FUN with VEGGIES

My niece, that's the young pretty woman in this picture, has a wonderful kitchen with plenty of light, counter space, and a large island that holds her cooktop. It's the perfect location for testing new ideas and fine tuning family favorites.

She decided to create a delicious Brussels sprout dish while I worked magic on a pot of fresh green beans. Give our recipes a try. I think you'll enjoy them both.





Truly Yummy Brussels Sprouts
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
½ lb. bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, diced
1 stick butter or margarine
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Trim the stem off the sprouts and remove any tough outer leaves. Slice them in half lengthwise if the sprouts are large.

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until lightly browned. Add the sprouts. Cook until veggies are tender. Stir frequently.

Add pepper and serve.

Easy Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans trimmed, but left whole
Water
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the beans in a colander and then rinse them under cold water. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil on high heat.

Drop the beans in by the handful. Boil 10 to 14 minutes or until the beans are just tender.

Drain beans in a colander. Add butter to the hot pot and melt. Return beans to the pot. Toss with butter and coat well, then season with pepper to taste.

Have a fun-filled weekend!

Sloane

It’s Wednesday, so What’s Cooking? Breakfast

After a busy week with breakfast on the run, the weekends are a perfect time to treat yourself to a leisurely morning meal. Grab your favorite newspaper or, preferably, your soul mate and enjoy!

Breakfast Frittata
Hash Brown Potatoes
Fruit Salad
Italian Bread with Butter
Mimosas

Breakfast Frittata
4 strips bacon diced
¼ lb ham diced - leftover from a ham steak is good
1 tbsp. onion chopped
½ tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. and ½ tbsp. butter
4 large eggs
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3 slices provolone cheese torn into pieces
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F

In a medium frying pan, fry bacon pieces until almost done. Drain in a colander.

Add olive oil to the same frying pan and 1 tbsp. butter. Over medium heat, melt while swirling pan to coat sides. Add ham and onion. Sauté until the excess moisture from the ham is removed, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk eggs well in a bowl. Break off bits of the remaining butter and drop into the eggs. Add pepper and whisk again. Pour eggs into hot skillet, then stir gently to distribute ham evenly. Top with bacon. As the edges cook, gently lift them and tip pan to allow raw mixture to flow beneath. Continue cooking until eggs begin to set.

Place frying pan in hot oven about 3-4 minutes to complete cooking. Remove pan and scatter provolone cheese across the top of frittata. Grate parmesan over the frittata. Return to the oven until provolone is melted.

To serve cut into wedges like a pie.

Serves 2

Hash Brown Potatoes

I admit I make the worst from scratch hash browns in the world. After years of trying, I finally gave up. The best brand we’ve found is Mr. Dee’s. They fry up quick and crisp without oil. A little pepper sprinkled on each side as the cook is great. If you don’t have it in your area, then use any frozen or fresh brand and follow the package directions.

Fruit Salad
1 pear sliced
1 banana peeled and sliced
Lemon juice
15 red grapes cut in half
1 kiwi peeled and diced


In a glass bowl, combine the pear and banana. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Gently, add in the grapes and kiwi.

To serve, spoon the fruit salad into pretty dishes.

This can be prepared first and set in the refrigerator to chill.

Mimosas
1 bottle Cook’s Grand Reserve Champagne or Korbel Brut Champagne chilled
Orange juice
Stemmed glasses

Fill the glass half full with champagne. Pour in orange juice. Do no stir. The juice will mix into the champagne nicely.

I’ll be back Friday with another addition to So You Want To Be An Author. Until then…

Happy Cooking!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com