Roasted Vegetables

Happy New Years! Hopefully 2007 was a great year for everyone and that 2008 will be even better!! I'm excited for this new year for two reasons - I'll graduate with my MBA this spring and then later this summer I'll be a mom! The latter announcement is the reason that the postings haven't been happening as frequently. It's rare to find a day that I'm not puking non-stop and can cook. (Maybe I shouldn't use the word "puking" in a cooking blog.)

Anyways, I would presume that the majority of the people who make new goals for the year centers around food - eating healthy and/or losing weight. So my first post for 2008 will help those people out! This is the perfect winter vegetable side dish and can be very versatile to which vegetables your family enjoys. Another plus that I enjoy when I roast vegetables is the amazing aroma that fills the house all night. It's perfect!

ROASTED VEGETABLES

• 1 small butternut squash, cubed (substitute any type of squash you prefer)
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 baking potatoes, cubed (red potatoes also taste great in this dish)
• 1 red onion, quartered (I prefer a sweet onion like Vidalia)
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. In a large bowl, add all the vegetables together. Be sure to separate the onion quarters into pieces. In a small bowl, combine the herbs, oil, and vinegar. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat. Spread evenly in a large roasting pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked through and browned.