Roasting vegetables isn’t nearly so scary, and it’s a great technique for coming up with a quick side dish or using up something that might otherwise go bad. The trick is to use a vegetable that’s not going to dry out, and has enough natural sugar to aid in the caramelization process. Following these steps will yield you some delicious meals and/or sides that you can whip up in a snap:

1. Find yourself some vegetables that have natural sugar and enough moisture that they can stand prolonged high, dry heat (potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, squash, onions, parsnips, carrots, turnips and brussel sprouts are good examples)
2. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
3. Get a bowl and cut your vegetables into even, like sized pieces (into the bowl, of course).
4. Get some of your favorite spices and some olive oil or melted butter. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables, and add a little bit of your spices (some good combinations: potatoes and rosemary, squash or sweet potatoes and cinnamon, garlic and/or garlic powder on just about anything. Experiment and see what works for your tastes).
5. Place the coated veggies in a shallow baking dish and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until they are nice and soft and just caramelized.

See?  That wasn’t so hard! There’s nothing to this technique at all; however, I will give you a word of caution: leafy veggies might work, but they need a lot more attention. Don’t let them hang out for 45 minutes, or you’ll be eating charcoal. Zucchini and summer squash work well, too when cut into quarters (like a pickle spear). Have fun, and happy roasting!

So, this year should be no different, at least in terms of making something special. I’ve just really started getting into baking, and I’m learning more and more each recipe I try. In this formative phase, I usually just stick to a recipe as written. But, with a basic recipe as a foundation, it’s easy to come up with something unique and delicious. Inspired by the Valentine’s Day holiday, I came up with this delicious, pink cookie, reminiscent of Neapolitan’s cousin.

Spumoni Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1-12 ounce jar of maraschino cherries, drained and chopped; reserve 2 tablespoons of the liquid
• 1 cup of shelled, coarsely chopped pistachios
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate

Procedure

Cream the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla and salt; stir. With your mixer on low, add the cherries, cherry juice, and pistachios. Finally, incorporate the flour until the dough is stiff enough to hold a spoon upright, but still soft enough that you can easily push through. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees; drop the dough onto a cookie sheet by rounded teaspoonfuls. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be done, but soft. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line some cookie sheets with wax or parchment paper and melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When the chocolate has melted, dip the cooled cookies, covering half and allowing the excess to drip-away, then place them on the baking sheet. Allow the chocolate to set in the refrigerator before serving. Recipe yields approximately 60, 1 1/2 inch diameter cookies.

Some hints
I can never find pistachios already shelled, so cooking with them is always a big chore because of having to shell and sift through them myself. But, the good thing is that I can see if a pistachio is good and can toss out the over-roasted ones. If you have to do this yourself, make sure your pistachio is nice and green. Brown is bad and leads to a burnt taste:

..

You could also melt your chocolate in the microwave, but I find that using a double boiler gives me more control. Simply fill a pan with water, and top with a glass or stainless steel bowl, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Add the chocolate, bring the water to a boil, and turn off the heat. Continue stirring the chocolate until it has completely melted. If it starts to harden again, pick up some speed and turn the heat back on.

Beyond that, this is a very simple cookie and a delightful treat! And, dipping them in chocolate is a nice touch–your sweetie will think you spent the world at the bakery, but will be even more touched to see that you did it all yourself. Happy Valentine’s day!