Staying In No. 41

Spring is springing. It's time for asparagus.

Welcome! This is “Staying In,” a Sunday newsletter with recipe ideas for your week ahead. Every other Thursday I also publish a “Going Out” edition where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Want even more recommendations? Check out pdxrecs.com and follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!

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I watched an episode of House Hunters International this morning where the husband described his reason for moving to Spain as, “We were stuck in a grind in the US where we went to work, came home, watched TV for a few hours, went to bed, and did it all over again the next day.”

Hey, that’s me. That’s most of us. That’s the rat race, baby.

But honestly, this is why cooking is so important to me. It’s a satisfying way to break up the day, do something nice for yourself, and practice a new skill. It’s not sipping vermouth on a Spanish beach, but it certainly helps break up the monotony of the work week.

Also helping me break up the monotony of work this week are: the final episodes of Cobra Kai, the book I’m currently reading (Real Americans), and a massage.

Wishing you an eventful week!

P.S. My family visited the spots featured in my most recent Mini Itini yesterday and look at their dog, Benny, outside spot #2 on the itinerary. Dog wants ice cream so bad.

✨ Inspo ingredients: chicken and asparagus ✨

DINNERS

• Rotisserie Chicken | Asparagus “Salad” with Hazelnuts

• Crispy Wonton Chicken Salad

• Asparagus Soup | Bread

• Tofu with Nutritional Yeast | Rice | Sliced Cucumber

BREAKFAST

• Granola, Yogurt and Raspberries

DESSERT

• Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast

Notes:

• Raspberries are on sale right now at QFC/Fred Meyer for 2 for $5.

• Use the leftover rotisserie chicken in the wonton salad.

• My mom made me granola — some of you readers already know how good it is. She’s famous for it! Recipe gatekeeping for now. But here’s an A+ alternative.

Asparagus “Salad” with Hazelnuts

This is my favorite way to eat asparagus: sliced and cooked on the stovetop with vinegar, oil, and nuts. It could not be simpler to make.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or Canola)

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 bunch asparagus

• 1 tablespoon of sherry, rice wine, white wine, or red wine vinegar

• 1/3 cup of chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice asparagus diagonally into bite-sized pieces.

2. Heat oils in a cast iron pan over medium-low.

3. Add garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds. Don’t let it brown.

4. Add asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly browned and tender.

5. Add vinegar, stir. Then add the nuts. Heat through and serve.

Crispy Wonton Chicken Salad

Eric Kim | New York Times (Gifted Link)

I got this idea from

Maggie Hoffman

, who always has great suggestions for easy weeknight dinners. I’m into this salad because it calls for two toppings I love: leftover rotisserie chicken and crunchy bits (in this case, fried wonton wrappers). If wonton wrappers are inaccessible, you can easily swap for store-bough fried onions, shallots, peanuts, or pita chips. The other atypical ingredient in this recipe is apricot preserves. Next week’s recipe lineup will include a dessert you can make with leftover preserves — so never fear about buying a condiment that will languish in your fridge. I got you.

Asparagus Soup

Clare Langan | On Cooking

Spring means asparagus. Asparagus means asparagus soup.

In the past, I’ve made versions that resemble more of a split pea soup, relying on pork fat to give the dish its full flavor. But I’m interested in this version from

Clare Langan

. It uses cauliflower, spinach, and peas in addition to asparagus, and the resulting color is greener than ever. It only calls for a quarter cauliflower — the remaining bunch you could use in salads, bake into this cheesy dish with slightly reduced quantities, or save for another time since cauliflower lasts forever. You could also omit and the soup would still be delicious albeit slightly less thick and creamy. Lastly, you could swap for white potato, turnip or radish like Clare suggests.

Spring Asparagus Soup

Tofu with Nutritional Yeast

Ashley | Season and Simmer

This is my favorite way of cooking tofu: boiling in salted water. I hate the texture of fried tofu, but also find cold tofu to be unappetizing. Microwaving works but it zaps a lot of liquid out. So boiling is best in my book. Here, the tofu is seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic, sesame oil, and cilantro. I might also add a little soy sauce and chili crisp. This will take max 10 minutes to make, and I’ll serve with rice and maybe a cucumber salad.

1. Mini Itini No. 3: Holy Cannoli

2. Going Out No. 21: Chicken Shops

3. Staying In No. 40: San Fransico recs + recipes for your week.

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