November 22, 2024

The Five B’s: Butternut, Brussels Sprouts, Baby Bellas, Bacon, and Balsamic

November 11, 2013 by

2013-11-06 18.45.34

 

Raise your hand, please, if you—like me—are planning out and testing recipes to serve at your Thanksgiving Day meal!  Over the next few weeks, both here on the blog and also over in our FaceBook GCH-Fellowship page, we will be chatting about recipes for the big feast.  Last Friday, Dana shared that “…it is always good to have a couple of side dish recipes in mind.”  She gave us her recipe for a delicious-looking side dish salad here on the At Home with GCH blog.

So today I am giving you a recipe entitled The Five B’s: bacon (yum!), butternut (oh, yum!), brussels sprouts (yumm-o!), baby bellas (yum-yum!) and balsamic (yummy!)….silly, I know.  But seriously, consider trying this as a side dish for your Thanksgiving feast!  Easy to prepare (the veggies can be prepped the day before).  And the prepared dish can be popped into the oven the moment you take the bird out!  It will be done and piping hot when your bird has finished resting and been carved.  This dish definitely fits into our healthy but oh-so-yummy point of view!  Enjoy!

2013-11-06 18.45.52

Five B’s: Butternut, Brussels Sprouts, Baby Bellas, Bacon and Balsamic

Ingredients:

3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2# thickly sliced bacon, chopped
1+1/2# Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 medium-large butternut squash, cleaned and cubed
8 ounce container Baby Bellas, cleaned and quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (the REAL stuff, please!)
1+1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • In a medium-sized saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook 8-10 minutes ‘til crispy. Lay out on a paper towel to drain; set aside.
  • Lightly oil a large sheet pan (or two!) with olive oil.
  • In a very large bowl, or stockpot, pour in the prepared veggies…Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, Baby Bella mushrooms…along with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil; stir well to evenly disperse the oil and season well with salt & pepper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, additional 1 tablespoon olive oil, and maple syrup. Drizzle this mixture over the vegetables and toss so that they are evenly coated.
  • Spread out vegetables in a single layer (very important!) in the pan(s); sprinkle with salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg.
  • Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes; carefully remove pan(s) stir and flip over the veggies so that the other side can caramelize. Place back in over and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or ‘til the veggies are slightly brown and caramelized.
  • Remove from oven and, just before serving, top with crumbled bacon

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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At Home with GCH: Broccoli Bacon Salad

May 3, 2013 by

 

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Bacon!  Did that get your attention?  (My husband’s ears always perk up when he hears that word.)  This salad is a family favorite.  I love vegetables of every kind, but it’s nice to take a break from lettuce-based salads.  You probably have everything you need for this salad at home already.  If not, pick up some broccoli and let’s get to it!

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Ingredients:

  • one pound small broccoli florets, about 7 cups
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, honey, or other sweetener of choice
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, gently toss together the broccoli, onion, sunflower seeds, and raisins.
  2. Cook the bacon until done – I like it crunchy rather than chewy.  Drain and dice.  Add to the bowl and combine.
  3. Mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper.  Pour over the broccoli mix and toss to combine.  Taste for seasoning – I usually add a little more lemon juice over the top.  Chill for an hour before serving.That’s it!  This salad is nice the next day, too, since the broccoli softens up a bit.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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At Home with GCH: Irish Colcannon

March 15, 2013 by
Irish Soul Food!

Irish Soul Food!

St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend.  Now if you’re like me, your carefree days are behind you and you will not be found in a pub, swilling green beer!  But it is fun to partake in a little luck of the Irish, wear something green, and eat some Irish soul food.  If Corned Beef and Cabbage is more effort than you want to put in, have I got the recipe for you!

Colcannon is classic folk food, meaning it’s what the poor villagers could throw together in a pot to feed a large, hungry family.  This is not a fancy dish, but it’s filling, easy, and incredibly tasty!  If it’s still cold where you live, this will warm your tummy!

Irish Colcannon

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices of bacon, diced
  • 3 large or 4 small potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired, and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Put bacon in a large pot over high heat.  Cook until crispy, then remove the pan from the heat.
  2. While the bacon is cooking, simmer the potatoes in a little water and cover with a lid.  When you can break the chunks of potato with a fork, add the cabbage and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 3 minutes more.  You want the potatoes to be cooked through but not mushy.
  3. Lift the potatoes and cabbage from the water and add to the pot with the bacon in it.  Yes, leave the grease in the pot!  Over medium-low heat, fold in the butter and milk, stirring to combine and break up the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the green onions.

Now…if you made this recipe, you have half a head of cabbage left over.  May I suggest Roasted Cabbage Wedges?  With a little olive oil, salt, and fennel seed, the cabbage becomes sweet, tender, and delicious!  An unexpected way to eat this nutritious green veggie!

 

Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Ingredients:

  • 1 head green cabbage (or half a head)
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fennel or anise seeds (optional, but I really like it!)
  • 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom.  Cut out the core, and cut each half into four wedges.
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Arrange cabbage wedges on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fennel or anise seeds, if using.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves take on some color.  With a spatula, flip over the wedges and bake for another ten minutes.  The cabbage wedges should be soft, with crispy edges.  Serve with a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH: Spaghetti Carbonara

February 22, 2013 by

 

Spaghetti Carbonara

Inspiration can strike anywhere, at any time.  I was reading a magazine in the bathtub last night.  It had a page about eggs as super foods, and the different ways to prepare them.  As I was looking at photos of beautifully poached eggs, it came to me:  Spaghetti Carbonara!

Let me back up a minute.  Spaghetti Carbonara is usually made with pancetta (or bacon), onions, and is finished by adding whipped eggs to the hot pasta at the very end.  The resulting sauce is smooth, creamy, and delicious – but it’s also a little risky, since the eggs aren’t really cooked all the way.  For most people, eating uncooked or underdone eggs is not a big deal, but I thought I might be able to make it my way, and improve the food safety quotient in the process.  Instead of an egg sauce, this recipe uses poached eggs—serve with one or two, your choice.

The ingredients for this recipe are probably in your house right now.  I used whole wheat spaghetti in this recipe, but honestly, I like regular spaghetti better.  You could also use another long noodle—fettucini or linguini—if that’s what’s in your pantry.  If you want to splurge on the pancetta, feel free, but I had bacon ready to go.

This recipe serves two.  Make it for dinner tonight, with a green salad.  (Don’t worry, I don’t have an Italian Grandmother who’s rolling over in her grave right now.  Unorthodox?  Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it’s not tasty!)  Mangia!

Spaghetti Carbonara Egg

The Poached Egg, aka The Sauce Bomb!

 Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound spaghetti
  • 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced (use a sweet onion, if you have it)
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Place a large pot of salted water on the stove.  When it boils, add the spaghetti and cook until almost al dente.  
  2. While the pasta boils, cook the bacon and onion together in the olive oil in a large, high-sided pot.  After five minutes, when the bacon is getting crispy and the onion is turning golden, add the mushrooms.  Stir and continue to cook.
  3. When the pasta is just barely underdone, remove from the water and place in the bacon pot, but DO NOT drain the water!  Keep the pasta water simmering over very low heat.  Stir the pasta and bacon mix together over the lowest heat.  Turn off the heat and continue to combine.
  4. In a teacup or small bowl, carefully crack an egg.  Gently lower the egg into the pasta water, and poach.  This will take 3 or so minutes over low heat.  Use a slotted spoon to keep the egg white together.
  5. While the egg is poaching, plate your pasta—make a big pile of spaghetti carbonara, and make a little nest in the top.  When the egg is done—still jiggly but cohesive—place on top of the spaghetti.  Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.  Squeeze half a lemon lightly over the whole thing.
  6. To eat:  break open the egg, and stir to combine and mix together.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Smokey Mountain Chicken

December 12, 2012 by

smoky mountain chicken

This is one of those oh so easy chicken recipes that my family loves. Gooey cheese, barbecue sauce and spices…who wouldn’t love it! The chicken comes out moist and flavorful every time. You can use any barbecue sauce , we prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s. And I have used thick sliced Colby Jack and Sharp Cheddar and they both are awesome. I actually prefer the Sharp Cheddar, but the kids prefer the Colby Jack. Easy weeknight meal that is good enough to serve guests.

*note- the recipe calls for chopped tomato as well as green onion for garnish. I forgot to buy a fresh tomato for this meal, so I skipped it. But on any other day, it would be on top!

Smokey Mountain Chicken

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

12 slickes turkey bacon

1 tsp garlic powder

4 slices Colby Jack cheese

ground pepper to taste

1 tsp Italian-style seasoning

1 (18 ouce) bottle BBQ Sauce

1/8 cup chopped green onion, for garnish

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
.
2. Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Season with pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste.  Baked seasoned chicken in the preheated over for 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clear.
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3. When chicken is done, remove from oven and pour on BBQ sauce. Layer each breast w/ 3 slices of turkey bacon, then a slice of cheese.  Return to the oven and continue to bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.  Removed from oven and top w/ chopped green onions and tomatoes.
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Happy Eating!
Liz
You can find more of Liz’s recipes over at www.fresh-plate.com!
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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

December 11, 2012 by
Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

What you need:

1/2 lb bacon (save 2 tbsp bacon grease), crumbled

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

4 cups cooked white rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)

9×13 casserole dish

skillet for cooking bacon

medium saucepan

whisk

large spoon

Instructions:

Cook bacon, drain and set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.  After bacon has cooled, crumble into pieces.

Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted, whisk in flour, pepper, salt, and chili powder until smooth and bubbly.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.  Increase heat to high while whisking broth until thickened.  Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Reduce heat to a simmer and set aside.

Put shredded chicken and cooked rice in a casserole dish and mix in the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease.  Add cheese sauce, mix to combine all ingredients.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, then top with crumbled bacon.  Place under oven’s broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

God is great, God is good… let us thank Him for our food! 🙂

<3 Shauna

PS – you can also find Shauna on her personal website, www.workhomeplay.net

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