Brussel Sprouts

I'm not a huge fan of Brussel Sprouts. I can only remember one time that I ate them and thought they were good. I found out later that they had been sauteed in mass amounts of butter and seasoned with a lot of salt. There was one other time I tried grilling them and they tasted good, but were sort of bitter.
When Peter picked up a basket of Brussel Sprouts at the store the other day, my initial reaction was "blach, no way" but I'm always up for trying something new so I agreed to take them home.
I started thinking about how I wanted to prepare them. I wanted to make sure it was healthy, but great tasting. I thought that maybe braising them would be a good way to eliminate their bitter taste while keeping the health factor in tact.
Whenever I am unsure of something, don't feel like taking a chance or just looking for an idea I consult "The Joy of Cooking." If you don't already have an edition of this wonderful cookbook, get one. This book changed my life and I continue to reference it often. I have used it so much since I got it that the spine has broken and the pages are falling out and I don't want to buy a new one because I have written so many notes in it. I am always happy with the results. A lot of the recipes can also be made healthier with just a little creativity too.
I found my idea about braising the brussel sprouts to be true and was so happy with myself and the outcome of the dish.
I hope you like it too!

Braised Brussel Sprouts
Braised Brussel Sprouts (makes about 6 servings)
You will need:
2 Tablespoons melted butter (I used the Smart Balance Light buttery spread)
2 plump Shallots, halved and sliced
2 large white or yellow onions, halved and sliced
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons dry sherry
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 pound brussel sprouts, halved
1 large skillet
The recipe also called for
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Several sprigs of parsley
I didn’t have any of those so I skipped it – add it if you like
If you don’t have sherry I think it would taste good with port or a dry white wine too.

On medium heat
Melt the butter
Add the shallots and onions
Sauté until they start to brown
Add the remaining ingredients
Bring to boil
Cover and simmer about 15 minutes (or until sprouts are tender)
If you have added the thyme and bay leaf remove them before serving and sprinkle with parsley