Easter Noms!

Yum yum and yum. I love to cook but I'm always a little shy when it comes to preparing a dish for a family event. This Easter I volunteered to make a veggie and an app to bring to my other half's family gathering. I always get a little sad around the holidays being that I rarely get to spend them with my own family and this year I didn't even have my kiddos to cheer me up. Cooking always takes my mind away and allows me to focus on my gifts, blessings, and the present. Here are two simple recipes that turned out fabulously. Some guests even admitted they went back for seconds on the sprouts! Score!

Wildtree Dill Dip Deviled Eggs

18 organic cage free eggs hard cooked and shelled
1 1/4 c. mayonnaise (olive oil based)
3 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
3 tsp. white vinegar
2 1/2 tsp Wildtree Dill Dip
Sprigs of fresh dill or 1/2 tsp of dried dill

Place 18 eggs in a large stock pot and cover with just enough cold water to just cover the eggs. Bring eggs to a rolling boil. Remove eggs from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Replace water with cold water and allow to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Shell and half eggs. Remove yolks and add to a food processor. Set whites aside. Add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and dill dip to the food processor. Blend until mixture is smooth and mostly lump free. Gap a large resealable freezer bag. Add yolk mixture to the freezer bag then cut a tiny hole in one corner (less than 1/4" wide). Squeeze the yolk mixture slowly to the corner of the bag and gently into each egg. You may want to refrigerate the yolk mixture for 15 minutes first. Sprinkle a little dried dill on each egg or place a small fresh spring of dill on each.

I thought there would be no way our small group would go through this many eggs but they were gone in a flash! I even used some pickled beet juice to color a few of the egg halves and give them some extra flavor. Yum!

 

 

Wildtree Garlic & Herb Balsamic Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 

4 lbs brussels sprouts

2-3 TBL Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

3 tsp Wildtree Garlic & Herb Blend

1 lb. Apple Gate natural nitrate free bacon

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

2 TBL balsamic vinegar

 

Render the bacon on a cookie sheet in a 350 oven for approximately 30 minutes. The timing will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon so keep an eye on it. The goal is to get it close to crispy without over cooking it. Remove the bacon from the cookie sheet and place on a paper towel and set aside.

Depending on the size of your brussels sprouts you may need to half or quarter them. Mine were bigger than golf balls so I quartered them. Place cut and washed sprouts in either a large bowl or two resealable freezer bags. I prepared these to be cooked the night before so I used the bags and allowed them to marinate in the refrigerator overnight. If using the bags add half the oil and half the seasoning (black pepper, garlic salt, and balsamic) to each bag along with half the sprouts, seal, and mix.

Using two to three cookie sheets in a 350 degree preheated convection oven place sprouts in a single layer on each sheet. Do not crowed the sprouts or they will  not caramelize. Chop bacon into bits and sprinkle over sprouts before roasting. Roast for approximately 30 minutes.

Place sprouts in a slow cooker on warm for serving. Enjoy!

 

 

Hoppy Easter everyone!

Serena