Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Maple Brussels Sprouts with Bacon


This is actually the perfect Thanksgiving side, but I'm not giving you much time. Oh well. There's always next year. Or next week.

I know I've got a pretty young blog to already have used Brussels sprouts three times! I promise, I'll lay off soon. I'm a firm believer in having an arsenal of recipes to use veggies, otherwise they tend to rot in the fridge. So, here you go!

Have I mentioned yet how much I love Thanksgiving? First off, time with family. Second, the food. Third, my birthday somewhere in there...Birthday cake, birthday meal, plus Thanksgiving meal all in one week? I'm spoiled, I know. Plus, it's not close enough to Christmas to get my thunder stolen. My hubby's birthday, not so much!

There's not much to say about these except that they're a good change from the usual, but not weird enough for the unadventurous. At least I hope...

If you want mostly a savory/salty flavor, use half the amount of maple syrup.



Maple Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Makes 4 large or 6 small servings

5 cups Brussels sprouts
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
4 slices thick-cut apple smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Trim the stems from the sprouts and peel away the darker outer leaves. The leaves can be tossed, or used in a salad like this one. Slice the remaining sprout in 1/4-inch slices through the stem end and place on a large baking sheet with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to combine and roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook bacon pieces until crispy. Drain 1 tablespoon of bacon fat into a small heat-proof bowl with maple syrup. Discard remaining fat. Whisk together bacon grease and syrup. Pour over crispy sprouts and top with cranberries and bacon pieces.

Best if served immediately.


Pinit

I'm sharing this recipe on Homemade Mondays and Fat Tuesday.

10 comments:

  1. July Moon InspirationsNov 21, 2012, 10:37:00 AM

    Sounds delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really was!

      Delete

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