There’s been a lot of talk about brussel sprouts this past week:  about children wanting to eat them (for real!) and a mom who just can’t stomach it, to Thanksgiving recipes for the cruciferous veggie (how did brussel sprouts become a Thanksgiving tradition anyway?).  In response to the parents commenting on the Whrll slideshow I challenged myself to find a recipe that children, and adults – admit it, the hate starts here, could enjoy, maybe…

But first, the Photo of the Week:

Did you know that brussel sprouts grew like this?  I didn’t, but now the fact that they belong to the cabbage family, along with broccoli and cauliflower, becomes more clear to me.  Kids are always curious about where things come from so I think they would be intrigued by this photo. I found the real thing at Trader Joes in case you want to buy some yourself.

Now the recipe, from Cat Cora of  Top Chef fame:

Ingredients
3 pounds Brussels sprouts 
¼ cup unsalted butter 
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
4 tablespoons capers 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions
Prepare the brussel sprouts by peeling off the tired outside leaves and cutting off the stem. Mark the core where the stem was with an X using a paring knife. Cut the sprouts in half.

In a 4 quart sauce pan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Blanch the sprouts for 10 minutes, or until fork tender.

In a 10 inch sauté pan, brown the butter and add in the sprouts. Cook on medium high heat, rolling the sprouts in the pan, until the sprouts are caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and add the capers and lemon juice. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

* I cut the recipe in half – my little family was not going to eat 3 ½ lbs. of brussel sprouts : )

Making Thanksgiving dinner on your own can be a daunting task – even for your more experienced cooks. Just because I’m a cooking blogger doesn’t mean that all my meals turn out perfect, or that I’m an expert in all things culinary, or that I have some awesome Viking professional kitchen….

And the Thanksgiving dinner that I cooked Sunday reminded me of just that. Yes, I know Thanksgiving is still two weeks away (actually, only 10 days) but I wanted to share two of my favorite recipes with you. And that I can do.

Things did not go desperately awry, but the day did start with my big, hairy, surprise dinner guest canceling to rush off to a paying job (men!). So before you charge into that kitchen determined to cook your family a mouthwatering feast they will never forget, I have these two tips to share:

1. Read your recipes and directions carefully.

2. Cook side dishes in advance (esp. if you’re like me and have only ONE oven).

The Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic-Lemon Vinaigrette can be cooked before the turkey and served at room temperature or reheated before serving. “Roasted vegetables are downright scrumptious. It’s an easy method that creates caramelization on the exterior, a beautiful browning that yields pleasant sweet flavors. It’s a sweetness that masks any of a vegetable’s subtle bitterness”, raved Cathy Thomas in a recent article.

Another great thing about this dish is that it combines several Thanksgiving staples into one delicious side dish that makes a visually beautiful presentation.

Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic-Lemon Vinaigrette

(adapted from Bon Appétit, November 1997)
Serves 10

2 lb. red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
(about 3 med.) peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 acorn squash, quartered lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into ½ inch slices
1 lb. brussel sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried
2 T. olive oil
1 whole garlic head, top ½ inch trimmed

Vinaigrette

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. grated lemon peel *
3 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Prepare vegetables. Transfer to large roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt & pepper. Toss to coat.

Place garlic head, cut side up, on small piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 t. olive oil, wrap up and place in roasting pan with vegetables.

Roast until vegetables are tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Unwrap garlic, peel and thinly slice. Transfer garlic and vegetables to a large bowl.
Whisk vinegar, lemon peel and olive oil. Toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature.

*Notes: A “microplaner” is a must-have for any kitchen.

Come visit TopMom on Friday when I’ll share the sure-to-become- a-family-favorite turkey recipe that my family has enjoyed since 1997.

With Thanksgiving just weeks away, I’ve been thinking about side dishes to accompany my favorite turkey recipe which I’m going to share here and on OC Family next week.  I find inspiration in the oddest places – this time it was within the pages of American Way magazine on my flight to Northwest Arkansas last month.

Squash is the essence of autumn and I’ve always prepared it very simply (halved, baked, add a little brown sugar and butter and enjoy!)  but yearned for a little more complexity.  What grabbed my attention, besides the gorgeous photo, was the use of honey vs. sugar as a sweetener and the addition of pancetta, which I love.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Adapted from a recipe by Nate Appleman, New York-based James Beard Award winner  ”Honey is a surprisingly under-used ingredient with home cooks,”

says Nate.

1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise & seeded

2 cloves garlic. peeled and smashed

1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Lemon zest from one lemon

4 oz. pancetta, chopped

2 T. honey

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel squash halves (this was the hardest part) and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces.

Chop rosemary, garlic, and lemon zest and mix with chili flakes, pancetta, and honey.

In large bowl, toss squash with the olive oil and all other ingredients.

Spread squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.

Served with Roast Pork with Cranberry-Port Sauce.