G's Birthday

It was G's birthday yesterday and of course, I've been looking for easy recipes that I can follow so I can somehow cook something up. Finally, the birthday dinner consisted of bacon-wrapped asparagus, a chicken and shrimp pesto pasta and a banana cream pie.

This was a dish that I got from Rachel Ray's 30-minute meals (http://www.foodnetwork.com/). I made use of a bundle of large asparagus spears (16pcs) which I wrapped with honey maple bacon. After placing it in a glass oven dish, I seasoned it with a dash of pepper and some garlic powder before topping it with 3 tsp of EVOO. I placed it inside an oven which was pre-heated at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and just left it there to cook for 15 minutes. For it's dipping sauce, we just used a combination of Kikkoman soy sauce and lemon juice. It's very good and since I only made 8 bundles (each bundle consisted of 2 asparagus spears and 1 bacon), it was "bitin". Next time, I'll try to make more!!!

The pesto was easy because we just used the pre-made mixes. All I have to do was to cook the thin spaghetti noodles, saute the chicken and the shrimp (separately, because the chicken is actually for Oed who is allergic to shrimps) and then, add the pesto. I then mixed it with the cooked pasta and topped it with toasted pine nuts and some Parmesan cheese.

Abby absolutely loved the pine nuts! That's her hand showing a toasted pine nut which she started picking from the pasta.

And now this is the pie that just wouldn't cooperate... Abby calls it "Tita Rhea's Arctic Jungle Banana Cream Pie". It's a pie that doesn't look like a pie but tastes like one. I would've waited for the pastry cream to really thicken...sigh. But in fairness, it tasted really good. The combination of the pastry cream, graham, whipped cream and banana plus the cinnamon was enough to make G get more than his "fair" share. By the way, this was inspired by the banana cream pie recipe that I got from Yummy magazine's October 2007 issue. (Yes, I brought some of my Yummy mags with me and I hope to be reunited with some of them soon.) I promised myself that I will do this again for G but this time, I hoped to get it right just like the one in the mag. sigh.


G said it was a very good birthday dinner and he even volunteered to wash the dishes. (How sweet!!!) But since it was his birthday, I think it is but right to give him a break from his dish washing duties.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, G! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!