Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Beer and Bacon

Growing up I really disliked Brussels sprouts.  Maybe it was the way my parents fixed them, boiling them in a pot of salted water left much to be desired.  As I grew older I remember trying them again and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed them.  Over the years I have made them several different ways, but I enjoy them best roasted with beer and bacon.  Beer and bacon!  This may be the best thing to come out of my kitchen in a long time.

My husband and I like to cook with dark beers.  You can add extra flavor to your recipes by replacing all or most of the water required with beer.  We have used Guinness a lot in cooking.  Last week while grocery shopping we happened upon Yuengling and decided to give it a try.  We thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's not as strong as Guinness, yet the flavor is very distinct.  Needless to say we haven't purchased Guinness since!

I love the convenience of roasting vegetables.  After very little prep work, I simply placed all the ingredients in a pan and while they're roasting I am free to do other things while dinner is in the oven.

Ingredients
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts 
6 oz bacon, chopped 
1 onion, peeled and sliced 
12 oz bottle beer, Yuengling
1/2 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp pepper 

Directions 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Wash and peel off any loose or damaged leaves from the sprouts, then trim the root ends.  Add the Brussels sprouts to a large roasting pan and season with salt and pepper.  Add the sliced onion, then add the chopped bacon.  Pour the bottle of beer into the pan and cover with aluminum foil.  Place the covered pan in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning several times. Roast until the Brussels sprouts are tender and caramelized and the bacon is golden.