brussels sprouts. yes, brussels sprouts

i know, crazy!  brussels sprouts for thanksgiving??  no thank you.

ok, i won't try to convince a brussels sprout hater to make a whole dish of brussels sprouts.  if i hated them or never had them, i wouldn't bother with this recipe either.  but what i am hoping to accomplish is to convince a fellow brussels sprout lover to try the dish and share the joys of brussels sprouts, one hater at a time.

roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and toasted walnuts 

ingredients

1 lb of brussel sprouts

8-10 slices of bacon

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts 

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

how to

1. preheat to 400.  

2. wash and trim brussels sprouts.  make sure the old outer leaves of the brussels sprout are removed and trim the ends.  cut in half.  

3.  toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  you want to make sure the brussels sprouts are well salted.  add a tad more salt than you would normally salt other veggies.  

4.  place on a baking dish in a single layer.  

5.  roast for about 15 minutes.  keep an eye on them, and make sure you stir the sprouts once about halfway through the roasting time.  

6.  while the sprouts are roasting, cook the bacon and toast the walnuts.  see notes below.

7.  once the sprouts are done, toss everything together and serve immediately.  

notes

1. i like cooking my bacon in the microwave.  it gets really crispy, and clean up is much easier.  place a paper towel on a plate, and place a layer of bacon on top.  repeat with another paper towel/bacon layer, and top with another paper towel.  microwave on high for about 4-5 minutes. 

2. toasting nuts is key to this recipe because it brings out the flavor of the nuts.  it's easily done in a large frying pan.  turn the stove on medium and place nuts in a single layer in a dry (no oil) frying pan.  stir frequently so that the nuts don't burn.

3. salting the brussels sprouts is key.  if there's not enough salt, the sprouts can end up being bitter little cabbages.  as i mentioned above, use a little more salt than you think is necessary.  and if needed, add more salt once the sprouts are finished roasting.  

4. this recipe is enough for 4 brussels sprout lover servings.  if you have brussels sprout haters in your midst, adjust accordingly.  

brussels sprout lovers, go forth and multiply!