Tastes like Broccoli

Turns out brussels sprouts are edible.  Who knew?  And, they taste kind of like broccoli.  I might not have waited 26 years to try them if I had known they tasted like broccoli.  I mean, I'm not a huge broccoli fan but I do find it to be edible, and it's certainly not my least favorite vegetable.   

I heard recently that brussels sprouts get a bad rep because they get boiled frequently, and boiling makes them nasty.  Apparently they are really good roasted.  Since I didn't feel like waiting 45 minutes for them to roast, I sauteed them instead.  

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

10 brussels sprouts, cleaned and quartered

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp minced fresh ginger

garlic powder

ginger powder

pinch of crushed rosemary

Brown the garlic and ginger in olive oil.  Add the brussels sprouts and saute for a few minutes.  Add garlic and ginger powders if desired.  Add pinch of rosemary.  

Ginger Almond Truffles

Ingredients

1/4 tsp finely chopped ginger root

1/2 c heavy cream

 1/4 tsp almond extract

3.5 oz chocolate (60%)

Directions

brown the ginger in a tiny bit of olive oil

add the heavy cream and stir continuously for 3-5 minutes

add the almond extract

remove from heat

add the chocolate

stir til smooth

refrigerate

skim off the oil

use a melon-baller to scoop out truffles

melt c. 3 oz chocolate (70%)

use a fork to drop the truffles in the chocolate, turn to coat, place on tin foil

sprinkle some powdered ginger on top

refrigerate until set

Ginger Craisin Cookies

Ginger Craisin Cookies

1 stick butter

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c wheat flour

2 c flour

1/4 c mini chocolate chips

1/4 c (scant) craisins

(I didn't actually measure the chocolate or the craisins...so 1/4 c is just a guess)

bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

makes about 40 cookies

I took these cookies out to the people hard at work in the State Forest building a new trail.  

There were no complaints.  

The trail is looking awesome and I can't wait to run it!

SAT Pizza

Spinach Artichoke sun-dried Tomato Pizza

Very delicious dinner tonight, with this pizza and some salmon.  

SAT Pizza

dough

2 tsp yeast

6 oz hot water

garlic powder

onion powder

ginger powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 c wheat flour

1+ c flour

toppings

pesto

spinach

artichoke

sun-dried tomato

colby jack cheese

bake @ 450 for 15-20 minutes

add a side of salmon, and dinner is served!

Mint Chocolate Truffles

1/2 c heavy cream

3.5 oz. chocolate (70%)

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Heat the cream, stirring constantly, until it starts to simmer.  

Add the peppermint extract and chocolate.

Remove from heat and stir til smooth. 

Set aside to cool.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate til hardened. 

*I melted 3 tbsp butter with the cream.  It separated from the final mixture, and I ended up having to skim most of it off of the top before putting the mixture in the fridge.  I had to scrape the rest of the butter off of the top of the chocolate after I removed it from the fridge.  

Use a melon-baller to scoop out truffles from the bowl of hardened chocolate. 

Melt 3.5 oz chocolate (70%).  Use a fork to drop the truffles in the melted chocolate, turn them until coated, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. 

Eat the leftover melted chocolate. 

Refrigerate the truffles until the chocolate has hardened.  

Ratatouille Pasta

 Ratatouille

3 cloves garlic

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

8 white mushrooms

1 tomato

basil

oregano

thyme

8 oz pasta

Boil water for pasta.  (add the pasta when ready) Chop the vegetables.  Mince the garlic and brown it in olive oil.  When the garlic is browned, add the zucchini, squash, and seasonings.  When the zucchini is almost done, add the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms are almost done, add the tomato and turn off the heat.  

 Toss the pasta with about 1/4 c alfredo sauce and 1/2 c marinara sauce.  Add the ratatouille.  Use a slotted spoon, you don't want all the water from the tomatoes to get mixed into the pasta.  

I had more ratatouille than I needed for the pasta so I left some out to be used for something else. 

Dinner is served.

 Delicious with baked chicken.

Wheat & Flax Rolls

3 tsp yeast

7 oz hot water

1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

garlic powder

oregano

basil

1 c whole wheat flour

1/3 c milled flax seed

1/2-1 c white flour

Mix & knead the dough.  Coat with olive oil and cover with a towel.  Let rise for 1-2 hours.  Divide into 8 rolls.  Place the rolls on a baking sheet and let rise while the oven preheats to 425.  Bake for 15 min. 

These rolls go well with Brussels Sprout Soup.  

Also, they are delicious toasted with Muenster cheese on top.

Brussels Sprout Soup

I was perusing the produce section of Kroger yesterday morning and the brussels sprouts caught my eye.  I may or may not have ever gotten brave enough to try a brussels sprout before, but I know they're really good for you.  And I've heard recently that they are only nasty when you boil them, and that they are actually quite good if you bake them.  So, I said what the heck and bought a package of them.  I saved a few to bake later in the week, but most of them went into the soup I made today.  Which I just put away in the fridge even though I still haven't taste-tested it.

I didn't really measure most of the vegetables I used, but I'll make guesses for you...

Brussels Sprout Soup

1 stick of butter

4 c water

1 c veggie stock

3 c brussels sprouts, quartered

3 carrots, chopped

a bit of chopped onion

2 c chopped cabbage

garlic cloves to taste, minced

ginger root, grated

1/2 c quinoa

2 b/s chicken breasts, poached & shredded

seasonings to taste

steam the veggies and butter in a large soup pot

brown the garlic & ginger in some olive oil, then add to the soup pot

when the veggies are soft, add the water, veggie stock, and seasonings

add the quinoa, cook til done

add the chicken

Sloppy Joe & Fries

I make sloppy joes every week or two, they are so delicious.  Since I don't measure, they never come out exactly the same twice.  Tonight's had a little bit of chopped onion and garlic, about 3/4 c red sauce, 1/4 c white sauce, a generous amount of ketchup, 1/4 c brown sugar, and 1 lb of ground beef.  Also, I added 2 shredded carrots.  Apparently I add shredded carrots to everything now.  I love finding ways to eat veggies without tasting them.  

The french fries were of the frozen variety, but I fried them in bacon grease.  

I put some sliced roma tomato and muenster cheese on the sloppy joe.

melty cheesy goodness

a bowl of broccoli on the side

I do recognize that a little bit of shredded carrot in my sandwich doesn't count as a full serving of vegetables.

The ranch I had for my fries helped make the broccoli taste better.