Kay Wheeler Moore

Welcome to my blog

Hello. . .

The Newfangled Country Gardener is for anyone who has a garden, would like to have a garden, or who simply enjoys eating the garden-fresh way. I don't claim to be an expert; in this blog I'm simply sharing some of the experiences my husband and I have in preparing food that is home-grown.

About the author

Kay Wheeler Moore is the author of a new cookbook, Way Back in the Country Garden, that features six generations of recipes that call for ingredients that are fresh from the garden. With home gardening surging in popularity as frugal people become more resourceful, this recipe collection and the stories that accompany it ideally will inspire others to cook the garden-fresh way and to preserve their own family food stories as well. The stories in this book center around the Three Red-Haired Miller Girls (Kay's mother and aunts) who grew up in Delta County, TX, with their own backyard garden so lavish that they felt as though they were royalty after their Mama wielded her kitchen magic on all that was homegrown. Introduced in Kay's previous book, Way Back in the Country, the lively Miller Girls again draw readers into their growing-up world, in which a stringent economic era--not unlike today's tight times--saw people turn to the earth to put food on the table for their loved ones. The rollicking yarns (all with recipes attached) have love, family, and faith as common denominators and show how food evocatively bonds us to our life experiences.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Brussels sprouts, bacon, balsamic vinegar—great mix for a great veggie side

On a holiday, when I see Hubby return to the table to graze on leftovers, I can pretty well suspect that he’ll emerge with a piece of pie on his plate.

But on Christmas Day afternoon, what showed up on his leftover plate that he brought to his easy chair to munch on while we watched the movie “Santa Clause 2”?

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. I couldn’t believe my eyes—he was armed with this flavorful side we paired up with Maple-Glazed Salmon for our Christmas Eve dinner. Hubby thought it was one the best veggie items ever and thought the blend of bacon, onion, and balsamic vinegar just made the dish.

In the booklet which furnished the recipe, the comments say, “Who knew brussels sprouts could taste so good?” My sentiments totally. The balsamic vinegar gave it a tangy taste. I happened to have a couple of bags of frozen brussels sprouts in the freezer and needed to use them up, but fresh brussels sprouts, of course, would be wonderful as well.

I’m not sure Brussels Sprouts with Bacon (Taste of Home Thanksgiving Recipe Cards) will replace Eggnog-Sweet Potato Pie (Wednesday’s blog) on Hubby’s all-star fave holiday food list, but it sure gave him a new take on the sometimes-minimized brussels sprout. I’ve placed a star by it to remind me to fix for next year.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

3 bacon strips (I used turkey bacon)
1 1/4 pounds fresh or frozen brussels sprouts, thawed, quartered
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserve 1 tablespoon drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. In the same pan saute brussels sprouts and onion in reserved drippings until crisp-tender. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes until brussels sprouts are tender. Stir in bacon and vinegar. Makes 12 servings.


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