Spicy and Garlicky Brussels Sprouts

While scouring through my cookbooks this year, I found what looked to be an easy and tasty side dish for our Thanksgiving this year in my Food & Wine 2011 Annual Cookbook. I have several of these cookbooks - do you have any?  They are pretty awesome.

After making this dish, I made a few modifications - adding more "spicy" and more "garlicky".  You can certain add more/less of the garlic and/or the crushed red pepper to suit your taste buds.  They were delicious.  This is something you can make just before dinner is ready - it's quick and will be a hit with your Brussels sprouts loving guests!

Spicy and Garlicky Brussels Sprouts
Serves 8
Adapted from Food & Wine 2011 Annual Cookbook

12 cups halved Brussels Sprouts
4 tablespoons olive oil
12 -14 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons of black pepper
1/2 - 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste

Boil the Brussels sprouts in salted water for 2 minutes.  Drain and pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the smashed garlic and the Brussels sprouts.  Cook for a couple of minutes undisturbed.  Add the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes.  Season with salt to taste.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender for 3-5 minutes.  Serve warm.

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese

I know, right?  Brussel sprouts.  Who likes those?  Well, a lot of people actually do.  Brussel sprouts are also packed with nutrients and yes, they are very good for you.  In addition to other nutrients - vitamin A, calcium, fiber, and even 3 grams of protein can be found in just 1 cup of these little gems. 

I have yet to convince my family that this is something that should be in our meal rotation at this point, but I often get some for myself at the grocery store and do a quick sauté of them for a healthy and very filling lunch.    You want to make sure you don’t cook brussel sprouts for too long as they tend to start to taste not so good.

Not too long ago, a girlfriend made dinner for me and another friend who was town and guess what she served, you got it, sautéed brussel sprouts.  The one element about her dish that I really loved was the addition of the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs giving the dish a nice crunch!

 If you don’t like brussel sprouts, give this recipe a try – if you still aren’t sold on them, it’s OK, I’ll be happy you tried them!

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound of brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut off the end of each brussel sprout and then quarter each one.  Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a sauté pan.  Once hot, add the brussel sprouts and minced garlic.

Cover with a lid and let cook for about 5 minutes.   Stir often to prevent burning.  After 5 minutes or so, add the breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Cover again, stir often, and let cook for another 5 minutes.  Once the brussel sprouts are tender and bright green in color it is time to serve them.  Enjoy!

Bourbon Baked Cranberries

This is a delicious, easy, make ahead dish that is the perfect compliment to your holiday table!   My brother was recently a guest columnist for me and shared this recipe in the Southeast Valley Ledger.  I added it to our Thanksgiving feast this year and everyone loved it!

Bourbon Baked Cranberries
Serves 10-12
Recipe provided by Scott Leisure of Leisure Cooking

2 12 oz bags of cranberries
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 pinches of nutmeg
1/2 cup bourbon

Combine all ingredients but the bourbon.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Uncover, stir, and bake 10 additional minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately stir in the bourbon.  Cool to room temperature and chill at least an hour before serving.

Grilled Peaches with a Fig Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle

I am a huge fan of grilling fruit, especially in the summertime - you have the grill fired up already, why not throw on some fruit! 

A couple of weeks ago, I served BBQ ribs and I thought grilled peaches would be a perfect side dish.  These can be served "as is", but I happened to have some fig balsamic vinegar from the Queen Creek Olive Mill so added a little drizzle just before serving.  You can usually find fig balsamic vinegars in gourmet food stores if you are interested in going that route. 

You can do a lot with grilled fruit....add a glaze (rum and brown sugar come to mind), sprinkle on some cinnamon, whatever you have in your pantry will do the trick!  Adding grilled fruit to a bowl of vanilla ice cream is also a wonderful summer treat.   Cooking it really brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit. 

Grill some fruit this summer and come back to let me know what you made and how you served it!

Grilled Peaches with a Fig Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle
Serves 4

4 large peaches, washed and cut
Oil (I used olive oil, you could use canola)
Fig balsamic vinegar

Brush each of the cut sides of the peaches with some oil - this will just prevent them from sticking to the grill.  Onto a hot grill, add your peaches cut side down.  Let cook for a few minutes and rotate, until you have nice grill marks.

Drizzle with fig balsamic vinegar.  Serve.