Finger-Licking Brussels (for People Who Hate Brussels)

Brussel Sprouts. You either hate them or you love them. I used to HATE brussel sprouts! The smell. The aftertaste. And the stinky farts.

But this recipe--which is quick and easy--had me licking my fingers and asking for more! It is sooooo tasty. Feel free to tweak it to your liking.

Don't give up on brussels yet...

You only need four simple ingredients to make these delicious brussels:

1. Brussel sprouts (I used a 16 ounce bag for this recipe)

2. Butter or margarine (use between 1/4 and 1/2 cup, give or take)

3. Salt to taste

4. Splash of lemon juice

You will also need a cutting board, skillet, and knife.

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5-7 minutes

Total Time: 7-9 minutes

Open your bag of brussel sprouts. I could only find microwaveable bags of brussel sprouts at my local grocer, they work just the same.

Rinse them off and cut them in half.

Next, you want to turn the heat on to Medium-High (my number on my stove was a 7, or slightly above).

1. Put your butter into the skillet and allow it to melt a little (and coat the bottom of the pan) as it heats up.

2. Add your brussel sprouts in. You don't have to wait until the pan preheats to do this. You also don't have to wait until all the butter is melted.

NOTE: Add as little or as much butter as you need to cover all of your brussels, and keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Think of it like a glaze in this recipe.

3. Coat the middles (white/yellow parts) with the butter. Then flip them down onto the pan and coat the outsides with the butter.

1. Add a splash of lemon juice. This helps to give the sprouts an amazing flavor, but it also counteracts the bite and aftertaste of the brussels. Now they're easy to eat and enjoy! I did a quick circle around the pan with the lemon juice.

2. Next, add a dash of salt. I just used my salt grinder and made a circle around my skillet, salting all parts evenly in a single coat of salt.

3. Saute the brussel sprouts on Medium-High heat (with the middles still down) for about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to move the sprouts around a little to make sure they're not sticking. Also, keep "basting" them (for lack of a better word) with the butter, juice, and salt "glaze."

NOTE: Remember when sauteing that larger or harder brussels will need more time to cook to get the right tenderness (the smaller ones will get done first). My suggestion would be to remove the smaller ones after they're done, and finish cooking the bigger ones until they're tender. This note is particularly important if you dislike brussels, or if the person you're feeding them to dislikes brussels. Otherwise, the bigger ones won't be as delectable as the smaller ones, and might turn you or your guest off.

Your brussel sprouts are perfect when the butter "glaze" has thickened a little (and has browned or caramelized a bit), they're tender, and the brussels have browned. (See pics) Sometimes mine are quite brown, but oh so delicious!

Now you're ready to enjoy!

These brussels are the perfect mix of light and savory, but still filling. They are tender, yet still wonderfully textured, and the flavor seeps into every bite. They truly are my new favorite comfort food (and my kids, too)!