Featured Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

We have another delicious dish from Jerry -- this time, a side dish that everyone can enjoy! (If you're vegan, vegetarian, or don't eat pork, you can easily omit the bacon).

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Bacon & Pine Nuts

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or substitute (½ cup pomegranate seeds)
• 1 large butternut or acorn squash (skinned and rough dice)
• 2 red onions – quartered
• 6 ounces slab bacon, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup molasses or maple syrup
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for topping

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise, from top to bottom. Take skin off squash, remove seeds and chop into small pieces -- toss the sprouts and squash with olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt and the red pepper flakes on a baking sheet. Put in the oven and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Toast the pine nuts on a separate baking sheet in the oven for the last 5 minutes of roasting the sprouts.
• While the sprouts are roasting, put the bacon in a small sauté pan with a splash of olive oil and bring the pan to medium heat – add red onions and cook the bacon until crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pan.
• Toss the roasted Brussel sprouts, squash, onion & bacon mixture and add toasted pine nuts.
• On low heat add molasses or syrup, mix and cook for 3-5 minutes
• Using a peeler, shave a few slices of parmigiano on top.