Yummy Brussels Sprouts - Seriously!

I know it may seem weird, but the first time I ever tasted a Brussels sprout was last year. And it was because my manager let me try one from her lunch that she had bought at our office cafeteria. That's right, a famously repugnant vegetable cooked in a corporate cafeteria. And you know what, it was delicious. That's when my addiction to Brussels sprouts began and I was determined to make them at home.

It's funny, I don't know why kids (and adults) hate them so much. They are adorable to look at, and are in fact the perfect size to hold in your hand:

They are shaped like mini cabbages and are truly beautiful when you cut them in half:

I trimmed the stems off and sliced each brussel sprout in half for maximum exposure to buttery/garlicy goodness.

I went with a simple recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts from Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat.
3. Pour onto a baking sheet (Pyrex pie plate in my case), and place on center oven rack:

4.     Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest rown, almost black, when done. Serve immediately.

 Doesn't this look luscious? I have to admit, I added dabs of Smart Balance (butter would work equally as well) during the roasting process for flavor and moistness.  And these ended up being finger licking good. As in, Andrew told me he didn't like Brussels sprouts and after I had him try one of these, he asked me to load up his plate (which I grudgingly did, since I wanted them all for myself).

I hope I've been able to convert a few more people into giving Brussels sprouts another try, otherwise, I'll be happy to eat them off your plate!