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Brussels sprouts with bacon

I love a good dressing!

I think gator is as adventurous as I've gone.

Sauteed brussel sprouts with bacon sounds like a side dish we might have to add to the menu.

Thanksgiving dinner of course! I think I could eat it at least once a month if not more. The tenderloin roast we have on Christmas Eve would be a close second.

I can always look to Pioneer Woman's site for inspiration and practically drool over her food photography, she's really taken food blogs to a whole other level and I think it's awesome she has her own cookbook!

Try her bacon-wrapped anything....jalapenos, crackers, a favorite at any party!

One of our family favorites is Battista's Hole in the Wall http://www.battistaslasvegas.com/index.html

It's in a strip mall near the Flamingo Hilton, doesn't look like much but serves some of the best Italian food we've eaten. It's definitely old time Vegas but that's part of the reason we love it so much. I don't know if he's still there but they have/had an older gentleman accordion player who knows just about every song made. He even knew the fight song for our precious Ohio State Buckeyes!

Enjoy your trip!

I can eat Aglio e olio any time of day.

@J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, thanks for the peeling tips. as a somewhat obsessed fan--only had 1 failed recipe from the ATK company in 4 years out of hundreds I've made--I get pretty much all of my info from the ATK knowledge bank and follow those peeling tips, as you said, sometimes it just doesn't go as planned, and I also make a few extra, though my duds go to two very happy dogs.

I also have muscular dystrophy that affects my dexterity big time, and makes it hard for me not to throw difficult hard boiled eggs or potatoes I'm trying to peel across my kitchen at times!

I can picture your wife opening her lunch box saying "Eggs again! hopefully she has some good swap buddies where she works!"

Again, thanks for the article, tips, and yes, the pics do indeed rock!

I think this is great, Thanks!

I wondered why I would get different results sometimes, as I use a 12 minute rest after it reaches a simmer, now I know it's the size of the pan. Pretty fascinating how they were the same after 10 and 30 minutes.

Now if only someone would give the perfect way to peel a hard boiled egg with consistent results everytime!

I am also a Five Guys lover, and hope you try it again with better results. I love crispy fries too, and Five Guys are more like "fair fries" (as in county fair) which means they can be a little softer, but with vinegar they are some of my favorites.

I usually give foods and places 2 tries, unless the experience was beyond awful.The 2nd time usually seals the deal if the food/venue is consistenly bad or I just had a bad experience the first time. I will say the Akron, OH Five Guys has been consistenly good, in my experience. It's hard to choose them over Swenson's burgers, but sometimes we do. Only thing I wish Five Guys added to their menu would be milkshakes.

Also love my microplanes, and have little "family" of them, from baby to the wide plate. Garlic is very much my favorite use for them, so much faster and finer than mincing!

For those who cut themselves while zesting citrus, try turning the microplane over and moving the microplane over the fruit instead of moving the fruit. That way the zest collects on the plate and you are in little danger of getting cut since the hand holding the fruit stays still.

Here are some of my favorite dog cookbooks I highly suggest any dog owner use. They are full of dinner recipes and special treats. I would also suggest the book Food Pets Die For by Ann Martin if you want to know about commercial dog foods. http://www.amazon.com/Food-Pets-Die-Shocking-Facts/dp/0939165562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253575789&sr=1-1 I have one dog who needs to be on a low fat, high protein diet. My dogs both eat Innova EVO low fat dry dog food, and I am very pleased with Merrick wet foods. Thanks to EVO low fat, she's dropped weight, and her cholesterol level.

I'm certainly not passing judgement as our dogs get plenty of table scraps, but if the only food he's turned down are mcd's fries, take note of what extra snacks he gets, because to a 10-pound dog a few bites of hamburger means a lot more than than it does to a 100-pound person, their calories add up a lot faster.

http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Dog-Biscuit-Cookbook-Wagging-22/dp/1933662956/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253575501&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-Dogs-Vet-Approved-Gastronome/dp/1580174248/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253575534&sr=1-12

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Dog-Bakery-Cookbook-All-Natural/dp/0836269195/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253575593&sr=1-1

I also love dehydrating food for our girls if you have access to a dehydrator. They LOVE homemade jerky and sweet potato chips with no extra additives besides what I season them with. I find when I make my own treats it's a lot easier for me to reach for those than to be tempted to share unhealthy foods, and unhealthy commercial dog treats.

With some good homemade eats, and some exercise I'm sure your pooch will drop the pounds in no time. Good luck!