Blue Cheese and Bacon Crusted Brussle Sprouts

It's hard to imagine, but up until early December, I can't recall having ever tried brussels sprouts.   I'm fairly certain my parents never made them for me growing up--though had they, I probably would have protested from the smell alone.  I know for certain that I never had them on my own--when you think about it, our interest in food comes from what we grew up with--and having never had them, I never ordered them anywhere--and thus, I never made them at home. 

Until December.  My new boss took the team to this amazing farm to table restaurant to celebrate Christmas, and I ordered a steak; that just happened to come with a side of blue cheese brussels sprouts.  Honestly, I ignored them most of my meal--until the very end, when my coworker was basically licking his plate from them and I was intrigued.  This girl does love some blue cheese--so whatever it was, couldn't be *that* bad. 

OH.MY.GOD. I have been missing out my entire life.  These little stinky beauties are delicious!  How is it possible I never knew this?  Why didn't someone tell me?  Seriously folks, I'm a wee-bit-pissed you never shook me and force fed me these.  Fair to say, I fell instantly in love and they're now a weekly staple at my house.

Now, having just recently been introduced to these bad boys, I haven't tried toooo many ways, but I stopped with new recipes with them at Christmas because I nailed it.  Everyone raved.  People licked their plates.  This recipe makes me ridiculously happy--and I'll fight you over that last sprout. 

Remember a few blogs back when I shared my splurge on sea salts?  In the same said shopping trip, I may have also picked up black truffle oil--and black truffles.  Sure, you can skip the truffle oil, and use plain old sea salt, but you really don't want to.  Bookmark this bad baby, run to Whole Foods and then make this.  Totally worth the effort.


Blue Cheese and Bacon Crusted Brussels Sprouts.
 
Ingredients:
1lb. Brussels sprouts-halved w/o the stem
1 tbs EVOO
1 slice thick bacon-cooked & crumbled.  Save the fat.
1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 tsp -- or a drizzle of black truffle oil
1/4 tsp hibiscus sea salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a baking dish with olive oil and toss brussle sprouts with EVOO in pan, with the bacon crumbles and a drizzle of that fat .  Roast until tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, sprinkle blue cheese and return to oven on high broil.  Watch carefully--you'll only want the cheese to melt, and the sprouts to start to crust slightly.  Remove from oven, drizzle with black truffle oil and sprinkle sea salt.  Then pull out a spoon, because you'll have to beat off anyone who wants seconds.

Seriously, I heart these things.  In fact, I'm noshing on them right now--cold.

Rosemary Cyprus Flake Finishing Sea Salt

Confession: I am obsessed with all things Williams Sonoma.  Seriously.  If you ever want to make me happy, take me there, leave me with your unlimited credit card (and authorized use!) and set me free.  I'd be the happiest girl on the block.  In fact, there's not much that this girl wouldn't do to make that situation happen--so now you know your bargaining power. 

Pre-kiddo; I lingered there for hours, dreaming of all the things I'd create, and looking over all the must have items for my kitchen.  These days, my fling with WS is limited to the rare Sunday mornings I schlep out of bed and make it to a class (hey Hartel, are you listening--lets go again soon, please!) and I usually run out quickly because moms guilt kicks in and I feel like I should be home cleaning or something other than enjoying myself.  (What's with that, btw?  Why do I feel guilty taking time to myself?)  At any rate; the last time I was rushing through heaven, I saw gourmet sea salts and was all "oooh, Martha totally has those.  I need those."  But I didn't grab them.

Until Christmas. 

Don't tell my husband, but I totally splurged and spent faaar to much money on a Christmas gift to myself--sea salts.  (Hold your judgment; I realize that's a silly thing to splurge on..) Guess what?  I TOTALLY needed them.  They're amazing, and I can't even imagine how I lived without them?

Brussels Sprouts?  Yup, those babies got doctored up with some fancy salts--and guess what?  I LOVE BRUSSELS SPROUTS!  I never knew that until these salts came along.  I also fancied up macaroni and cheese, Chilean Sea Bass, steak, and some seriously good soup over the past few weeks.  Each recipe, carefully crafted and made exceptional by one of the carefully chosen and gourmet sea salts.  The Contessa has nothing on me.

The point?  Remember a million blogs back, when I told you I tend to hyper-focus on things I love, until I've either perfected them; or exhausted myself playing with a new ingredient?  Brace yourself--we're in that territory, and there are a ton of salts in my kitchen now. 

If you're reading this though, you probably like to cook---so do yourself a favor and run out and grab these babies.  You won't be sorry, I promise.  You're going to need them to recreate my next million recipes or so.  They're easy to find online, and also at Home Goods. 

Just remember, if you do pick these up--don't tell my husband how much I blew on salt.  :)

Muffins de Cannelle Français

Almost 4 years ago, I started this blog to help me further explore my passion--cooking.  Married, but childless, I was free to plan exquisite meals, shop leisurely, and make my Sunday morning cooking classes w/ all sorts of regularity.  Ahh, the simple days.  And then, a huge career shift happened--launching me into a serious travel schedule; and then our son Michael entered the world.

Have you ever tried to get anything done with a baby/toddler in your kitchen?  Impossible.  

So here I am, a few years later, back at my blog--this time, with a renewed sense of purpose; because while my career has taken off; this little passion is going.to.be.my.future.  It just is.  

The one thing I've learned in the past few years though, is how to really impress a toddler w/ food.  And if you've met my toddler, as cute as he may be, he can be a picky eater.  So when I learned he was interested in my version of french pastries--I took on baking them like nobody's business.  Lucky 2-year-old; right?  I wonder when he'll appreciate that mom wakes up and bakes him french pastries? 

So, in the spirit of all things new; and with the approval of the little man; here's my first recipe of 2015.  French Cinnamon Muffins--or Muffins de Cannelle Francais; as google has so helpfully translated for me. 

Ingredients: 

3 cups flour (AP)

3 tsp. baking powder

1tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2/3 cups butter

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

2 sticks butter (unsalted)

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 tsp. cinnamon.

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins (recipe makes approximately 12-18 muffins).  Cream together 1 cup sugar and 2/3 cup butter.  Add eggs, and mix.  Add, alternating, flour and milk, until combined.  Add salt, baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and mix again.  Fill muffin cups and bake for approx. 20 minutes, until slightly golden.  

Remove and set aside. 

In one bowl, melt 2 sticks butter.  In other bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups sugar and 4 tsp cinnamon.  Dip warm muffins in the butter, coating, then roll in cinnamon mixture.  

These muffins are great right out of the oven, and freeze well too!  We usually make a batch, and freeze for quick morning munchies; and they travel well! 

So there you have it.  French pastry muffins, toddler approved.