Roasted Vegtables:FFY Night

Roasted Vegetables and Wild Rice

It's FFY again...Fend For Yourself! Rich is at the Grizzly game, Webb has gone to bed early and I'm left trying to figure out what I'm going to eat...because yes, I'm going to eat and Taco Bell doesn't deliver! Left overs it is...but it's damn good left overs. So good, Rich even eats it!

If you don't know already, when I met my husband he didn't eat vegetables. So he doesn't eat celery? NO. He doesn't eat carrots? No. What about beans? Oh yeah, he eats beans...one kind...Ranch Style Beans, and that's the extent of the bean eating. A long story short...he's come a long way.

Rich has been patient and has tried just about everything I've made...but I think I have come across something that is a clear winner...Thank you Deidre for the recipe!

Rich's vegetable journey started with asparagus...he was intrigued by the way they grow...my father raises asparagus and the way they poke out of the ground and reach amazing heights in hours is an incredible thing to watch. Rich started by eating the tips...agreed, the leaves are much better than the trunk (same with broccoli). I decided not to give him a trunk or leaf choice...I chopped it up and paired it with something he actually likes...sweet potatoes, added some goat cheese to make it creamy, put this on top of wild rice and wah-la!

My friend Deidre got me hooked on her roasted veggies recipe a few years ago. The best thing about it, is that you can use just about any vegetable. Deidre uses sweet potatoes, red onions and squash...which is why I never thought about serving this to Rich. I've added a few twists and tweaks to mine and Rich's liking, but I'm telling you, whatever you like...it will be wonderful! My recipe for tonight's leftover meal goes like this...

Wild Rice
4oz package wild rice
2 cups chicken stock
1-2 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Webb Franklin Asparagus

Roasted Vegetables
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
15 asparagus, cut in fourths diagonally
2 beets, cubed
I wish I could say that red onion was in this...but Rich wouldn't dare go there.
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
2-3 cloves minced garlic
4-5 splashes balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
Crumbles of goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Wild Rice: Heat oil and butter in a heavy-bottom pot, saute garlic for 2 minutes. Add wild rice to olive oil and butter and stir for 1-2 minutes. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into rice and boil, cut heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Vegetables: Mix all veggies with herbs, vinegar, 1 clove garlic and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Roast on a greased cookie sheet at 475º for 25 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Make sure to stir every ten minutes or they will stick.

Deidre's Roasted Vegetables
The Original Recipe by Deidre Lightle..Thanks for sharing.

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
½ Red onion diced (about the size of the potatoes)
1 squash, cubed (optional)
Mix together:
¼ C of olive oil
4-5 splashes of balsamic vinaigrette
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary

View full recipeYour favorite herbs can be substituted. Mix oil mixture with veggie mixture and cook at 475 for 25 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Make sure to stir every ten minutes or they will stick to cookie sheet. I serve mine on brown rice and usually eat with fresh corn on the cob! –DL

Brats and Rice

Bratwurst and rice with onion

I wasn't really prepared for the snow last week and didn't make it to the store...scouring the freezer and pantry were my only options. Rich's Aunt Patti sent us a whole box full of meat from the New Braunfels Smokehouse in Texas. We only had one item left...Bratwurst! I thawed it then started to create a very strange combination of flavors that turned out to be pretty tasty.

I wasn't sure how German meat and Spanish rice would go together, but I pulled melded the two flavors by adding a sweet note...the Woodchuck Cider. To balance the sweet...mustard and red pepper for some heat and tang. The dish came together and created a great one pot meal.





Brats and Rice
4 New Braunfels Smokehouse Brats
1 bottle Woodchuck Winter Cider
1 8oz. package Vigo yellow rice
1 medium yellow onion, peeled...keep whole
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Heat oil and pepper flakes on medium in a heavy pot that has a lid. Roll onion in oil and season with salt and pepper. Cut the brats into 4 or 5 pieces and add to oil. Cook brats and onion until there is a good crust on the brats. Add cider, 1 cup of water, mustard and package of rice. Bring all to a boil, cover dish, turn heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. It was that easy.

Onion Note: I have to keep the onion whole because Rich can't stand onions. For others who decide to make this I would suggest sauteing the onion in the oil before adding the brats.