Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Maple Syrup

Brussels sprouts are my absolute favorite vegetable - I love love love them!!!! It cracks me up that I love them so much now because as a child, I literally detested them.  Now, I know exactly why my hatred for the little green guys ran so deep....they were always served to me boiled....and I'm guessing, that's how they were always served to most of you. Boiling makes them slimy and stinky - yucko! Brussels are best when they are crispy and not overcooked.....enter roasting! Thank you, my dear oven, for turning these baby cabbages into crunchy little balls full of flavor and goodness!!! Have you ever picked off the outer, slightly burnt, leaves of a freshly roasted sprout? They taste like potato chips and they are very hard to stop eating. My husband and I have had many a fork fight over the crunchiest ones on the plate.

Okay, so, I know I have posted before about roasting sprouts.....you are probably wondering what's new?! Well, tonight I added a tiny little bit of pure maple syrup to the sprouts and OH MY MY! what a glorious addition it was! So, I just had to share!!!! Here ya go:

1 lb brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in half
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Pure maple syrup (don't you DARE use anything other than the real stuff, I know it's expensive, but, it's your health we are talking about here, people- you deserve to eat the real stuff)

Preheat oven to 400F

Line a cookie sheet with foil (this makes for easy clean up).  Drizzle olive oil over the sprouts - I don't measure, but, I'm guessing I use no more than 1 Tbl for the whole pound (a little goes a long way). Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper (you can always add more later) and toss with your hands to get each sprout.  Roast for 10 minutes.  Remove the sprouts from the oven and lightly drizzle with the pure maple syrup. I probably use about 1 to 2 tsp. You do not want to over-due it here. The whole point is to have a subtle hint of sweetness. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the maple syrup. Roast for another 5-7 minutes or until the sprouts are to your level of crispy.

ENJOY!