1) After a solid five years of coveting, I am finally the owner of a KitchenAid stand mixer (pistachio seemed like the obvious pick), and it is everything that I dreamed.
2) For its inaugural outing last night, I made the New York Times' Consummate Chocolate Chip Cookies (again), for the sole reason that I wanted to eat the raw dough.
It's just about that time of year again: the time when you pile onto planes or into cars, and fly or drive far distances to eat things like cranberry sauce while wearing ugly (or ugly-amazing) sweaters.
(We're going to Ohio. That's 2011's trip, above.)
It's also the time of year when you have to start bringing presents with you anytime you see people...and especially when you see people whose homes you are invading (potentially with assorted small children and dogs) for an evening, for a weekend, or for more.
Brussels sprouts and I have quite a history together.
First of all, I've always loved them. Even when I was a kid; loved them. And when I was living on my own and could do weird living-on-your-own-with-no-one-else-to-cook-for things like eat nothing but Brussels sprouts (with about a pound of butter on them) for dinner, I (often) did.
I used to make them the way my babysitter made them when I was growing up - basically just boiling them - until I realized...hmmm, probably not the best way to do it. It leeches out flavor and waterlogs them, and besides: they end up looking a little "eh". So I started roasting them like everyone says to do...but I don't especially love roasted vegetables (or crispy Brussels sprouts).
Finally, I found my own personal Brussels sprouts Sweet Spot: steamed until half-cooked, then finished off in a sauté pan with lots and lots of salty bacon, a little lemon, and salt.
