Amazing Brussels Sprouts

   Two foods I've been introduced to since eating (mostly) paleo is shallots and Brussels Sprouts. Shallots are mild, buttery little onions that have an amazing flavor! And Brussels Sprouts, (first of all, according to my spell check, it's Brussels Sprouts, not Brussel Sprouts. Weird.) well, we never really ate them growing up and they don't have tons of exciting flavor, but there are some very creative recipes out there using them.And this morning I've been cooking them. I made 2 recipes, plus Brussels Sprout chips using the outer leaves. Both recipes were good, but one of them, oh my goodness, was amazing! I did not come up with this recipe, but I wish I had. Too bad I'm the only one in the house that will eat them. I really dislike cooking separate dishes for myself. Anyways, the salty savoriness of this recipe covers up the bitter sprout taste, and they are yummy!

Keep in mind that I used thick cut, flavor packed, pasture raised bacon, which in my opinion is the best tasting. I also used homemade organic chicken broth found here, at the bottom of the page. I think this broth makes everything better because it is full of flavor, unlike the stuff you buy in a carton. But I wont deny that it's a lot of work. 

Without further adieu, from AllRecipes.com Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots.

And the runner up is from from RealSimple.com Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Golden Raisins

This one is good if you like foods that are a little different. The sweet and tangy raisins are an interesting twist. I did make a few changes to that recipe, though. I didn't have golden raisins so I used regular raisins. Also, I used shallots instead of red onion, cause once again, I didn't have any. Also, when I went to add the raisins to the pan, it was too dry so I added a splash of balsamic vinegar and a couple splashes of chicken broth. Yummy!

Chicken Cacciatori with Cheesy Bread Sticks

     Two things that I've been craving are biscuits and cheesy bread sticks. I've tried making biscuits, but I'm convinced it's the gluten that makes them so delicious. Then I started seeing these recipes going around for cauliflower bread sticks and pizza crust. So I decided to make some. I also had chicken breasts in the fridge that needed cooking, so I started throwing stuff into a pan, and it turned out amazing!! I made Chicken Cacciatori with cheesy bread sticks. And the sauce turned out like something from a 5 star restaurant (Not that I've ever eaten at one.)

Here is the original bread stick recipe, but I made a couple of changes to it. This recipe took about an hour from start to finish. 

Chicken Cacciatori with Cheesy Breadsticks

For Chicken and Marinara

4 chicken breasts

1 yellow onion

5 cloves garlic

Red bell pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 large jar of tomatoes 

Salt and pepper

Thyme

Fresh rosemary

Basil

Olive oil

Romano Cheese

For Breadsticks

1 large head of cauliflower

4 eggs

1/2 Cup Romano Cheese

3 1/2 Cups mozzarella or cheddar Cheese

3 tsp oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder

1 TB butter

1 TB parsley

Preheat oven to 425.

Salt and pepper 4 chicken breasts and cook them in a deep frying pan with some olive oil until they are brown. While those are cooking, toss your cauliflower in your processor to rice it. If you don't have a processor, you can finely chop it. Once it's riced, put it in a covered microwave bowl and nuke it for 10 minutes.

While all that is going, chop up a whole yellow onion, 5 garlic cloves, and a red bell pepper. Once the chicken is done, put it on a plate and set aside. Put the chopped veggies and another splash of oil in the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the chicken broth, and simmer for a few minutes.

When the cauliflower is done, put it in a large bowl with eggs, 1/2 cup Romano Cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, oregano, salt, minced garlic, and stir. Then pour it onto a large baking sheet, and bake it for 25 minutes.

To the frying pan, add a large jar of crushed tomatoes, a tsp of salt, a handful of fresh chopped rosemary, and a tablespoon of basil and thyme. Add the chicken breasts back into the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes.

When the cauliflower crust is done, I brushed it with some melted butter and garlic powder. Then top with remaining shredded cheese, some Romano cheese, parsley, and a good sprinkle of salt. Bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Cut the crust into breadsticks, and make sure you dip those bad boys in the sauce!