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Most of you know that I came from a big family ~ 7 kids! No, we are not Catholic. Yes, we had the same parents. (Those are usually the two questions people ask when they hear "7 kids?".) Most of you also know that my mom was sick for years. I am the second oldest, so I did a lot of the care-taking of the younger kids. I learned to cook when I was 10. I remember the first thing I cooked with my dad was Tacos. I loved cooking. Then, there was the baking. I made all the desserts and the b-day cakes for everyone's b-day, including mine. And I loved it! Another thing I remember is my grandmother making the biggest dessert spreads ever at the holidays. She made sure that every person there (we are talking, like, 30+ people) had their favorite dessert. I remember visiting her when I was 20. We cooked & baked all week. I never felt as close to her until then. We had this bond now - baking! I learned so much from her. I think it fueled my love of baking ~ and cooking! Now, at the Holidays, I make sure to prepare everyone's favorite dessert, no matter how many attend. It just wouldn't be the Holiday's if you didn't have your favorite pie, cake, cookie or candies!!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Brussel Sprouts ~ Thursday, Side Dish

Wow! What a night... This post's title should have been "Dinner Disaster"! I was a bit frustrated with how it all went, but Dione says that the big boo-boos make for better blog entries!!

So, it starts like this: Wind. Lots of wind. BBQ won't light. Call maintenance. Wait. Call again. Wait some more. Find fireplace matches. Yeah! We don't need no stinkin' maintenance. Light the match. Wind blows it out. Match 2. Same. Match 3, same. Match 4... oh, yes! It's gonna work... blew out again. Match 5. Success!!! Put burgers on the barbie. Go back into to tend to Brussel Sprouts & Caramelized Onions. Back out to flip burgers. And back in again to the Brussel Sprouts. Back out to burgers... hmmm. Not looking right. Not cooking like they should. WHAT? Fire blew out again! Matches 7, 8, 9, 10 ~ won't light. Way too windy... I give up. Take burgers to inside grill. They seem a bit soggy. Is that the right word? Put them on inside grill. Not cooking. What's the deal? Grill SUCKS!! Into a skillet to pan-fry. Been cooking these stinkin' burgers for like 45 minutes now, and they are falling apart. Have I mentioned that the utensils in this timeshare suck??? I'm bringing my own next time. They are flimsy and too big, so I can barely turn the darn things. But they are finally finished - and they taste? well, just OK... and to top it off, I nearly burned my Brussel Sprouts! Have I mentioned that the stove in this timeshare sucks, too! I think it has HI or LOW temperature only!!! Man, what a night. But in the end, the Brussel Sprouts tasted great. Burger was average. Dessert? To die for!!!
Pan-browned Brussel Sprouts







Ingredients:
10 Brussel Sprouts
1 sweet onion
1 tbls olive oil
salt
Parmesan cheese
1-2 tablespoons pine nuts

Directions:
1. In skillet over medium high, caramelize onions in olive oil
2. Trim ends off brussel sprouts and cut in half lengthwise
3. Remove onions from skillet, place brussel sprouts flat side down in skillet.
4. Salt to taste. Cover and simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes.
5. Transfer Brussels Sprouts to plate, flat side up.
6. Return onions to skillet to reheat at medium heat and add pine nuts to toast. (about 3 -5 minutes).
7. Grate Parmesan over Brussel Sprouts.
8. Top with onions and pine nuts. Serve.
Credits: I had NEVER had Brussel Sprouts before - EVER. One relaxing day in Napa with my book club girlfriends, Julie Novak mentioned that her youngest son LOVED Brussel Sprouts, which floored me. So I asked her how she makes them. I believe that she told me something similar to what's above, but I couldn't remember. I was really interested in trying them, at least once, so I googled Brussel Sprouts and searched about 5 or 6 recipes until I found this one. Well, sort of. I added the Parmesan and the caramelized onions. But huge thanks to Julie, because this has become my FAVORITE vegetable. 40 years ~ wasted!!! Well, better late than never!
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