the best brussels

Fall sometimes reminds me of getting into a bath tub to soak in lovely hot water that very quickly turns cold. Why do people make small water heaters? That's the big question. And with regard to Fall, why does it have to be so short lived? Just when you get used to all the gourd decorations and leaves with their sassy red and yellow garb and have enjoyed a pumpkin spice latte or two, suddenly it's salted caramel hot chocolates and commercials with Santa buying toys at Petsmart. I do love Christmas, but winter gets this long kick of being from December-around April, and Fall gets like two months of glory. Maaaaaybe some of September, definitely October, and definitely November.

Somehow it's already November 8th, and yesterday the leaves were just beginning to turn. My resolve is to make Fall last longer by putting pumpkin in everything. And by making lots of sauteed brussels sprouts. Here's a thought about brussels sprouts. Is it possessive? Brussels' sprouts? Do these sprouts belong to Brussels? As in Belgium? Or are we talking about a totally different thing...Regardless, brussels sprouts have the potential to be amazing or awful. The key is cutting off the butts that tend to be bitter and then sauteing the rest.

The Best Brussels

You'll Need:

Fresh brussels sprouts (the farmer's market has them by the tubs here in DC)

Olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

A smattering of bacon bits

Cut off all the butts to these little cabbages and toss them into a pan with some a small smattering of bacon bits (just enough to give them flavor), about a tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper, and (optional) one clove of fresh garlic or a sprinkling of garlic powder.

Cook for about 6 minutes on low and place cover on the pan, shaking the pan every minute or so. As soon as these guys have browned undersides, they are ready. Try one and if it's tender on the inside, it's good to go. 

When I made some the other night, we ate them with roasted rosemary potatoes. Delish. You should definitely do it. P.s. - the truth about brussels sprouts. Because Wikipedia knows everything I don't. Happy weekend, everyone. Oh, and for your Friday enjoyment, these are pretty giggle worthy.

have you come to sing pumpkin carols?

I wish there were pumpkin carols. Fall carols, if you will. I know all this talk about pumpkins is making people sick; it's all anyone talks about. Especially the single working women, the young moms, and the newly marrieds. What is it with this demographic and our obsession with everything pumpkin related? I'm pretty sure my grandmother enjoyed baking with it, but I don't know if she ever talked about it. She definitely didn't Instagram about it...

But with the twerking and the non-government and the chaos that has ensued as a result of both, we have to have something to fall back on for excitement. So herein lies something for you to bake.

I made it today, and it was simple and delicious and sugar-less. The recipe calls for sugar, but don't feel any obligation. I substituted for pure maple syrup. It should look like this below. And your coffee and your dog should look like this.

 Enjoy!

reviews-day tuesday: a shock top a day...

  

I don't presume to be any sort of connoisseur of beer or alcohol in general - I can only claim my dear sweet love of it. The only thing that is occasionally better than a beer is a beer that has a cider kick to it: I present to you, Shock-Top Honeycrisp Apple Wheat. When you pass this beer at the store, you do a double take because the words "Honeycrisp" with "Apple" and a splash of the color red on the side of the bottle are incredibly eye catching. So you pick it up and study the logo with all the little apples and consider how great it might go with the dessert you're serving tonight.

But then Woodchuck and Angry Orchard dance around in your peripheral vision over in their confined little ciders-only club, questioning: "how are we any different than that 'not-cider' over there?" So here's the deal. My husband will choose Jameson if given the option over most any alcoholic beverage. And if he picks a beer, it's going to be as Hoppy as possible so that I won't want to share it. However, he requests this Apple Wheat. It may have more to do with the fact that Harris Teeter sells these in a 6 pack, but doesn't have it priced in their system, so every time we buy some, they ring it up for $4.99....but still. Just. Delicious.

It's a beer you crave and that quenches your thirst at the same time. You can't not drink it and smile. This beer does not mess around with inbetweensies. It is both beer AND cider and fantastic. 

With that, I'm off to buy a pack. Happy Tuesday; enjoy a throw back:

as summer ends...

The past few weeks have been lonely. Not in an "awwwww" sort of way. It's creates a time of some reflection and lots of thinking. It also allows for enjoyment of simple things like pulling out sweatshirts again, the last few fresh tomatoes of summer, watching my broccoli babies become adolescents, cooler mornings, having options for what to do with my weekend afternoons but feeling very little pressure to start the day before I really want to. As I wait for my husband to come home from school, work, or DC Habitat, I get a chance to consider the following things:

• cooking full meals can be over rated.
• it makes so much more sense to get almost everything you own at yard sales
• if I had a bottomless supply of underwear, I might be completely happy.
• I will miss summer, but sights like these at the grocery store are still heart warming: