Thankful Brussel Sprouts

I made this yummy side dish for Thanksgiving from Brussel Sprouts and Butternut squash we grew in the garden. It was a beautiful dish to make rich with color and nutrients. I was fortunate enough to have two recipes to work with as I blended them together and added my own touch (because that's what I do!).

The first recipe I saw and worked with was the one from none other than Ree The Pioneer Woman. Ree's Beautiful Brussel Sprouts were the driving force behind this beautiful dish. I loved the added spark of vibrant red she added and with pomegranate's in season I knew that my garden friends deserved this wonderfully sweet touch!

The second recipe I used to inspire me was from Life Made Sweeter, a recent addition to my blog roll. It was Kelly's sauce on her Roasted Balsamic Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts that caught my attention. It included maple syrup and I knew then that including our own home made maple syrup was the perfect was to truly celebrate Thanksgiving with love from our homestead.

I prepped my Brussel Sprouts by trimming the stems and outer leaves and then sliced them in half. To prep the squash I cut the ends off, carefully peeled it, cut it in half, removed seeds and guts, then cut it into cubes. I roughly chopped a red onion, tossed it all together in a baking dish, tossed with olive oil salt and pepper, and put it in the oven with the turkey. 


While it cooked I deconstructed the pomegranate and then mixed my sauce. For the sauce I mixed generous amounts of maple syrup, healthy dashes of pomegranate juice (Pom is the brand I used), a couple of squeezes of balsamic glaze, some herbs and spices, salt and pepper, and a  squeak of olive oil. When the squash was soft and I could smell the sprouts it came out of the oven to cool just a bit. I tossed it with about 1/4 cup dried cranberries and about 1/2 of the pomegranate seeds. I drizzled the sauce over the top and tossed to combine.

This was one of the best Thanksgiving sides I have ever made. Thank you for the inspiration!

Butternut Squash & Bacon Deviled Eggs

 

 Another Must do recipe from Snixy Kitchen! She is my new favorite and I love her for her ingredient transformations!

Butternut Squash & Bacon Deviled Eggs

Butternut Squash and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Author: Sarah Menanix

Yields: 12 deviled eggs

 

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (.75 to 1 pound)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, plus more for sprinkling
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

Instructions

1. Cook the butternut squash. Prick the squash with a fork several times. You can roast the whole pricked squash at 375°F for about 30 minutes, until tender. Alternatively, you can microwave it for 5 minutes, cut it in half lengthwise, and microwave both halves cut-side down for another 5-8 minutes, until tender. When the squash is tender, remove and discard (or save) the seeds and scoop out the filling.
2. Place the cooked squash in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 6 tablespoons of squash for the deviled eggs.
3. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water (*see note). Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and cover for 11 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and run them under cold water to stop the cooking. When they're cool enough to handle, peel the eggs, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the 6 tablespoons of butternut squash purée to the bowl with the yolks, and mix. Add the mayonnaise, cayenne, salt, and nutmeg and mix until smooth (you can also return this mixture to the food processor or blender if you want it super smooth).
5. Divide the filling among the egg halves (either using a spoon or pipe it in using a piping bag).
6. Top with a few crumbles of cooked bacon and sprinkle cayenne on top. Refrigerate until serving.