Mustard and dill Brussels Sprouts

No, you can never have too many ways to prepare Brussels sprouts...it's just a fact of life!

Mustard and dill Brussels Sprouts

Up to 1 lb of Brussels Sprouts, quartered
2 T olive oil
1 T lemon juice
1 T whole-grain mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 T chopped fresh dill
Dash of salt and pepper

Steam or microwave the sprouts until just tender.  Whisk the other ingredients together in a serving bowl.  Add the sprouts and toss to coat.

Hazelnut dressing

I adapted this recipe from one available from Hannaford's Fresh magazine.  It was too heavy on the vegetables vs the bread for me, and it needed a bit of the rosemary flavor that they were baking into their turkey.  You can see the original recipe at the link, and here is my version:

Hazelnut Dressing

2 c hazelnuts, chopped (one bag of unshelled or 8 oz shelled)
Olive oil
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced thinly
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
8 to 10 slices of oat nut bread
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
1 T fresh sage, chopped
1-1/4 c broth, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian broth
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 325.  Toast the hazelnuts over medium heat in a large nonstick pan for about 3 minutes.  Put them into a large mixing bowl.  Cook the leeks and mushrooms in oil over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 15 minute, until the mushrooms have given up their liquid.

Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes and spread them out on a large baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray and toast in the oven at 325 for 12 to 15 minutes.  Put them in the bowl with the nuts.

Add the herbs to the mushroom mixture and add to the bowl, tossing all ingredients together.  Mix the broth and eggs together in a large measuring cup.  Spray a large covered casserole or a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray and fill with the bread mixture.  Pour the broth mixture over, turning a bit to coat.  Cover with either a lid or with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Cioppino with fennel

I shared a Cioppino recipe before that is based on onions, ginger, and garlic and is just delicious, so I wasn't really in the market for a new way to make Cioppino...until fennel, leeks, and small red potatoes came along.

Now I'm not sure which I like better, so we'll just have to alternate ;-)

Cioppino with Fennel

2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 - 3 leeks, white and pale green parts thinly sliced
Olive oil
12 oz small red potatoes, quartered
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
Oregano and basil to taste
16 oz clam juice
1/2 c red wine
Additional water as needed (start with 1 c)
1 t fennel seeds
1/2 t cayenne pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
3 lbs fresh seafood (we like l lb each of white fish, shrimp, and scallops)

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, saute the fennel and leeks for about 10 minutes in olive oil.  Add the red potatoes and the tomato juice and add the spices to taste.  Add the juice, wine, water, fennel seeds, and pepper flakes and bring to a boil.  Drop the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper as needed.  Do not add the fish until close to time to serve.  You can store the soup base at this point until later if you'd like.

Chop the fish into bite-sized pieces and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add the scallops and simmer for about 4 minutes.  Add the shrimp (assuming it's pre-cooked) and heat through before serving.  Serve with sourdough bread.

Bacon-bourbon jam

Decadent doesn't even begin to do this condiment justice.  Actually, I'm not sure condiment is exactly the right term.  Even though Bacon-Bourbon Jam is great smeared on a bagel, sometimes it's even better right off a spoon.  Ok, enough said.

Is it healthy?  Are you kidding?
Is is good for you?  Definitely yes!

Fudgy chocolate cookies, with or without heat

Since I wasn't sure how chocolate cookies with chili spice would be received (I knew that I'd like 'em, at least!), I split the batter into two parts and added heat to one, but rolled the other half in extra sugar.  The reactions were mixed.  No surprise, people who like spicy foods mostly liked the Mexican-inspired spicy cookies.  Purists and folks who aren't so crazy about heat preferred the sweeter version.

I used the recipe from Hannaford's Fresh magazine, cutting the spice by half since it was only going in half the batch.  I used red pepper flakes to decorate the tops of the spicy ones.  

Sweet and sour barbecued drumsticks

These chicken drumsticks can be grilled or cooked in the oven.  It's kind of nice to have alternatives in the wintertime...

Sweet and Sour Barbecued Drumsticks

2 lbs chicken drumsticks
2 t vegetable oil
1 T fresh ginger, grated or minced
1 clove of garlic, crushed or minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c pineapple juice
1/4 c ketchup
1 T lime juice
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar

Mix oil through brown sugar in a ziploc bag.  Dip out about 1/3 c and refrigerate.  Add drumsticks to the bag and turn to coat.  Marinate for several hours in the refrigerator, turning from time to time.

When ready to cook, either grill the chicken, brushing on the reserved sauce in the last few minutes, or bake in the oven.  Place foil in a baking pan and spread out the chicken.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Brush with reserved sauce on all sides, increase the temperature to 400, and continue baking for another 25 minutes.

Mushroom strata

I posted a recipe for my favorite Spinach Strata quite awhile ago, but I recently ran across a new blend that I think I might like even more.  This one is lighter on the cheese and heavier on the eggs, so it really depends upon your taste.  Maybe, like me, you'll love them both :-)

Check out the Country Breakfast Strata on the Hannaford website.  I made a half-sized version of it, and it came out just fine...when everyone's at home next time, I'll make this honking big version for them!  make sure you cook the mushrooms long enough for them to give up most of their liquid, otherwise it takes extra time for the strata to firm up properly.