Tis the season of good eats with family and friends or solo even. Sometimes we get classy.. and sometimes...

Well...

You eat a friend's birthday cake made of chicken wings.

Well, luckily for you I went back to classy for this year's Christmas recipe I have for you! Brussel sprouts are one of those contentious things - either you love em or hate em! I have a sneaking suspicion that those who hate them have only eaten them boiled to death until the bitterness of their cruciferous chemical compounds have annihilated their delicious crispy and flavourful potential.

I first got this idea from an LCBO Food & Drink magazine and have since seen em popping up on restaurant menus.

Below I'll show you how to prep dem sprouts and cook em as efficiently as possible so you can get back to watching your favourite holiday movie!

First - the recipe!

Rosemary Maple Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

Serves 4 as a single side dish or 8 as a smaller side dish / appetizer
Prep time: 5-10min, Cook time: 10min Dietaries: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Grain-Free, Nightshade-Free

1 lb Brussel Sprouts (approx 20 golf ball sized)
3 strips of thick-sliced smoked bacon
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2tsp dried)
1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped (or use an onion in a pinch but you won't get the same deliciousness)
2 level tsp salt
ground black pepper, to taste

First, prep the brussel sprouts by rinsing them under cold water, slicing them in half and either putting an x in the bottom 'core' or cutting a shallow 'V', making sure the sprout is still in tact. However, keep any good looking (ones that aren't discoloured) leaves that fall off. They tend to get crispy when they fry alone! Set aside.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skilled on medium heat. Cut the bacon into 1 cm cubes and fry until golden in colour. Set aside, keeping the fat in the skillet. You need it ALL!

Have your maple syrup, rosemary and shallots near the stove ready to go. Now it gets fast!

Place sprouts into the skillet and add salt and pepper. Toss quickly and leave in the pan without tossing for at least 2 min on medium heat. It's important not to sautee it too much so that it develops a delicious caramelized flavour.

After one side is golden in colour around the edges, sautee for another 3-5 min until cooked through. You can tell since the colour will become a bright green and when you eat it, it's delicious (don't be afraid to taste test while you cook ;)

Add the rosemary, shallots and cooked bacon to the pan and sautee for another minute.

Here's a play-by-play in photo form!