SOUP OF THE DAY: COOKING WITH BACON -- BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS -- SIDE DISH

A while back I mentioned that I'd be working on side dishes. Easy recipes that would make the typically boring side dishes more interesting. But they had to be simple, and made without bizarre ingredients -- Just stuff you already have around the house. We often focus so much on the main dish that when it comes to the side dish, it's usually defaulted to something boring. I'm just trying to mix it up.

Well .... How do these look? Yummy, right? They were.

It's not that I'm a huge fan of brussels sprouts. I don't hate them, but I don't love them either. Maybe this is why I'm on a quest for ways to make them great? Because they really are good for you. And I want to love them, I really do.

The last bs dish I made was the brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar caramelized onions. It was a big hit. A note on that dish though -- it's only good when it's fresh, so serve immediately, when they're hot.

So now, my new recipe is a dead-simple one, because I just got back from vacation and I have a bad cold and I'm dog tired. Today I made BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS. I was at the grocery yesterday and I saw some pretty large brussels sprouts. I usually try and pick out the smallest ones, but I thought what the heck, let's try the jumbo ones and just see how they compare.

They were really good!

Start by trimming the tough ends off.

Then, simply wrap in bacon! I used 1/2 slice for each brussels sprout. I also recommend using a toothpick at the seam to keep the bacon from shrinking and coming off the vegetable.