Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

(Still time to link up to Saturday's Party!  See link HERE)

Before I forget. . . .I hope you all have a WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!!!!  I'll post recipes after the fact, because this is the first Thanksgiving I'm actually making stuff.  I'm excited!  I'm thankful that you all read my little blog, and leave me comments!  It makes my day to see that someone left me a comment.

I know, we're all fans of brussels sprouts here, right? I'll be honest, I don't think I've ever had them, until I got a bag full in a co-op I'm apart of.  I didn't know what to do with them!  So I did what I always do when I have a random something, and I'm not sure what to do.  I called my dad.  He's a pretty amazing source information.  He told me that brussels sprouts are basically mini cabbages.

Well, all of a sudden I wasn't so scared to try them out.  I eat cabbage.  It's not my favorite, but it doesn't bother me.  So I gave them a shot.  I'm glad I did!  This recipe was actually quite tasty.  I wish the sauce would have thickened up a little bit, and it's better to add the bacon at the end, so it still has some crunch to it.  Soggy bacon?  Yeah, not high on my list of things that are tasty. 

The flavor of the balsamic vinegar and garlic mix together to give this dish a wonderful flavor, that works so nicely with the sprouts and tomatoes.  It's a great dish to introduce sprouts to the haters!

BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

• 1/2 lb bacon, diced and cooked
• 2 Tbsp bacon grease, from cooking the bacon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts, bottoms cut off, and cut in half or quarters
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 pkg (about 15-20) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• optional: 1/4 onion, diced)

Cook the bacon, and drain all but 2 Tbsp of the grease.  Mix the olive oil with the grease, and add the garlic (and onion if you like that sort of thing).  Season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, on medium heat, until the onion is soft, and the garlic is browned.  Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar, and simmer until the mixture is reduced by about a 1/3.  Add the brussels sprouts and the chicken stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sprouts are tender, but still slightly firm.  Add the tomatoes, and cook for just a few minutes so they can soak up some of the flavor, and then the bacon last. 

(Linked up at: Bountiful Baskets Roundup, )