Or simply, “The Best Thanksgiving Appetizer”.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

Ever.

And that is not an exaggeration. Promise. These are the best.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

Why are these the best?

Well, because there is tons of gooey melted brie cheese. Brie should always, always be added to nachos from now on. Guys, it is crazy good and they are nachos so they can be put together in very little time.

These are a real winner. Just sayin.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

And please, please, please do not get scared off by the brussels sprouts.

Seriously, they get so caramelized and loaded with cheese that it is hard to tell they are there. And to be honest, if you really dislike them you can leave them off. But I did serve these to my brussels sprouts hating mom one afternoon and she went crazy for these. It’s the brie. I think it is kind of magical.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

But there is not only just brie. No, there is actually three cheeses.

I know, three!! This excites me greatly. Oh, and speaking of cheese, have you guys entered my Wisconsin Cheese Basket Giveaway yet? You really need to do that. It ends Sunday and man oh man it’s a good giveaway. You get an entire holiday cheese basket shipped to your door.

Score!

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

I also made homemade cranberry molasses to drizzle over these guys and wow. The stuff is good and super easy to make. I could drizzle it on everything!

These nachos are the perfect thing to serve as a Thanksgiving (or Christmas!! Just look at those gorgeous red and green colors!) appetizer.

They are pretty, delicious and loaded with cranberries and brie. Which in my mind is a Thanksgiving staple. You just have to have brie and cranberries during the holidays. You just have too.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

I have had the idea for these nachos in my head since mid October, but I held out so I could make them closer to the holidays. Finally the time has come to share them.

I am so incredibly excited!

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

First, you need to caramelize the butternut squash and brussels sprouts. It’s what makes them so delicious and so perfectly sweet and savory with the brie. It really just works.

Then you throw in some spices to balance the sweetness and add the cranberries in the last few minutes of cooking to liven them up a bit. Pretty simple stuff, but still so awesome.

Oh, and you only have to dirty one dish! Holy heck, yes!

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com

After you get the veggies caramelized all you have to do is layer on the goodness and melt, melt, melt melt!

Oh, and there are loads of veggies in there, so these are totally healthy.

And I am totally in love.

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com
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The Recipe

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 1 Big 10-12 Inch Skillet of Cheesy Brie Nachos!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 cup brussels sprouts sliced thin (into shreds)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to your taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 8 ounces fontina cheese shredded (may sub another white cheese, but fontina is so good!)
  • 8 ounces brie sliced
  • 1 bag tortilla chips
  • 4 ounces gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbled (for topping)

Cranberry Mollasses/Syrup/Sauce Thing

  • 1 cup pure cranberry juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet (10-12 inches) over medium heat, add the olive oil. Now add the butternut squash, sprinkle with brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently to avoid burning for 15 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Now toss in the sliced brussels sprouts, garlic, thyme, chili powder, cayenne and crushed red pepper. Continue to cook another 10 minutes, stirring frequently until both the squash and brussels sprouts are beginning to caramelize all over. Once caramelized, remove from the heat and stir in the dried cranberries. Slide the mixture onto a plate.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. In the same skillet you cooked the veggies in, add 1/3 of the chips to the bottom and then cover them with 1/3 the cheese (a little brie, a little fontina), then sprinkle with 1/3 of the veggie mixture. Repeat this 2 more times until all of the cheese and veggie mixture have been used.
  4. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly! Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the gorgonzola cheese (or you can add this before with the rest of the cheese) and serve drizzled with the Cranberry Molasses (do this!). Devour!
  5. To make the cranberry molasses add the cranberry juice and brown sugar to a small sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook 5-8 minutes or until the mixture is reduced and syrupy. Serve with the nachos. If the molasses gets too thick just add a little cranberry juice to thin it out.
Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos-12

FYI, melted brie and tortilla chips is probably one of the best things ever. You’ll see.