Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables. I’ve had good luck and not so good luck growing them, but I’ll never give up. They’re that good. Unfortunately, these gems are not one of my favorites eaten raw and instead, I find I must cook them to enjoy them. Roasting is delicious, steamed is fresh and healthy but sautéed it the way to go and this dish is as easy as it gets. Love it!

Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

Perfect. Now, for the good stuff. You’ll need the following list of ingredients:
2 dozen Brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced in half (or quartered, if extra-large)
3 oz. Manchego-style cheese, crumbled (a Mexican fresco type will work)
2 TBSP bacon bits
1 TBSP dried cranberries, chopped
1-2 TBSP olive oil

The ingredients are few, but the result is huge, mainly due to the combination of bacon, cranberries and Brussels. The cheese softens the effect without interfering. Truly divine. My daughter enjoys this dish without the cranberries. Other options include the addition of onions, maybe carmelized with the Brussels? Hmm… Hard to mess this one up!

In a large saucepan, heat 1 TBSP olive oil on medium heat. When hot, add sprouts and toss to coat with oil. Continually toss as you sauté the sprouts to a golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Toward end of sauté process, I like to add the extra tablespoon of olive oil, though this is totally up to you. Once sautéed to your liking, add bacon bits and cranberries and toss together until warm and well-blended, about 1-2 minutes. Add cheese and mix together for a minute or two longer. Serve warm.
Yield approx. 6-8 side servings.