Roasted Brussels Sprouts Almondine

Due to too much travel and genuine exhaustion, I am pretty much skipping Halloween this year. If the fact that I am not dressing up for Halloween isn’t a clear indicator that I’m overworked, I’m not sure what is.

I love dressing up, but I’m dreading the fact that we are supposed to dress up at work tomorrow. The thought of wearing my Lulu Lemon gear and going as a yoga instructor has crossed my mind more than once.

Fingers crossed something brilliant comes to me in the morning. If not I’m going to not brush my hair, wear my pajamas and go as bed head.

But no matter how tired I am, I still want to eat well. So I’m queuing up a flavor packed dish.

You will need…

2 tablespoon butter

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced into lettuce like pieces

3 ounces proscuitto, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 small red onions

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

½ cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the sprouts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast them until golden brown. About 20 to 30 minutes. Stir about halfway through.

While the sprouts are roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the proscuitto to the pan and cook it until it starts to crisp up. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until they are soft. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the almonds, oregano and season with salt and pepper.

When the sprouts are golden brown, toss them in with the almond mixture, top with cheese and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Almondine

2 tablespoon butter

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced into lettuce like pieces

3 ounces proscuitto, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 small red onions

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

½ cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the sprouts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast them until golden brown. About 20 to 30 minutes. Stir about halfway through.

While the sprouts are roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the proscuitto to the pan and cook it until it starts to crisp up. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until they are soft. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the almonds, oregano and season with salt and pepper.

When the sprouts are golden brown, toss them in with the almond mixture, top with cheese and serve hot. 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach Salsa

Have any of you seen the show on MTV Catfish?

If you have seen it, you probably understand my complete fascination. If you haven’t seen it, the whole premise is that people meet and fall in love with strangers on the internet who for one reason or another won’t meet up in person. So the host of the show does all the research to find out if they are an actual person or not and then tries to get them to meet their online love face to face. Whether or not they are the person they said they were.

Most of the time, for one reason or another the person has lied and is not really who they say they are. Shocking. Some of the people you see and know on a daily basis aren’t who they say they are.

In spite of all the lying and drama, I’ve gathered one thing from this show. Everyone is just looking for some love. Even the people who have lied, lied because they thought the other person wouldn’t love them for who they really are.

Here is my theory on the whole thing. If you feel that you need to lie about certain aspects of your life in order for someone to love you, maybe you should start thinking about all the things you don’t like about yourself and work on them. There is no perfect person in this world and all you can do is be a person you like. If you love you, someone else will have no trouble.

Dishes are kind of the same way. Nothing is ever perfect. You can throw a bunch of stuff together but it won’t work out unless you like the ingredients.

These ingredients might seem odd or quirky together, but they just sing.

You will need…

1 lb pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

3 peaches, halved and pitted

1 red onion, sliced into ½ inch rings

¼ cup basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra to brush the grill

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by lightly brushing the grill with oil and preheating it to a medium high heat.

While the grill is heating, rub down your tenderloin with the mustard and season well with salt and pepper.

Use the tablespoon of oil to lightly brush the flesh of the peaches and the onions. Season both with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the grill is hot, add the pork, peaches and onions to the grill.

Cook the peaches and onions about 5 minutes a side. When the peaches have good grill marks and the onions are tender, remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Cook the pork for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes. 

Until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F. Remove the pork from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the pork is resting, dice the peaches and onions and toss in a bowl with the basil. Season well with salt and pepper.

When the pork has rested, slice into ½ inch thick slices.

Top with peach salsa and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach Salsa

1 lb pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

3 peaches, halved and pitted

1 red onion, sliced into ½ inch rings

¼ cup basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra to brush the grill

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by lightly brushing the grill with oil and preheating it to a

medium high heat.

While the grill is heating, rub down your tenderloin with the mustard and season well with salt and pepper.

Use the tablespoon of oil to lightly brush the flesh of the peaches and the onions. Season both with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the grill is hot, add the pork, peaches and onions to the grill.

Cook the peaches and onions about 5 minutes a side. When the peaches have good grill marks and the onions are tender, remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Cook the pork for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes. Until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F. Remove the pork from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the pork is resting, dice the peaches and onions and toss in a bowl with the basil. Season well with salt and pepper.

When the pork has rested, slice into ½ inch thick slices.

Top with peach salsa and serve hot. 

Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad

Hi! Work is crazy. Too tired to type. Working long, hectic days.

Sleepy.

Must. Share. Tasty. Salsa.

Make for your next BBQ.

You will need…

2 Hass avocados, diced

1 ear of corn, in the husk and soaking in water for 1 hour

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill.

When the grill is hot, grill the corn until kernels are tender. About 25 minutes. Turning every 5 minutes.

While the corn is grilling, combine the avocado, onion, jalapeno, and lime juice. Season with well with salt and pepper.

When the corn is done, remove the husk and allow the corn to cool slightly. 

Cut the corn from the cob and toss with the avocado mixture.

Combine well and serve with your favorite chips or on a taco.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad

2 Hass avocados, diced

1 ear of corn, in the husk and soaking in water for 1 hour

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill.

When the grill is hot, grill the corn until kernels are tender. About 25 minutes. Turning every 5 minutes.

While the corn is grilling, combine the avocado, onion, jalapeno, and lime juice. Season with well with salt and pepper.

When the corn is done, remove the husk and allow the corn to cool slightly. Cut the corn from the cob and toss with the avocado mixture.

Combine well and serve with your favorite chips or on a taco. 

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber and Peach Salsa

I want to take a second to give a little love to the unsung hero of this here blog.

For a long time, all the magic happened because I made it happen. Of course I’d get help from visiting dinner guests or family members, but for the most part I was running around the kitchens I’ve cooked in like a chicken with my head cut off.

But these days things are easier and down right prettier because Wes does everything he can to help me.

From dicing things to perfection, to hitting the grill when I have too much going on to snagging the camera when I need seven hands. He does it all.

He does it all AFTER working his butt off for ten hours a day.

Finally, all his hard work and selflessness has paid off. He got a great promotion at work after years of dedication and hard work.

Congrats my love! You deserve it!

In your honor, I will call you and demand that you tell me what to make for dinner and then freak out and have you help me chop things.

Thanks for working so hard and keeping all together!

You will need…

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons peach preserves

½ cup cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

3 tablespoons red onion, diced

2 large ripe peaches, peeled and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the preserves, cucumber, mint and onion in a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and let the flavors combine for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat the grill to a high heat.

Gently brush the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the chicken until it has good grill marks and is cooked through. About 4 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, top with 2 tablespoons salsa and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber and Peach Salsa

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons peach preserves

½ cup cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

3 tablespoons red onion, diced

2 large ripe peaches, peeled and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the preserves, cucumber, mint and onion in a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and let the flavors combine for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat the grill to a high heat.

Gently brush the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the chicken until it has good grill marks and is cooked through. About 4 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, top with 2 tablespoons salsa and serve hot. 

Balsamic Onion, Chorizo and Avocado Sandwiches

So, I’m halfway through my four weeks of insane travel and I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Never before in my life have I looked forward to NOT partying and having a good time for a few weeks.

Don’t get me wrong, I have really fun stuff coming up. A trip to Atlanta, my brother’s graduation and my good friend Shireen’s wedding are all on the horizon. And while I’m really excited for every one of those things, I also am ready to take a really LONG nap.

But while I do really miss getting consistent sleep, I miss cooking even more.

So every moment I have at home I’m spending in the kitchen.

Here is one of the many tasty things I’ve been cooking up. Just in time for summer.

You will need…

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium red onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 fresh chorizo sausages (about 6 ounces each) pricked all over with a fork

4 6-inch baguette pieces, split and toasted

¼ cup cilantro sprigs

2 avocados, mashed

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Then, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add in the onions and season them with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Just until the onions have softened.

Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onions are caramelized. About 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While the onions are cooking, grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning occasionally until they are nicely charred and cooked through. About 15 minutes.

When the sausages are cooked, removed the sausages from the heat and roughly chop them.

Toss them with the onions.

Spread the mashed avocado on both sides of the baguettes.

Top the baguette with onions, sausage and cilantro and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Balsamic Onion, Chorizo and Avocado Sandwiches 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium red onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 fresh chorizo sausages (about 6 ounces each) pricked all over with a fork

4 6-inch baguette pieces, split and toasted

¼ cup cilantro sprigs

2 avocados, mashed

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Then, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add in the onions and season them with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Just until the onions have softened.

Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onions are caramelized. About 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While the onions are cooking, grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning occasionally until they are nicely charred and cooked through. About 15 minutes.

When the sausages are cooked, removed the sausages from the heat and roughly chop them.

Toss them with the onions.

Spread the mashed avocado on both sides of the baguettes.

Top the baguette with onions, sausage and cilantro and serve hot.