Brussel Hash

As you can guess I have been spending a lot of time in Nashville lately which means I get to try new restaurants and find inspiration! Nashville is quickly becoming a hub of food culture. With all the different districts(The Gulch, East Nashville, Germantown, etc.) and the identities within each district some really talented chefs have made their way into their niche market and are making their mark. One restaurant in particular I tried recently was the Eastland Cafe. Everything I had there was delicious but one bit of inspiration I walked away with? The idea of brussel hash.  I was introduced to this incredible Charred Brussel Hash which featured brussel sprouts, asparagus and potato. What I loved about it is that potatoes were the featured ingredient in the side dish, the veggies were, which still allowed me to feel good about eating them all, which ofcourse I did. I tried my hardest to tell everyone at the table how awful they were so I didn't have to share. "Trust me...You don't want to try them, their just terrible...I hate to waste them so I'll just MAKE myself"  Just kidding, I'm a good food-sharer and if you don't think you'll like something I want to share...I'm a great force-feeder! I come by it honestly. 

1 lb brussel sprouts chopped
1/2lb asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2lb potatoes (baby or fingerling)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bacon
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper

Saute onion, garlic and potatoes over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add in brussel sprouts and asparagus, salt and pepper and toss. Let cook, stirring occassionally, for 7-8 minutes. Allow sprouts to char a bit before stirring and allowing to char again. Add water and let steam for 5 more minutes or until potatoes and brussel sprouts are cooked through. The brussel sprouts should be tender but should remain bright green - aside from the charred bits ofcourse!

Side Note:

I made these as a side dish for Beef Wellington when I made dinner for my friend Sloane from Sweat and Sequins and her husband Invisible Dave - You might remember his name from my Simple Cinnamon Roll post. They loved them as much as I knew they would!

Pair your Brussel Hash with any of the following for a perfect meal:

Patsy's Halibut

Seared Ahi Tuna

Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

The Barnyard Bistro Top Ten Dishes

Whew! If you have been following my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook you'll notice that life has been quite busy. I haven't been home in two weeks and as you can imagine it's not easy to cook on the road when all you have access to in your down time is clif bars, almonds, bottled water and beer! I feel like a slacker on here while the rest of my life has been a whirlwind of work and productivity! I have so many amazing and exciting things coming up and I can't wait to share them with you.  We kicked off the Shut Up and Hold On tour where me and the band are on as the opening act for the one and only Toby Keith as well as Colt Ford. We have been designing merchandise, rehearsing, traveling and preparing and we finally got to step out on stage for the first weekend in California and it was an absolute BLAST!  Check out our tour schedule and plan on making a show and hangin' out with us! We also just wrapped up the CMT Awards (see pic below) and CMA Fest where I had 3 performances!

I walked the Red Carpet this year! 

Speaking of CMA Fest...If you have been hanging out in the barnyard from day one, you may remember that my first post (Baked Crab Cakes) was during CMA Fest 2013, which would make this past week, the official One Year Anniversary of The Barnyard Bistro.  Sharing with you guys on here has been one of the most rewarding experiences I can think of. Everywhere I go and every interview I do, I am asked about the blog and hear stories of happy husbands and delicious adventures. I thought in honor of the anniversary, I would take a look back at the recipes that you guys used the most!

The Barnyard Bistro Top Ten:

Coming in at Number Ten on the list of most popular recipes posted on The Barnyard Bistro:

Cheesy Tomato Bisque

The Ninth most popular recipe:

Cabo Breakfast Burritos

The Eighth most popular dish:

Tortilla Soup

The SEVENTH most popular recipe:

Pumpkin Bread Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Icing

The SIXTH most popular dish:

Dad's Fried Bologna Sandwich

The FIFTH most popular recipe posted:

Patsy's Halibut

The FOURTH most popular recipe posted: 

Quick Fried Rice

The THIRD most popular dish posted:

Loaded Mac and Cheese

The SECOND most popular recipe posted:

Simple Cinnamon Rolls 

And the Number 1 most popular recipe on The Barnyard Bistro to date: (drumroll please....) 

Dump Cake

I hope you learned about some recipes you missed, or got reminded of a few favorites and enjoyed the trip down memory lane! Don't forget to send pics my way of any recipes you try. I love seeing that you guys are enjoying all the good eats.

XOXO~ Krystal

Roasted Garlic Breadsticks with Alfredo Dipping Sauce

I have been so crazy busy doing guest posts and exclusives for other blogs and Yahoo! and GAC ( I hope you caught all of them, and if not I'll post links to them here too) and I've been so busy traveling around that I haven't gotten to post a recipe directly to you guys in a while. I've missed you to say the least. I've got so many exciting things coming up....First of all, I'll be on my first major tour this year!!  Woo Hoo! I am kicking off the Shut Up and Hold On tour as the opening act for my old man, Toby Keith, and Colt Ford in a few short weeks so I'm gearing up for that. We'll be announcing the opportunity to join my meet and greets so check out my tour schedule here and come see me if I'm headed your way! I've been writing like crazy and working on music for my second album (that feels so weird to say). My Daddy Dance With Me video is getting a little burst of excitement again with wedding season and Father's Day coming up, it's almost at 2 million views, which is still mind-blowing to me! I am so grateful to have y'all along for this crazy ride and can't wait to share this summer with you. Now that we've caught up...on with the grub.

I'll start this post by letting you know that my husband called this "perfection" and said that I should make it "exactly like this every time and never change a thing." So now that you know what you're in for...  These are not your average breadsticks, they are LOADED with roasted garlic which automatically puts them on a different level and then the dipping sauce, oh my gosh, the dipping sauce. Roasted garlic is something that I eat by itself so ofcourse I put it in the sauce too. You guys are going to flip for this one. I always say that I hope you enjoy it....today....there isn't a doubt in my mind, I know you'll enjoy it... 

I leave the skin on and peel after roasting...that is just personal preference!

Roasted Garlic
6-8 cloves of garlic
1 ice cube (or 1 Tbsp water)

Make a little pouch with foil and place the cloves and ice inside. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. I always make a double or triple batch of this because I use it on everything!  

 Garlic Bread
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
5 cloves roasted garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine the yeast with the warm water and let it sit for 8-10 minutes. Place flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle paddle attachment. Turn mixer to the lowest setting and begin pouring in the olive oil in a thin steady stream. Slowly add in the yeast water. Mix in the roasted garlic. Once all ingredients are incorporated well, transfer to a glass bowl sprayed with Pam or lightly oiled, cover and let rise for an hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the dough into 6-8 equal pieces, form into sticks and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they begin lightly browning. Garnish with some dried parsley if youw want. Serve with alfredo dipping sauce below. 

Alfredo Dipping Sauce
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff!)
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over med/low heat. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with breadsticks. 

Enjoy! XOXO~