Brussels Sprouts & Wheat Berry Slaw w/Smoked Paprika Dressing

by Irene Lindvall

I definitely needed a salad for Thanksgiving, and knowing that my mom loves all things green I chose a brussels sprout slaw. Eric was in charge of the shredding which was done in the Cuisinart food processor. Thank goodness he was in charge of it because it took 30min to get all the shredding done and to separate and pick out all the ends that we didn't want to eat. I think if I had the right blade it probably wouldn't have taken so long, but we made do and I really appreciated his help.

I also decided to keep it a secret that the slaw was made from brussels sprouts because most of the family is not a fan. The first thing my mom said when she saw it was that it was so pretty. I have to agree! On a table with a lot of browns and oranges this bright green slaw was a welcome change. I believe it was the first thing I took a bite of because I really wanted to know the taste. I thought it was delicious and so strange at the same time. I am also not a huge fan of brussels sprouts and Eric hates that putrid smell/taste that most people associate with them, and I am happy to report that is nonexistent in this slaw. Amazing. My brother had no idea it was brussels sprouts, my dad wasn't overly interested in eating anything green for dinner but did said it was fine, and my mom really enjoyed it.

All the work of shredding and the waiting of the wheat berries on the stove (1.5hrs) was definitely worth it. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised with this dish.

Things I learned from this recipe:

Shredded brussels spouts taste (and look) a lot like cabbage.

Most people pronounce it as "Brussel Sprouts" instead of as a plural like it's supposed to be.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Defintely

The recipe

Bay Shrimp on Belgian Endive (appetizer)

by Irene Lindvall

Happy Thanksgiving! Here is the first of many things I've made for this food frenzy day to eat at my parents' house. I thought Thanksgiving would be a great day for an appetizer and I've been sitting on this one for awhile. My family is really open to trying new things, and I thought it was funny that all of them wanted to know what the lettuce was. My dad also made a point of saying (twice) that it was a little spicy. The aioli does have red chili flakes but knowing my parents do not have a high tolerance for heat I toned it down some. I could taste the chili flakes a little, but it didn't really phase me. Overall I thought the dish was okay. I'd probably make it again for a lot of people where you'd eat one or two, but I don't think you'd want to eat more than that in one sitting.

Things I learned from this recipe:

The process of emulsifying olive oil with the hand blender to make the aioli was fascinating. 

Would I make this recipe again?:

Probably

The recipe

Dandelion & Grapefruit Salad

by Irene Lindvall

I didn't take a picture of the salad OR the dressing - so sad! It really was a beautiful salad. I brought it to a dinner at Eric's Aunt's house and it was a very pretty color along with a very seasonal taste with the fresh pomegranates and grapefruits. I couldn't find dandelion at the grocery store so I used a mixed herb blend of salad instead, but it was just fine. It's a great salad to bring to a party and it very easy to make - the dressing was great.

Things I learned from this recipe: 

It is way less effort to buy pomegranate seeds than to buy a pomegranate and seed it yourself.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Yes

The recipe

McCormick Gourmet Collection Chocolate Crackled Cookies

by Irene Lindvall

My second recipe of the day is cookies! I've been absent at bowling the last couple of weeks and thought I needed to return with a treat. I was incredibly interested in this recipe because it called for Saigon cinnamon (never heard of it) and Ancho chili pepper. Is this different than my regular chili pepper? It actually has mild heat with a fruity flavor. My grocery store did not have Saigon cinnamon in the bulk spice section but they did have Ceylon (the truest form of cinnamon) so I decided to try that over the "regular" cinnamon I have in my spice rack. I know the recipe would've liked me to use the McCormick brand but I wasn't going to buy a whole container when the bulk section is much more economical for a one-time use.

Now enough about the spices - these cookies taste pretty great. They're perfect for fall and would taste even better served with hot apple cider or coffee. I've never tasted a cookie with this type of spice and I welcome the change. I also appreciated the mixing time was minimal and they only took 10 minutes to bake.

Things I learned from this recipe:

A whole lot about spices!

Would I make this recipe again?:

Sure. I definitely think it's only a fall/winter cookie due to the spice.

The recipe

Quinoa and Vegetable Stew (lunch)

by Irene Lindvall

Yum, yum, yum! This stew was so great! It was just what we needed on a cold day. The dish was easy to make, and I some how managed to cook the potatoes perfectly - I'd like to credit America's Test Kitchen for perfecting the dish and knowing just how long to cook each ingredient. All of the ingredients blended so well and I never tasted just one thing at a time - the way a good stew should taste. I look forward to making this again on another cold day.

Things I learned from this recipe:

I often think of the word stew as a negative word because I really disliked it growing up, but this has renewed my faith, and I love that it's vegetarian. 

Would I make this recipe again?:

The recipe - I'm still cooking from that magazine.