Whether your candidate is the new President or not - I’m glad the election is over - I’m tired of all of the divisiveness - it’s exhausting. On the flip side, I am loving this beautiful 70 degree November weather. I don’t recall the last time we had a November this warm and beautiful, not to mention it has given us an extra week of outdoor dining during the pandemic.
On Friday, I had a birthday celebration lunch with my friend Ellen at a local restaurant - Thirty Bales. We sat on the outdoor patio and had their delicious cauliflower tacos and a couple of glasses of wine. Her birthday is not until later in November but knowing how MN weather can be I texted her and suggested we take advantage of the beautiful weather while we had it! It was so nice to hang out and catch up!
Later in the evening, I learned that I have been accepted into the U of M Master Gardner program - something that I’ve been wanting for a while now. I decided at the last minute to apply - since we are in a pandemic and not going anywhere anytime soon. It seemed like a good time to spend winter studying and learning new things. I am so looking forward to this new adventure.
After spending a good part of Saturday finishing up the yard work - because we all know that this beautiful weather will not last - I decided to use up some of the root veggies in my fridge. I roasted them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and then mixed them into a delicious tomato-based sauce to make a hearty stew. I do think the sauce could have been a little less dense but hey that’s what leftovers and veggie broth are for. Tonight we’ll finish it up with some fresh goat cheese and leek bread and a salad.
Roasted Root Vegetable Stew
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds of root vegetables I used parsnips, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and squash
1 head of garlic, the cloves separated and peeled
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 3 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 medium cup chopped onion
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2 cups (packed) of chopped kale or other leafy greens.
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
Black pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce (optional, to taste)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Into a large roasting pan, mix together the vegetables, garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables over in the pan halfway through cooking.
While the veggies are roasting, heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until the edges of the onions just begin to brown. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook a minute longer. Then add the crushed tomatoes and the Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot and let cook gently while the root vegetables are roasting.
When the root vegetables are ready (they should be browned on the edges and easily pierced with a fork), remove from the oven. Add chopped leafy greens to the pot of tomatoes. Simmer until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the root vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Season with Tabasco to taste if using.
Enjoy - like everything soups and stews get better with age. I’m looking forward to leftovers tonight with some delicious homemade bread.
Thanks for stopping by!
