Making Butter from Scratch!

This is the coolest thing I have made to date!  It felt more like a science experiment than cooking, and was super easy.  Make this just once for the mastery and sense of accomplishment, if for nothing else.  It is also very delicious, and as an added bonus, you get quite a lot of buttermilk as well. 

Ingredients
500mL whipping cream
Large pinch of salt (optional)

Directions
Whip cream in a Kitchenaid stand mixer until the butter and buttermilk separate (about 10 min on medium to high speed).  You will want to cover the stand with a towel because when the butter and buttermilk "splits," it gets messy!  During this process, you will first get whipped cream - keep going until it gets chunky - then keep going until it looks like butter!  Pour off buttermilk and save for making pancakes (use it soon - it will spoil in a few days).

Important:  Place butter in a bowl and knead into a ball.  Under cold running water, keep kneading the butter until the water runs clear (meaning that the buttermilk is gone).  This will prevent the butter from spoiling right away.  Please do not skip this step unless you plan to eat all the butter in one day (please don't do that!).

Note:  If you do not have a Kitchenaid stand mixer you can use a food processor instead!

Can't wait for buttermilk pancakes tomorrow morning.  :)

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna with Squash!

This particular lasagna that I made was not the prettiest - I think because the filling was a bit runny.  However, it is an extremely quick and easy way to make a delicious vegetarian lasagna with squash in it, which makes it a bit different.  This is my own recipe - I thought of it all by myself!!!

Ingredients
1 package fresh lasagna noodles (or 12 dry lasagna noodles, but be sure to cook them first)
Frozen spinach, cooked and drained well (use paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible!)
Frozen pureed squash, cooked
1 tub ricotta cheese
Lots of mozzarella cheese, grated (I barely had any - hence the lack of much of a cheese topping!)
Tomato sauce

Directions
Combine cooked spinach, squash, and ricotta cheese in a large bowl.  Season with nutmeg and black pepper.  Layer in a large pan - start with tomato sauce, then noodles, filling, repeat a few times; end with mozzarella cheese on top!  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

This one doesn't really need too much of an explanation. 

1) Break off woody ends of asparagus & wash.
2) Wrap with 1 slice of bacon.
3) Bake until asparagus has the preferred amount of crunch!

Serve at a fancy function or everyday dinner.