Brussel sprout season is upon us my friends, which means you can buy them by the stalk (this gets you a deceivingly large amount of brussel sprouts for a good price - Alan and I stretched a single stalk into two meals for the 2.5 of us). I really love brussel sprouts, and I think everyone should. If you hate them, you've probably never had them prepared well. My new favorite way to prepare them:

Smoky Maple and Bacon Brussel Sprouts

     1/2 a stalk of sprouts

     5 slices of bacon

     1/2 a small onion (optional)

     about 1/4 cup grade B maple syrup (to taste)

     a dash of red pepper flakes

     1/4 tsp. smoked sea salt

Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces with kitchen shears and put in a large pot over medium-low heat, stir frequently.

Meanwhile, wash and thinly slice brussel sprouts. Once the bacon is crispy, add onion and cook until translucent, then add the sprouts, red pepper flakes and syrup. Cook uncovered until very tender and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Then add the smoked salt to taste. 

Enjoy!

I love the fall. It's such a reflective season, and I've been thinking about all the good in my life, and it has made my heart just so full. 

For the last couple of years we've intended to go back to the nursery where we bought the mums to decorate our wedding, and we finally made it over there to get some plants to replace my dying summer porch garden. Being back there was so nostalgic, I could remember the fall day he met me there 3 years ago to help me choose wedding mums like it was just yesterday. We hope to make it a tradition to visit every fall around our anniversary.

We also been french-pressing. . .

delicious apple-butter-making. . .

end of the season-preserving (last ditch pesto, and apple slices). . .

and squeezing in a trip to Cosley Zoo before it gets too cold, to see the animals. . .

What have you been up to?