Holiday Brunch, Part 1: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Last year, I hosted a holiday brunch with a pretty simple menu: quiche, crab cakes (compliments of Whole Foods), roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, and maple-roasted butternut squash. For whatever reason, the winner of the brunch was the brussels sprouts, and since I had people over this morning for a very similar menu, I thought I would post these holiday recipes. Special thanks to my friend Reshma for my swanky serving dish, pictured above : )

Ingredients:
brussels sprouts (see note below)
olive oil
sea salt
crushed black pepper
a splash of balsamic vinegar
dried cranberries (optional, not pictured above)

So, the smaller the brussels sprout, the more tender it is. At Whole Foods, I've been lucky to find brussels sprouts still on the stalk, and I basically pick off all the small ones, particularly after having been given permission by the Whole Foods employee who taught me to do this! So, you just bring them all home, chop off any tough stems that are still attached to each sprout, give them a light wash, and toss them into your roasting pan with the olive oil, the sea salt, the crushed black pepper, and the cranberries, if you want to use those. Roast them at 375 for about 30 minutes, give them a stir, and roast for about 15 minutes more or until tender. When they are ready, plate them, and add a splash of the balsamic vinegar before serving. Yum!