Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Mint

When the end of the world comes in 11 months, we’re going to be so prepared.

In a complete reversal from New Years’ Eves past, our party-throwing foursome was eerily on the ball with deadlines this time around.

We weren’t racing against the clock to mix drinks for the hourly toast to the new year in each time zone and scoop food into serving dishes,

Instead, Bryan stirred up big pitchers for each sipping shot ahead of time, while LeeMichael finished all the painting touch-ups before we pulled into the driveway.

(Since every apartment or house the guys have lived in has been in a constant state of renovation, this is no small deal).

Dan even tied on an apron to trim green beans and stir batter while keeping one eye on the college bowl scores.

After powering through my usual midmorning panic, by 5:30 p.m. I was not only done cooking, but also showered, dressed, and bedecked in green and blue faux eyelashes that shimmered like tiny peacock plumes on each lid.

The only thing left to do was pour a nice plastic cup of red wine and kick back in the club room to chat with the crowd.

Sitting, drinking, and chatting? Not sweating, swearing, and shoving casserole dishes in and out of the oven? How did I pull off this kind of New Year’s party?

I have a hunch it was partially due to our choice of food theme.

Departing from our International Cuisine Spotlight Series for the second year in a row, we decided on honey as this year’s culinary focus in honor of Bryan and LeeMichael’s latest tenants: 40,000 bees in a cozy little backyard hive.

Honey is such an awesomely versatile ingredient to play with, working its sweet and sticky natural magic in sauces, marinades, dressings, and coatings.

Paired up with elements as diverse as Sriracha, spicy mustard, jalapeños, barbecue sauce, cinnamon, ginger, and citrus, honey became the key element for bringing together lots of competing flavors.

Truthfully, peppers and spice played an unofficial role as the second food theme of the night, since there’s something about honey that just calls out for a little bit of heat as a counterpoint.

After last year’s success in converting new kale fans, I upped the ante with a dish featuring another oft-maligned and dismissed vegetable: roasted Brussels sprouts.

Crisping up the mini cabbages in a hot oven, I brought out their natural sweetness, then tossed them in a sweet and salty dressing punched up with honey, mint, and just a little more minced chili pepper.

In my informal quiz for favorite dish of the night, the roasted Brussels sprouts fought a good fight with the pulled pork to emerge as the winner.

You can find the pulled pork with honey barbecue sauce recipe right here on Good. Food. Stories. as well, if you’re so inclined.

If you haven’t set a resolution for the new year, why don’t you pledge to give Brussels sprouts a try with the recipe below?

After all, if the Mayans are right, this might be your last chance to learn to love them.