Roasted Baby Vegetables

This recipe is more about technique than an actual recipe so allow yourself some flexibility as far as the actual ingredients. Nicolette found this recipe in one of our Fine Cooking magazines. It is awesome for the rainy days when you don't mind having the oven going or the cooler days of autumn. Roasting a selection of vegetables offers an opportunity to match everyone's preference or just provide a good selection for all. The amounts are listed per serving so you can roast according to the number of people you plan to serve. Remember to cut down on the quantity if the vegetables are larger.

Baby Zucchini or patty pan squash, 2 per serving
Small red or yellow potatoes, 2-3 per serving
Small carrots 3-4 serving
Small beets, 2-3 per serving
Other vegetables that would work well are kohlrabi, onions, or parsnips
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh herbs
Onion powder, (optional)

Heat oven to 450° F. Wash and dry vegetables. Trim ends or stems that seem extra-long and halve any vegetables that seem a too large. Toss each type of vegetable separately in olive oil (just enough to coat), salt, pepper, onion powder and a bit of the herbs. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, keeping each type in a separate group so you can easily remove one if it cooks faster. Roast in the center of the oven for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to flip and move the vegetables around and then continue roasting for another 5 minutes. Pierce each type of vegetable with a fork to test for doneness. If one type is tender, transfer it to your serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Continue roasting until they're tender checking every 5 minutes. The longest-roasting vegetables will likely be the potatoes and they will take about 25 minutes.