Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

Final product, cozied up with a pan seared N.Y. Strip and garlic mashed potatoes.

Okay, so I'm always looking for new ways (for me, at least) to do things with vegetables as sides. Recently I saw someone searing them in butter on TV and thought it was one nice approach... but... not everyone is as accommodating to butter as the chefs on TV or myself. So... I opted with olive oil. For extra flavor you can also add a melted 1/2 tsp. of garlic butter. The tarragon adds a nice sweetness to it, and the roasting removes the pungency you have with steamed sprouts.

2 lbs. brussel sprouts
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp.  Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper, or to taste (it really does make a difference)
1 1/2 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Trim off the bottoms of the sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise, except for the small ones.
Place them in an oven proof container, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Mixed and ready to go. Corningware is excellent for one stop mixing and cooking.

 Put sprouts in the oven  and bake for 30 - 40 minutes. Serve with your favorite meats, fish, or vegetarian entrée. 

Enjoy!
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Sauteed Baby Kale and Mushrooms with Garlic and Cashews.

Amazing flavor in minutes.

This side dish was an idea given to me by an old high school friend - I don't know how she made it, but when I put it together, the flavor was unbelievable! Those toastiness of the cashews and sweetness of the lightly sauteed baby kale combine with the garlic... heaven. And I'm not a fan of vegetarian style foods. I could eat this alone.

You'll need:

large bunch of baby kale, preferably with stems removed

1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews
1/4 cup enoki, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms 

2 cloves garlic, crushed

teaspoon olive oil

dash of salt

dash of pepper

In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Add cashews and sautee for about 2 minutes.  Remove cashews and sautee  mushrooms until slightly tender. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and sautee until fragrant. Add cashews back into pan. Stir in kale and sautee until it begins to wilt.

Remove from heat, put on paper towel, pat a second or two to remove excess oil, then place in serving dish. Enjoy!

Time: approx. 15 minutes, including prep

Salad... Ed's Eastern Carolina Cole Slaw.

Cole slaw - an excellent side or as a topping on pulled pork.
(borrowed image.)

Summer is coming and that means barbecue. Okay, maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit, because the snow isn't even all gone yet in my town. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy summer flavors now. As you will see, I will be posting my recipe for Eastern Carolina pulled pork (indoor and smoker,) among other things. So enjoy the refreshing coolness of this dish alongside your favorite mains!

medium head of white cabbage (shredded)
1/2 small head red cabbage (shredded)
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
(or - bagged cole slaw mix, 2 bags 14 oz)
1/3 cup minced onion
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. pepper
2 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Place in a fridge for at least three hours so the flavors meld. Stir and serve. 

Keeps in an airtight container for up to a week.