Dressed Up Roasted Vegetables

We roast vegetables year in and year out for the sweet, earthy flavor some time spent in the oven seems to impart. During the holidays is a great time to pull out all the stops and dress them up with “accessories.” By all means, use your imagination and add other herbs, nuts, seeds, even a sprinkle of a Kaufmann 1 -friendly cheese like crumbled fresh goat cheese.

There’s no right or wrong combinations, and just a small amount of something unexpected can completely transform the ordinary into something festive.

Ingredients:

1 pound of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
12 ounces butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 small shallots, cut in half and thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 pieces of uncured peppered turkey bacon, cut into ⅛ “ dice
1-2 tablespoons raw pine nuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Place the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Place into hot oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Vegetables should just be beginning to brown around the edges.

While vegetables are cooking, place diced bacon and pine nuts in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, just until bacon is crisp and pine nuts are beginning to look toasty. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Transfer vegetables to a serving dish. Sprinkle with bacon pieces and pine nuts. Serve while hot.