Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Pistachios

This is for my friend, Julie, who was looking for something different to bring to the holiday table! I have adapted this recipe that I clipped from a Bon Appetit quite some time ago, but I have made it several times and love it! The recipe calls for you to separate every leaf off of every sprout, but if you do that, you will still be plucking while everyone else is eating dessert ;o) I find the food processor to be my friend in this recipe! Also, it may seem like there is a ton when you shred, but this does shrink, so for a crowd I might double the recipe and cook in 2 skillets.

3 Tbsp olive oil (recipe calls for grapeseed, if you have it)
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1-1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, washed and yucky parts trimmed, if any, and shredded with a medium blade of a food processor.
3/4 cup shelled unsalted natural pistachios (I have substituted sliced almonds and liked just as well)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or more)

Heat oil in large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat and add nuts, stirring for 30 or 40 seconds. When nuts begin to sizzle in the oil, add the shallots and stir a minute. Add brussels sprouts and turn heat up a little, stirring to get nuts and shallots out of harms way on the bottom of the skillet. Cover to steam for a few minutes. I like to not stir too much so part of them are caramelizing on the bottom and part are still crisp-tender and bright green. Remove cover and stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. This is best prepared right before dinner is served. If everything is prepped, it can be ready in 5 minutes. I hope you like it!!!

Say your friend gives you 5 gallons of tomatillos...

What do you do? 1.) Soak in cold water to soften husks and remove. 2.) Grill them or place under a broiler until blackened in spots and softening. 3.) Whir in a food processor until mostly liquid but still a little chunky. 4.) Freeze in premeasured containers. (FYI, 5 gallons made 5 quarts of pureed roasted tomatillo.) Stay tuned for fun recipes to use this delicious concoction! I am thinking Green Pork Chili!!!

UPDATE: We made wonderful green salsa the other night with this. I partially thawed one of these containers, slid the whole block out and just cut the top off with a knife. I put the other half back in the freezer. I threw it into the Cuisinart with the top cut off a bunch of cilantro, 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of chipotle chili puree, juice of a lime, and 3 very small jalapenos that I blackened over the gas flame on the stove. A little salt & pepper and YUMMM! This would be great on grilled chicken or pork or, my fave, tortilla chips!

Great Grandma Savard's Chili Sauce

If you have tomatoes and peppers coming out your ears...try this!!!

30 tomatoes - peeled and quartered (boil down a bit and drain)
10 onions
7 red peppers (sweet)
3 hot red peppers (chop with red peppers and onions in food processor)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp salt

Spice Bag:
2 Tbsp mixed pickling spices
4 cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients into tomatoes. Cook slowly stirring occasionally until thick 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Place in sterilized jars, seal with sterilized jar llids and rims (must be hot).

This is delicious on ANYTHING! (Great Grandma Savard is Mike's Mom's Grandma)

Pomodori al Forno (Tomatoes in the Oven)

This is one of the very best things I have EVER eaten. This is also the perfect way to preserve a taste of summer when you have more plum tomatoes than you know what to do with!!! It is best eaten on a lightly toasted slice of baguette with a little goat cheese crumble. The oil left behind is equally delicious to sop up with soft fresh bread. I also like it as a condiment on a sandwich (see recipe below for one idea). There is a lot of oil used for this dish, but I promise not one drop of it will go to waste. I will reuse the remaining oil from the last batch and add to it as needed for the next batch (kind of like "starter"), or I use it in salad dressings, marinades, anything that calls for olive oil. (Credit where credit is due...Bon Appetit, Sept 08.)

Preheat the oven to 250. Fill a glass baking dish with fresh plum tomato halves (cored, sliced lengthwise and seeded) just touching each other, cut sides up. Pour in enough olive oil to reach most the way up the sides of the tomatoes, but not covering the cut sides. This might be a cup or more. Sprinkle the cut sides with 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 Tbsp minced fresh oregano (1-1/2 tsp dried if you must). Using a spoon, ladle some of the oil over the tomatoes.

Bake the tomatoes for 1 hour. Remove from oven and flip each one over. Return to oven for another hour. They should be wrinkled and darker red. If some are still larger or retaining their shape, bake an additional 30 minutes. Otherwise, allow to cool in pan at room temperature. I sometimes slip the skins off before storing, but they are generally very tender and hold the tomato flesh together better. Gently place the tomatoes in a glass jar or covered dish when cool. Pour olive oil over to cover, reserving extra oil for next batch or for other uses (it is delicious as well!) Keep refrigerated, but allow ample time to bring to room temperature as oil will cloud and solidify when cold.

Whatever you do, do not let this sit out where it can be eaten as a snack! It is highly addictive and you'll start putting it on your cornflakes!!! (also, not a bad idea to use your scissors and cut these in half when serving as an appetizer...)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This beats Duncan Hines hands down!!! We like to serve with just powdered sugar sprinkled on top, but frosting would also be great!

2 medium zucchini, trimmed and grated on large holes of box grater
9 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
2 3/4 c flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 cup corn oil (or other veg. oil)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c buttermilk
1/4 c powdered sugar (for sifting)

Preheat to 325. Squeeze excess water out of zucchini in paper towels or clean dish towels and transfer to a bowl. Butter deep 9" cake pan with 1 tbsp of the butter. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt together and set aside. Beat together remaining 8 tbsp butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add oil, beating well. Beat in 1 egg at a time, add vanilla, reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk alternating a few times. Stir in zucchini. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Invert onto a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar. Enjoy!