Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Goat Cheese

At the grocery the other day, I came across some very tasty looking brussels sprouts. Growing up my mom only fixed brussels sprouts occasionally, not very often because she is not a big fan of the tiny vegetable. My dad and I were on the other hand. We devoured every green, cheesy bite (my mom covered them in gooey cheese). Sometimes we would almost fight over the last ones.

With the batch that I picked up however, I wanted to do something a little more...gourmet. I found a few recipes online that I liked but I ended up just mixing a few of them up and adding a bit of this and that to come up with something that sounded quite tasty. And these were very tasty indeed. The goat cheese added a yummy tang that was delicious with the slightly bitter brussels sprouts. The pancetta added a nice meatiness that made it a great all in one meal. Combined with the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar, the whole dish was a winner. I ended just eating these babies for dinner. In fact...I almost ate the whole pan myself.

Definitely a make again recipe. Perhaps I can even get my mom to have a taste at some point. ;)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Goat Cheese

1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 t minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 oz pancetta cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 T Parmesan cheese
1-2 T crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 425 F. Trim brussels sprouts, remove any discolored leaves, and cut into half. Put sprouts in mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and pancetta.

Spray roasting pan with non-stick spray. Arrange sprouts in a single layer on roasting pan, and roast 25 minutes, turning occasionally, or until sprouts are slightly crisp and golden brown on the edges.

Toss with the parmesan cheese. Top brussels sprouts with goat cheese.

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen and Giada De Laurentiis.