Bins of autumn's harvest are overflowing at many of the local markets for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Squash is also in season and is a nice addition to this simple, flavourful and healthy side dish.
If you're like me you like to peruse through recipe books and magazines for those special holiday recipes. Several weeks ago we hosted a fall dinner party and I planned it around autumn's harvest. If you're still needing a few ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner, I hope the menu I served inspires you. Below my menu is the recipe for the Roasted Root Vegetables.
Starter Salad -- Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
(recipe can be found in our new Cookbook Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations, pg. 242)
Main course-Holubschi I used beet leaves (and used the beets in today's recipe) and also Swiss Chard leaves to roll the meat. Better known as Cabbage Rolls.
(Judy posted her Cabbage Roll recipe yesterday on the blog, and there are other Cabbage Roll recipes on the blog and in our first cookbook Mennonite Girls Can Cook, pg. 80)
Wareneki or spelt, Varenyky in Ukrainian
( recipe in our first cookbook Mennonite Girls Can Cook, pg.90, and a gluten free recipe on pg. 92)
Dessert - Blintzes or Nalysnyky in Ukrainian
(recipe in our first cookbook Mennonite Girls Can Cook, pg. 24)
(recipe on the blog)
Roasted Root Vegetables (serves 6-8)
- 4 carrots
- 2 parsnips
- 2 small turnips
- 2-3 red beets
- 2-3 yellow beets
- 1 red or white onion, or 3-4 shallots
- 1 yam
- 4-5 fingerling potatoes
- 1 acorn squash, optional
- olive oil
- spices, I used fresh thyme and rosemary along with a sprinkle of za'atar, which is a herb blend I purchase at Ten Thousand Villages. A good substitute would be to just use dry Thyme.
- salt and pepper
- Wash vegetables. Separate the red beets from the other vegetables as they bleed their colour and everything will turn red.
- Peel vegetables. Cut vegetables into chunks and place in a large bowl. Add spices. Do the same with the red beets in a separate bowl.
- Pour olive oil over vegetables and spices and toss.
- Line a backing sheet with foil or parchment. Spread vegetables onto prepared pan, placing the red beets on one side.
- Roast in 400º oven for 30 minutes. Take out and toss. Roast another 15-20 minutes until veggies are fork tender but not mushy.
- If adding squash to your dish, slice whole acorn squash into 1"rings, cut away and discard the seeds and plump. Lay flat on a parchment lined baking pan and drizzle with a mix of 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Roast 10 minutes. Turn and roast another 10 minutes or until fork tender. Add to the roasted vegetables when ready to serve.
For more tasty recipes visit www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca