Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Andouille Sausage and Apricots

Tender, sweet and zesty, Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Andouille Sausage and Apricots is a dish not to be missed.

If I had a time machine, I would take it back a decade to just after we moved to Maine. My kids were small — in elementary school — and everything was new, including our family dynamic. We read together every night, cuddled under my covers. We were light and free, exploring Maine for the first time. And it was amazing.

I loved those days together. Moving to Maine was a very big deal, and one that felt just right. And as we got used to our new home, we found our place here.

Some nights, as dinner concluded, I would check the time and send the kids off to change so we could go to the pool. Other nights, we’d just get into our pajamas and get cozy. It was one of the coldest winters we experienced. But it was fine in our house.

I miss those days. I miss my kids being small and our family being their whole world.

Of course, with age comes so many other fun things. I’ve loved watching them grow into the people they are, seeing what they value and what matters to them. And I’ve loved seeing how bit of our life influence their personalities — and habits.

Take Brussels sprouts, for instance. Who would have guessed that years of eating roasted Brussels sprouts with dinner would make that one of the first side dishes Will made in his dorm kitchen?

As far as roasted Brussels sprouts side dishes go, this one is particularly spectacular.

Sweet, tender and zesty, Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Andouille Sausage and Apricots have a balanced unity of flavors and textures — sweet with a hint of spice, tender but hearty. Sweet roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed with bits of andouille sausage and dried apricots and then finished with a sweet glaze made from fresh maple syrup and mustard.

It’s easy and divine. And it’s one of the recipes I always think about when I remember our early days in Maine. I made this for my newspaper column, Maine Course, and it became a newsroom favorite.

I don’t have that time machine, but I do have memories of so many good and happy days when we were new to Maine. And I have recipes like this one, which take me back to that simpler time. A lot can change in a decade, and I am excited to see what the next one brings.