My mom never feed us brussels sprouts as children but I remember them getting a pretty bad rap. Lately I have been seeing them everywhere from fancy restaurants to the Food Network, so eventually my curiosity got the best of me. I had to try them out. So, last week I found
this recipe from one of my favorite
food blogs and tasted my very first brussels spout. I was blown away. So. much. flavor. Seriously you must try them.
Balsamic braised brussels with pancetta
adapted from Smitten Kitchen, serves 6 to 8 as a side
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds medium-sized brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
Salt and pepper
6 ounces pancetta in small dice (1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Add brussels sprouts, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté, tossing frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add diced pancetta, and sauté, tossing frequently, until sprouts are well browned and softened slightly, and pancetta is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Reduce heat, add shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Increase heat to high, add balsamic vinegar and stock, and cook, tossing frequently, until sprouts are glazed and tender, about 20 minutes; add more stock if needed. Taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and enjoy.
Well, here we are at the last weekend before Christmas and I still have loads to do. I set off to Tennessee on Tuesday but there are still so many loose ends to tie up before then. This must be why people have planners. I have always insisted that I am one of those people that can keep track of it all in my head but not so sure anymore. Hope you all make some time to relax over the weekend. The holidays can be messy but you gotta love them. x. 
My mom never feed us brussels sprouts as children but I remember them getting a pretty bad rap. Lately I have been seeing them everywhere from fancy restaurants to the Food Network, so eventually my curiosity got the best of me. I had to try them out. So, last week I found this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs and tasted my very first brussels spout. I was blown away. So. much. flavor. Seriously you must try them.
Hello loves. How did this week treat you? I am getting over a minor cold (just some congestion and the sniffles) but I am determined to be productive this weekend. Tonight I am going out for a girls night, we're going dancing :) Tomorrow I plan on working on my Christmas presents since I am making most of them this year. I'm not giving anything away except for that little hint-- I'm still like somethings about Christmas to be a surprise. Well, that's about it...some me time is what I'm really hoping for- things have been a bit too busy for my liking lately. See you Monday!
Holiday Handmade was an overwhelming success! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the local Denver craft scene. There was so much creativity in one space it was hard not to scoop up goodies from every vendor. I only let myself buy one thing (the acorn necklace shown above) but I could have done some major damage. Fixin' Sisters sold 80% of our cake stands and all of our ornaments (which I only finished Friday morning...oops) I was more than happy with that result. Overall, it was a hectic but really fun weekend. Also, my mom came in town to help out with HH which ended up being really nice. I have to say that things went a lot smoother than I expected. We even managed to go to two tasty dinners and blossoms of light amongst all the chaos. After it was all over I treated myself to a mule and some Sunday comics...oh, and a big sigh of relief.
Sorry for the neglect this week. It's been beyond crazy. My sister and I have been getting together almost every night to prepare for the Holiday Handmade this weekend. It starts today! I am a little nervous/anxious since I have never been in a craft fair before and don't really know what to expect. Hopefully everything goes smoothly! Definitely stop by if you live in the area, I'd love to see your pretty faces. 
