Surfing Ruined My Life

Roasted Vegetables in Balsamic Vinaigrette

You can’t have a meal with out a good side dish.  This is a tasty and elegant way to do vegetables. It is quick easy and painless and a recipe that anyone will love.  I cooked this one up for someone who does not really care for vegetables and she ended up going home and replicating it to furnish a side for a repast between her and her boy friend.  Enjoy this Recipe Djour bonus this week!  These are the vegetables that I usually use but you can use just about an array your heart desires.

Total Cost: $8.50
Feeds about 4-6 people as a side dish

Ingredients:

• Yellow Squash – 1 Sliced (julienne)
• Zucchini – 1 Sliced  (julienne)
• Mushrooms – 6 Sliced (julienne) any variety
• Celery  – 2 stalks Sliced (julienne)
• Carrots – 2 Sliced thin
• Olives –  8oz Chopped
• Red Pepper – 1 rough chop or Julienne
• Red onion  – ½ julienne
• Balsamic vinegar – 2/3 cup
• Basil – Fresh – 2 oz
• Oregano – Fresh – 2oz
• Parsley – Fresh – 1 oz
• Sage – Dry – tea spoon
• Olive oil – 1/3 cup
• Thyme – Fresh – tea spoon (2 stalks
• Salt – table spoon or to taste
• Pepper – Tea spoon or to taste
• Garlic Fresh – 1 piece off clove (minced)
• Rosemary – 1 tea spoon (Dry)

Step 1: Blanch Vegetables (boil) – In a medium size boiling pot add carrots, onions, celery, and Red Pepper.  Boil for around 8-10 minutes till vegetables are soft to touch. Strain vegetables.  If you don’t wish to blanch your vegetables you can skip this step and then just roast them for 35-40 minutes in step four.

Step 2: Make Balsamic Vinaigrette – In a food processor or blender (I prefer a blender) mix Balsamic Vinegar, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Olive oil, Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Garlic and Rosemary.  Blend till you have a uniform liquid, all herbs should be totally ground up.

Step 3: Roast Vegetables – In a medium size roasting pan put all vegetables form step 1 and your zucchini, mushrooms, squash and olives.  Pour Balsamic Pesto from step 2 over vegetables.  Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F, roast vegetables for around 12-15 minutes or until they reach desired quality.  If you decided not to blanch your vegetables roast for 35-40 minutes.