Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

This is a GREAT way to eat Brussels sprouts! We had this at Thanksgiving and I'm making them again tonight for our Christmas Eve feast. It's simple and delicious. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

3 slices bacon, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1.5 lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Salt and pepper, to your taste
1 c. chicken broth

Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove bacon to a paper lined plate. Add olive oil to the pan with the bacon grease and add the shallots and saute 1-2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and coat in oil. Cook 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the chicken broth and bring to a bubble, then cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook about 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and top with cooked bacon bits.

Source: Rachael Ray

Granola Balls

We found these over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and we love them! They are the perfect little snack. I've made a few changes - reducing the amount of honey and chocolate chips - to make them taste more like a snack and less like a dessert. You can experiment with different nut butters and add-ins as well to make your own creation. We've tried peanut butter and almond butter, dried fruit instead of chocolate chips, and adding chia seeds into the mix and they've all been delicious! They come together very quickly and stay fresh for quite awhile. Enjoy!

Granola Balls

You can easily experiment with different add-ins - just try to keep the wet:dry ratio about the same. Let me know what you try! :)

*You can use Rice Krispies if that's all you have; I just prefer all natural crisped brown rice cereal because it's usually just one ingredient and whole grain.

2 c. quick oats
1 c. crispy brown rice cereal*
1 c. natural peanut butter
1 c. ground flaxseed
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. honey
2 T. coconut oil
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing gently so you don't crush the rice cereal. Mix until well combined. Using a cookie scoop (or spoon/hands), drop rounded balls about the size of a walnut onto a lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, then transfer to an airtight container or ziploc bag to store in the refrigerator or freezer. They'll stay fresh for a week or so in the refrigerator and several months in the freezer.

Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Confetti Corn

What? I'm blogging? I know, shocker. Turns out, moving across the country every year is kind of time-consuming. Nevertheless, we still have to eat. And we've been eating well! We are now in the Midwest, home to lots and lots of corn. Now, I LOVE corn on the cob, so I'm always hesitant to do anything with fresh corn rather than slather it in butter, salt and pepper, and devour it while getting it all over my face. BUT, if you're ready for something different, or if you're having company and don't want everyone awkwardly picking corn and pepper out of their teeth, than this is a great use of those fresh ears of corn. Also, if you have leftover corn on the cob you don't know what to do with, this is a great way to use it up. Just reduce the cook time after you add the corn to 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. This dish is fresh and flavorful, and it comes together very easily, which is essential for a side dish. I've made it twice in the last few weeks, and I need to make it again soon! Enjoy!

Confetti Corn
Ina Garten suggests chopping the onion and pepper in 1/2 inch pieces, but I prefer them smaller and I'm pretty sure my kids do too. I've put 1/4-inch on here, but be aware that's a change from the original recipe. 

2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. small-diced red onion
1 small orange bell pepper, 1/4-inch diced
2 T. butter
kernels cut from 5 ears un-cooked yellow or white corn (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. julienned fresh basil, minced fresh chives and/or minced fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes.

Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Add the corn, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the corn just loses its starchiness. Season to taste, gently stir in the fresh herbs, and serve.

Source: Slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Roasted Red Potatoes

I make roasted potatoes a lot.  I've never really followed a recipe and so I have never thought to put it on the blog, but they are so delicious I thought you would enjoy them!  They are incredibly versatile - you can use russet or red potatoes (gold don't get quite as crispy) and whatever herbs and seasonings you have around.  We currently have a rosemary plant growing in our backyard, so I use that most often these days, but as you can see in the picture, you can add chives, oregano, parsley, whatever floats your boat.  As long as you have olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper, they'll be delicious!

Sweet Potato "Casserole"

I don't know if we can really call this a casserole, but that's the name my husband's family uses for this favorite Thanksgiving side dish.  But let's be honest here people, we should really be calling this sweet potato "crumble", or "pie", or "crisp" - you get the idea.  Mashed sweet potatoes are combined with eggs, milk, butter, and sugar and then topped with a delicious crumble topping (you know - brown sugar, pecans, more butter, etc.) and baked until browned and oh-so-sweet-smelling.  Everyone I've ever shared this with has fallen in love.  It's sure to be a hit!  I'll let you decide whether it should be served with the turkey or the pies...

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Are you a sweet potato lover?  I used to think I didn't like sweet potatoes, but they have really grown on me over the last few years.  I think I just wasn't used to them, since I never ate them as a kid.  I have come around though.  These are delicious!  I love their vibrant color and their abundance in the stores and markets this time of year.  They have a naturally sweet flavor and roast up pretty quickly in the oven.  We stuck to the basics with this recipe - olive oil, salt, and pepper, but I've seen some that use all sorts of spices from cinnamon to cumin.  Don't expect a crisp crunchy exterior like you get with white potato fries.  These are definitely softer, but the taste they get as they start to caramelize on the pan is delicious!  Enjoy!

Green Beans with Shallots

As of this summer, my kids love green beans.  And if they love a vegetable, we eat it a lot!  I usually do a quick sauté of green beans with some olive oil and garlic, but I saw this Ina Garten recipe using shallots and decided to get a little fancy and try it out.  It was delicious!  We found ourselves scooping up the shallots and eating them even without the green beans, since they were so tasty.  I modified her recipe a bit to use just one pan instead of two (who wants to dirty two pans for a side dish??), and it's so easy it comes together in a flash.  I love that the green beans still have a nice crunch to them and don't get soggy or chewy.  Give them a try!  They make a great accompaniment to just about anything.

Peach Salsa

Sick of peach recipes yet?  Just wait, I have more!  This was a fun thing to whip up with our dinner a few weeks ago.  This peach salsa actually only calls for peaches - no tomatoes, which was great for us because I didn't have any tomatoes that day!  It's pretty much pico de gallo, with peaches subbing in.  Extremely addicting and delicious!  You can serve it with grilled chicken or fish, or just dig in with some tortilla chips.  Summer's not over yet with this around!

Fruit Leather

Is anyone else out there swimming in fruit these days?  We went peach picking last weekend and went a little overboard.  We've been eating peaches, freezing peaches, baking peaches, and canning peaches, so we decided to also make some fruit leather!  It was really easy, it just took a long time to fully dry.  Of course if you have a dehydrator, this is faster, but you can just as easily do it in the oven, as we did.  Just set it as low as it can go, and give it a good 6-8 hrs to do its thing.  You can do it overnight, or even do a few hours at a time if you need to run an errand and don't want to leave the oven on.  Just keep the door closed in between.  

Black Beans {a la Cafe Rio}

These beans are delicious!  We love them in tacos, burritos, taco salad, or just on their own.  They are a total breeze to put together and turn plain old black beans into something totally amazing!

Red Potato Salad

I'm wishing I had taken a photo the day of, but didn't because we had company, so this is the next day - it was still utterly delicious as leftovers!  Just not as pretty...

I love potatoes - in any form.  I've always loved potato salad.  I grew up eating my mom's potato salad, which is delicious, but I've never been the type that only liked one type.  I'm a lover of all.  This potato salad is incredible.  It's loaded with everything good - celery, dill pickles, red onions, eggs, fresh dill, dijon mustard, and the list goes on.  I love that it's so easy because you use red potatoes that you don't have to peel.  I rarely make potato salad because it always seems so daunting, but this was a cinch to put together and it was SO GOOD.  We had some people over for dinner and everyone was in love and wanted the recipe.  Winner!

Creamy Coleslaw

Need a side to go with that yummy grilled chicken?  Once again, before it gets too chilly, I wanted to put up one of my favorite summery bbq side dishes.  Coleslaw.  I've tried many a coleslaw recipe and this one is definitely a winner.  It is full of flavor and really easy to whip up.  You need to let it sit at least an hour, but you could easily make it the morning of or even the night before your dinner.  Enjoy!

Mango Quinoa Salad

I was blown away by this dish.  I thought I would like it, and I knew it would be healthy, but the brightness of the flavors really took me by surprise and made me love it!  If you haven't heard too much about quinoa, it is a seed that acts like a grain but is really more related to beets and spinach.  Confused?  Yeah, me too. :)  Here's what you need to know about it - it is easy to prepare (similar to rice); it is a source of complete protein; it is gluten free; it is high in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron; and it is a source of calcium.  Pretty good, eh?

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Here's another great recipe that has been waiting to be posted!  I made this at my sister's house on New Year's Eve and it was delicious.  While definitely not low-cal, it is fun for a party.  Serve with a sliced baguette or crackers, and it will surely be eaten up in no time!

Cranberry Orange Sauce

I don't know how, but Thanksgiving is next week.  It really snuck up on me this year, and I completely forgot about some recipes I tried last year but never posted.  Well...here's one of them!  I made cranberry sauce from scratch last year and it was really tasty!  I was amazed at how easy it was.  It can be made a couple days in advance and it tastes great on a leftover turkey sandwich too.  Yum!

Spinach Gratin

This picture does NOT do this dish justice, but trust me, this is the way you want to eat your spinach. :) My sister Wendy introduced this recipe to our family last year by giving it to another sister of mine. We ate it at Thanksgiving last year and then I made it this year as well. It's always a hit and really dresses up the spinach. I know it seems like there is a lot of cheese and cream/milk, but really, the star of the dish is the spinach. You can't tell from the top (my picture) but once you break into it, it's very green and spinachy. :) Try this at your next dinner party or holiday gathering. Everyone will love it!

Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

Yum! This salad is perfect for summer. Fresh corn on the cob, cherry tomatoes, avocados, lime juice, etc. Serve it as a side, with tortilla chips, or stay tuned to see what we ate it with this weekend. :) Enjoy!

Mom's Potato Salad

Everyone has their own version of potato salad that they love, and this is mine. Well, if I'm honest, I really love all potato salad, because I love potatoes in any form, but this is what I grew up eating at BBQs, family gatherings, etc. and I really love it! I made a big ole batch of this when we were up in Park City with Jeremy's family and we got to enjoy it all week. Seeing the picture makes me want to make it again! Hmm...I'll have to see what I can do about that. :) So if you're looking for a great version that is simple and full of flavor, give this a try!

Tabbouleh

Yummy! My sister Wendy gave me this recipe and it is from one of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. It is a little different, but we absolutely loved it! It is so colorful, healthy and full of delicious fresh ingredients. I looked up Tabbouleh on Wikipedia and discovered that it is one of the most popular Middle Eastern salads. It is made with bulgur wheat, tons of parsley, mint, scallions, lemon juice, olive oil, etc. You can serve it as a salad, a side, or a main dish. We ate it as a main dish and served it in warm pitas and crumbled some feta cheese on top. So good! I highly recommend eating it that way. It was super filling too (because of the bulgur wheat, which I also read about here. It's more nutritious than white rice and couscous and is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals).

"Gourmet" Potatoes

I. Love. These. Potatoes.

These were a tradition when I was growing up for every Christmas and Easter. They are NOT your average "funeral potato". I really hate that term anyway. Who wants to eat something called funeral potatoes? Yuck. Anyway, my mom always made these and they are super delicious. They come from my Aunt Marilyn who is an amazing cook (that's where the title comes from; I didn't name them). We had these on Easter, but I was too busy getting ready that I forgot to take a picture that day, so these are the next day when we had leftovers (they don't look quite as cheesy and melt-y and delicious, so use your imagination).