Roasted Asparagus

2 bunches of medium asparagus
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated or shaved Parmesan, optional

Preheat oven to 450*.

Trim woody ends from asparagus, about 1 1/2 inches. Lightly peel remaining stalks. Spread the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roll to evenly coat.

Roast the asparagus until thoroughly browned and tender, about 8-10 minutes, giving the pan a good toss to turn spears 1/2 way through roasting. Arrange on a serving platter and top with Parmesan cheese.

Serve warm or room temperature.

5 Cup Salad

1 C. Pineapple chunks
1 C. Madarian oranges
1 C. Whipped cream
1 C. Coconut flakes
1 C. mini marshmallows

Stir together. Chill overnight. Serve.

Grilled Vegetables

1 red onion, cut into 4 pieces and separated
1 yellow sqaush, sliced 3/4" thick and cubed
1 zucchini, sliced 3/4" thick and cubed
1 cup green pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into 1" squares
2 cups mushrooms, fresh

Olive oil mixture:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 Tsp black pepper
1/4 Tsp salt
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp basil

Toss veggies with olive oil mixture and place in oil sprayed grill basket or foil pan. Grill on medium with lid closed. Stir occasionally until veggies are tender (approx. 10-12 minutes).
For additional tenderness, microwave onion pieces 1-2 minutes before grilling. For crips mushrooms, add about 5-6 minutes into cooking time.

Macaroni and Cheese

*Taken from menus4moms.com

2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
2-1/2 C. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
2 C. (8 oz) shredded American or Cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz Mueller's Elbows (about 2 cups), cooked 5 minutes and drained

In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard and pepper; stir in milk. Add margarine. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 3/4 cups (425 ml) cheese until melted. Add elbows. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake uncovered in 375* oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. This can be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time if cold.

Baked Potatoes

*adapted from Menus4Moms.com

4 large baking potatoes (or as many as you need for your family)
sour cream
bacon bits
butter
olive oil spray
Spray potatoes with olive oil spray. Coat with coarsely ground salt and pepper.

Oven Method: Poke several times with a fork and cook at 350°F until centers are hot and tender (start with an hour and go from there).

Crockpot Method: Baked potatoes can be easily prepared by cleaning them in the morning, pricking them with a fork several times and cooking in the slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

Microwave Method: If the crockpot or oven timing doesn't work for you, just cook them in the microwave before dinner. I prick them with a fork and start with 6 minutes, checking them regularly to see if they are done.

Cut open and slightly mash insides of potatoes (leave insides in potato). Top with preferred toppings from above or serve plain and let each person top their own.