Garlic and Herb Stuffed Brussels Sprouts

While you might be done with the Christmas party circuit, it isn't quite over yet. Whether you are hosting a New Year's Eve party of your own or attending as a guest, I have the perfect party appetizer--Stuffed Brussels Sprouts! Yes, you heard me, Stuffed Brussels Sprouts.

You are probably thinking there is no way that can be done or that it is overly complicated, but I swear, it's as easy as stuffing a mushroom. And while I love mushrooms, I think this might be tastier. It wins on presentation alone, right?

Recipe: Garlic and Herb Stuffed Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
• 15 very large Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• A pinch of pepper
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. They say size doesn't matter, but it does. Well, it matters here. The key to this recipe is large Brussels sprouts. I usually buy the tiniest ones I can find. But for this one, you want them super-sized. After you wash them, trim the ends and then halve them as seen below.

2. I know stuffing Brussels sprouts sounds like a pain in the rear, and if you skip this next step, it will be. We need to blanch these babies. So fill a large deep pan with water, bring it to a boil and add the sprouts. You want to add them cut-side down, since we are doing this to make coring them easier. Let them cook for 1-2 minutes and remove them and let them cool.

3. I suggest you watch the video above for this next step. I go through how to quickly core the Brussels sprouts in just a few minutes.

4. Finely chop the cored Brussels sprouts pieces. We are going to saute them in some olive oil along with the minced garlic until over a medium-high heat. Cook until the chopped sprouts are tender and the whole mixture is aromatic. Yum!

5. Mix the cooked garlic and sprout mixture along with the ricotta, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and herbs. Add in some of the salt and taste the mixture. Ideally, you want it to taste a bit overly salted because it will be less salty once they are baked. So you'll need to experiment a bit here.

6. Using a small spoon, fill the Brussels sprouts with the stuffing. Over fill them. This stuff is good!

7. Bake the stuffed Brussels sprouts for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the caps are crispy and burnt like the photo below. Enjoy!