Sunday, January 22, 2012

Winter Vegetable Roast . . .

Overcast but no rain today which is a blessing from God as we can meet and greet with friends after Mass. Cold, yes, but no damp drizzle seeping down our necks! Found out a friend is having cancer surgery this coming Wednesday. We saw him and his wife going to their car, arms linked, and realized how short and fragile life can get. They have been married 61 years but I imagine they are wondering how the years got past them so fast. If you have a prayer for Carlos' surgery, that would be great. He is open to God's Will but has strong ties to this life . . . as do we all.

I'm enjoying the cold turn in the California weather this weekend. Last night, I made Pita bread to go with our soup. I don't do that much in the summer heat as the oven has to be set at 500 degrees to get the bread to 'pop'. Last night, I was eager to turn on the heat.

Today, I'm thinking of a winter vegetable roast. It is one of the easiest ways to prepare vegetables and even my picky eaters almost enjoy it. What can I say? Some offspring will never face off with vegetables happily.

What I like about roasted vegetables (besides turning on the oven!) is the recipe can be anything you want. I'll list what I usually include and you can add or subtract to your own tastes.

Zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch circles
Miniature bell peppers
Small, whole potatoes (These should be cooked until just done)
Steamed carrots, cut into 1/2-inch circles
Wedges of red onion
Mexican squash, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Parboiled Brussels Sprouts, barely tender and cut in half
Cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch flowerettes
Broccoil, cut into 1/2-inch flowerettes

Place all the prepared ingredients in a large bowl. Sprinkle generously with olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion power. Peel, smash, and dice 8 cloves of garlic and toss with the vegetables. The vegetables should have a light sheen of oil on them.

Scatter on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet (Or grease with vegetable oil spray) and bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. Check after 10 minutes to see how it is going.

When done, remove from oven and sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and serve.

No comments: