Enjoy Asparagus

It's asparagus season in Michigan! At this time of year, fresh asparagus is regularly on the breakfast menu at White Swan Inn. Grilled chicken and asparagus quiche, asparagus and red pepper tart, ham and asparagus crescent, asparagus and spinach strata... so many delicious options.

Here's a recipe that's quick and quite tasty; great for breakfast/brunch or for an alternative add a salad and you've got a yummy dinner.

Ham and Asparagus Crescent

1 tube (8 ounce) refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 tablespoons honey mustard
¼ pound smoked ham, chopped
1 cup trimmed asparagus, small pieces
2 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

Unroll dough onto ungreased baking sheet; pinching perforations together. Spread honey mustard lengthwise down center third of dough. Place ham and asparagus on top of mustard, top with shredded cheese.

With sharp knife, make diagonal cuts to each side of the dough (approximately 1-1½ inches apart). Crisscross dough over ham and cheese filling, sealing ends by pinching dough together.

Bake in preheated 350° oven 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to serving platter, enjoy. Serves: 2

For your own taste-test, book a reservation during asparagus season at White Swan Inn in Whitehall, Michigan.

Asparagus Time in Michigan

It's prime season for asparagus in Michigan. Just north of Whitehall in Oceana County is the largest concentration of asparagus farms in the state. In fact, Michigan ranks third in asparagus production in the nation. So, it's only natural that asparagus will be on the breakfast menu at White Swan Inn B&B during the growing season.

When the first asparagus stalks show up at the local farm markets in late spring, I am always excited to introduce this wonderful vegetable to my B&B guests. Occasionally, I will note that a guest seems to be unsure about trying a dish featuring asparagus. Usually it is due to the fact that they’ve never enjoyed really fresh asparagus or have only been served some that has been “cooked to death.”

Asparagus and Red Pepper Tart

½ (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crust, room temperature

1 Tbs. olive oil
½ lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut in one inch pieces
½ cup chopped red pepper
¼ cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried basil
2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, lightly sauté asparagus, red pepper and onion in olive oil, season with salt, pepper and basil. Unroll pie crust and place on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on pie crust within an inch of the edge. Spread cooked vegetable mix evenly on top of mozzarella. Top with feta cheese. Fold edge of pie crust over vegetable/cheese mix. The crust will not cover completely vegetable mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until dough is lightly browned.

Remove from oven, sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the crust and exposed vegetables and bake for 5 more minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 2-3