can't tell a difference in this at all, and it makes me feel just a tad bit better about serving such a sweet item with our regular meal.  Better than nothing, right?  Ha!

SWEET CORN CAKE
(Chandra ~ chaneden ~ adapted from AllRecipes)

1 (8oz) pkg Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1/3 cup milk
1 egg slightly beaten
1 (8oz) can creamed corn
1/2 cup white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray. (A smaller pan will make a thicker cake which is preferred over a thinner one.)
2. Place cornbread mix in bowl. Stir in milk and egg. Mix in creamed corn and sugar. Pour into greased pan.
3. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (I look for the edges to turn a little brown and pull away from the sides.)
* Chandra's Notes: I usually multiply this by three, then divide into two pans to make a thicker cake.
** luckymommy/Amy's notes: I doubled it and put it in a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts ***

I've mentioned it before, but we love Brussels sprouts around our house.  Even the boys have loved them since they were little.  We hit the lottery with two kids who love so many veggies that are often despised by little ones.  Hubby texted me during the day today and said that he was in the mood for burgers on the grill.  He's still trying to eat semi-healthy, so I figured I'd try to find a veggie to grill at the same time.  I already had this one saved in my Pinterest files, so it was a pretty easy decision for me.

Long story short, we loved it.  It's nothing that will sweep you off your feet by any means, and I wouldn't suggest it for anyone who doesn't already enjoy sprouts.  That said, though, we'll definitely be making them like this more often.  It's so simple to throw this together and pop it on the grill alongside the burgers!  Ideally, I would have liked to have sprinkled a tad bit of Parmesan on each serving, but I was out.  I'll definitely do it next time, though.

GRILLED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ SugarDishMe)

4-6 cups fresh Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Aluminum foil

Toss the Brussels Sprouts with the olive oil. Set aside.
Heat the grill to medium to medium high (between 350 and 425).
Make a foil pouch. Place the Brussels sprouts in the center of the pouch and roll up the sides leaving the top open.
Sprinkle the Brussels sprouts with the kosher salt.
Toss the pouch on the grill. Close the lid. Stir after about 5 minutes.
They will be done in 15-20 minutes. Some pieces will be crisp and charred, others will be golden, and others will be green and look steamed.
Remove the Brussels sprouts from the pouch to a plate and serve.

Roasted Asparagus ****

I know this is one of those things where you really shouldn't need a recipe.  I needed some guidelines, though, lol.  We were trying quinoa for the first time tonight, and I was scared that Hubby and the kids might not go for it.  We all love asparagus, so I decided last minute that it might be a good idea to have something on the plate that I knew they would eat.  Turns out we really enjoyed the Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa, but everyone still ate every bite of their asparagus. :-)

ROASTED ASPARAGUS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ CenterCutCook)

1 bunch asparagus (I usually try to find a bunch that is a little thicker, just because it roasts better. Generally when you're preparing asparagus, you want the thinner pieces, but for roasting, thicker works best)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (more or less to taste).

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse the asparagus and trim off the hard ends.
Toss the asparagus with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
Arrange it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast for about 15-18 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.
Options: Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese after it comes out of the oven OR squeeze  a bit of lime juice over the cooked asparagus. Enjoy!

Crockpot Double Squash Casserole ****

We loved this so much!  I could seriously have eaten this and only this as my entire meal.  It was that good.  My youngest (10) actually asked for seconds of just the vegetables.  I was amazed!  Then he turned around and asked if I could make it again for supper tomorrow night.  That makes this mama's heart so happy!  The only change I made was to use Italian breadcrumbs instead of the Italian seasoning.  I'll keep doing that, but otherwise, there were no changes I'd want to make whatsoever.  This is going in my "Amy's Favorites" file!  I will make it often.

CROCKPOT DOUBLE SQUASH CASSEROLE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Food.com)

1-1/2 lbs zucchini
1-1/2 lbs crookneck yellow squash
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine
3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cut squash into 1/2-inch pieces and place in bottom of crockpot.
Sprinkle with seasonings and gently toss.
Dot with butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until tender.

Mexican Green Beans **

The flavors in this were okay.  I used fresh green beans, and I actually simmered for quite a while longer than the 10 minutes.  I just ended up with some beans that were super hard and some that were super soft.  It didn't really blend well at all.  I think that next time, I would either use canned green beans or stick with the fresh and put a cover over it while it simmers, to allow for a little steaming to soften them up.  I'd be willing to try it again, though, just to see how it goes.  Tonight, I served it with one of our all-time favorites, Beefy Bean Burrito Casserole.

MEXICAN GREEN BEANS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Food.com)

1  tablespoon vegetable oil
1  lb green beans (fresh or frozen)
1  large onion, peeled and chopped
2  garlic cloves, minced
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel)
2  teaspoons basil
1/2 lemon, juice of, fresh

Trim green beans if using fresh.
In a large skillet, saute beans, onion and garlic in hot oil until beans are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
Stir in Rotel and basil.
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.
Serves 6

Squash with Green Chilies ****

This was one of our favorites years ago, but according to my records, I haven't made it since 2012.  That was when my youngest was 7, and he wouldn't eat anything with any spice to it at all.  Once his tastes changed (he now loves Buffalo Chicken Pizza, lol), I had forgotten all about it.  Something on Pinterest the other day reminded me of it, so I put it on the menu.  Yum, yum, yum!  I love squash, and so do hubby and the youngest.  The oldest tolerates it, lol, but he likes it in this one.  There's something really good about pairing the slightly softened squash with the crisp corn.  It's just good stuff.  The 9-year-old kept saying, "I love these vegetables!"  Made me a pretty happy mama.  :)

SQUASH WITH GREEN CHILIES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy )

2 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
2 zucchini squash, sliced and quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz roasted green chilies
14 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup (or more) shredded Cheddar cheese

Sauté squash, zucchini, and onion in oil in skillet until tender. Add green chilies and corn; mix well. Heat to serving temperature. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand until cheese melts.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Mushroom Rice ***

This one has been all over Pinterest.  The notes say that you can add chicken, but I honestly don't think it would be all that good with the chicken in it.  I think that the chicken might overpower some of the mushroom flavor.  I made it with brown rice, and even after cooking it an extra 10 minutes, it still was firmer than I would have liked.  I'm going to try it with white rice next time and see how it goes.  The flavor and smell are great, though, and it's a breeze to throw it together.  I would absolutely make it again.

MUSHROOM RICE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Food.com)

9 mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 garlic clove
1-1/2 green onion
3 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups rice
3/4 teaspoon parsley
1-1/2 to taste salt
1-1/2 to taste pepper

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; cook mushrooms,garlic and onion until mushrooms are cooked and butter evaporated.
Add broth and rice; season with parsley (chopped), salt, and pepper.
Cover and cook on low heat about 15 mins till rice is cooked.
If using as main dish, add cut-up cooked chicken after rice is cooked.

Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans ****

These are absolutely unbelievable.  I've had Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli made like this, so I knew I would love the green beans.  Even the hubby raved about them, which is HUGE.  He's not normally a green bean fan, so the fact that he loved them says so much.  The youngest monkey wasn't crazy about them, which really surprised me.  He loved both the asparagus and broccoli recipes, so I really thought he'd like the green beans too.  The oldest one loved them, though.  The parmesan kind of crisps up on the outside of the beans.  The beans themselves are kind of crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  Just all around yummy veggie goodness.  :-)

PARMESAN-ROASTED GREEN BEANS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ BudgetSavvyDiva)

8 oz of green beans
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium size mixing bowl place green beans ( trim off ends), small amount of oil ( enough to coat beans), pinch of salt and pepper. Mix till everything is covered.
Lay green beans onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle a “healthy” amount of cheese on top
Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes – green beans should be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Enjoy ( you can garnish with extra cheese if you like)

Ranch Corn Salad ****

This is one of my favorite salads.  I've doubled the recipe before for family gatherings, but for just the 4 of us, the quantities are perfect as written.  The first time I made it, I only used 1/4 of a jalapeno and picked it out of the kids' servings.  Since then, I just skip the jalapeno and use a can of green chilies.  It works perfectly for us.  I don't know what it is, but the corn and ranch blend together so well in this.  Then you add in the bacon, and I am just in heaven.  Big time favorite here.  I actually get cravings for this one fairly often in the summer.  :)

Photo courtesy of Recipezaar

RANCH CORN SALAD
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar)

1 (16 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn, partially thawed
6-8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 cloves garlic
1 fresh jalapeno, chopped
¼ cup chopped black olives
2-3 chopped green onions
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or Colby/Jack, etc.)
1 cup bottled ranch dressing (more or less, according to your taste)

Combine all the veggies.
Add the dressing, just enough to coat the vegetables well.
Gently stir in the cheese and bacon.
Refrigerate until serving.
*Amy's notes: I always replace the jalapeno with a can of green chilies.

Too-Tasty-to-Be-Good-for-You Cauliflower Mac-n-Cheese ***

This was really pretty good.  I couldn't find whole wheat macaroni, so I went with penne.  I had some errands to run this afternoon, so the 10-year-old actually made it for us (with Hubby's help, of course).  It's written as a recipe for kids to make anyway, so it really worked out pretty well for us.  He got a kick out of getting to cook, and I didn't have to do it.  Ha!  

The cauliflower is the best part of the dish.  The noodles and cheese are good too, but I could have happily eaten just the cauliflower and cheese by themselves.  The recipe says it makes 4 servings, but we still had about 2 servings left over after the four of us had gotten ours.  I'd definitely make this again, though.  A nice way to add some extra veggies to an old favorite.  I served it with the Slow Cooker Ham with Pineapple.  Yum-O!  :-)

TOO-TASTY-TO-BE-GOOD-FOR-YOU CAULIFLOWER MAC N CHEESE

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ RachelRay)

Salt

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 pound whole wheat pasta

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Pepper

Ask a GH (Grown-Up Helper) to bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Ask your GH to transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

While the pasta is working, ask your GH to melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have your GH help you whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

Garlicky Mushrooms Supreme ***

Yummy, yummy, yummy!  Monkey 2 has a fascination with mushrooms right now (he gets that from his mama!), so I knew I wanted to give another mushroom recipe a shot.  I doubled the mushrooms and just left the rest of the recipe the same.  Although, I did use dried minced garlic and dried parsley.  Even Monkey 1 loved it, and he's not usually all that keen on mushrooms.  Same goes for hubby, and he was just as impressed as the rest of us.  It's nothing at all fancy, but I love that about it.  It lets the natural flavor of the mushrooms shine through.  The only change I would make is to double the garlic next time as well.  It didn't quite come out as strongly as I would have liked.  I served them with Lasagna Sandwiches.

Photo from Food.com

GARLICKY MUSHROOMS SUPREME
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Food.com)

1 lb mushroom, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
7 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Saute mushrooms in olive oil, covered about 15 minutes.
Uncover; add garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
Simmer until liquid evaporates.
Don't let the garlic brown.

Steamed Butternut Squash ***

Yum, yum, yum!  We just bought some local honey at a harvest festival last weekend, so I've been looking for new recipes to try it in.  This was a total score for me.  The kids didn't love it as much as I did, sadly.  I made it with a Mexican dish, though.  It's possible that the kids just didn't like how they went together, though.  I couldn't help it.  I had a craving.  :-)  I'll give it another shot soon and see how it goes.

STEAMED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Meals for You)

1-1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. honey
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place squash in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam 10-12 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly to a chunky texture.

Spanakoryzo (Spinach and Rice) ***

I've been craving spinach like mad lately.  I didn't want to waste fresh spinach on anything like creamed spinach, since that would totally do the opposite.  I thought of just sauteeing it, but I really wanted something new and different.  And then I remembered this one from last year.  It is so good!  I use brown rice, which adds to the flavor perfectly.  Of course, it doesn't fluff up as well as white, so that's a bummer.  I still stick with the brown, though, just because I like the nutty flavor next to the spinach.  Sauteeing the onion with the rice in the beginning gives them a little bit of a sweet, carmelized flavor.  For the last half of the part where I was sauteeing the rice with the onion, I added a container of sliced mushrooms.  Totally made the meal.  My KIDS even gushed about it!  For the water, I use boiling water and just add chicken bouillion granules.  I really don't think it would be as good with just the water.  Last time, it was a little too oily for me, so I cut the olive oil down to 1-1/2 tbsp.  Perfect.  Overall, this is a winner with us.  I plan on making this many, many times.  :)

Photo courtesy of Recipezaar.com

SPANAKORYZO (SPINACH AND RICE)
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar.com)

1 cup uncooked rice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups boiling water or chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 lb fresh spinach

Saute rice and onion in olive oil , stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add boiling water and salt; simmer covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash spinach well then cut into 1/2" strips (you can roll a group of leaves together and cut into strips).
After rice has simmered for 10 minutes add spinach and mix well, cover and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
* Amy's notes: I cut the oil to 1-1/2 tbsp, cut the salt to 1 tsp, and add a carton of sliced mushrooms for the last 5 minutes of the first step.

Oven-Fried Okra ***

I love the coating on this.  True, it's drier than true fried okra, but the flavor more than makes up for that, in my opinion.  The 6-year-old ate every bite, and the 8-year-old (who claims to detest okra) ate about half of his and said it wasn't too bad.  Dh and I both liked it.  It's a nice change to our normal veggie sides, so I'll definitely make it again.

OVEN-FRIED OKRA
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Cookin' Cowgirl)

16 oz bag frozen sliced okra, thawed {about 3 1/2 cups}
1 tsp Cajun or creole seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 C yellow corn meal
Canola oil spray
1 gallon zip lock bag

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn the zip-lock bag inside out and spray with canola oil spray.
Pour the okra in the bag along with the Cajun seasoning and garlic salt. Seal bag and shake vigorously. Let rest for 10 minutes so the juices extract from the okra.
Add the cornmeal to the bag and shake up again. Let rest 10 more minutes. Give the bag one more good shake. Pour okra over a strainer or colander {either over the sink or over a bowl} so the extra cornmeal will fall off. Spread the okra over a foil covered baking sheet and spread out evenly. Spray okra with canola oil spray.
Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, flip okra over, lightly spray again and return to oven for 20 more minutes.

Carrot Chips **

These weren't too bad.  I ended up having to cook them quite a bit longer, and they never did crisp up.  I'm going to give it another try, though.  Hubby said he'd like them with a little brown sugar and/or cinnamon on them, so I might try half a batch with that.  Instead of doing the long strips as in the recipe, I went with the presliced bag of carrots, since I already had some on hand.

CARROT CHIPS

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Pinterest)

4 carrots

salt

olive oil

Peel carrots into thick slices.

Toss slices in olive oil and salt.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Cool and enjoy!

Roasted Squash Chips ***

These don't really come out like "chips," per se, but we enjoyed them anyway.  It would probably be best to make them in a large baking sheet with a cooling rack on top.  That would allow for a crispier texture, but I love them and their squishy goodness.  The slightly thicker rounds were actually my favorite, even though the thinner ones seemed to hold the flavor of the salt and pepper better.  I guess it depends on what you're aiming for, taste-wise.  I could have easily eaten an entire batch of these myself, but I am really crazy about my squash.  :)

ROASTED SQUASH CHIPS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy)

4 medium yellow squash
Olive oil cooking spray
Sea Salt
Papper

Preheat oven to 375. Slice squash into thin circles, about 1/4" thick. Spray baking sheet evenly with cooking spray. Lay out the squash on the sheet, close but not touching. Spray squash with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired. Cook for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Quick Spanish Rice ***

Man, we love this stuff!  Dh and I agree that we really like it much better than the Rice-a-Roni and Lipton kind of stuff.  The best part, though, is that it's so low in sodium and doesn't hardly have a kick to it at all.  The kids can eat it with no problems.  It's not their favorite side dish, but they'll eat it.  I again subbed the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and I just used regular chicken broth this time. 

QUICK SPANISH RICE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar)

1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ¼ cups rice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 teaspoons chili powder
¾ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients (I usually mash tomatoes with potato masher or give them a quick spin in food processor).
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is done. (Unless you like sticky, gooey rice, don't take off the lid and stir at all until it is done).
Garnish with green onions and/or cheddar cheese.
* Amy's notes: I subbed brown rice, fire-roasted tomatoes, and garlic powder with salt.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
6/28/10
Normally, when I make Spanish Rice, I use the Lipton packages. I decided I wanted to try a healthier homemade version, so that I could sub brown rice and cut down on some of the sodium. This was so easy and so good! I actually preferred it over the Lipton ones, because those are normally too spicy for the kids. This one only had the chili powder and cumin, so it there was no heat to it. Factor in what a cumin fan I am, and I was one happy chica. The boys loved it too. I did end up smashing the tomatoes a little, but not a whole lot. I subbed fire-roasted diced tomatoes, because that's our preference. I didn't have any garlic salt (no clue where it's hiding in my spice cabinet), so I just used about ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp garlic powder. It was still good. I just noticed that it says you can garnish with cheese. I'm sure that would be great, but it really doesn't need it, in my opinion. I served it with White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce.

Asparagus Gratin ****

Can I just say that I love Pinterest?  Yet another winner for us from there.  My 6-year-old loves asparagus, so when I saw this one, I knew I had to make it for him.  It doesn't hurt that I'm pretty crazy about it too.  ;)  It turned out great.  I stuck to the recipe pretty much, except that I had to use regular I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light, since that's all I had on hand.  I also used a Colby/Jack blend for the same reason.  I used a little more cheese than it called for, so I added a little milk to thin it up a bit.  My asparagus spears were HUGE, and they still came out perfect.  Big winner for us!

ASPARAGUS GRATIN
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Apron Appeal)

2 pounds thin asparagus
3 cups water
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Line broiler safe baking dish with paper towels or a lint free kitchen cloth. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and set both stalks and ends aside.
Bring water to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus ends and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook covered, for 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove asparagus ends and discard. Add asparagus stalks to skillet, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, 2-4 minutes. Transfer asparagus to paper/cloth-lined baking dish. Pour asparagus water into liquid measuring cup. If liquid does not read 1-cup mark, add water until it does.
Melt butter in now empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in reserved asparagus water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan and Monterey jack until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Remove paper towels from baking dish. Drizzle sauce over center of asparagus and top with remaining Parmesan. Broil until cheese is golden and asparagus is tender, 4-8 minutes. Serve.