Tomato and asparagus carbonara

This recipe comes to you from "Cooking Light" magazine; it is called carbonara, but there is no bacon or ham products in it - it is indeed a vegetarian dish.  I just made this tonight - sautee up some olive oil and asparagus, then add the garlic; then add in halved grape tomatoes.  Meanwhile, boil a pot of water, and when it comes to the boil, add macaroni (the recipe called for penne, I put in whole wheat shells).
Turn off the tomatoes and asparagus; let the macaroni cook, and in a separate bowl, beat 1 egg, 1/2 cup grated cheese and salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each).  Once the macaroni is cooked to your liking, drain it, and working quickly, return it to the pot and add the egg mixture and mix it around thoroughly. The heat from the pasta will cook that egg.
Add in the tomato and asparagus mixture, and voila!  Your carbonara is ready!!

Easiest - and healthiest carbonara I ever made!

A couple of luscious dishes from eating out

Okay, admittedly, none of these foodstuffs did I make; but I sure did admire them and enjoy consuming them!

This is the strata cake I had in the Olive Garden in Jackson Mississippi a few weeks ago.  My family cheered me on as I attacked it (alas I could not finish it all in one sitting).

This is a duck pancake - simply scrumptious - juicy, sweet and filling all at once.  At "The Grand" in Flushing, Queens, New York.

A cornucopia of dishes ordered at the 50% lunch special at Balucchi's on Queens Blvd, with my Mom in May.  I see kashmiri pulao, palak paneer and raita; I think there was also boatman's shrimp curry and vegetable handy.  How I love Indian food!

Another shot of that torte. 

My open faced egg and mushroom sandwiches

I got this "recipe" - I hesitate to say "recipe", because an egg sandwich seems like it would be an almost intuitive, commonplace thing for anyone who likes to eat to make, but I have to admit I like reading variations on it, of which this is one; this came from the magazine "Cooking Light" - it involved white wine, fried shallots, beefsteak tomatoes and baby portabella mushrooms.  The two round patties at 12 o'clock are vegetarian sausage patties - but oh my do they taste like meat; my husband raves about them.  That's his plate - a satisifying, meat-like breakfast.

Another view of the sandwich - I used organic Omega 3 eggs; just trying to keep the health-ball rolling.