Another Simple Sunday Supper: Chicken & Asparagus Tart

As always, Sunday was a busy day with Church, football and for me birthday shopping for my boys!  November is birthday month in our house!  My oldest kicks it off this Thursday followed by me on the 22nd, hubby on the 23rd & youngest son on the 24th!!!  My youngest was due on December 24th and I teased his birth mom that she needed to have him by November 30th so imagine my surprise when she called me at 6am on Thanksgiving Day 2005 to say she was headed to the hospital!  That was the best Thanksgiving of my life as I was fortunate enough to be in the room when my second on came into the world, but I digress!  I did shopping this afternoon and stopped at my parents to put gifts into hiding just as my mother was taking individual apple crisps out of the oven.  Perfect timing on my part as she sent some home with me!!  She used Ina Garten's Old Fashioned Apple Crisp (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/old-fashioned-apple-crisp-recipe/index.html#!)

It was heavenly!

For the savory portion of our dinner, I made a chicken & asparagus tart.  It was really simple, but a little time consuming as it took about an hour and ten minutes from start to finish.  It did make a bit of a mess due to the chicken and asparagus being cooked separately before the dish was brought all together.  

Chicken & Asparagus Tart:

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry sheet

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 lb asparagus

2 cups mild cheese, shredded

1 egg

3 tbsp milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Lemon zest

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1/4 cup scallions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450*F.  Thaw puff pastry per package instructions.  Cook the cubed chicken over medium low-med heat for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.  Heat a stock pot half filled with water.  Steam the asparagus for 6-8 minutes in the covered stock pot once the water is boiling.  Roll out the puff pastry into a 10x16 inch rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.

Mix the shredded cheese, egg, milk, nutmeg, lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl to combine.

 Turn the oven down to 400*F.  Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Arrange the asparagus and chicken on the tart and then drizzle with olive oil.  Layer the parmesan and scallions on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 minutes. Let tart rest for 5 minutes before cutting it. Enjoy!