Take a 12 oz. bag of Green Giant Broccoli and Cauliflower Medley and cut off a corner. Put in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper taste, and 2 tablespoons of water or broth. Microwave for 2 minutes and 30 seconds and pour into a bowl.

Yes, that is all. I use this mix for salads because I do not particularly like raw veggies in salads. I also eat them out of hand. Best of all, put in a microwave safe bowl and add a bit of grated cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Store in the fridge in a plastic covered dish or a sealed plastic bag. This veggie mix, or any other combination from a 12 oz bag, keeps in the fridge for several days, but believe me, you will have eaten it well before then.

A vegetable that has recently come into it’s own is Brussels Sprouts. Yes, that is correct BTW-it is not Brussel Sprouts, it is actually Brussels Sprouts. If you do not get them just at soft ripeness, they can be bitter. If you really really do not like them, trying to make them taste different is hardly worth the trouble. So, if you think you might like to give Sprouts another try or if you have not had them for a while, they are a good cold weather veggie to try for something a bit different. They have tons of nutrients and a couple of trace minerals too!  Try this method then add to it or not, as you like. I am just putting ingredients so add or subtract depending on how many servings you are making. Figure four sprouts cut in half per person.

   Very Easy Brussels Sprouts

Sprouts cut in half                                                               rice vinegar

Olive oil                                                                                  brown sugar

a bit of grated ginger or powdered ginger-I like McCormick         water

a little garlic salt

soy sauce-I use the low salt

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For four servings I cut eight sprouts in half and saute in just a bit of olive oil. Use real olive oil, not a spray. You need it for the flavor. Add a pinch of the ginger, and garlic. Shake in soy sauce until it bubbles and makes some liquid in the pan. Add about two tablespoons of rice vinegar, one heaping tablespoon of brown sugar, and just a bit of water-about 1/4 of a cup. Saute until   bubbling then add the sprouts and cook until medium soft.

You could add some chicken breasts to this or some beef strips or even tofu if you put in a bit more liquid. Remember tofu soaks up liquid. I serve this over rice or really just by itself if you don’t add a protein. Sprinkle with some chopped peanuts or snipped green onion tops for a presentation.

Watch the liquid and feel free to add more or less depending on how you like it or how you intend to serve this dish. It is very little trouble and made from on hand ingredients. If you do not use much liquid, it will caramelize and if you use more it will do well over rice to soak up flavor. Mmmmmmm!

A while back I asked if anyone had any good recipes for corn pudding and I got several. This was my favorite and it is so yummy! See what you think-I made several modifications and I will note them.

CORN PUDDING

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream (I use Daisy Lite)

1 can whole kernel corn-completely drained

1 can creamed corn

1/2 cup butter melted (I use margarine)

1 package corn muffin mix (I use JIFFY)

1/4 teaspoon paprika (I did not add this.)

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Combine all ingredients and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Butter or grease 9×13 baking dish. I did this in a big ceramic pie dish and it worked fine. Bake about 90 minutes but really watch it.

Stay tuned for more corn pudding recipes.