Ewwww, Who Likes Brussel Sprouts?

Me. I do.  I have a very new found love for the nasty looking green balls of nutrition.  I realized my love for brussel sprouts when I randomly made them over Christmas break.  Although I had to, at the time, use frozen brussel sprouts, they still came out delicious and I've been craving them ever since.  So a few nights ago when we were at the grocery store, I saw a big, fresh basket of these balls of fun, and I knew immediately they were ending up on the schedule.

I've made them twice since then, once with bacon (Dan's idea) and once without (my idea).  Naturally, Dan liked them better with bacon, and I did not (mainly because bacon, in my mind, seems to deplete any sense of nutrition these started out with.  Either way, they were delicious.  We first paired them with simple grilled BBQ chicken, and then even made a raging plethora of them and ate them as a main course.  (Yes, we were still hungry after, so I'm not sure if I recommend this).

But--if you're looking for a nutritious and delicious (yes this is possible) side dish, this is how to make brussel sprouts.

what you need...
A large portion of brussel sprouts (maybe 1/2 lb for 2 people)
3 - 5 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1 small yellow onion, diced
Salt and Pepper
2 tbs Olive Oil

what you need to do...
...and yes it's this easy
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse the brussel sprouts and pat dry thoroughly.  Clean them by chopping off any excessive stems or peeling away any wilting leaves.  In an 8 x 8 glass baking pan (regular baking pans will work also), combine brussel sprouts, diced onion, cooked and crumbled bacon, and olive oil and toss so that brussel sprouts are coated evenly with oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes, or until brussel sprouts appear to be browning slightly on most sides and have soften.  Be sure to stir the sprouts a few times during cooking to distribute charring from pan evenly. Once finished serve and enjoy with your favorite meal (or as your new favorite meal that leaves you still fairly hungry)!