B is for Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

We have a saying at our house:  Everything is better with bacon, butter, and cheese!  I'm afraid that our waistlines can attest to that, too.  Bacon is really good on all sorts of roasted vegetables, but obviously if you are going for healthy or vegetarian, you want to skip this fatty delicacy that we love so much.

If you read yesterday's post, then you saw my recipe for asparagus roasted with bacon.  Today's recipe is the same, just a different substitute for the vegetable - Brussels sprouts.  I had never been a fan of the little cabbages until a neighbor pan roasted them with bacon. Dee-li-cious! 

Two of our downtown Raleigh restaurants do a nice Brussels sprouts side dish.  Zinda, a new Asian restaurant, does a shredded version with bacon and honey, and a neighboring restaurant, Bolt Bistro, does a teriyaki version. Both a scrumptious!

My Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

1 package of Brussels sprouts, washed and dried, cut in half
2-3 slices of thick cut bacon, uncooked, cut up / cubed / diced
Olive oil spray / cooking spray

Spray the dish with cooking spray.  Add the Brussels sprouts and bacon.  Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20-40 minutes, depending on how crunchy or mushy you like your vegetables, stirring a couple of times during the cooking process.