Jen's Amazing Brussels Sprouts

These are seriously amazing, I know what you're thinking, but you are wrong. Brussels Sprouts are awesome - especially when made with bacon :)

2 - 3 pound of Brussels sprouts

1/2 pound bacon

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the sprouts and trim the ends off. Put them in a big bowl and toss them with enough olive oil to coat them. Spread them on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle on a little salt and pepper. Roast the sprouts for about 45 minutes to an hour. They should get a little black around the edges. Don't worry about the burny parts. They actually taste delicious!

While the sprouts are baking, you can cut the bacon into little pieces and fry it in a pan. Strain it on a paper towel once it is crisp.

Once the sprouts are cooked to your liking, toss them in the big bowl again and add the bacon, Parmesan and more salt and pepper if it needs it. It's that simple.

Sweet Potato Souffle - an Erickson Family Tradition

This is direct from Amanda - I just need a place to keep the recipe as it took me 20 minutes to find this morning :)

The filling:


3 C mashed sweet potato*

2 eggs

1 C sugar**

3/4 stick softened butter



The topping:


1 C brown sugar

3/4 stick softened butter

1/2 C chopped pecan

1/3 C flour

1 tsp vanilla



* I use canned sweet potato puree from Princella. It comes in a syrup. There used to be a non-syrup variety but I've been unable to find it. I have also tried this with other sweet potato purees as well as from scratch and none of them turned out as well. Drain the potato puree well.



** If you use the Princella with syrup variety, sugar the filling to taste. There's sugar in the topping, don't forget! I've been cutting the filling sugar back over the years but I don't know where I ended up last time I made this. Probably less than 1/2 cup.



Directions:
■Mix the filling in a blender or by hand and pour into buttered 2qt casserole dish.
■Mix the topping and work by hand until soft and crumbly. Cover the filling with the topping, lightly pressing the topping into the filling.
■Bake uncovered in 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
■Serve warm with dinner!