Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

These beautiful jeweled potatoes accompanied our roasted turkey feast. I'm proud that I managed to squeeze a (rather small) turkey and two side dishes into the oven to bake. Large dinners are problematic when you have a small kitchen. Oven space aside, I don't have the counter, fridge/freezer, or dishwasher capacity to handle such a mega meal. My dream kitchen would include two of each- ovens, dishwashers, and sinks. A massive range, freezer big enough to hold several bodies (sorry, couldn't think of a better comparison), and endless cupboards and counter top. But since that is only a dream, I've learned to make do.

You'd be amazed what a girl in dire circumstances can do. Have I mentioned that my furnace closet serves as a pantry? I'm not sure if that breaks any sort of law or presents a health/safety hazard. I don't have a choice! I'm not complaining. I love my kitchen. There's just no room to expand. For now, while I'm still only feeding two, it works. Any more additions to this family and the kitchen's gonna have to grow with us.

But back to turkey dinner. I came up with this recipe sort of on the spot. I have roasted my share of vegetables and saw the idea for using balsamic- somewhere. The shallots and garlic are requisite in my opinion. Two of my favorite flavors. I threw the sheet of vegetables in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey and by the time we ate they had crispy skin and soft centers. And they looked gorgeous on the plate!

INGREDIENTS
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled, cored, and cubed
potatoes (I used a mix of baby Yukon, red, and purple potatoes), cubed
several shallots, peeled and sliced
several cloves garlic, minced
2:1 ratio extra virgin olive oil to balsamic vinegar (enough to lightly coat the vegetables- I used about 1 Tbsp. balsamic to 2 Tbsp. olive oil)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with shallots, garlic, oil, and vinegar to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.

3. Roast in preheated oven, turning occasionally, until tender, approx. 40-50 minutes.

Serving size depends on the amount of vegetables used.

(My own recipe.)