Asparagus + Eggs = Happy Kids

I confess: Of the two bundles of asparagus I happily picked up last weekend at Your Neighbor's Garden, two bundles were still in my fridge as of yesterday. Not the best of moves, I'll admit.

My excuse? One part schedules and one part husband wanting to control how we make asparagus. (Not that I don't love grilled asparagus, but sometimes you've got to inject a little creativity into your menu.)

So when I saw this recipe on Crunchy Chicken for Asparagi alla Milanese, I was intrigued. I was facing several days home as a stay-at-home mom and needed some new - and fast! - food ideas. But as mealtime rolled around, the chants of "I'm hungry!" and "Want foo!" became too much, and I succumbed to the ease of mac and cheese.

Then Saturday, sick baby in my arms, I watched 5 Ingredient Fix. On the brunch menu? A much less fancy-sounding dish with the same results: Scrambled Eggs over Asparagus. So I asked my tsou chef if she'd like it for lunch. The verdict: Yes, but the eggs would have to be next to the asparagus, not on top.

I ended up taking a mix of both recipes. Eggs were scrambled with a bit of milk, as we do in our home. Asparagus roasted with olive oil and black pepper. Both served, as neighbors, on a plate with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top. And we had two happy kids at lunchtime!

Just because it seems out of the ordinary doesn't mean it's not worth a try when you're cooking for your little ones. Sometime's it's as simple as asking "What would make it OK?" and you might be surprised as to what their answers might be.

Another thing to add: Since asparagus is in season, we were able to feed the family for about $3. Always great in this economy!