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I have to eat brussels sprouts on Thanksgiving- it is a must. I like them best roasted till they are nutty and yummy. This particular one of course has Latin flavors- chorizo to be specific. I like the Mexican style chorizo, which is the fresh and uncooked variety. I love the yummy garlic and paprika flavor of this sausage. It enhances any dish to a new level. I have been making brussels sprouts with walnuts and a cream sauce. This one is a bit different- it includes pecans and the delicious sausage. It is a very simple dish to put together and all the prep work, including cutting the brussels sprouts, shallots and pecans. You can do it the day before and put the dish together in the morning. It can be reheated right before you sit down to eat. Enjoy!!
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I am very proud of this recipe. I combined a bunch of peppers, garlic and onion and roasted them till they became soft and deliciously nutty. I then blended the veggies with cream and milk- I basically made a cream sauce to be used to make scalloped potatoes. I bought a reasonably priced mandolin. Usually they are quite expensive and not worth the money. They are handy to have around- as they make slicing the potatoes a cinch. I was done in no time. The whole dish took me hardly any time to make.

I would recommend making the cream sauce ahead of time if you are planning a big Thanksgiving dinner. You could even freeze the sauce and take it out a day ahead and assemble the potatoes the morning of and then bake them right before eating. They are simply delicious…
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This dish can be served on its own- not just as a  side… it is that substantial and delicious. I decided a while ago to experiment with polenta- to me it is like a blank canvas.. one can add anything to it to enhance the flavor.

For this one, I sauteed raisins and pine nuts in some olive oil. I then added thawed, chopped spinach and cooked it down for a bit. It was then time to add the a mixture of chicken broth and milk and the delicious polenta. I cooked it and seasoned it with salt and cheese- that was it. It took no time to make the dish but it was amazing with the shrimp dish.

Try it next time you are confused about making a side dish…
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I made this side dish with the fish I posted yesterday. I usually make brown rice for my family to keep things healthy. I have tried to make the rice as delicious as possible. I cook it with chicken broth and a tad bit of butter- it makes a big difference.

In this case, I didn’t have a lot of time of cook dinner- a problem most people have. So, I checked my freezer where I always keep packs of frozen brown rice from Trader Joes. It is great to have and use in a pinch. I decided to mimic the same flavors I used in the fish. I started with a shallot and some garlic. I added roasted cumin seeds and smoked paprika. I then added the broccolini and the rice and checked for seasonings. Lemon juice finished off the dish really well. It is great side dish to make with fish or any other meat..
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I still continue to make burgers even though summer is officially over. It is great way to make a healthy meal, especially if one uses ground turkey or vegetables to create the burgers.

I love eating fries but have been very good at keeping away from them… well, maybe not in Dublin.. but otherwise I have been quite good. So, this recipe is really good.

The potatoes are boiled and marinated in a green chutney- which is similar to the one Indian restaurants serve as a condiment with appetizers. I made it fresh with cilantro, mint and lime juice. It is simple to make and gives it tons of flavor to the dish.

Try this one- you may never go back to the mayo laden potato salad…
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