A Taste of Veggies

I was going to crop this photo so just the baking dish showed. Then I realized, anyone who knows me (and is familiar with my kitchen) would never believe me unless they could see my potholders, counter top, stove and toaster oven. You see, I'm not exactly known for my cooking expertise.

I actually made this dish! Thanks to my friend, Michelle, whose web site Taste As You Go, gave me the inspiration for the photo and the courage to try something new. Hey, Michelle!

The recipe
1 half-stick butter (1/4 cup)

6 cups fresh veggies cut into ½-inch strips or 1 inch pieces. The original recipe called for: red, yellow and/or green bell peppers, onion, zucchini, yellow summer squash, green beans or asparagus.

2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic (I used minced from a jar)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt

(I used yellow, orange and green bell peppers, 1 small broccoli crown, 1 small yellow squash and 1 bunch asparagus – top quarter of stalks only.)

(I forgot the onion and couldn’t get zucchini the day I went shopping. I did not use green beans.)

Directions
Heat oven to 450°. Melt butter in 13x9 inch baking pan in oven (3-4 minutes). Stir in seasonings then veggies. Toss veggies until coated. Bake, stirring occasionally for 20-22 minutes or until veggies are crisply tender.

The original recipe called for serving this over cheese filled tortellini. Not for me!

It took no time at all to prepare the veggies and I was able to do stuff around the house while they roasted. The house smelled heavenly.

The taste test
Normally I do not like peppers. However, in this recipe they are scrumptious. It has to be the seasoning. All the veggies are so tasty. After 20 minutes in the oven the veggies were just right for me. You might want to do less time.

How will I use them
I could eat them cold like a salad, but I think I’ll like them better warmed in the microwave. I’m having a pork loin chop tomorrow so I’ll use the veggies as a side dish along with mashed potato and gravy.

What would I change
Next time I’ll add fresh mushrooms and if I can get zucchini, I’ll not use broccoli.