All About Roasting

I am sure that many of you have been roasting all kinds of vegetables for years.  But for me, this was a recent and amazing discovery!  Who knew everything was better roasted?  Well, apparently many of you did, but failed to tell me... Don't worry, I forgive you ;)

On Saturday, Bo informed me that we were out of avocado hummus.   We always keep a fresh supply of hummus in the refrigerator, so this meant that I needed to make a new batch.  But what kind?  We were craving something a little different, and perhaps with a little kick to it.  Thankfully, I noticed a couple of red bell peppers lying in the vegetable drawer.  I had been thinking about stuffing them with a rice mixture for dinner one day this week, but when I saw them lying there I knew right away that they had a different destiny to fulfill.  Roasted, spicy, red pepper hummus here I come!

Problem: I had never roasted a red pepper in my life!

Sure, I had bought the jar of roasted peppers from the grocery store, but do it on my own?  No way!  But there is a first time for everything, so I decided to give it a shot!  Thankfully, I discovered that roasting peppers was as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Cut bell peppers in half, scrape out all the seeds, and place skin side up on a greased baking sheet.
2. Roast on broil (500-550 degrees) for 5-10 minutes, or until skin begins to blacken (mine took 7 minutes).
3. Remove peppers from the oven, immediately place in a ziploc bag, and allow to cool.

Once the peppers have cooled (approximately 20 minutes), remove them from the bag and peel off the skins.  The slightly sweet flesh of the pepper will be revealed!

I used a portion of the roasted red peppers in a hummus.  I didn't write the recipe down, but if memory serves me correctly, it was something like this:

• one can of great northern beans, drained
• 1 1/2 roasted red peppers
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 T tahini
• 1 1/2 T lime juice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• small handful of cilantro, minced

This hummus has been super yummy with crackers, vegetable crudites, dolloped on salads, and spread on sandwiches.  The extra kick of the cayenne really takes it up a notch! 

I foresee many roasted red peppers in my future...

As for roasting other things, I am a huge fan of roasted root vegetables.  In particular, I love roasting butternut squash.  It brings out all of its sweetness and creates a caramel-like result. 

Just a few days ago Bo and I had roasted butternut squash with sunflower oil, salt and pepper, along with one-pot millet and nutmeg-laced collard greens.  Don't worry, I'm not withholding meat from my hubby!  Bo had turkey sausage on the side as well. :)

Lesson: Roasting makes all things yummy!

So, pull out your baking sheet, check out your refrigerator and pantry, and see what you can start roasting!  I assure you, you will not be disappointed with the result!

Tomorrow - Elvis' favorite smoothie...which a chocolate twist!

Question of the Day:

What are your favorite cooking techniques?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo