Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts
I'd like to think that if there was a Youtube video of me frying these Brussels sprouts, it would have great potential of going viral.
Imagine a short clip of me trying to take pictures of this recipe in my kitchen. You'd see me set the camera down and then slowly place Brussels sprouts in the hot bubbling oil. You'd immediately laugh at the look on my face when I realize sprouts are prone to making the oil splatter ALL OVER MY KITCHEN. I shout out a few expletives and then I do some stealthy maneuver into my kitchen island to get the oil splatter shield. Then I run like a maniac into the pantry to grab my apron while slipping on the oily kitchen floor. In the last few seconds of the video, I step back, watch the frying process and laugh at myself for this absolutely ridiculous moment. It's really a shame that this video doesn't exist. It really could have been the next Chocolate Rain.
Say hello to one of the best things that came out of my kitchen in 2011. I know that's kind of a bold claim, but I can't remember the last time I've been so smitten with something I've made. I've ordered fried Brussels sprouts in restaurants several times, but never thought to make them on my own. No longer will I be shelling out $8-10 for a teeny side dish of Brussels sprouts. Nope! The sweet/spicy citrus dressing on this sprouts is TO DIE for! The outside of the sprouts are crunchy while the insides are super tender. If Casey wasn't home when I made them, I could have easily polished off this entire batch. Truth!
Coconut Lime Bars
I think you've heard me confess in some other post that I am not a big chocolate lover. Yeah, I said it! I like chocolate, I just don't LOOOVE it like I love desserts starring coconut, citrus, nuts, cinnamon, or fruit. When Christmas rolls around, I have a bunch of chocolate related gifts from people and what do I do with them? I pass them off to my husband, who happily devours anything sweet in nature.
If you were to give me any type of homemade treat for Christmas, I'd happily enjoy a little package of these Coconut Lime Bars. Let me tell you why! Imagine two outrageously chewy cookies (one coconut & one macadamia nut lime) placed on top of each other & smooshed together in bar form. That's what these bars taste like. The bite is AMAZING and that crunch from the macadamia nut? I die.
So when you're thinking of homemade gifts, consider your friends (like me!) who don't go gaga for chocolate. These will certainly do the trick! Besides, your bars will stand out in a crowd and you know how much we want that ;)
SNACK TIME: Avocado + Charred Tortilla
I would like to introduce you to one of my favorite snacks.
Avocado + Charred Corn Tortilla, meet Shutterbean Readers.
Shutterbean Readers, meet Avocado + Charred Corn Tortilla.
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about this favorite snack of mine. It's really simple, absolutely tasty and worth it when you find an awesome avocado. I think I've only had two really good avocados this year. What gives? Sometimes I eat this tortilla & avocado number with an egg in the morning. Sometimes it's a full blown lunch or maybe it plays the role of an afternoon snack. The protein of the avocado works wonders!
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Dark & Stormy
There was a scene in the recent episode of Parenthood that left me deep in thought. When John Corbett pretends to be the: I'm an ex-rocker off the wagon, back in Berkeley with my vintage leather jacket showing who's boss character, where does he go to get to that place? Does he pull from the time he was spending Northern Exposure money, getting absolutely toasted with girls from the Meyer's Rum demo at that roach infested hotel in the Caribbean? I imagine the words DARK & STORMY pop into his head and he's there.
Dark Rum. Ginger Beer. Lime. Like a Moscow Mule got introduced to Weekend at Bernies & The Perfect Storm.
Trust me on this one.
Melon & Mint Salad
While growing up, I could always count on seeing a bright yellow plastic melon baller nestled in the back corner of my mom's kitchen utensil drawer. It stood out among countless wine openers, toothpicks, random metal skewers and an egg slicer. That melon baller couldn't help but look pitiful & needy from lack of use. Whenever we bought a melon (which was almost never) that melon baller would come out and I'd be overly excited to use it. Precursor to my adulthood? A month ago I was helping my mom clean out some of her kitchen drawers and she offered up the infamous yellow melon baller. It was almost as if she was daring me to use it. I gladly accepted the challenge and when I flipped through the Heart of the Artichoke cookbook, low and behold I found a recipe that required melon balling action!
I'd like to say that my melon balling went swimmingly; it did not. I was under the impression that a melon baller will give you perfectly round spheres of fruit. I was mistaken. After I hacked up half of the cantaloupe, I walked up to my computer and immediately started watching melon balling videos on youtube (they totally exist!). What I gathered is that you can't make a perfect melon ball; one edge is almost always slightly messed up, flat or has shreds of melon meat hanging off of it. If you have enough melon balls to cover a dish and present the nice round sides up to the world, no one will be the wiser. Top the half perfect melon balls with with cut mint leaves and generously squeeze lime juice on top and you have a fancy salad. After you take your first bite of juicy sweet melon with the lime & mint, you'll forget about imperfections. You'll marvel at how perfectly balanced the salad is and you'll feel like you've satisfied your sweet tooth while cleansing your palette. This salad is the perfect end to a delicious meal.
What have we learned here today? A melon baller that doesn't get used is a very sad melon baller indeed. Bust out your melon baller, it needs you!
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Vietnamese Noodle Salad w/ Grilled Tofu
It's hot outside and all I want to do is sit in front of a fan with a gigantic bowl of this Vietnamese Noodle Salad because it's both light AND hearty. It's the type of salad that's best served cold. It gives you the most pleasant after taste and doesn't put a lead weight in your stomach like most noodle salads. I bet it's the perfect thing to eat if you're planning on making out with someone later. Let me know how that goes!
Thinly sliced cucumbers, crunchy red peppers, tangy lime juice mixed with spicy chili sauce and the hugest dose of mint? YES, PLEASE. Did I mention the grilled marinated tofu? I don't think I did! It's a known fact that grill marks are sexy and just look at those grill marks! Get a bowl, sit in front of a fan, add a jar of fancy Iced tea and chow down. Your taste buds are begging to be awakened.
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Creamed Summer Corn
Just when I thought fresh summer corn on the cob couldn't get any better, I made this Creamed Summer Corn! It's light, buttery, creamy and has something so absolutely wonderful in it- LIME. Casey swore there had to be some magical spice in the creamed corn. He sat at the dinner table devouring bite after bite, trying to figure it out. There's a bit of cayenne in the mix, but that's it! The lime is really what turns this creamed corn into something absolutely unreal. You'll see.
I made this recipe with 9 ears of corn for the 6 of us, and paired it with a few slabs of ribs while we were on vacation in Tahoe. Guess what? There was no creamed corn left. Good sign? Most def!
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Beet Parsley Apple Juice
If you have a juicer you might already know that it's feast or famine in Juicetown. Some weeks you juice HARDCORE and then all of a sudden you find your juicer in the back of the cabinet collecting dust. It happens because sometimes you just want to EAT instead of drink juice. Right now I'm a full-throttle juicer. I think it's probably because I talked to my mother- in- law who just started juicing and her enthusiasm rubbed off on me. Thanks, MIL! I'm glad you are apart of the juice club! I'm also excited to see my friend Kasey in Juicetown too!
Beet Parsley Apple Juice....what can you say other than the fact that it's delicious? Parsley is really good for you because it's super green and packed with vitamin C. Push a bunch through your juicer and marvel at the color! Beets are bright red and full of frothy juice and apples always help balance out the equation with their sweetness. Put a few ice cubes in your Beet Parsley Apple juice with a squeeze a bit of lime and you have something bright, refreshing, and super hearty. Lunch in a cup! Continue reading→
