pancetta

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

This amazingly easy, 5-ingredient recipe makes traditionally bitter brussels sprouts sweet and crazy delicious thanks to roasting in a cast-iron skillet to create a caramelized bite of baby cabbage and salty pancetta for a favorite simple side dish any time of the year.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

Whether you call them correctly with the plural Brussels sprouts, or leave the S off the end of this cruciferous veg aka brussel sprouts, everyone can agree that these green baby cabbages are at their best when roasted in a skillet with crispy bacon bites drizzled with a maple-sweetened vinegar tang. Even a newly-converted-brussel(s) sprout lover, like me.

When I was a kid I pretty much loved everything my mom made for dinner and was just about always the first one finished. But when she served the one or two things I really didn’t care for, (“Awwwww…Brussels sprouts and liver????”) I had two secret tricks that made it so it appeared I was eating, but really, I wasn’t. First I’d take a gratuitous bite or two, then another combined with a fake cough straight into my napkin with whatever was in my mouth, that was quickly hid under the table and fed to the dog, or as I excused myself to go to the restroom and dumped into the toilet later.

I can’t believe my mom didn’t realize the only times I EVER had to go to the bathroom during dinner was when we had Brussels sprouts and liver. (Sidenote: Watch for my mom’s reply that she really did know all along in the comments below…I know her too well and I probably wan’t that good of an actress anyway.)

But thankfully, times change, and so do our palettes. At least half the time. I’m still not a fan of liver, but you can now count me as one of the lovers of Brussels. And even the singular brussel sprouts too, because of easy, 5-ingredient recipes like this.

continue to the recipe… about Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Penne Pasta With Cauliflower and Pancetta

Roasted cauliflower becomes sweet as it caramelizes in olive oil with crispy pancetta and penne pasta for a delicious, easy dinner.

Can we seriously be in the midst of a cauliflower shortage?

I mean, when was the last time you heard of a cruciferous vegetable becoming so popular it became scarce to find?

Cauliflower. It’s the renaissance vegetable.

As a kid my mom served a lot of vegetables, with each and every dinner. Fresh or frozen, and sometimes even canned. Broccoli. Spinach. Corn. Beans. Carrots. But cauliflower was rarely on the dinner table.

It took a while for me to bother introducing it to my adult repertoire. But I’m so glad I have. Especially when it’s bronzed and caramelized and paired with salty bacon bits and bites of pasta done just right.

About the Recipe

The earthy bite of this recipe comes from the deepened, caramelized flavor the cauliflower gets after being cooked in olive oil. I trim most of the stalks and cut the broccoli into pieces just barely bigger than the pasta. If you can, choose a cauliflower that still has a few green leaves attached to it. They add a sweetness and color to the dish.

The cauliflower is cooked in batches and the garlic is added to the hot cauliflower and cooked for a mere 30 seconds or so, just until it becomes fragrant. If the garlic cooks too much and browns, it will become bitter, so be aware.

I used pre-packaged, already sliced pancetta, then cut it into small pieces before cooking it. If you want fatter chunks, ask your grocer’s deli counter to cut thicker pieces. You could also substitute bacon if you’d like for the salty bite.

Like one of my other favorite pasta dishes—this Crab Spaghetti—the pasta is topped with a crunchy bite of crispy croutons. It adds another texture I totally crave. Use a hardy country bread or sourdough for best results.

I used penne in this pasta but really any pasta you have in your pantry would work just swell.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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Penne Pasta With Cauliflower and Pancetta

Roasted cauliflower becomes sweet as it caramelizes in olive oil with pancetta and penne pasta.

Ingredients

3 slices sourdough bread cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
1 pound penne pasta
6 ounces deli sliced pancetta
1 head cauliflower stalks removed and florets cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Toss the bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toast in the oven until the bread is golden and let cool. Crumble the croutons into small pieces by pouring into a gallon bag and crushing with the bottom of a heavy bottomed pan or a rolling pin.
Boil the penne pasta in salted water according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a dutch oven or large, high-sided skilled and cook the pancetta slices until cooked through. Transfer to a plate topped with paper towels and drain.
Heat 1/8 cup of the olive oil in a large dutch oven or high sided fry pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the cauliflower and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add half of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds and season with kosher salt and transfer to a bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining cauliflower and garlic and add to the reserved cauliflower to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the chili flakes and stir to coat. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the penne to the skillet along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, Parmesan cheese, crushed bread crumbs and cooked pancetta and cook together for 1-2 more minutes. Season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with Italian parsley and serve.
Recipe adapted from Franny's Simple Seasonal Italian

#EatSeasonal February

As we have for the past few seasons, Becky of The Vintage Mixer has posted her list of what’s in season to eat now and from that list, has amassed a group of us who are posting #eatseasonal recipes today. Some are some are sweet, some are savory and they’re all in season now. They’re all good and they’re all seasonal and are listed below.

Please hop over to their sites, say hi and enjoy their seasonal inspiration.

Chorizo & Brussels Sprouts Pasta Carbonara by Suitcase Foodist

Citrus, Fennel, and Avocado Salad by Flavor the Moments

Savory Dutch Baby with Roasted Broccoli by Floating Kitchen

Roasted Red Potatoes with Zahatar and Lemon by Project Domestication

Parsnip Hash Browns by Vintage Mixer

Greens and Potato Soup with Hominy and Pinto Beans by Letty’s Kitchen

Rosemary Cheddar Cauliflower Cakes by Food for My Family

Tangerine Sorbet Champagne Floats by Completely Delicious

Mexican Molletes (avocado, bean & cheese melts) by Simple Bites

Honey Mustard Citrus Chicken with Mango Chutney by Kitchen Confidante

Creamed Brussel Sprout Tater Tot Casserole by Climbing Grier Mountain

We’d love to see what you’re eating seasonal now, too. Share your eats and follow the #eatseasonal hashtag on Instagram and Twitter to discover more seasonal eats.

As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

Are you following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest?

Thanks for reading and subscribe to FoodieCrush to have each post delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Scrambled Egg and Roasted Asparagus Toasts

Brunch is too often reserved for occasions rather than any regular day of the week. Baby and wedding showers. Once in a while get togethers with friends. Springtime holidays that celebrate eggs and moms in sincere appreciation.

Most often brunches are thought of as a party. A gathering of many rather than just a few. Or even of just two. But this party dish is good any day of the week, and perfect for celebrating with a party of deux.

For the past few celebrations of Easters we’ve been out of town, doing our own version of celebrating in the midst of ringing slot machines, pools and palm trees and a smoragasbord of buffet options that would put any competitive eater’s aspirations at winning a championship to shame.

continue to the recipe… about Scrambled Egg and Roasted Asparagus Toasts

Friday Faves and Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

With turkey-lurkey day right around the corner everyone is scouting out side dishes to dress up the white bird.

Traditional green bean casserole surely holds a soft spot in my heart and I can never turn up my nose at creamy, onion topped green beans. Of course I have to add mushrooms, but that’s a different recipe.

My recipe for Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans is one of those dishes that is so easy to make but looks all fancy, like it BELONGS on the Thanksgiving dinner table menu rubbing wings with the golden bird and touching edges with mashers and gravy. I never did get the whole church and state edict of segregating food from one another on the dinner plate. We’re not in 3rd grade anymore people. I like starting off with individual tastes for sure, but by the end of the meal each dish is happily represented with a bit of turkey, a touch of mash and gravy, some cranberry and a bean or two and don’t forget the stuffing, artfully stacked on my soft, butter Parker House roll for the complete, one-bite, t-day taster.

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Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
½ pound pancetta diced
3 tablespoons butter divided
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon shallots sliced into thin rings
1 pound fresh green beans trimmed
¼ cup Marsala wine or chicken stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to same skillet. Once butter melts, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently and scraping the pancetta remnants from the bottom of the skillet. Add shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add green beans, lower heat to medium, cover with lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add Marsala wine and additional tablespoon of butter, cooked pancetta and salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes or until beans are tender but not soft. Serve topped with toasted hazelnuts.

While all of this turkey talk is fun, we all know it’s just the pre-game warm-up for the Superbowl of holidays: Christmas. Smudge has even taken awares, letting me know that she thinks Christmas is probably the most popular holiday. I wonder how she figured that out? Obviously not from the ads pimping holiday sales before Halloween or the fact that we’ve had a Christmas tree up in our living room since mid-October. She’s a smart cookie, planting seeds for her holiday list just in case someone is listening or watching or might assume it just really isn’t a big deal.

The new Holiday issue of FoodieCrush is going to be a big, big deal too.

From hipsters to Hannukah, this next issue has food bloggers sharing…

Easy yet lush cocktail and entertaining tips…

Their cookie decorating secrets…

Delectable desserts…
And even a special podcast from two of our favorite holiday homefries.

You know you can’t wait. Neither can I! Check out last year’s Holiday Issue for tons of great food blogging ideas, recipes and behind the scenes interviews with some of your favorite food bloggers.

But until then, my Friday Faves…

1. Even the tumult of Hurricane Sandy and 11 days of power can’t keep a good food blogger down. See what Shelly can whip up with a generator, good neighbors and scammed internet connections.

2. And more food bloggers are helping the best way they know how: through food of course. Barb and Jenn have taken the initiative to turn the tide from despair into hope. Support them by checking out the participants of Food Bloggers Support for Sandy and follow the hashtag #FBS4Sandy on Twitter and donating to national relief efforts.

3. I am coveting this Instagram-imaged calendar by one of my favorite Instagrammers, Alice, who will be donating 25% of proceeds to hurricane relief. If you aren’t inspired by her photos I’m not sure we can be friends.

4. Which leads us to Instagram lurking. How much do we love that we can now stalk our favorite Instagrammers photos and interchanging header on our computers?

5. This week’s new favorite food blog. I could stare at it all day long.

6. Behind the scenes of Cooking Light’s 25th Anniversary issue.

7. Maria and I are working on something new for the holidays that we can’t wait to share in the next few weeks but until then, here’s Nicki’s sweet story that’s one of the reasons we’re creating it.

8. It’s always been the style of my birthday cake so I’m totally digging following Lora and Anuradha’s #bundamonth baking challenge.

9. Will we finally have private Pinterest boards?

10. And my favorite Tweet of the week: “Put your own mask on first. Plane safety = life mantra.” via @andkathleen

Also, I’m in this little Pinterest contest and so if you haven’t yet, pin this little ditty for me would ‘ya? ‘Preciate it.

Make sure to subscribe to FoodieCrush for sneak peeks and the first reveal of the Holiday issue. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram too.

Friday Faves plus Grilled and Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Oh man, it’s happening.

In just the past two days we’ve turned off the swamp cooler at night, I’ve noticed the change of the angle of the sun, and Monday is D-day: the first day of school.

Although all of this signals the end of summer and our time of being foot-loose and flip-flop free, the harvest season reminds me that it’s time to take care of myself, to ignore the deadlines, the commitments and the easy way out.

Fall reminds me to take advantage of the harvest and eat fresh foods—either from the garden or locally grown.

It reminds me to take advantage of the cooler temps and work out my crampy hips—thanks to long hours in my computer chair —with evening or early morning walks—and hopefully soon, 5K runs.?,!??/!!*continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves plus Grilled and Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Short Rib Fettuccine and a Fantasy Virtual Dinner Party

Right now I’m cozying up to fall. And I’m relishing it every step of the way.

I’m clearing the garden in anticipation of an imminent frost, hanging the Halloween ghosts from the oak trees in the front yard and craving simple, earthy flavors for dinner.

When it comes to simple and fall, I like to put a chunk of beef in the oven and let it braise, perfuming the house with its glorious smell. The smell that signals the change in season almost as much as the sound of bantering commentators and supercharged ‘manly music’ from Sunday’s NFL football games that drift from the man cave to where I’m safely hiding in the kitchen.continue to the recipe… about Short Rib Fettuccine and a Fantasy Virtual Dinner Party

BLT Panzanella Plus 5 New Spins on Panzanella

Tomatoes, vinegar, pucker. I’m craving salty and fresh. And maybe a little smokey. But not your typical light-lunch salad, something with some girth.

I’m thinking summertime and fresh tomatoes, and that crusty bread from my new favorite find at the farmer’s market. I’m calling for summertime panzanella.

But not the typical panzanella, I’m creating a version of my summertime favorite sandwich, the BLT. A hipped-up version of the traditional BLT— with smokey thick pancetta, spicy arugula and a few sour notes from pickled capers. And of course I have to add in some crunchy cucumbers to satiate my husband’s salad desires.

Here’s my new fav version, and then try some of the spins on the classic below.

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BLT Panzanella

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large cucumber seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups arugula
2 T capers
1/2 lb pancetta cubed
2 cloves garlic
3 cups day-old crusty white bread french or ciabatta, cubed
3 T olive oil
2 T champagne or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup basil slivered
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, capers, basil and arugula.
Over medium heat, brown pancetta in a frying pan. Remove pancetta from pan and retain 2 T of rendered fat. Smash garlic cloves and place in frying pan with pancetta fat, cook for 3 minutes until garlic is lightly browned. Remove from pan and discard. Add cubed bread to pancetta fat, mix and lightly toast. When toasted, add bread and pancetta tomato mixture. Mix olive oil and vinegar until emulsified, add salt and pepper to taste and dress. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

BLT Panzanella

Amount Per Serving (6 g)

Calories 0

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

photo > Five and Spice

Five and Spice‘s heartier Winter Panzanella brings together beets, kale, squash and apple tossed with a maple-mustard-balsamic vinaigrette and with Emily’s addition of cubed smokey mozzarella, it’s a super satisfying meatless main meal.

photo > The Other Side of 50

This recipe is one that just might make me want to give brussels sprouts another try. Topped with an apple vinaigrette, The Other Side of 50‘s tangy combo of radicchio and brussels sprouts is crisped up with salty bacon bites and crunchy, herby croutons in Panettone Panzanella with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

photo > The Hazel Bloom

Karen’s love for tomatoes and mozzarella inspired this twist on panzanella with The Hazel Bloom‘s Caprese Panzanella , a basic ingredient list that lets the veggies, bread and balsamic shine. Or as she calls it “non-soggy nirvana in a bowl.”

photo > Happy Yolks

Contrasting the sturdier ingredients most often found in panzanella, Happy Yolks Spring Panzanella brings a more delicate flavor to the dish with the likes of leeks, peas and fennel thanks to Kelsey & Shaun’s healthy and fresh CSA box.

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitterand Facebook and Pinterest

pancetta

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Penne Pasta With Cauliflower and Pancetta

About the Recipe

Penne Pasta With Cauliflower and Pancetta

Ingredients

Instructions

#EatSeasonal February

Scrambled Egg and Roasted Asparagus Toasts

Friday Faves and Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

Ingredients

Instructions

Friday Faves plus Grilled and Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Short Rib Fettuccine and a Fantasy Virtual Dinner Party

BLT Panzanella Plus 5 New Spins on Panzanella

BLT Panzanella

Ingredients

Instructions

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals