Thursday, November 7, 2013

Apologies...

...for not posting last week! Truly, I was in Milwaukee at a conference AND staying with my daughter and grand-son, Devin, age 7. And it was Halloween; Devin was a Jedi-knight. Remember how rainy it was that night? And, although this past summer I did post from their home, I did not have it together enough this time around. Just sayin'.
Anyway, this week I will be posting some tips, recipes for fall veggies and some personal experiences as well.
I've used several recipes for roasted root veggies, and liked them all.. I like that I can "sneak" some veggies into the mix and family will eat them and never know they're eating turnips, or parsnips or whatever. And I will say, I'd never eaten turnips in my life until this venture, and I liked it! The veggies just all blend together, although you can still taste their individual flavors, and the dish tastes wonderful. I first roasted root veggies last Christmas when my "kids" were all home and my oldest, Josh, told me how to do it. Who knew?!!! All three of my offspring know their way around the kitchen. NOT  that they showed that talent when they lived at home!

Josh's Roasted Root Vegetables 
 
Cube (scrape/peel as necessary): onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes. Could use squash, sweet potatoes etc.
 Douse (his word) with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
 Roast at 350, until fork tender (after 15 min. you can place a steak/roast on top of the veggies and cook until the meat is done. The drippings will give wonderful flavor to the veggies).
 
Josh's recipe is the easiest; the next is a little more work, but delicious.
 
Cider-glazed Roots with Cinnamon Walnuts
 3 pounds assorted root vegetables, peeled (see tips below) and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup apple cider
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1Tbs. butter
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If using parsnips, quarter lengthwise and remove the woody core before cutting into 1-inch pieces.
Whisk cider, brown sugar salt and pepper in a 9X13 inch baking dish until the sugar is dissolved. Add the veggies and toss to coat. Cover the baking dish with foil..
 
Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and stir the veggies. Con't. cooking, uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the veggies are glazed and tender, about 1 hour more.
Meanwhile, place walnuts in a small skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2-6 minutes. Remove form the heat and add utter, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir until the butter melts and the nuts are coated. Spread out on a plate to cool slightly.
Transfer the veggies to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cinnamon walnuts. Serve and enjoy!
 
TIPS: Beets, carrots and parsnips are easily peeled with a vegetable peeler; for tougher-skinned roots like celeriac, rutabaga and turnips, removing the peel with a knife can be easier. Cut off one end of the root to create a flat surface to keep it steady on the cutting board. Follow the contour of the vegetable with your knife. (recipe from livingwell.com) This recipe tastes even better warmed up the next day.
 
REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS' MARKET!
 
 
 



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