I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am shocked that December is here already. Time goes so fast as the year comes to an end.
Today I’ve got three recipes that I’ve had recently. I went heavy on the savory this month because I figured the last thing you need in December is another dessert recipe. The first recipe is intended as a side dish, but we had larger helpings and made an entire meal out of it. It’s really up to you. The second recipe came from my mother-in-law and is an easy and tasty side dish. And the third recipe, from my dad, is one for the slow cooker, great for busy December days.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ham and Citrus Aioli
1 ham slice (these are generally larger than ham steaks from the grocery store, but ham steak works, too), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 1/2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar (I use Black Mission fig flavor, but any variety will do)
1 clove garlic, halved
1/4 c. plus 1 T. mayonnaise
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. orange zest
1 t. orange juice
1/2 t. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss ham and Brussels sprouts with olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spread sprouts and ham on baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Meanwhile, heat Balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. You should have a slightly thickened reduction.
On a cutting board, smash garlic halves with the side of a knife. Sprinkle with a bit of salt (about 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon) and continue smashing garlic to make a paste. Place paste and the remaining ingredients (mayonnaise through lemon juice) in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously and set aside.
When sprouts and ham are done, drizzle with Balsamic reduction and dollop with aioli. Serve immediately.
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Corn Pudding
1 can (14 oz.) corn, undrained
1 can (14 oz.) creamed corn
1 stick butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. sour cream
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a greased 9×9″ baking dish and put it in the oven until the butter is melted. Remove the dish from the oven and add remaining ingredients. Mix well and bake for one hour.
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Tomato-Ground Beef Soup
1 lb. ground beef, crumbled
1/4 t. each pepper, oregano, and basil (I usually use at least 1/2 t. of each of these)
1 med. onion, chopped
3 c. beef broth
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 c. each sliced carrots and sliced celery
macaroni, cooked according to package directions
grated Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cook 8-10 hours on low heat. Season with salt as desired. Serve hot over cooked macaroni and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
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Enjoy!
Do you have a recipe you’d like to share? You know what to do–let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Amy
No kidding! I can’t believe it’s December either, lol. Thanks for these Amy. Extra yum on the Brussels! ❤
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Yummy recipes, Amy I haven’t had corn bread. The sprouts sound good lots to like in these recipes 😊
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Thanks, Carol. I came up with the sprouts recipe after trying something very similar in a restaurant. They were a side dish, but my husband and I wished we had ordered them as our entree. 🙂
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Thats how get our inspiration sometimes isn’t it.. 😀
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We love Brussels Sprouts Amy so will be snapping up that recipe for certain.. thanks for sharing all look delicious…hugs
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I hope you enjoy them, Sally. Let me know how they turn out. XO
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Will do..xx
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The slow cooker recipe sounds delicious – will have to try it soon! Hope you are doing well!
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Thanks, Jenny! We’re all well here. Hope you are, too! Let me know what you think of the soup. 🙂
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Okay, I had to print all of these out. I don’t know about you there near the ocean, but we have a foot of snow since yesterday with more coming down, and I need a good comforting crockpot meal with cornbread pudding. YUM! Me? I’ll be visiting my CA grandkids soon so I made a batch of their favorite cookies – my “forgotten cookies.” So easy. Two egg whites, a dash of salt, beat them up until they are foamy. Slowly add 2/3 cup of sugar (slooowwwwllyy) until soft peaks form. Fold in a tsp of vanilla and about 6 oz of chocolate chips (some add nuts also, I do not). Have the oven pre-heated at 350 degrees. I lay some aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Make dollops of the meringue concoction on the sheet (I usually get about 25 dollops or so). Place the cookie sheet in the oven. Turn off the oven immediately. Keep the cookies in there for 12 hours. See? Forgotten. And so delicious.
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{gasp} Those sound delicious! I’ll have to give them a try. Will they travel well? I imagine you’ll have to pack them pretty carefully for the trip. You’re such a nice Madre to do that for your grandkids. ❤
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