Give Thanks + Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Rosemary, and Lemon

When Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners come around, I am still one of the kids.  Nobody really expects me to roast a turkey or prepare something, because all of the 'real adults' do that.  And when I insist that I am perfectly capable of contributing, the reply is something like, "Well, you can bring a side of something if you want.  Or cookies."  While at work and among friends I am the go-to recipe girl, with family I am still just Tiffany, who is really good at peeling potatoes.

Which really, is fine. I don't mind peeling potatoes.  Honestly.

And for the turkey?  I am glad to not have that responsibility.

But this year is the year.  I am going to bust out real food and put it right in the middle of the amazing dishes that are always present and nobody wants to give up their hold on them.  Not something simple like cookies, but not stealing somebody's life-long claim to green bean casserole or stuffing.

Here is a good one: Brussels sprouts with turkey bacon (to keep it a little less fattening), cooked with rosemary and lemon juice. I know it is really a side, but we took this and served it for dinner with beans and rice (how we do) and it was fantastic. I know not many people like brussels spouts, but this is one of those dishes that nobody will deny.  Bacon?  Yum.  Rosemary?  Flavorful.  Lemon juice?  The perfect amount of zing.  Combined, this makes one tempting side, and those who have claim on the mashed potatoes or candied yams (yuck!) can keep their signature dish theirs ;)

And now, let me share some "thanks"...

Day 11:  It's not just my grandpa, my father, and my brother I am thankful for... I am thankful for ALL veterans and their families, who serve us by serving our country.

Day 12:  I am thankful for my girlfriends. Whether making plans to grab a bite to eat with girl talk, chatting on the phone, nights in jammies watching chick flicks with munchies, or laughing about this or that every day at work, life would be very lonesome with them. It doesn't matter if we have been friends for 20 years or 2, THANK YOU for all the joy and laughter you bring into my life!

Day 13: I am very grateful for my friend Alex, who really, truly "gets" me. We're both a little loud, like to talk, have crazy ideas, and have a habit of forgetting to call people back. It is a rare friend that you can carry on a 32 hour conversation with (with a 4 1/2 hour nap pause in the middle) and not get bored one bit. Like I said, she gets me, and I am thankful that I get to have a friend like that.

Day 14: I am grateful for all the 'unnamed' people in my life who do so much for me -- the one's whose names I might not ever know, but without them my life would be a whole lot harder: the garbage collectors, UPS delivery guys, Cal-Trans people who keep the roads clear... it may sound a little trite, but it's true. I am thankful for all that they do, without much glory or honor, but they do it and they do it well.

What/Who are YOU thankful for today??? 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON, ROSEMARY, AND LEMON

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, Oct.2011

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

ingredients:

• 8 slices of bacon of your choice (I used turkey)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
• 1 pound of brussels sprouts, shredded in food processor (use slicing blade)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• juice from ½ lemon
• salt and pepper, to taste

directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp.  If using turkey bacon, you will need to add some olive oil to fry the bacon well.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool.  Cut/break into small pieces.
2. Keeping the bacon drippings/oil in pan, add brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.  Add rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Stir in bacon.  Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

Can be served warm or at room temperature.

COST: $6.57        COST PER SERVING (4): $1.64
WITH BEANS & RICE (FULL MEAL): $1.89

Unprocessed    //    Gluten Free    //   Dairy Free

Pears with Bleu Cheese and Arugula

My oh my. 

You will DEFINITELY want to make these little bad boys for your next get together.

These are quite possibly the tastiest and easiest h'orderves I have ever tried.  They take no special technique, which makes someone like myself (AKA someone who abhors anything requiring fine motor skills) able to do these.

Shoot, if you can finger paint you can make these -- they are that simple.

First, you need four ingredients:

Three pears, creamy bleu cheese, prosciutto, and arugula.  Turkey bacon works, too, if you don't like prosciutto.  You just need to cook it first, but the rest of the instructions are the same.

Cut the pears into eight wedges.  Smear cheese on top.  Layer two to three pieces of arugula.  Wrap in your meat. 

Ta-da! 

I told you it was simple ;)

**If you are making them in advance, toss the sliced pears in fresh lemon juice before hand so they don't brown.

I found another great thing about Christmas break: the fact that I can take pictures when their is sunshine outside!  Finally I can do real pictures.  Sure, I may have looked like a fool walking to the park carrying a plate of h'orderves, a bowl of arugula, a pear, and a camera slung over my shoulder... not to mention my beautiful outfit of sweaty gym clothes and a post-Zumba hair-do.  Whatever.  I walked with my head held high knowing I would get some good pictures that my little apartment could not provide -- and I offered an h'orderve to anybody staring at me.  That shut it down real quick ;)

Recipe from Real Simple, January 2008

COST: $9.70                 COST per piece (24): 41 cents