Even DH, who doesn't like brussels sprouts, eats them this way:

SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. water
1/2 lemon

Trim ends and discard any damaged outer leaves of Brussels sprouts. Cut each sprout in half lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise.

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, melt butter. Add sprouts, salt and pepper. Over high heat, sauté 5 minutes or until sprouts start to brown. Add water. Cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, until sprouts are crisp-tender. Squeeze lemon over sprouts, toss and serve.

The trick with Brussels sprouts is to not overcook them. If they go olive green, with not a hint of crunch, they're overcooked and get that icky flavor, like the way overboiled cabbage smells.

Remember, that if you are boiling or steaming them, residual heat keeps on cooking the center for quite some time after you remove them from the heat source.

I have turned quite a few folks into Brussels sprouts fans who had said they hated them because they'd always had them overcooked.

When you buy them, buy the smaller ones, and do what you can to select ones of similar size. They are like asparagus in that hot, room temp or cold...all are good. I like to serve them with a dip. Or, after cooking and cooling, I quarter them and give them a quick toss in a beurre noisette in which pecans or other nuts have been toasted. If I'm serving simple roast meats or broiled fish, I'll halve them and heat them quickly in a Parmesan garlic cream sauce. They are excellent additions to stir fries as well.

My DH loves brussel sprouts, me not so much. But, we both love them roasted. I just half them, drizzle will olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast in 450 degree for about 20 minutes. Sometimes I drizzle with balsamic vinegar or give them a sprinkle of parmesan cheese when I take them out of the oven and sometmes not.
Mmmm, they are so good!

I love brussels sprouts nearly any way you can cook them, but I especially like them roasted like Trixie mentions or I like this recipe from Eating Well:

Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Cream Sauce

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 strips crisp-cooked bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Put Brussels sprouts in the basket and steam until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Mix bacon, sour cream, horseradish, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.

Per serving: 80 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 222 mg sodium; 431 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin K (216% daily value), Vitamin C (130% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv), Folate (19% dv).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Mine didn't do sio well this year, so I'm relegated to the frozen ones in the grocery store, I'm afraid. Not nearly as good as fresh.

Annie

We love them exactly the way Trixie does (minus the balsamic or parm) - just plain roasted with s&p is fantastic. The first time I served them to visiting DS - he looked at them, didn't say anything and just took one or two (halves) to be polite (well in all honesty, they do look kind of unappealing). Well, he wolfed those down and came back and finished the plate! They are soooo good - but be prepared, your house will smell :)

If you want something very quick and basic, you can make then the way I did last night. If there are any unappetizing outside leaves, take them off. Cut a deep cross in the bottom of the sprout. Steam them for 12-15 minutes until just tender. They're really very good just plain, as long as they're not overcooked.

Thanks for these recipes and hints. I love Brussel sprouts. No one else does. I'm probably guilty of overcooking, but I put so much lemon on them, I don't care! I will definitely try that horseradish cream sauce. YUUUUMMMM!!!

Annie, your recipe does sound good. I can't wait to try it.
We like anything that has horseradish in it!

Another roaster here. I can make dinner off just roasted brussels sprouts! Even DH loves them, and he hates them boiled or steamed.

I've also shredded them and added them to stir fry.

Thanks for all the replies! I have 1 1/2 lbs of lovely looking fresh brussels sprouts ready for tomorrow night's dinner.

I do have a question for those of you who roast them at high heat. Do they reheat well?

My pork roast temp is 350. I wonder if I could roast the brussels sprouts earlier at 450 - before I cook the roast, then just warm them before serving.

I'm hoping Gina will pipe up here with her excellent recipe. I've made it, but lost it when my hard drive went out so I no longer have the recipe.

My favorite preparation of Brussels sprouts is wasteful but very delicately flavored. Just as youÂd do for cabbage, I only use the leaves and discard the stronger tasting cores. I cut a slice off the bottom and remove and discard any funky outer leaves. Then I peel off the leaves one at a time, slicing another sliver off the bottom core when needed, until the leaves become too tight to remove. I repeat the procedure for each sprout. My daughter used to call them "football sprouts" because IÂd usually strip the leaves while watching a football game on TV.

I rinse the separated leaves, steam covered in the microwave for a few minutes, and serve drizzled with olive oil or browned butter.

The leaves can be refrigerated without rinsing in a covered container and rinsed and cooked a day or two later.

I roast mine and put in a garlic cream sauce..its here on the site somewhere...one of my all time fav's

I have heard that roasting them really stinks up your kitchen. Do you think it can be done ahead of time and reheated?

I'm a roaster, too. Olive oil and kosher salt; maybe cayenne or another flavor. Yes, they reheat fine. No, they don't stink up the kitchen.

I have done this at lots of different temperatures; depends what else is in the oven, just adjust the time. Give them a stir every 10 minutes or so.

I have to disagree with rachelellen (which astonishes me). I think sprouts get nice and sweet when they are thoroughly cooked; they can be bitter and peppery before that. But I do agree that overcooked boiled, steamed, or microwaved sprouts are nasty and slimy. I always roast them, and I think that if you roast them, the danger is under-, not overcooking.

Even when my children were little, these were their favorite vegetable.

I learned to roast them from my late friend and law partner. He was a restaurant critic and a noted food and wine guy, so our "signature" was fine food and wine. He used to buy a whole stalk (they grow in a beautiful spiral) and roast the whole thing, then put a scissors on the serving tray. They were so wonderful, we would serve them at our firm's annual party, and although the rest of the food was great and plentiful (had to be!), I am not exaggerating when I say that there would be a LINE for his sprouts that snaked around and out the door. When you have the governor and a few judges standing in line for Brussels sprouts, you know you've hit the right recipe! So now I cook most vegetables that way. And I always think of my friend.

"Roasted" Yum !!! I'm a "SPROUT" LOVER !!! Diana55

Oh dear......one of the few things I don't likea re Brussels Sprouts....and I have a friend who is drowning in them...begging people to come and get some.
I may have to go beg half a dozen and try roasting them.
Linda C

I decided to try a different method for cooking frozen Brussel Sprouts and came up with this idea for a change of pace a few weeks ago. They were very, very tasty, and the juxtaposition of sweet and savory very satisfying to my taste buds.

WalnutCreek's Brussel Sprouts

Place 1 bag frozen Brussel Sprouts in an ovenproof dish.

Melt some butter or margarine and drizzle over the sprouts.

Sprinkle a handful of brown sugar over the sprouts.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until as done as you like them.

I have Gina's recipe. We love it - and my family has requested it be added to our regular holiday menus! I think it is very similar to what eileen does...

Gina's Brussels Sprouts
Cut the sprouts in half, lay them crowded in a shallow casserole, just cover with cream, chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cover casserole and bake in the oven at medium heat until just tender, add grated swiss or parmesan cheese at the end and cook uncovered until cheese melts. I've also tried adding a bit of nutmeg. So sometimes I do that, sometimes citrus zest. I've also added breadcrumbs with the cheese.
Anyway, they should come out with a sweet nutty flavor. A nice wintery side dish

I've made Gina's Brussels and they are deeee-licious!

We love roasted brussels sprouts so much here that I just had to take my 4 year old tot eh emergency room over them. He burned himself trying to steal one from the sheet pan. I like them best when they are all brown and caramelized. We have also successfully gotten our kids to come to the table by threatening to eat all the brussels sprouts.

I have converted several folks to brussels sprout lovers by roasting them. I love these other ideas as well, you can never have too many Brussels sprouts. Now has anybody had any luck roasting cabbage? I tried it hoping for a similar outcome and had to compost the results.

-Robin

Here is a link that might be useful: Roasted Brussels spouts and the e.r.

I've tried roasting them a few times and always found them to be too bitter. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

I prefer them steamed until soft with either just butter, or with toasted breadcrumb topping.

Brussels Sprouts are now my favorite vegetable! I washed, dried, then cut the stem flush to the leaves. Then I drizzled w/ olive oil, sprinkled w/ ground pepper & kosher salt. Put them in a 425F oven for about 20 mins. (shaking every 5 mins.)then took them out when they were nearly dark brown and slightly crispy on the outside. Sprinkled on a touch more salt, then drizzled w/ the juice of half a lemon. So, so good!

I had (the few) leftovers for lunch today from the fridge and they were even good cold.

I am converted.

Welcome to the converted. Personally I feel that the right recipe can convert haters of many types of vegetables. It's just a matter of finding the right recipe. Although it sounds to me like the president really does not like beets.

-Robin