Christmas is in the air… and on TV … and in the stores… and in the town centers. I have to admit that I’m one of those people who likes the season. Back home I always loved driving through neighborhoods searching for great Christmas light displays, though now I have to be content with the big displays around London. Not that I’m complaining…

Covent Garden is completely decked out for Christmas

One of London’s many Christmas trees, larger than life!

This year, when I went home to the US for Thanksgiving, we got some early-season snow, and that plus the Christmas trees and decorations going up around the towns really put me into the Christmas mood.

Nothing like snowy New Jersey woods to get you into the winter spirit

Of course, with all this festivity comes the realization that you might have to bring something (or cook everything) for a holiday dinner sooner than you’re willing to admit. These Brussels sprouts with lots of lovely things should help make that a lot easier. You just have to be sure to claim them first!

I didn’t think I was a big fan of Brussels sprouts for a long time. I don’t really like cabbage, and I just equated them with tiny cabbages. However, they are a lot lighter tasting than cabbage, and they are perfect for roasting and pan frying. Plus, once you add bacon and garlic, how can they not be good?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

On the Counter

1 lb/500 g Brussels sprouts
1 long shallot or 2 small round shallots, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 bacon rashers (4 slices of American bacon) cut into small pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

baking sheet or roasting tray

What to Do

Heat your oven to 220C (425F). Quarter the Brussels sprouts, and toss with all other ingredients. Spread out in one layer on a baking sheet, foil-lined if you want less clean up later on.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing them around with a wooden spoon about halfway through. Once the Brussels sprouts look soft and browned, and the shallots and bacon are cooked, they are ready to go.

Serve!

If you somehow end up with leftovers, you can turn them into a quick and easy pasta dish for the next day. If you don’t eat pasta, bake a few chicken drumsticks and you’ll have a mini-roast lunch.  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon with Pasta

On the Counter

Leftover bacon and shallot Brussels sprouts
Dried penne, ziti or mafalda corta (85 g/3 oz per serving)
A heap of grated parmesan cheese
Juice from 1/4 to 1/6 lemon

What to Do

In a salted pot of boiling water, cook as much pasta as you need for your leftovers, about 85 g/3 oz dried per person.

Meanwhile, heat up the leftover Brussels sprouts.

When your pasta is ready, reserve about 120 mL (1/2 cup) of pasta water.

Drain the pasta and toss in reserved pasta water, 1/2 the parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Stir well to combine. Then toss in the sprouts and gently combine.

Serve, with the remaining parmesan on top.

I haven’t made this in a while. The gentleman had expressed his reservations about the delicious qualities of cheesy rice casserole, and it took me a long time to get him to try it.

Maybe you, too, are hesitant about the concept of rice and cheese. But let me just remind you, that burritos, those lovely parcels of many good things in an easy-to-carry, edible envelope, are pretty much cheese, rice, and other things. Burritos – the gateway to cheesy rice casserole?

Back to the topic on hand. Eventually, and finally, he relented, willing to give it a chance.

He’s a big fan now.

If you’ve never tried cheesy rice, and you enjoy things like cheese, rice and vegetables (plus sausage if you’re into that sort of thing), then you should make your own cheesy rice casserole.

You can up- or downsize this recipe, so it’s great for an easy dinner (and lunch) or something to whip up for a dinner with friends.  Plus — cheesy rice. What’s not to love about that?

It’s more than a one-pot meal, and does require both the stovetop and the oven, but considering how much you can make and the leftovers potential, it’s worth the trouble.

And you can get lots of vegetables in, you can try a reasonable variety without it feeling like you’re forcing veg into the meal.

Serves: 4

On the Counter
1.5 cups (300g) white rice [75g portion]
1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium zucchini (courgette), chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup (50g) broccoli stems (optional)
1 green chile, (such as jalapeno or serrano), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
3.5 oz (100 g) smoked cheddar (or strong cheddar), grated

What to Do

Rinse rice, pour into pot and shake it until it’s at an even level. Add a “knuckle’s worth” of water to the pot and a teaspoon of salt.

Bring rice to a boil, then cover and lower heat to a bare simmer. Leave the rice for 10 minutes, and taste it for doneness. Note, use a pot with a tight-fitting lid, with no gaps. (No spouts, no using a lid that’s too big for the pot.)

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the olive oil to a shimmer. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add red pepper, sauté for 5 minutes, then add zucchini. Cook until softened, but not entirely soft.

Preheat the oven to 350F (176 C).

Once the rice and the vegetables are done, combine them in a 2-quart (2 litre) shallow baking dish. Stir in grated cheese, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper. Ensure that everything is well-integrated. Bake for 30 minutes, until top starts to turn golden.

Cheesy rice casserole has officially entered into the dinner rotation. MKC wins this round.