Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Just in Time for Thanksgiving)

The Two Guys have enjoyed Brussels Sprouts steamed, fried, baked, roasted, you name it, for as long as they can remember. But it seems these vegetables have only recently come into vogue. Even mainstream steakhouses are in on the game, some offering very well-prepared versions of roasted or fried Brussels Sprouts. It seems not so long ago that these guys were the distant cousin of the family that no one remembered to invite to get-togethers. Not any longer. And this recipe is very easy, doesn’t take long (other than the roasting part – which doesn’t require a whole lot of supervision), and makes the house smell positively yummy. Even though this is a side dish, we confess to having devoured an entire pan of the stuff just between the two of us.  Here’s the recipe:

Perfect Tomato Risotto

Risotto is one of those dishes that so many people find scary to make. Yet, it’s actually a breeze if (1) you use quality ingredients, (2) you have all your ingredients lined up and ready to go and (3) you keep an eye on the risotto. This is not a dish that gets thrown in a pot and put in the oven and then voila thirty minutes later, you have dinner. This dish beckons you to partake in the process – indeed, it demands it. But the rewards are so worth it. Nothing screams comfort food like a good plate of risotto.

Here’s what you need for approximately eight cups of finished risotto:

The Two Guys Make Meatballs al Forno from The Mozza Cookbook

It’s here.  Finally, it’s here – The Mozza Cookbook that we’ve been waiting for!  We pre-ordered months ago, and it was released this week.  This is the cookbook by Nancy Silverton which includes recipes for her many amazing dishes served at Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles (co-owned by Mario Batali, among others).  If you know The Two Guys, you know that Pizzeria Mozza is among our Top Five favorite dining destinations (there’s no shortage of the times that we’ve blogged about the place).

There are a number of recipes that we can’t wait to try, but we knew that the first one would be Nancy’s famous Meatballs al Forno.  We have tried to duplicate them (we blogged about it here), and although we felt we came close, we knew it was not exact.  Finally, we get to find out her secret!  We left work early today to pick up the meat from Taylor’s in Sierra Madre (which we think is number one or two in local meat markets in the San Gabriel Valley) and then got down to business.  Let’s go.

Pasta con Pomodoro Fresco, Aglio e Basilico

In other words, “Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil.”  The Two Guys call this “Yum.”  This is one of our Top Five favorite dishes of all time.  It’s simple.  It’s fast.  It’s satisfying.  And heck, it’s pretty.  You just want to eat it.  And preparing it makes the entire house smell so . . . yummy.  And it means we can open up a great Italian wine.  Montepulciano anyone?  OK, let’s get started.  It takes only 15 minutes.

Molasses, Salt & Pepper Crusted Trout

The Two Guys love quick dinners.  And this is a really (no, we mean really) quick dinner.  Let’s go:

Coconut-Panko Crusted Chicken with Spicy Orange Sauce

The Two Guys think that panko may just be the proverbial missing link.  It’s amazing.  No, really, amazing.  Add it to any coating and voila, the crust becomes perfect.  For you uninitiated, “panko” is Japanese bread crumbs.  Here, we mix it with coconut, salt and pepper and coat it on chicken soaked in milk and vinegar.  The result is fabulous – moist and juicy chicken with a crisp crust.  Frankly, the spicy orange sauce may well just be an afterthought.  OK, let’s go:

Penne con Pollo e Pomodori Essiccati al Sole

For you non-Italian speakers, this means “Penne with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes.”  And don’t be scared – this dish can be whipped up in fifteen minutes.  Let’s go:

Asparagi e Pomodori Essiccati al sole su Angel Hair

Who can say “no” to angel hair pasta with quickly sauteed asparagus and sun dried tomatoes?  With asparagus all over the grocery stores, now is the time for this easy dish.  Shave a bit of Parmesan on top, and you can see why The Two Guys include this dish in their must have comfort foods.

Fish Tacos

Who doesn’t love a fish taco?  Problem is that many of our favorite memories of fish tacos are of the fried fish, unnecessarily creamy sauce, and oil-laden corn tortillas.  The Two Guys have their share of unhealthy meals but we kinda think that fish tacos should be leaning towards the healthy side.  This one is healthy (in our opinion) yet still rather tasty.  And it’s kid-friendly as well.

Classic Pesto Sauce

Nothing says Easter Brunch like pesto, right?  OK, so we’ve never heard of pesto for Easter, but this classic recipe always disappears in our house and thus qualifies as one of our comfort foods.  Basic basil and garlic pesto is so easy to make.  All you need is a small food processor.  If you like your pine nuts toasted, you’ll also need a stove for a few minutes.