Married 54 years to the same man ~

April 4th, yesterday, Andy and I will have been married fifty-four years. The sunny day yesterday was an exact copy of the day we were married.  Andy's work sent us to California for a year and we used that seven day cross country trip, in my spiffy 57 Chevy hard top, as the honeymoon.  Andy was sent there to work on the Minute Man missiles which are, by the way, still in ground today...as I understand it. To this day I hold California in my heart as the one place where I would love to live.  We lived beach front with not a care in the world and that is what I miss most. I remember smog, however, and never having heard the word or its meaning it nearly cost me an accident.  I was driving to pick up Andy after work when my eyes started watering and burning and being in mid traffic I could not pull over nor did I know what has accosted me.  I thought I was losing my sight, so real tears were added to the fray.  I finally arrived at his work a sobbing sight, and he informed me I had encountered smog and to get used to it because it was not going away any time soon.

This has nothing to do with the next picture or recipe.  Andy is not a brussels sprouts man, but Nate and I eat them like popped corn.  When I saw this picture and recipe on Pinterest today, I wished I'd had it for the Easter starters. (Oh, by the way. We've improved. We only forgot one (Easter) dish in the oven this year.  Usually it is at least three.)


Use any dip you like.  This is a garlic dip. I would use somethinbg else because garlic hates me even though I adore it.



These Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts are packed full of flavor with only a few ingredients. I don’t think I’ll have brussels sprouts any other way from now on.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 6 – 8
Ingredients:
20 Brussels Sprouts (rinsed clean)
4 TBLs Butter (melted)
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 dash Salt
1 dash Pepper

Prep & Cooking Directions -

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut all of the brussels sprouts in half.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the brussels sprouts, melted butter, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir the brussels sprouts to get an even coat of everything and pour out onto a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Stir them mid way through.

Another way to enjoy them:



Brussel Sprout Gratin with Dijon Mornay Sauce
about 1.5 pounds of Brussels sprouts, halved with stems cut off
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1.5 cups milk
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup aged white cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
panko breadcrumbs
black pepper to taste
1.Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. boil a pot of water and blanche brussel sprouts until they turn bright green for about 2 minutes and set aside
3. Melt butter over medium heat and incorporate flour with a whisk, then whisk in milk and bring to a boil then turn down heat until sauce thickens
4. Stir in cheese, salt cream cheese and dijon until fully mixed
5. Add brussel sprouts to mornay sauce, then entire mixture to baking dish
6. Toss brussel sprouts in panko breadcrumbs in dish to coat them
7. Bake in oven for 40 minutes – you can add more cheese if you want 10 minutes before they are done for extra crust

Pinterest~ More goodness, but not brussel sprouts:

Organic Spinach
Organic Sour Cream
Brie (Of course..)
Parmesan
Artichoke Hearts
Sea Salt
Chili Flakes
*You notice there are no measurements along with the ingredients because it was truly…
Directions:
…A little bit of this, a little bit of that, a pinch of this and a pinch of that! Put it in the oven 350 for 25-30 minutes and Whaa la!


Deliciousness!