Caramelized Brussel Sprouts And Bacon

I love Brussel Sprouts. The are perfect when they are nice and caramelized, it adds a sweetness to them. Then adding the sweet shallot and the bacon, makes this dish amazing. The key to making anything delicious is Bacon. This delicious side dish is perfect for a Mothers Day side dish meal...

Ingredients

• 1½ – 2 pounds brussel sprouts
• 5 slices bacon, diced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 shallot, diced
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and remove the outer leaves from brussel sprouts, trim stem end and cut in half. If brussel sprout is smaller, you can leave whole & just cut an X in the bottom to allow heat to penetrate.
2. In a large skillet, on medium heat cook bacon until evenly browned, remove bacon from skillet, and set aside. Still leaving the bacon grease in the pan. 
3. Stir and melt butter and olive oil into bacon grease, add shallots and cook until translucent.
4. Add Brussels sprouts, cut side down, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cut sides begin to caramelize, about 6-8 minutes. The outer leaves should remain bright green.  To re-heat bacon, add it back to the pan for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Season cooked Brussel sprouts with salt and pepper.