This week I'm working on Orange for my Exploring Rainbows class and my asparagus cheddar pie turned out to be more orange than expected so I thought I'd share. More orange will follow on my Lost in a Rainbow section after next Tuesday's class. Here's the recipe - very easy.
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Heat oven to 375 F

Partially baked 10" home made pie crust - I baked mine for 5 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Brush the bottom of the baked pie crust with 1 T dijon mustard, optional

I pound asparagus,, cooked
4 eggs
3/4 cup light cream
salt
pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh dill, optional
2 cups grated cheddar cheese separated into 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup for topping. 
Hot Hungarian paprika

Cut the asparagus stalks in half and reserve the top halves. Cut the bottom halves into smaller pieces - about one inch - and place in pie shell. 

Combine eggs, cream, garlic, spices and 1 1/2 cup cheese and pour over asparagus. 
Arrange the top pieces of asparagus with the spear heads facing in towards the middle. 
Top with remaining half cup of cheese.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes (until the eggs are set and knife inserted in the center comes out clean).

Honey lemon tea can be used alone or with black tea or any combination of herbal teas.

Sterilize wide mouth canning jar or glass container. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound lemons, thoroughly wash, thinly sliced with seeds remove
• 1 pound honey, local is best. It will help with allergies.

Place lemons loosely in jar. Slowly pour in honey, using a knife to pull lemons away from the sides and allow honey to flow  cover entirely. 

Place jar in refrigerator and let marinate for seven days.

To serve, use 2 or 3 Tablespoons per cup or to taste, 

​You will need - 
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Basic White Bread Recipe 

• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons or packet active dry yeast
• 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Cornmeal (to sprinkle on baking sheet) - optional

Topping - 

• 12 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Paprika - I use Szeged Hungarian Hot Paprika - use sparingly unless you love the heat - it really is hot. You can also just use regular paprika. 

Make a basic white bread recipe - I use King Arthur Unbleached Flour. - see recipe above. A recipe for 6 cups of flour will make 3 loaves.
This is very similar to the recipe I use and has a step by step guide especially helpful if you are a beginner.

After the bread has risen the first time, divide the dough into three parts. Divide each part into three more sections to make the braids. Roll sections into 10 - 12" long lengths. 
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Place shredded cheese and paprika on rolled lengths before braiding them and then add more cheese and paprika to the top after the braids are complete..

Oven - 375 F
Cover and let rise until double - 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes. 

 
!/2 watermelon, seeded and cubed
Juice of two lemons
Puree watermelon and lemon juice in food processor. 

Raspberries - i cup
Fill center column with raspberries. 

Pour watermelon mixture into pitcher. Fill with water to the top of the center column.

Wait several hours or overnight for the flavors to blend.
Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices and raspberries. 
 

Easy and delicious! 

Mycala has been raving about Baby Artichokes (they aren't actually baby - just a different variety of the globe artichokes, which I also adore). The larger variety are a lot more work because they have a hairy choke that you need to scoop out before serving. The "baby" has no "choke" so it is very easy to prepare! 

I actually purchased them because of the gorgeous colors. They were simply begging me to take them home and get out the watercolors, so I decided I may as well do "another paint first, eat later" meal.

The outer leaves peel off easily, then cut off the stem, trim the top about a third of the way down, and halve or quarter. Drizzle with lemon juice, top with shredded parmesan cheese, home made bread crumbs, smoked paprika and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. And if you have fresh parsley growing in your garden or window box top with a few fresh leaves before serving. A few sliced tomatoes and dinner is served!