CREAM OF AVOCADO SOUP WITH BACON & EGGS

Avocado soup. Have you ever made it?  It's so easy -- literally takes only minutes -- and it's a great way to taste the freshness of summer, since avocado is a summery ingredient for most people, but the warmth and richness of a hearty winter soup that's going to fill you up and keep you satisfied without weighing you down. 

Adding things to the soup is also something I love to do, but I think it's best when the additions are minimal. Shredded chicken is probably my favorite, but bacon & eggs also go great with the avocado. 

Just a little bit of crispy bacon, and one scrambled egg ...

The broth and avocado are in the blender about to take a spin. After blended, I simply heat in a pan until flour is cooked and soup is slightly thickened. 

Maybe a drizzle of cream ...

Chop the bacon & eggs ...

Nice lunch.

Makes 4 cups, or 2 big bowls

2 1/2 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred)
4 Tbsp Wondra (or 2 Tbsp flour)
1 ripe California avocado
4 Tablespoons half & half or heavy cream (optional)

Dissolve the Wondra (or flour) in about 1/2 cup of warm but not hot chicken stock, then pour into a blender with the rest of the stock, and the avocado. Blend until desired consistency, I prefer it completely smooth. Once blended, transfer to a saucepan and heat until just starting to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes more, just to cook flour and to let the soup thicken a little. Add salt and pepper to taste. If I am in the mood for extra richness, I'll add a splash of half & half.

COOKING WITH BACON -- BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS -- SIDE DISH

A while back I mentioned that I'd be working on side dishes. Easy recipes that would make the typically boring side dishes more interesting. But they had to be simple, and made without bizarre ingredients -- Just stuff you already have around the house. We often focus so much on the main dish that when it comes to the side dish, it's usually defaulted to something boring.  I'm just trying to mix it up. 

Well .... How do these look? Yummy, right? They were. 

It's not that I'm a huge fan of brussels sprouts. I don't hate them, but I don't love them either. Maybe this is why I'm on a quest for ways to make them great? Because they really are good for you. And I want to love them, I really do. 

The last bs dish I made was the brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar caramelized onions. It was a big hit. A note on that dish though -- it's only good when it's fresh, so serve immediately, when they're hot. 

So now, my new recipe is a dead-simple one, because I just got back from vacation and I have a bad cold and I'm dog tired. Today I made BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS.  I was at the grocery yesterday and I saw some pretty large brussels sprouts. I usually try and pick out the smallest ones, but I thought what the heck, let's try the jumbo ones and just see how they compare. 

They were really good!

Start by trimming the tough ends off. 

Then, simply wrap in bacon! I used 1/2 slice for each brussels sprout.  I also recommend using a toothpick at the seam to keep the bacon from shrinking and coming off the vegetable. 

Into a 450 oven for about 25-30 minutes (or until bacon is done and the BS is tender)

Tender inside... crisp, smoky bacon outside. Guys, these were delicious!