Brussels Sprout and Corn Hash with Bacon

I first made this recipe about 10 years ago when I was trying to make myself like Brussel Sprouts.  All I knew is that I had to have bacon in the recipe somehow. 

I found a few recipes online, and created a few of my own.  This is a mixture of both.  At the time, I didn’t see any Brussel Sprout/Corn mixtures and I thought that it would make a great combination.  Well…it did.

 

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 pound shallots, thinly sliced

kosher salt

pepper

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 cups fresh/frozen corn

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 strips thick cut bacon, cooked & chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

Directions

 

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent. Add vinegar and sugar and stir until caramelized.  Remove and set aside.

Slice the sprouts into thin slices. In the same skillet, once wiped clean, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sprouts and corn and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until they start to brown. Add the chicken broth and 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté until most of broth evaporates and sprouts are tender but still bright green. Add shallots back into the skillet along with the chopped up bacon and mix together.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Cuban Rice

This is a recipe I received from a friend when she brought this dish to work one day for a potluck.  I immediately fell in love with it and asked for the recipe.  This is a nice change from regular boring rice and is a nice alternative to your basic asian fried rice. 

Ingredients

3 cups cooked white rice, cooled

1/2 pound cubed, cooked bacon or chorizo sausage 

2 medium yellow onions, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

16-ounce bag frozen peas

1/2 stick butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white table sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1-2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions 

Heat a large sautee pan over med-high heat, and melt 1/2 stick of butter. Once melted, add the onion, pepper and butter.  Let cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the pepper has softened.  Add the bacon and olive oil, and stir.  Add the peas and let cook until the peas have warmed through.  Add the sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, red pepper, and black pepper to the pan and incorporate.  Add the rice to the pan, and mix throughly, but gently as to not mush the rice.  Let the rice heat through, and stir occasionally so the rice does not stick.  

Top with the toasted sesame seeds before serving.

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Chopped Salad

This is my most favorite salad in the whole wide world.  Top it off with a little ranch dressing, or you can use the Bacon Blue Cheese Dressing below. 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces

4 roma tomatoes, rinsed and seeded.  Chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 1/2 to 2 cups crisp bacon, crumbled or cut into 1 inch pieces

Some other options are to add diced chicken breast, olives, blue cheese crumbles, shrimp, fresh corn, or avacado

Directions

 

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Serve with your favorite dressing.

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Bacon and Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

  

Here’s a nice ‘un-healthy’, but healthier than fried chicken recipe for a lunch or dinner. 

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonaise

6 tbsp milk

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup crumbled bacon

1/4 cup chives, minced

Directions

 In a medium sized bowl, combine the mayonaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper.  Stir in the cheese, bacon and chives.  Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.

Throw it over the lettuce of your choice, and top with additional bacon.

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