Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds

Easy recipe elevates an autumn vegetable. Great on the Thanksgiving table. H/T Cindy Engel for contributing her recipe.

1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 t salt
1⁄4 t ground black pepper

2 T sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove the few wilted bottom leaves and cut each sprout in half lengthwise. In a one-quart bowl, toss the sprouts with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast almonds over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant (about 4 minutes). Top the sprouts with the almonds and serve hot.

How to Refresh Canned Seafood

Canned crabmeat and shrimp are shelf stable and widely available. They can be used to add a briny flavor to soups and sauces. Often it has an unwelcome 'tinny' taste but that can be largely overcome with a simple rinse in salty water. This method is adopted from an earlier recipe.

1 qt tap water
1 T kosher salt

Stir the salt into the water to form a brine about equivalent to normal saline for crustaceans. In a sieve, thoroughly drain the packing liquid from a can of crabmeat or shrimp. Gently stir the meat into the brine and let stand about 5 minutes. Thoroughly drain the rinsed seafood and proceed to the recipe.