1 head of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1 red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic powder
Parsley
Basil
3 ounces grated Romano cheese plus
extra cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper

1 pound ziti pasta

1. Oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cover a large baking sheet with Reynolds non-stick aluminum
foil.
3. Core and cut the cauliflower and broccoli crowns into bite
size pieces. Fill a large bowl with vegetables and cover with
water. Drain and repeat again. Drain and leave crowns in
bowl.
4. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and return to pot.
Add a drop of olive oil and toss to prevent sticking.
5. Cut red onion into bite size pieces and then add to bowl
with cauliflower and broccoli. Add olive oil, garlic powder,
parsley, basil, salt and pepper. With a large spoon, toss
everything until vegetables are well coated. Spread
vegetables on baking sheet.
6. Roast vegetables for 15 minutes. Toss on sheet and rotate
pan front to back. Bake for 10 minutes more. Test for
tenderness with fork, bake 5 to 7 minutes more if needed.
7. To the pasta pot add roasted vegetables and 3 ounces
Romano cheese. Toss everything together.
Garnish with additional Romano cheese when serving.
8. ENJOY! – Vegetables taste even better roasted and
toasted!

While roasting vegetables has become a popular grilling experience all summer long, what does one do about the rest of the year? No problem. It’s time to use the oven to keep the house cozy and fill the air with a new fragrance, roasted veggies. It can be tantalizing!

Keep it simple. Just wash and cut fresh vegetables into bite size pieces, keeping in mind that carrots should be smaller than say, broccoli, as harder veggies take longer to cook. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil and spices ensuring that all are evenly coated, and then just place them on a baking sheet covered with non-stick foil. Place in a hot oven, give a shake or flip over after 25 minutes or so, and taste test for doneness. Veggies are like pasta; some like them al dente while others prefer a softer consistency.

There’s something special about roasting cauliflower, broccoli, and other like veggies together. If you’ve roasted too many vegetables for a particular recipe, no problem, put the extras in the fridge for the next dish. Roasted vegetables are wonderful in quiches, frittatas, omelets, soups, etc. They make a delightful addition to any number of recipes.

Truth be told, I made this dish for dinner for my husband and myself recently. I tossed ziti with roasted veggies generously garnished with fresh grated Romano cheese. Nothing could taste better…except when my husband, Tom, is concerned. Even though I watched my guy wolf down 3 plates, he still felt compelled to let me know that he couldn’t find the meat! About 15 minutes after we finished eating, Tom dug into the freezer and found 2 small steaks and insisted on grilling them for a snack. Who does that! Crazy carnivorous men! You can’t make this stuff up! He grilled his steaks (in the tundra that was my backyard) and ate a plate of sliced steak pieces on top of crackers …get this… as a snack! Sometimes, you just have to surrender to the caveman mentality and go with the flow. After all, the man did eat all of his veggies first.