Weekday meals have become a bit uncivilized these days. Blame it on the two working parents, the baseball games, or just plain lack of inspiration. Whatever the cause there have been a lot of simple salad/ taco/ kitchen sink meals pumping out of my kitchen, except of course for this meal. Enter my new go-to “I-need-a-super-quick-meal-that-actually-feels -and-tastes-like-a-meal-worthy-of-my-family-sitting-around-the-table-for.”
Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts could not be easier. Make a quick paste of garlic, oil, salt, and herbs to rub over the chicken. Toss the potatoes and vegetables with oil, salt and pepper, then slide the whole thing in the oven and walk away. Plenty of time to help the kids with homework, referee the driveway soccer game, coax the children out of the highest branches of the tree, or if your life is a bit more relaxing than mine, enjoy a glass of wine and a chapter of your favorite book. The chicken roasts up tender with the crispiest of skin. The potatoes and vegetables cook perfectly in the rendered chicken fat. Next time I will make this with thighs and drumsticks to appease the little man of the family. The dish is not only a great weeknight treat, but would be a fantastic dish to serve for company since all the work is done in advance.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese Yogurt Dip
January 5, 2013
Once you fall in love with Brussels sprouts, it is impossible to get enough. We eat them like candy at our house, or most of us do. One child has chosen to shun these green meatballs for now- more for us! While we enjoy them shaved in salads and sauteed with garlic, the best preparation in my opinion is to simply toss them in oil, season them with salt and pepper and roast in the oven.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese Dip can be served as either an unexpected appetizer or a gratifying side dish. The Brussels sprouts caramelize a bit in the oven and match beautifully with the blue cheese and yogurt dip. The dish hits all the notes of a warm, savory, dippable treat, but without the guilt of fat and carbohydrates that so many appetizers carry.
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Bacon, Brussels Sprouts, and Blue Cheese Pizza
March 12, 2012
Perhaps it is an unlikely combination, but bacon, Brussels sprouts, and blue cheese were actually meant to be together… on a pizza. Believe me. I am completely hooked on this pizza. Inspired by a plate of fantastic wood-fired oven roasted Brussels sprouts from Jackson’s along side a tasty pizza with onions and sausage. I couldn’t help thinking how delicious the sprouts would be on top of the pizza. And while we were at it, why not throw in some bacon and blue cheese. Oh, and it worked. We love this recipe so much, we made it three weeks in a row!
Bacon, Brussels Sprouts and Blue Cheese Pizza is built on a base of Our Favorite Pizza Dough, though I subbed in 2 cups of whole wheat flour for 2 cups of all-purpose flour. This makes for a nice hearty texture to the dough. Next is a liberal brush of roasted garlic sauce. Caramelized Brussels sprouts, slivers of bacon, chunks of blue cheese, and thinly sliced onion complete the toppings. This combination is great for dinner, but I would also love to serve it as an appetizer.
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Slaw
November 6, 2011
It has been a slow transition to fall around here. Halloween has come and passed, but until today the skies have been clear and the air relatively warm. This must be the reason I have not yet completely embraced the hearty warm foods of the darker months. Now daylight savings has come to an end and the rains are finally pelting down. The last of the tomatoes found their way into salsa and the eggplants into stir fries. It is time to break out the symbolic fall and winter vegetables and what better to start with than brussels sprouts in salad form?
Shaved Brussels Sprout Slaw is a bright and crisp salad. Brussels sprouts (which are rarely served raw) are sliced very thin and tossed with red onion, a lemony mustard vinaigrette, and percorino romano cheese. If you think you do not like brussels sprouts, be sure to give this a try. Leaving them raw keeps them crisp and mild in flavor with none of the distinctive odor that comes from cooking them. Serve this salad with just about anything, but I love to serve it beside some other rich saucy dish where it adds a fresh and acidic counterpoint.
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