BSB Brussel Sprouts and Bacon

BSB takes on a new term for you starting now.  Talk about simple ingredients and a simple recipe.

The What's:

A few slices of bacon, cut into eights
clean fresh brussel sprouts, halved
cast iron skillet


The How's:

Begin by heating your skillet.  Chop your bacon slices into eights and begin frying.  Once the bacon is cooked, take it out of the pan and let it drain on a paper towel.

Keep the bacon fat in the skillet and place the brussel sprouts that have been halved, flat side down.  Cook for at least 12 minutes on one side so they have a nice caramelized look then flip over.  Leave cooking for another 7 minutes or until they are consistently softened.

Add cooked bacon back onto top and serve all warm.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

One word:  Tacos.  My children can eat some tacos.  They love them on hard shells, over tortilla chips, as little burrito babies and now I am teaching my children how to make tacos, so at least they will have that.

I have plenty of avocado's around the house and I really wanted to use them in a modified way.  I found this recipe and while I am not a ranch dressing eater, I did have all of the ingredients so I went for it!  I only used the ranch recipe but feel free to use the recipe in it's entirety if it appeals to you!

The What's:

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

3 cloves minced garlic (approx 1 1/2 tsp.)  *I would omit next time

1/4 tsp. kosher salt (or more to taste)

The How's:
Mash avocado in a bowl until smooth. Add sour cream and mix well. Whisk in milk. Then add lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and salt stirring in between each ingredient.

This dressing ended up a little chunky, I wasn't able to get my avocado completely smooth but the taste was really good.  I felt like I purchased my taco from a fancy taco food truck.  I hope you give this recipe a try on a day that you are not following a completely strict diet.

Baked Chicken with Artichoke and Spinach

This dinner comes to me on a very windy afternoon!  We have just begun to leave the house after a week's long virus that literally put three of us on the sofa for a week.  Thankfully, as the wind creates chilly air, the germs are swirling their way into the robust world and out of our home.

Today's recipe is a one pot meal of Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Spinach.  I found the original recipe while searching through pinterest under paleo.  With my variation, I used some leftover Big Batch Chicken in place of raw chicken.  I purchased artichokes in juice from Aldi's and it tasted
great.   I don't know if this is a recipe that my children will particularly enjoy as I have made it for our dinner and leftover lunch.  A few chicken breast did the trick for me. Throw in whatever vegetables you have to use up.  The recipe is not definitive so be creative.

The What's:

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 chicken pieces (thighs, chicken breast, legs, etc...)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 can (14-ounces) quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained
 1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
1 bag (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach, cut in julienne strips
a handful of cherry tomatoes
½ cup vegetable broth

The How's:

Preheat oven to 425.  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet that's safe for stovetop and oven.  I opted for a cast iron skillet.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides; about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and set it on the side, leaving butter in skillet.  Add artichokes, onions, and carrots to the skillet.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken back into skillet, for 1 minute, placing spinach  and cherry tomatoes on top.  Remove from heat and add broth. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.   Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.

Plate and ladle liquid and veggies over chicken pieces.   Serve Warm and Enjoy.