Brussel Sprouts. Oh shit.

Alright. So I don't think I've ever eaten brussel sprouts in my life. Like ever. Or if I did, I somehow blocked it out of my mind along with the memory of the guy at the grocery store who was picking out chips with his friend and picked out the spicy thai kettle chips, and I told him that (from experience) they were super spicy, and he said, "Obviously, it says on the package."

Oh. Hey.

So like the chip guy, I always assumed brussel sprouts were the douche bags of vegetables.

And then, unlike chip dick, I decided to give them another chance.

So I bought them at Trader Joe's, and kept planning on making them....but something else always seemed a little tastier.

Finally, after a surprise glass of wine...I decided today was the day.

I took the pictures and figured out the recipe, but part of me knew that if this turned out shitty, I wasn't going to post it. Surprisingly, though, these were actually pretty delicious. This is the healthier version of the usual bacon-and-brussels combo.

Pan-cooked Brussel Sprots with Turkey Bacon and Shallots

What you need:

*1 1/2 strips of Turkey Bacon
*about 6 or 7 Brussel Sprouts
*one tablespoon of Olive Oil
*big pinch of salt
*a few grinds of pepper
*Half a clove of garlic
*1 1/2 TSP shallots
*3/4 cups chicken broth (either from the carton, or one Trader Joe's chicken broth packet)
*Pan with a cover








STEP 1: Clean your sprouts. The ones I got from TJ's were already cleaned, but rinse them under water if it doesn't say whether they have been. Chop off the bottoms. The first few leaves will usually fall off automatically, but if not, take one or two leaves off. While your at it, chop up the garlic and the shallots and place them aside.

STEP 2: Slice the turkey bacon into tiny, relatively even bits. Throw them into the non-stick pan without any oil or butter on medium heat. Once they've browned and look a little crispy, throw them onto a paper towel and put aside for later.

STEP 3: Using the same pan you cooked the Turkey Bacon in, and keeping the medium heat, pour the olive oil into the pan. Throw in the shallots and the sprouts, and season with the salt and pepper. Make sure to cover the sprouts with the olive oil so they're evenly covered.  Brown the sprouts on both sides, and as you're browning the second side, throw in the garlic.

STEP 4: Once both sides have been browned, pour the 3/4 cups chicken broth into the pan and cover. Keep on a medium/low heat for about 10 minutes, shaking things around at 5 minutes so nothing sticks.

STEP 5: Once the brussel sprouts are tender, take the top off the pan and throw in the turkey bacon bits. Once they've cooked together for a bit (about a minute or so), take the sprouts off the pan and into your plate. 

And eat it.

That's right...it's going to be pretty delicious.

But don't overdose on the sprouts, because then you'll be sick. And then you'll hate brussel sprouts again.