Roasted Vegetables

Last week I tried a recipe I found online for roasted vegetables that turned out pretty bad.  The recipe said to cook the vegetables for 45 minutes in a 475 degree oven, which didn't work out too well for me.  The potatoes and carrots were okay, but my red onions were burned to a crisp.  The one good thing I took away from the recipe, though, was that it called for balsamic vinegar along with the olive oil for coating the vegetables.  I had never considered using balsamic vinegar, but I must say it was delicious.  So, a few days later, I tried again.  But this time, I decided to lower the heat to 400, cook for 1 hour, and add my onions during the second half of the cooking.  Perfection!!

Roasted Vegetables

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
cajun seasoning
salt
pepper
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled, cut diagonally and halved
2 cups broccoli, cut in small florets
1 red onion, peeled and cut in wedges

Preheat oven to 400.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and carrots, drizzle half the oil and vinegar mixture and stir to coat.  Season with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning (or seasoning of your choice).  Spread the potatoes and carrots in a rectangular bake dish and bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. 

While the potatoes and carrots are roasting, combine the broccoli and onions in the large bowl and drizzle with the remaining oil and vinegar, stir to coat, and season. After the potatoes and carrots have roasted for 35 minutes, add the broccoli and onions.  Roast for another 25 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes. 

So what I learned is that any lighter vegetables should be added later in the roasting time (like onions and broccoli).  I suppose this would go for zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes as well.  I also learned that balsamic vinegar makes the kitchen smell fantastic while your vegetables are roasting!