Oven roasted veggies

 OK so pretend I'm writing this in the fall... 

 Or not, because you all know how much I love the fall. So it's not THAT weird for me to be posting this in December??

And you can make roasted veggies anytime! Not just in the fall!! 

 OK, so here's the recipe. :)

Chop up ANY root or other veggies.
Here are some ideas:

Carrots
Bell peppers
Potatoes (red, purple, yukon gold, sweet, etc.)
Onions (white or sweet are best)
Brussels sprouts (sliced in half)
Butternut squash
Leeks
Beets
Turnips
Parsnips
Hatch chili peppers
Etc
Etc
(Get the idea? Almost anything works!)

Toss chopped veggies with olive oil to coat, and salt and pepper. 

Roast in 375-425 degree oven (depends on the veggies you're using. Potatoes will take longer to cook.) I put them on a pan with foil so it's easy clean up - easy to make, easy to clean up - hmm, I like the sound of this!

Roast for 30-40 minutes. Brussels are best when they're getting brown and crispy, all other veggies taste great when they're tender. 

See? So forgiving, and SOO easy. Do this same method with broccoli (toss with Olive oil, S&P, roast till brown and crispy) and asparagus (same, just not as long in the oven). YUM! 

Pork Sirloin Tip Roast...and Pumpkin Pie

I wish I could capture smells in a post for you ... because the smells that have filled our apartment tonight have been heavenly - enough to make my paper-writing bearable. And enough to make me forget that we have a pile of dishes to clean up after my culinary adventures. But really... sooo good.

We enjoyed some Pork Sirloin Tip Roast, and are about to enjoy the pumpkin pie that just came out of the oven. Enjoy!

Herb Rubbed Pork Sirloin Tip Roast

1 pork sirloin tip roast

herb rub (see this recipe for a version we tried)

6-8 slices of bacon

Rub the roast all over with the herb rub. Ideally you'd let it sit for a bit, but we couldn't wait. Wrap the roast with the bacon (seals the moisture in, and gives it a great flavor) - secure ends with toothpicks, or wrap with butcher twine - whatever you have. We used toothpicks. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour.

Serve with whatever veggies you like. Unfortunately the brussels sprouts I was saving for this went bad :( so we just had sweet potatoes - oh darn! :) I prepped those just like the butternut squash from the other night. These might have turned out even better than the squash with the spices I chose - nice and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.

Here's a glimpse of the goodness that is going to come once it's cooled... (try this recipe).

Easy weeknight pork tenderloin

So this meal has become one of my go-to meals when we don't have a lot of time but still want to eat a healthy and delicious meal. Trader Joe's has packages of pork tenderloin pre-seasoned with garlic and herbs in their meat section. Trader Joe's also has pre-seasoned asparagus in a microwave pack. And you can just pick up a few sweet potatoes while you're at it, and you've got this meal made! This is also a pretty cost effective meal... Did I mention I love Trader Joe's?

Bake the pork tenderloin as directed on the package - ~350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size. Let sit for at least 10 minutes once you take it out of the oven.

While that's in the oven, chop up a few sweet potatoes and boil them. Once they're tender, drain, and mash to desired consistency. Use a food processor for smoother results. Add milk, butter, cinnamon, or other spices/flavorings. These should be done around the same time as your meat.

Follow the directions for microwaving the asparagus - 2 1/2 minutes, and you're done!

ENJOY!! :)