Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Maple & Dijon

Fall is in the air.  It is officially the last day of Summer today.
I guess I am ready, since everything I have been making lately is incorporating maple syrup!
I was even dreaming of maple cheesecake the other day... hmmm, we will see.

This recipe is a keeper for a variety of reasons- 1) it has only five ingredients 2) It's an easy side dish for those holidays that might be coming up and 3) it's different from so many other recipes for sprouts! Hey it's really pretty too, so it gets some points for that.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients

16 oz fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/2 red onion, diced
4 oz bacon, diced
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup
  
Trim up the brussels sprouts, cutting a bit off the stem end if it looks like it needs it.  Cut each in half and set aside.  I throw in any leaves that fall off and include them too. 

Dice up the bacon and cook over medium high heat until it starts to darken and crisp, but be sure remove it from the heat before it gets hard and crispy.  You want it a bit soft still.  Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon to a small dish off to the side while you cook the rest.  Discard all but about one tablespoon of bacon fat for sauteing the onions and sprouts.
 

Add the red onions and cook until they start to soften and the color become more pink, and less purple.  Throw in the brussels sprouts and stir to cook.  I like my sprouts a bit on on the hard side and still bright green, but they taste good when they soften up a bit more too.  You will need to cook them for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how done you want them.
 

Add in the maple, the dijon mustard and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper and then taste. Depending on your tastes, you may want to add more dijon and/or more maple syrup.
Serve at once. 

 
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