If you’re on the edge of liking brussels sprouts, these puppies will push you over into the happily liking camp. I love the toasty, nutty taste of roasted vegetables. Adding in some salty, sweet, and spicy to take them over the top is oh so right. To make this simple but flavorful side dish, preheat your oven to 400°F. Slice a bunch of brussels sprouts in half, toss them with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Roast the sprouts for about 20 minutes until they are tender and brown in spots.
While your sprouts roast, mix together 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
When the sprouts come out of the oven, drizzle them with the maple and cayenne mixtures. Sprinkle on some candied walnuts, and toss everything around. Put the sprouts back in the oven for a minute or two so the nuts can warm through. Serve up and enjoy! Make sure you get a sprout and a walnut in the same bite… ohhh so toasty good.
This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, Oct. 2011.
Stella squeezed in a great day of fun before the temperature dropped this weekend. The morning grass was covered with dew, and she ran with her nose down like a wheelbarrow so she could lick up water from all of the blades she passed. Her tongue was flapping like crazy. The water flicked up onto her snout, making her look like she had glittery fur. She stopped to scratch herself and bask in the early-fall sunshine.
Some dogs stop to smell the roses, but Stella stops to watch the creek trickle by. She was on alert from all of the bubbling and splashing sounds, and I could tell that she would do anything to bolt down the hill and explore some more. I swear that Stella might be part mountain goat because she has an amazing ability to expertly and quickly traverse the most precarious and uneven terrain.
This little puppy also likes to nibble on greenery. Sometimes, if we pass by a weed sprouting out of the sidewalk, she will try to snatch it as she goes by. It’s strange. This piece of grass put up a fight against being eaten. I don’t know whether it got swallowed, if it fell off of Stella’s tongue, or if Stella spit it out/coughed it up. The mystery lives on.
To make these appetizers, pre-heat your oven to 400°F. Then, coat a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cut some sheets of puff pastry into smaller squares that fit into your tin. Press the squares into the bottoms of the tin so they form little cups. 
Fill those cups with some butternut squash, caramelized onions and garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese over the top. Bake the pastries for 15 minutes until they puff up and turn golden brown. Then, transfer the little cups from the muffin tin to a serving dish. The puff pastry holds its shape perfectly, making these pastries easy to eat in two or three bites. They are sure to be a hit!