Wednesday
Dec282011
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Frizzled Ham
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 9:00AM 
We threw our Christmas tree out the front door on December 26th. Just 24 hours after all the presents were unwrapped, we were done. It may have had something to do with a comment made by Karen’s hair stylist who said he had heard you carry the karma of the previous year into the new year if you have your tree standing when the clock strikes midnight on January 1st.We’re not big believers in karma (or much else, for that matter), but we have no desire to repeat 2011. Karen said it best when she suggested 2011 deserved a punch in the face and a kick in the ass.
And that’s why our Christmas tree is lying naked in our front yard. Best not take chances, you know, given our recent history.
So. 2012. Onward. To bigger, happy things. To having our best year yet. To planting roots in a new place. To making new friends. To claiming our current situation as our own and making the absolute best of it. Better than what we thought. To holding our kids close. To laughing harder. To cooking with them. To putting an excessive amount of Hello Kitty bandages on scraped twin knees. To knowing the entire Star Wars history better than any person should because that is what makes the boy happy. To playing a game in which to win one must feed a plastic toy dog a series of neon yellow “treats,” only to expel these treats out the other end of the dog on to little plastic toy shovels,amidst howls of laughter from the kids. To silent moments of trips to the potty with each of the twins while they are sleeping so there are no accidents in the middle of the night, dancing them back to bed and telling them they are funny and smart and strong and can do whatever they want to do when they are older. To getting older with the most beautiful woman in the world, whose smile melts me because she puts up with my shenanigans and still loves me.
To being better. And stronger. And calmer. And peacefilled-er. And more of whatever else we need to be.
2012 sort of feels like it’s gonna be our year. No matter if it agrees with us or not. It’s gonna be better.
It has to be better.
;)
As I head up north to Indiana to visit my parents and brothers and their families, just me and the kids in the blue minivan and Tangled and How to Train Your Dragon on repeat, leaving Karen in Atlanta to have a break from all that 2011 was, we thought we’d share some love with you.
Before recent events, the National Pork Board asked us if we wanted to do a little giveaway with them. We said yes, because they’re swell people and kind and also, you know, bacon. They’ve got a great collection of recipes for celebrating, and knowing how much we like Brussels sprouts,they asked us to take their sprouts recipe created by Jill Silverman Hough for a spin and see what we thought.
And we liked it. We really, really liked it.
Brussels Sprouts with Frizzled Ham from Jill Silverman Hough and the National Pork Board
Frizzled ham. It’s our new favorite thing. Thinly sliced ham cut into fettucini-sized strips of porky
;)
goodness, dropped into sizzling hot oil. That popping sound of the pork as it browns in the pan...there’s no other word for it that “frizzled.” A pile of sliced sprouts (the food processor slicing blade is your friend), garlic, and a fresh and happy kick from the zest and juice of Clementine oranges (they’re the only citrus we had in the house, and they worked well). Tarragon vinegar for the final punch, and the buttery+nutty flavor of pine nuts. Topped with the frizzled ham and served steaming hot. This is a kicked up side, that while completely different than our SproutKraut, is just as satisfying. I’m making it for parents and brothers and their families this weekend while we celebrate a late Christmas together.
So Jill and the National Pork Board have a whole set of recipes for you to check out and devour. And one of you lucky readers was going to get a little bit of something fun to start the New Year right.
But. And I’m not saying we believe in karma.
But...
To start the New Year off even righter, one of you will win the entire thank you package the National Pork Board sent our way and the something fun originally planned. Here’s what the entire prize package now includes:
- Two Jill Silverman Hough cookbooks:
- An instant-read digital thermometer, perfect for getting a pork roast cooked just right.
- A four-piece serving set from Crate & Barrel. It is shiny.
- A very cool six-piece set of Martha Stewart melamine serving/mixing bowls. The nesting kind. Saves space. Looks cool.
- Oh. And $100 worth of American Express Gift Certificates. You know, to buy yourself something pretty.
Here’s how to enter:
- Check out the recipes from Jill Silverman Hough from the National Pork Board.
- Leave a comment below telling us your big wish for you and your loved ones for 2012. That’s it. It doesn’t have to involve pork (but most of our wishes do).
- Leave your comment by January 3, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.
- Please see the section below entitled “Here’s how to lose.” It contains the one thing you can say to automatically be disqualified.
- All qualified entries are entered to win the amazing awesomeness from the National Pork Board and the two of us.
- We will choose the winner randomly via random.org from all qualified entries and announce on January4, 2012.
If you tell us why throwing out our Christmas tree on December 26 is a bad idea and why you leave yours up through the first week of January, blah blah blah, you’re disqualified. I’m joking. Except I’m not. I’m sort of joking. But no, really, I’m not. You are totally disqualified.
Now, go read the sweet recipes from Jill Silverman Hough and the National Pork Board and download the PDF version for your files.
And go dream of a pork-filled year.
And something better soon.
Here’s to 2012.
Remember, leave your 2012 wish for you and your loved ones in the comments below. And don’t mention the Christmas tree.
tagged Brussels sprouts, Pork
Brussels sprouts, Pork 
Reader Comments (70)
I wish to be fearless...and to not have my children refer to me as "Darth Vader"
In 2012 I would really love to find/make a good home for my little family. We've moved so much in the last few years I would love to really settle into a place and find *our* place.
My wish for 2012 is that I have GOT to get organized, I really think I'm in danger of becoming a hoarder. Really. I'm not joking.
Wishing for good health and continued business success for our family.
My big wish for 2012 is to finally regain my health so that I can fully embrace my new home town/state.
My wish is for the man I love to truly find peace in his life,to reconcile with his father,to shorten his commute and carbon footprint. To wake up every day and see the positive and happiness,instead of what he thinks he has to do to support everyone.
I'm hoping to finally get a real post-graduation job and perhaps buy a house. 2012 has to have good things in store. It HAS to.
For 2012 I wish not only for my family but yours, continued health, loads of a happiness and maybe a lottery win (a big one!)
2011 has been the worst year. I will be so glad when it is over. I have been sick and undiagnosed for 14 years and this year was the worst. I just want 2012 to be the year the doctors figure out what is wrong and can fix it. So tired of just existing.
My wish for 2012 is that the sun rises each day and a little more pork comes my way! :)
My wish for 2012 is to (finally) find a job. Doesn't have to be the best job. Doesn't have to be a great job. It just has to be a pays-enough-to-cover-all-the-bills job. (Benefits would be nice but I don't want to push my luck.) Second wish, if I can be so greedy, is for more harmony at home. And bacon. Lots and lots of bacon!
I second Karen's sentiment to kick 2011's ass out the door. I can only hope that 2012 is kinder to all of us....and that we see you both at Potluck this year.
I wish for more family time in 2012....lots of get togethers with lots of good food, fun and laughter :)
My wish is for my daughter to be a model for the T-shirt store that she loves, Walk In Love, she is Autistic and doesn't speak conversationally. She understands so much, she exlemplifies through her actions everyday that she takes living up to her last name, Love, seriously.
My wish for 2012 is to continue to cherish and nurture the amazing relationships I have, make some pie dreams come true, more traveling to spend hug time with those that I love, and for 2011 to go suck on an egg.
My biggest wish is to get a job so I can afford to buy bacon again!
I'm so very sorry to read about about Karen's parents and, especially amidst all that, so very honored to be the recipient of so many compliments in this post. Thank you both. And absolutely - here's to a stronger, calmer, peacefilled-er 2012. Peacefilled-er - it's my new favorite word. :)
Good health. Even just ok health. 2011 seemed to be anti-health.
My wish is for family harmony, for facing the truth and moving through it. Courage is contagious, and I hope it spreads. And bacon. Lots and lots of yummy pig candy.
Biggest wish for 2012 is to have Jason home for the whole year.....to not deploy to Afghanistan.
More realistic wish? To spend more quality time exploring the outdoors as a family, camping, hiking, boating....all kinds of fun.
I've never wished as fervently as I do now that my family & I can stay healthy and well for a bit longer so we can enjoy the family peace that we're finally learning to rock. That, bacon, and a good local source of pig's blood and I'll be happy as a clam.
I'm not commenting to enter the giveaway, but because I totally agree with Karen that 2011 deserves a punch in the face and a kick in the ass, and I too am not sorry to see it go one bit. I'm looking forward to the new year, and believing along with you that 2012 will be better, because it has to be. Wishing you a great start to the new year and sending lots of love (and jam!) your way. :-)
A little peace of mind
All I could wish for in the coming year would be for a successful and promising drug/treatment to be developed for my son's particular variant of Cystic Fibrosis (the most common form). A new drug is being released virtually as I type, but it is for a fairly rare form. I just turned 37. That is the median survivial age right now for this disease.
Considering that 20 years ago, CF patients didnt usually enroll in - let alone make it past -grade school, that's actually some amazing progress. I try not to wish for things that are impossible... and wouldnt wish for this treatment to be developed if I thought it wasn't realistic. Even though the development of the drugs/treaments is insanely expensive (It doesnt make anyone rich, give them an erection, or bigger boobs, after all), I have to hope it will happen. We've had so much support from friends and family, and I know they'd love to see this wish come true as well.
Now, If I got the news while drinking bourbon and eating bacon, I'd truly be in heaven.
I'm mostly a closet reader of your blog (hiding in the shadows of Google Reader) - but I wanted to pop in to say I am terribly sorry to read about Karen's dad and this post - I certainly agree the tree needed to be tossed out the door ASAP after Christmas! ;-)
It sounds like 2011 has been quite full of challenges indeed. I hope the next year is full of double bliss + good adventures for your family. HAPPY New Year - love from New Zealand!
P.S. I (sadly) probably won't be eligible for your NPB draw, seeing I am quite far away geographically, but my 2012 wish is that my bro gets into the university of his choice, that my mom's back gives her less grief and that I worry less + enjoy the present more!