Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
To say that it’s been different this year would be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us joy.
I’ll be back next week to pick up where we left off. Until then Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
PS: Does anyone have a really good brussels sprouts recipe?
Susan on the Soapbox 
Yeah, boil/nuke them and then press them flat (or leave as is) and put them in the oven on high with drizzled butter and any seasonings you like – balsamic vinegar drizzled over them is nice when you take them out of the oven when they’re nice a browned/crisp on top…or as they are!!
Marilyn, this is a lovely simple recipe, thanks!
Same to you. Thank you for your excellent commentary.
An Ontario fan.
On Sun., Oct. 11, 2020, 5:48 p.m. Susan on the Soapbox, wrote:
> susanonthesoapbox posted: ” Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish > you a Happy Thanksgiving. To say that it’s been different this year would > be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us > joy. I’ll be back next week to pick up whe” >
Thanks Elena DVN. How are you guys doing with Doug Ford? It’s hard to believe but he’s beginning to look better than Jason Kenney.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. One of many things I am grateful for is your very well thought out and well written blog. 🙂
Why thank you Carol! I hope you and your family had a lovely Thanksgiving.
It was different – no big dinner or family gatherings, but nice anyway. Thanks so much. 🙂
The secret to tasty Brussels sprouts is bacon. I had it in some restaurant somewhere and it was fantastic.
On Sunday, 11 October 2020, Susan on the Soapbox wrote:
> susanonthesoapbox posted: ” Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish > you a Happy Thanksgiving. To say that it’s been different this year would > be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us > joy. I’ll be back next week to pick up whe” >
“The secret to tasty Brussels sprouts is bacon.”
Definitely, but make sure you tell your server to hold the sprouts.
Jill and Cujo, although you two may not agree on the need (or not) for brussels sprouts in the best brussels sprouts recipe on the planet, I see you’re aligned on the need for a server. I agree, having pretty much anything cooked for you by someone else improves the taste immeasurably 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Susan! Brussel Sprouts have always been a favourite of mine, but they’re done so much better now than when we were kids. We ate them steamed and covered in butter and vinegar.
The ones at The National used to be so good (lately they’ve become a bit too sweet) but they shared their recipe with me a few years back. After the sprouts are trimmed and halved, they are tossed in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and pepper flakes (and like Marilyn above said, add any other seasonings you like*) and then roast until they’re outer skins are crispy.
*maybe let them marinate in the mix for a bit.
Mare, it’s funny you mention the brussels sprouts of bygone days. My mom was a good cook but her brussels sprouts were always mush, so we slathered on the butter and they were just fine!
Funny … butter solves a lot of problems.
see your email for recipe. jodi
>
Jodi, I got it, looks fantastic!
This post is just making me want brussels sprouts!
Linda, just reading these replies is making me hungry. Luckily I bought extra brussels sprouts and can give these recipes a try. Stay tuned!
Susan,
I love your posts. Have been following you for a year or more I think. I also have a GREAT and simple Brussels sprouts recipe — it’s a variation of this New York Times one …
My advice: use small tender sprouts, cut in half lengthwise, and roast as in recipe, with shallots … I see no real need for the Worcestershire sauce dressing, but it’s a nice variation… and I see NO need for the parmesan. It’s a distraction.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020618-crispy-roasted-brussels-sprouts-and-shallots
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too
I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving too Carlos!
Thank you sojournalista: I’ll definitely give it a try. I see a pattern in these recipes, roasting for crispness, adding some zest, and maybe some cheese. Fascinating.
My go to:
– Brussels Sprouts. These delicious little green veggies are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and Vitamin C. Once sautéed, the sprouts will have a crisp, caramelized outside and tender but firm inside. – Olive Oil. Be generous to ensure the sprouts caramelize in the pan. – Kosher Salt. Kosher salt is critical to making your Brussels sprouts tasty. I always recommend kosher salt because it has a more pure, soft taste than table salt (which tastes metallic due to the treatment process that keeps the salt free-flowing). Season the sprouts as you go along, then at the very end to taste. – Black Pepper. As much or as little as you like. – Acid. Brussels sprouts crave acid; a splash will balance and perk up their flavor. In this recipe, I use balsamic vinegar, though you can also try lemon juice, pickled onions, or an entirely different vinegar.
On Sun, Oct 11, 2020, 3:48 PM Susan on the Soapbox, wrote:
> susanonthesoapbox posted: ” Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish > you a Happy Thanksgiving. To say that it’s been different this year would > be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us > joy. I’ll be back next week to pick up whe” >
And variations….
– Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Dice 4 slices of bacon, and cook them in your skillet. Once crispy, remove to a plate. Then, cook your sprouts in the bacon drippings. Top your finished sprouts with the crispy bacon pieces. YUM! – Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Herbs. Add a tablespoon of fresh herbs to your sprouts at the end. I used parsley, but cilantro and mint would be delicious too. – Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan. Toss a handful of Parmesan over the sprouts at the end. Feta and goat cheese are other, super tasty options. – Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Onions. Add 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onions to the pan with your Brussels sprouts. They’ll crisp and caramelize in a most excellent way. – Pan Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Nuts. Stir a handful of chopped, raw nuts into the pan with the Brussels sprouts at the very end. Continue stirring, allowing the residual heat from the pan to toast the nuts. For today’s recipe, I used pine nuts. Walnuts and pecans are two of our other favorites.
Variations
– Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Dice 4 slices of bacon, and cook them in your skillet. Once crispy, remove to a plate. Then, cook your sprouts in the bacon drippings. Top your finished sprouts with the crispy bacon pieces. YUM! – Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Herbs. Add a tablespoon of fresh herbs to your sprouts at the end. I used parsley, but cilantro and mint would be delicious too. – Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan. Toss a handful of Parmesan over the sprouts at the end. Feta and goat cheese are other, super tasty options. – Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Onions. Add 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onions to the pan with your Brussels sprouts. They’ll crisp and caramelize in a most excellent way. – Pan Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Nuts. Stir a handful of chopped, raw nuts into the pan with the Brussels sprouts at the very end. Continue stirring, allowing the residual heat from the pan to toast the nuts. For today’s recipe, I used pine nuts. Walnuts and pecans are two of our other favorites.
Yvette, thanks for these variations on the theme, I hadn’t come across the suggestion of using pine nuts, walnuts or pecans. That’s a great idea. I love nuts mixed in with my vegetables. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Hmmm, good brussel sprouts, well I used to have a good recipe. The brussel sprouts were steamed slightly then pan fried with onions and bacon.
Joanna, I smiled when I saw your suggestion. Nice and simple with the kick of onions and bacon. Yum.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On Sun, Oct 11, 2020 at 15:49 Susan on the Soapbox wrote:
> susanonthesoapbox posted: ” Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish > you a Happy Thanksgiving. To say that it’s been different this year would > be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us > joy. I’ll be back next week to pick up whe” >
Have a great Thanksgiving Mike!
Susan: I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving. For good Brussels sprouts, try roasting them, in a tray, using a bit of oil, until they get slightly browned. Season them with salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings. You can also saute them in a pan, with bacon and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and add a bit of red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar, and a touch of maple syrup, or brown sugar, for some added depth. Vegetables are good when they have some crunch in them.
Dwayne, thanks for these great suggestions. I loved your last sentence: “vegetables are good when they have some crunch in them.” I’d say the same applies to life 🙂 .
I am sorry to spoil the atmosphere but I would not feel right without wishing a good thanksgiving to our dear ex-prime minister Harper and his dear family
https://albertapolitics.ca/2020/10/young-ben-harper-gets-a-well-heeled-start-in-politics-thanks-to-dear-old-dads-former-lieutenant/
It hurts to watch fairness and poor Ben fighting so hard to be someone rather than a dropout like is Mafia uncle Jason Kooky
Carlos, the thing that bothers me the most about Kenney hiring Harper’s son is it indicates Kenney is so bereft of ideas that he’s turning to youngsters with very little life experience to dig him out of the hole he’s dug for himself. This is not promising.
Either that or he’s doing his former boss Steven Harper a favour (she said cynically).
Aw, Susan and Carlos, I don’t think it’s all that bad. As David Climenhega points out in his reply to Robert Bott, Ben moved to New York City for university last year. We can’t be sure, but either Ben came home for a summer job, or (just maybe) he wasn’t here at all. Either way, I don’t see Lord Jason paying attention to lesser mortals than Stephen the Great, or whichever captain of industry is banging his ear at the moment.
But anyway, a slightly belated Happy Thanksgiving to you both.
Susan: The thing that gets me about this, and other well paying meaningless positions for the UCP’s Conservative friends, is how others in Alberta have to suffer on less, like those on AISH, and our seniors.
The only good brussel sprouts recipe I have is one with no brussel sprouts in it. Happy Thanksgiving! Esmé oh and please please keep writing. Bring the facts, baby! DATA.
On Sun., Oct. 11, 2020, 3:48 p.m. Susan on the Soapbox wrote:
> susanonthesoapbox posted: ” Ms Soapbox and her family would like to wish > you a Happy Thanksgiving. To say that it’s been different this year would > be an understatement, but we can all be thankful for the people who give us > joy. I’ll be back next week to pick up whe” >
Esme, I chuckled when I read your comment. A good friend sent me an email (not Jodi) suggesting I steam them, not boil them, season them with lemon and deposit them in the trash. Brussels sprouts, love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no inbetween. 🙂
Most vegetables are better steamed than boiled.
We eat hem frequently this way which is simple to make
Cut them in half and cut small potatoes as well. Once you have all cut up mixed them in a bowl and use olive well to do this (be generous with the oil). Then put this mixture in a pan and put in the oven at 425 degrees until they start looking a but brown and crispy.
I really like this and it is a great side dish
Sorry forgot to mention the condiments
You add some salt
some black pepper
some garlic
paprika if you like it
Here’s a new family favorite for Brussels Sprouts:
Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients for Buttermilk Dressing
• 8 ounces buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (dried) *
• grated peel of 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Ingredients for Salad
• 24 Brussels sprouts
• 2 small ripe red pears with skin, cored and diced
• 2/3 cup shaved Asiago, Pecorino, or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or a combination)
Make the dressing first. Combine all ingredients in bowl and set aside while you prepare the sprouts. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and core. You can skip the coring step, especially if you have a mandoline. I prefer the texture when cored. If coring, simply cut a little ‘v’ notch where you see the core to remove it. Shave Brussels sprouts into thin ribbons. Place the shaved sprouts and diced pears in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Allow to sit for at least 1/2 hour before serving or, even better, overnight. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.
Herbes de provence: use one or a couple of dried and crushed herbs, if you don’t have the entire mix
Oh my goodness Bernadine, you are a master chef. I had to google “mandoline”, it looks like a nifty device. Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Roy and family! I don’t have a recipe handy but I like roasters Brussels sprouts best – toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and you can either fast roast them at high heat (400-425) or slow roast at lower heat (325). I think some people also toss them with a balsamic vinegar.
Susan, roasted brussels sprouts sound yummy. I was just thinking as I read these comments that I’ve had them boiled, steamed, and fried, but I don’t think I’ve ever had them roasted. So I’ll start there.Have a great Thanksgiving!