brussel sprout and apple hash.

Holy hiatus, Batman!  A whole year and some change has passed since I last posted! And boy has a lot changed! Back in November 2013, I was preparing for my first 50 miler at Lookout Mountain. Mid-December, I battled through freezing rain and other less than ideal conditions to finish slightly over cut-off time.  My husband ran the last 18 miles with me and I could not have finished the race without his presence and encouragement.  Fast forward to mid January and, surprise! I found out I was pregnant!

The first 8 weeks were a breeze and I actually felt pretty great, aside from my sluggish runs.  Then week 9 hit, and it hit hard.  Morning sickness, all day sickness, all night sickness...ginger ale and saltines were my best friend. Not to mention, Atlanta was hit by the great Snowpocalypse of 2014. So, I was stuck on the couch, catching up on shows I had always wanted to watch like Pretty Little Liars (my guilty pleasure) and Breaking Bad.  Cooking then became out of the question as raw meat was hard to look at and I was so exhausted after work each day, that the thought of standing at the stove to cook something was extremely daunting.  So, Nate became head chef in the household. The good news for him was that my cravings consisted of mashed potatoes and Kraft macaroni and cheese...SO much mac and cheese.

Jump to September and we welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world on Nate's 30th birthday! This sweet little girl is our world now and I can't even remember what life was like before her.  Harper is now five months old and such a little bundle of joy! During maternity leave, we decided that it was best that I stay home with her after weighing out the pros and cons of staying home vs. daycare and I would work full-time on my jewelry line.  My shop, Green End, has been doing really well and I'm excited to see where it will go in 2015!

With all of that said, I have started to cook again and I actually have a little time in between making jewelry and taking care of little miss Harper. So! Cheers to new beginnings and happy eating :)

Brussel Sprout and Apple Hash
Adapted from Herbivoracious

Ingredients.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
Half medium-sized onion (diced)
Kosher salt
1 Honeycrisp apple (cored & diced)

1 lb. frozen Brussel sprouts (thawed & sliced ¼ thick) 
½ teaspoon ground sage
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons honey

Directions.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt, and cook until it begins to brown.

Melt the rest of the butter (2 tablespoons) and toss in the Brussel sprouts. The original recipe calls for fresh Brussel sprouts, but to save on prep time, I used the frozen variety.  I have to use my time wisely with my baby as she gets pretty needy towards the end of the night. I also added the Brussel sprouts a little early to begin the browning process on them. These will brown after about 10-12 minutes.

Next add the apple, a little more salt, and the ground sage. Continue to cook until the apples begin to brown.  

At last, coat the mixture with the champagne vinegar and honey.  The good news is that with this recipe, a little burn here or there adds to the flavor. Serve all by its lonesome or use as a side dish to a meal.  I also used the leftovers with my eggs the next morning and it was delicious!