Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Almonds

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Almonds are the perfect side dish for any meal! Simple recipe and unbelievably delicious! #BaconMonth2015

We decided to go ahead and get the kids school year started this past week. Wouldn't you know, halfway through the week, our air conditioning went out. Y'all I live in Phoenix .... it's been (hot as) Hell. Just for the record, 117°F is not my idea fun. No. Just no. We finally got the part to fix the air conditioning yesterday so let's hope the problem is taken care of ..... *fingers crossed*

Since we're in back to school mode, I am all about easy recipes. When I'm working on my menu, I usually ask my family if anything sounds good that week. Sometimes, they have some pretty good ideas. Like when your six-year-old asks you to make Brussels sprouts, you know you have to make them. I mean, what six-year-old actually wants to eat Brussels sprouts?! When I was six, I sure didn't want to eat them!! Brussel sprouts?! Blech!! Now that I'm older and my taste buds have matured, I don't mind them .... especially when it involves bacon and Brussels sprouts. I'm just glad we had these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Almonds a few weeks ago and not on the menu for this past week .... you can believe I was not going to be using our oven with no air conditioning! Uhhhh, no.

You know, now that I actually think about it, I'm pretty fortunate in the fact that my kiddos are usually pretty well-rounded eaters - so much so, they actually ask for weird things like Brussels sprouts! I like my Brussels sprouts cooked a little bit longer than the time I have noted in the recipe ..... but I also know, most people are not me! If you like the darker parts on your Brussels sprouts too, add a few more minutes to the cook time! I look for the darker ones for myself - they're the best ones!

Side note - this post is part of the #BaconMonth2015 series. Be sure to check out all of the other great recipes for Bacon Month! Look for them near the bottom of this post!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Almonds

by Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

6 slices bacon
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
3 tbsp. reserved bacon grease
¾ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until desired crispness. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving 3 tbsp. of the bacon grease.

2. Discard the remaining bacon grease or save for another use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

3. Mix Brussels sprouts in a bowl with the reserved bacon grease, salt, and pepper. Pour them on a rimmed baking pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly.

4. Crumble the bacon. Stir the bacon and almonds into the Brussels sprouts. Serve immediately.