As I've admitted before, I'm not a big fan of vegetables. Brussels sprouts especially. Unfortunately, my husband's family has always had them on Turkey Day. (Thank goodness I was raised in the south where they didn't serve anything that healthy for Thanksgiving!) Of course brussels sprouts are Todd's favorite vegetable. Recently he made a brussels sprouts dish that I liked. I actually loved it (Shhh!). Of course, the dish also has potatoes and bacon. Who can't love that? Here's what you'll need:
2 lbs. of brussels sprouts
1 & a 1/2 lbs. of potatoes (We use multicolored fingerling or new potatoes for color.) The purple ones are beautiful inside!
6 strips of bacon
Balsamic reduction or glaze (Rachel Ray makes a great one!)
Pre-Heat oven to 425.
Step 1. Fry the bacon till it is cooked half way. Then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2. Wash the sprouts and cut into large chunks. Next do the same for the potatoes.
Step 3. You then put all 3 ingredients in a large iron skillet or casserole dish and toss with a bit of the bacon drippings, garlic salt and cracked pepper. Cover dish loosely with foil. Roast the dish for 45 to 55 minutes or until you can easily put a fork through the brussels sprouts and potatoes.
Step 4. After you remove the dish from the oven, generously drizzle the top with balsamic reduction.
***At our house we make a sauce with a mayonnaise substitute called Lemonaise from Ojai Kitchen mixed with some crushed garlic and lemon. (You could also use regular mayo with garlic and lemon or a chipotle mayo.) Serves 6 to 8
Cooking Tidbit:
What is the correct spelling Brussels Sprouts or Brussel Sprouts? The answer is both, so you can spell it any way your little heart desires!
Sweet and Blue
This brussels sprouts dish would go perfectly with the spinach salad in Pickett's Pearls blog post called "Sweet and Blue" especially if you add chicken to the salad. (We use the roast chicken from our grocery store. That way things are easy-peasy.)
Elegant, DIY Bracelets
The simpliest way to make a bracelet is by using elastic. Here's what you'll need:
A tape measure
Lots of beads (1 to 3 different kinds). Your own old jewelry is a great resource!
Elastic - size 5 mm ( The thinner elastic stays knotted better.)
GS jewelry glue.
Step 1. Come up with a design you like.
Step 2. Measure your wrist and add an inch. (Elastic bracelets for small wrists are about 7 inches and bracelets for regular wrists are usually 7 and 1/2 inches.
Step 3. Next with the free end of the elastic, start beading. (You'll want the other end of the elastic to be wound around the spool itself.)
Step 4. After you have reached the desired length, cut the elastic with at least 4 extra inches on each side. You then stretch out the elastic and stretch some more.
Step 5. Next you tie a very tight triple knot and put a couple of dots of the glue on the knot. After the glue has dried, cut the elastic and enjoy your bracelet! You may want to do 3 or more bracelets for a more dramatic effect.
Fun Saying
Just the other day I heard my husband say: "If you don't have a seat at the table, you are probably on the menu." I had never heard this one before. I definitely don't want to be on the menu. Do you? We better stay involved!
