Brussel Sprout Salad

Okay yes I admit who likes Brussel sprouts?

Well I do like them. I usually cook them with some other things like raisins and nuts in a chicken broth.

I kind of savory dish, and I usually associate them with a fall menu.

I was watching food network last week and Giada De Laurentis was up to her usual making something look really good.

Okay Giada I did it!

I did not have the arugula called for but can see that would have added another nice compliment and will use next time.

This salad is super crunchy! If you like crunch then this salad is for you.

I bought two packages of Brussel sprouts and one head of radicchio for this recipe. Shredded parmesean cheese and slivered almonds are the added crunch.

Remove outside leaves of the Brussel sprouts. Bring water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the sprouts and let cook for just a few minutes until they turn green.

Make an ice bath in a big bowl. Add the sprouts to shock them back from continuing to cook.

Using a chop knife cut each brussel sprout across into strips. Cut the radicchio into strips and add to the sprouts.

Add your container of shredded parmesean cheese.

On a cookie sheet add your slivered almonds. Toast them at 400 degrees for about five minutes, I go by smell and check to make sure they are not too brown.

Once cooled add to your salad.

Dressing:

This is the easiest dressing in the world and I have made it for other salad's besides this one.

Use one part lemon juice to one part olive oil.

Salt and pepper to taste, and whisk together.

Thats it!

Pour over and toss with your salad right before serving.

Rosemary Garlic Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes

I was going to make baked potatoes tonight but then I decided to add a little bit more flavor to our meal.

I did not use a recipe for this dish, but I can say that making a white sauce is pretty easy, and once learned will become your instant solution for pot pies, chicken and rice dishes and so on.

I stumbled upon this side dish tonight by accident. I looked in my fridge and noticed I did not have enough half and half or milk for tomorrows breakfast and then noticed I had buttermilk.

I browsed my fridge over and noticed half a package of bacon left over from Saturday and some fresh Rosemary waiting to be used.

Then I thought, how would bacon, garlic, rosemary, and buttermilk taste together in a white sauce? To my surprise really really good!

The buttermilk offers a tang, while the smoky saltiness of the bacon compliments it, then you have the earthy flavor of the rosemary all kind of having a party together with the subtle hint of garlic.

Basic Recipe for White Sauce:

1 to 2 TBS butter

1 TBS flour

1/8 tsp salt

dash pepper

3/4 c milk

This recipe is in my head and I really do not measure, but this is the basic foundation of how I made my sauce. You can flavor this sauce any way you like, add cheese for cheesy scalloped potatoes if you want.

Melt the butter in the sauce pan, add your garlic and onions or just onions if you wish, saute until translucent. Add your flour and stir it with a wire whisk. You will have a thick kind of paste called a rue. Stir for a few minutes until lightly brown.

Add your liquid of choice.

Stir over medium heat until you have a thick sauce, add your bacon or cheese if you like.

For this recipe I added my minced fresh rosemary to my garlic and butter before adding my flour.

I probably doubled this recipe, I had a big casserole to fill with potatoes.

I have learned to just train your eye and taste.

I used the basic recipe but never measured anything..... I just know if the sauce seems to thick add more liquid, do not add to much salt until after you put the cooked bacon inside the sauce.

Anyhow I hope this inspires some one to think outside the box and try something new! You could be surprised.

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

I made this Ice Cream last year. It is from Williams-Sonoma Dessert Cook Book.

My honey bought me this ice cream maker last year and during the spring/summer months I like using it.

Although home-made ice -

cream can be quite expensive it is really good! Ben and Jerry's has nothing on this stuff!

Maybe I'm full of my self, but I thought I would share this recipe. For the sake of showing what some of the steps look like in the directions I have taken some pictures.

Glace au Miel de Lavande Provence, France

Ingredients:
3 C heavy cream
1C milk ( I use whole milk)
1/2 C lavender, orange blossom, or clover honey, plus honey for serving
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp dried lavender blossoms ( I found some by McCormick) Stumbled upon it at Safeway in the spice area
1 piece of vanilla bean, 2 inches long ( when I do not have the bean I use pure vanilla)
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg yolks (room temperature is best so take them out before you do the rest of the ingredients)
1/4 tsp ground cloves ( I prefer to use to taste on this part)



Steps:
1. In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, 1/2 c of honey, brown sugar, lavender blossoms, vanilla bean, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often until the sugar dissolves completely.

2. In a bowl, whisk the yolks until they are lemon -colored. Slowly whisk 1 c of the hot cream mixture into the yolks. ( you do no want scrambled eggs, do it very slowly)

Continue to cook, stirring

constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5-6 minutes approx.

Do not allow to boil. ( I turned my heat down a bit while stirring) Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Pour through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl, discarding the lavender and vanilla bean.




(If you did not use the bean this is the time you want to add your pure vanilla extract)

Stir in the cloves.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions, then allow to cool completely.

Scoop into bowls and drizzle with honey.

I am also adding that you have to let the mixture cool completely before you add it to your ice cream maker. Also, the ice cream comes out looking like soft serve ice-cream. You have to freeze it for a few hours if not over night before you will have ice-cream that is hard.

I also want to note something else they do not tell you in the directions of ice cream making.

You have to let the ice cream mixture cool all the way, it should be 35 to 40 degrees in temperature.

This is the reason why I use a stainless steel bowl. I pour the warm mixture into the bowl, and then I make an ice bath in a larger bowl.

I have a picture but am having trouble with this website right now.

Put a bunch of ice in a larger bowl add a little bit of water then put your ice cream mixture bowl inside the bigger bowl.

This helps the mixture cool down more quickly. Also your ice cream mixture should thicken a lot. It should resemble a custard.

Which is basically any ice cream mixture you make that calls for eggs.

It has been an hour or so since I have started cooling mine in the ice bath and it looks like pudding.

It should be cold and look like this before you add it to your ice cream maker.

Pottery Barn Inspired Outdoor Lighting

I found this picture in the April issue of Pottery Barn and have been wanting to make these "mason jar votives" ever sense.

I wen't to the store and found a whole box of new ones for around $12.00 dollars, but I decided I did not wan't new ones.

I much prefer something more vintage looking.



Here is the clipping for the votives.

The "mason jars are $7.50 each, and then you have to purchase the votives seperately for $24.00 dollars, and we did not even mention the sand, or the wrope to hang them with.


Well today I hit the jackpot!

I wen't to a local thrift shop with my girlfriend this afternoon and stumbled upon these jars.

I like the mason jar with the star shape on the fron't, and the Kerr and Ball brand ones look a little bit older then the ones in the store.

I purchased these for .40 cents



each. So a total of $2.40 cents for all six.

Then I ran into these Vintage blue Ball jars!

Some one should blind fold me, in the vintage section!

These were 20% off $6.50 each.

Still a good deal I think considering they are vintage, and still cheaper then the ones in Pottery Barn! What do you think?

So on with my blog....... the blue vintage jars I think are going to look very pretty when filled with cut flowers from my garden this summer. I still need to clean them up and take off the ugly price tag's..... but can you imagine roses, sunflowers, sweet pea's, lavender, or fresh hollyhock's from the garden in these big jar's?

Now back to the clear ones for the outdoor, I have to go find some wire to make handles, black sand, and some cheap votives to finish the purpose of them.

All that said, I'm on a mission to do it much cheaper then the pottery barn version.

I will post pictures when I'm done!

Happy Cinco De Mayo btw!