Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Frizzled Ham

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:
  • 100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with the Wines You Love 
  • 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with the Wines You Love
• 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.

That prize package totals just over $200. That’s fun.

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.

Here’s how to lose:
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.

Comments

[Jessica Lee Binder]

Can I wish for things to get easier? I really should be so grateful that Caya is such a great happy baby (and I am!) but being a new mom is still tough. That's my wish because hopefully that encompasses some travel, the ability to work-out once in a while, and maybe a few more blog posts in 2012. =)

[Winnie]

My wish for myself for 2012 is to break away from the negativity that tends to bog me down on occasion. I also wish that I get to see you again soon. xoxo

[SMITH BITES]

my wish for 2012 . . . a year of no losses . . . i'm w/Karen . . . 2011 needs a punch in the face and a swift kick in the ass . . . i consider myself a strong person but damn, 2011 was a year full of too many losses . . . knocks me to my knees, rips the rug right out from under me . . . blindsides me . . . so here's to you, Karen and your beautiful family Chris . . . dance with those children, cook with those children, kiss your beautiful wife and embrace 2012 with gusto . . . with joi de vie (i have no idea if i spelled that right and am too lazy to google it) . . . love you guys BIG . . . and i'm not saying that just because i'd really, really like to win . . . but if it helps . . . just kidding . . . we really DO LOVE YOU BIG!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[Larry]

My wish is for your family and ours is good health and happiness in the new year, and of course plenty of BACON.

Hope the holidays were good for you!

[Lori]

My wish for 2012 is to be a kinder person. And to have more toned arms.

[Shirley @ gfe]

What comes to mind is calm. And Rudyard Kipling. Losing one's head and all that. I'd rather we not lose our heads so much this year.

Great move on the tree btw. We didn't even put one up this year. We snagged an already decorated one from our son's youth out of the closet and stuck it on the end table. We felt calmer after doing that, too. ;-)

Shirley

[April S.]

My wish is for everyone to know what it feels like to love and be loved.

[kathy]

my wish for the new year is to find and work towards something i find rewarding. and to visit with and meet more amazing bloggers!

[Amy S]

I have to admit that our family is so blessed. I'm hoping 2012 brings the same things as 2011. Perhaps a little less family drama would be great though! :-P

[Alisa]

I wish much employment juicy deliciousness for my guy (he's starting a new gig in NYC next week) and also for my twin sis, plus just keeping my family awesome. I have good feelings about this year.

[Rachel]

For me and my loved one to get engaged! ;)

[Margaret]

I wish you, Karen and your family all the best in the New Year. I also wish my family much health and happiness. I wish I will continue to do the things I love to do such as traveling, eating and cooking. I also wish for more opportunities to learn and/or experience something new in the new year.

[Jill]

I'm not too fond of brussel sprouts, normally, but this dish really does look quite appealing - it's the enhancement by frizzeled ham. Wow, I would truly eat this! :)

My big wish for 2012 is to finally find a job after 3 years of unemployment and poverty.

[low carb recipes]

I have never thought of putting sprouts in my food processor to chop up, that picture looks great so ill be trying something similar

[Cooks_Books]

I thought I already left my comment, so maybe for 2012 I should wish for a better memory... I wish for the ability to handle loss and change more gracefully. My wish for family and friends (including you and yours) is for all their wishes to come true.

[Marc]

My wish is for more pork and good health.

[Marnely Rodriguez]

Since my parents live in Dom. Rep., they haven't met my husband. I know, crazy. But that's life. My wish is for them to come to MV in May and meet him! And my wish will definitely come true, I know it! :) Plus, this pork prize would make me happy. Cause newlyweds need pork love right?

[Broderick]

My wish is to see y'all more often!

[Janis]

My wish for my family and friends is peace of mind and health. In the end that is all that matters.

[elizabeth]

Yes, I wish for the health and the happiness of my family and friends every year, but my big wish for this year is to eat iberico bellota jamon in Barcelona and to add another metro map to my collection.