Champagne Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Recipe

Champagne Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Recipe

If I had been told five years ago I'd be eating Brussels sprouts,  I probably would have laughed uncontrollably in that person's face (not really, that wouldn't be very nice, but I would have snickered a lot;)

Now, if I had been told my children would eat Brussels sprouts, I would have suspiciously looked around for hidden cameras, convinced I was on one of those prank-based television shows.

Up until five years ago, I loathed Brussels sprouts. (I mean, I really, really loathed the smell, the texture, everything.) But it was when my hubby and I were out to dinner one night I had one of those culinary epiphanies.  

Hypnotized by Brussels sprouts' power, I decided to try the funny-looking vegetables intently staring me down on my plate. "You can do it, " they whispered.

Perfectly prepared (tender-crisp) Brussels sprouts roasted in delicately aged balsamic vinegar and simple seasonings (salt, pepper, and garlic) hooked me, and I needed to recreate this tasty recipe at home. How could I have missed out on this nutritional powerhouse for so long?

The true test was my children (yeah, right). One rule in our home is "the one-bite rule." In other words, our children don't have to like what we make but must try it. I made the Brussels sprouts according to the chef's recipe, except I substituted our Garlic Seasoning for the garlic, and then it happened! I thought, "No way," based on their wrinkled noses,” that the Brussels sprouts would ever be consumed. Perhaps I had pushed my family too far, but I was astonished; my family loved them!

Mom, Dad, we're eating Brussels sprouts!

I recently amped up my recipe and came up with this concoction to see if I could once again challenge my family’s palate. It worked! Not only did they eat all their vegetables, my children had second helpings and fought over the Brussels sprouts. What kids fight over Brussels sprouts? I swore I was dreaming;) Maybe I need to starve them more often (just kidding).

The Champagne Vinaigrette at the end added the perfect zing to this dish, a dish you must try. As far as your children, "may the Brussels sprouts be with you."

This would be the perfect dish for the holidays, and I think next time I make this dish, I'll substitute our Cranberry Mustard in lieu of the Champagne Mustard for that festive flare.

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have made this recipe. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch chunks

• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

• 1 bag of Brussels sprouts, sliced lengthwise

• 1 Pomegranate, de-seeded

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• pepper to taste

• Olive oil

• Balsamic Vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) White Wine Vinegar

• 6 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Olive oil

Preparation

Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the champagne mustard, the vinegar, and the 6 tablespoons of Olive oil.  Set aside.

Wash the squash, Brussels sprouts, and Pomegranate (check out our cooking tip on how to remove Pomegranate seeds easily).  Chop the onion coarsely into 1-inch chunks, the Brussels sprouts into half, and the butternut squash into cubes.  Place them in a large jelly roll (may need two) or baking pan.  Generously drizzle with oil and mix with your hands to coat evenly.

Generously drizzle Balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with Garlic Seasoning and pepper.  Mix with hands again to evenly coat.  You can certainly use a spoon to evenly mix, but I prefer playing with my food;)

Roast vegetables at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until Brussels sprouts have a golden color (You do not want the Brussels sprouts to be mushy).  Test them with a fork.  For the last 5 minutes of cooking, add pomegranate seeds.  

When vegetables are cooked, remove them from the oven and drizzle with the champagne vinaigrette. Mix and enjoy.

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Champagne Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Recipe

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Festive Deviled Eyeballs Recipe

Festive Deviled Eyeballs Recipe

Cook Time:  10 minutes

Difficulty:  Easy

Our family absolutely loves Halloween! It’s the perfect time to have a little fun—and play with your food! (Although our kids would definitely say it’s really all about the candy.)

We love hosting friends before and after trick-or-treating, and there’s one dish my kids request every single year.

Just for the occasion, we “spookified” our Festive Deviled Eggs to look like creepy-cute eyeballs! This time, we swapped in our Hot Banana Pepper Mustard instead of the Champagne Mustard for an extra kick.

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this recipe. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Happy Halloween!

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs at room temperature

• 2 Tbsp. Cherchies® Champagne Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

• l/4 jar Cherchies® Pretty Peppers, drained (optional for this recipe)

• 1 Tbsp. cream cheese

• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• Blue food coloring

• Sriracha Hot Sauce (or ketchup)

• Sliced Black Olives

Preparation:

Hard boil eggs (See how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs). Cool and shell.

Cut in half, remove yolks, and place in a bowl with the mustard, cream cheese, mayo, Pretty Peppers (optional), and salt. Mix until smooth. 

Add a couple of drops of blue food coloring to the egg mixture to the desired color of green.  Spoon or pipe into egg whites.

Add black olive slices in the center of the egg, and decorate with hot sauce. (I dotted a few of the eyeballs with Cherchies® Pretty Peppers

Happy Halloween!

Cooking Tip: How To Remove Pomegranate Seeds

Cooking Tip:  How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds

Pomegranates are usually abundant this time of year, a true sign the holidays are around the corner.  They're perfect in smoothies, salads, jams, desserts, and many more foods, plus they are an antioxidant powerhouse!

Have you ever wondered if there was an easy way to remove the seeds?

Have no fear!  I can help you!  There are a lot of great methods for de-seeding pomegranates on the internet, but I decided to share my two favorites (one is very therapeutic).  

The Aggression Reliever (therapeutic version...it's not really called that, I coined it)- This method involves "whacking" the back of the pomegranate half.  I'm not talking about crazily pounding the pomegranate, but gently hitting the back of the pomegranate with the back of a large spoon.  

The Soaker- This method involves submerging the pomegranate halves in a bowl of water.  As you gently loosen the seeds, the white cartilage floats to the top.

Here's How It's Done.  In both methods, with a knife, carefully "score" the skin.  I usually just make one cut around the perimeter of the pomegranate.  (I've seen some individuals make several score marks the length of the pomegranate...totally up to you).

Next, Gently pull apart the pomegranate and carefully loosen up the skin and seeds while rotating the pomegranate.

Now here is where the two different methods differ.  For the Aggression Reliever Method, hold the pomegranate half upside down over a bowl and gently "whack" the back of the pomegranate with a spoon (I used a wooden spoon), rotating to remove the seeds.

For The Soaker Method, simply remove the seeds while the pomegranate half is under water.   The white cartilage will then float to the top for easy removal.  Remove any last stubborn seeds by hand.

There you have it friends...beautiful, sweet, pomegranate seeds!  What's your favorite de-seeding method?

Spooky English Muffin Pizza Recipe

Spooky English Muffin Pizza Recipe

English muffin pizzas aren’t revolutionary, but I recently realized I hadn’t made them for my kiddos in years — and they’re still a total hit!.

After school, my hungry crew usually bursts through the door, stares into the open fridge, and dramatically declares, “Mom, there’s nothing to eat!” Meanwhile, snacks are everywhere. So today, instead of pointing them to a granola bar, I handed them a fun kitchen project.

In honor of Halloween, we turned English muffins into ghoulish mini pizzas. I had everything prepped — muffins split, sauce, cheese, and spooky toppings ready — just waiting for my hungry monsters to arrive.

They loved creating their own snacks (and I loved the bonding time). Within minutes, the roaring stopped…and we had delicious, slightly creepy pizzas to show for it!

Here’s what they made:

Ingredients (for each muffin)

• English Muffins, split apart into halves (I used multi-grain...my kiddos didn't notice)

• Tomato or Pizza Sauce (1 Tablespoon (Tbsp)

• 1 teaspoon of Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (or Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz Seasoning for a stronger flavor).

• A dash of pepper

• Shredded Mozzarella or Mexican Cheese Blend

• Cooked sausage (optional)

• Olives, sliced for eyes (optional)

• Jarred Banana Peppers (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Split apart English muffins with a fork.  Assemble the pizzas, starting with the sauce, the cheese, and then the toppings.  Sprinkle with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (or Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz).

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the mini pizzas are melty;)

Here's what they look like without the crazy faces!  Enjoy!