Roasted Rosemary Vegetables

I have finally discovered a way to eat butternut squash that I not only like, but also crave. It's so delicious that knowing I get to eat it later on is excuse enough for hours of distraction. Not good for productivity, let me tell you. But very good for butternut squash, which, let's be honest, I've really just been pretending to like all these years while in reality I just tolerated the stuff.

My secret weapon? Roasting. Now, before you freak out, read on and give me a chance to explain myself. Roasting does not require any fancy equipment. Just an oven and a pan. That's it. And, you know, vegetables. The beauty of roasting is that cooking the veggies at a high heat caramelizes the natural sugars and really brings out the natural sweetness of your vegetables.

Here's what you do.
1) Chop up your selected vegetables into approximately equal size pieces. I usually cut them into, oh, 3/4" cubes. Ish. Pictured below is one large sweet potato and half a medium butternut squash. Peeling the butternut squash is tricky. You can use just a regular peeler, it just takes several strokes in each spot to get through the tough skin layers. You could also just cut the skin off with a knife. You can also use other root vegetables, like carrots or regular potatoes, or if you feel extra adventurous toss in some parsnips, rutabaga, or turnips.

2) Throw your vegetables into your selected pan. Make sure they are no more than one layer deep. If they're too crowded, they will just steam and soften without actually roasting, and then what's the point?

3) Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Then stir. I used about 1 tablespoon. You can use more if you feel decadent, or could probably get away with just spritzing it with non-stick spray if you want to keep it low-fat.

4) Sprinkle liberally with desired seasonings. My favorites are garlic salt and rosemary. Be sure to chop up the rosemary first, whether dry or fresh. This helps release some of its oils and hence its flavor.

5) Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When the veggies are starting to look dark on the sides, like a dark caramel color, you know they're ready. A few pieces might even look a little burned.

6) Eat. Make sure you're sitting down. In case you faint from happiness.