But, but, but, leftovers!

The medium casserole dish of roasted goodness sat semi-hidden on the already burdened stove.  Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and bright butternut squash would be making its debut on our table and I was secretly hoping for a good amount of leftovers. 

Mom was doubtful about this new addition; our meat and potatoes family liked to keep things simple.  I was looking forward to something other than veggie lasagna and corn to eat.  As our relatives arrived and asked about the menu, excitement grew for the roasted veggies.

As the pan hit the table with the rest of the trimmings, I presented one more gift: truffle oil.  A light drizzle would turn these beauties into gourmet heaven, vegan heaven!  The bottle made its rounds as the serving spoon in the veggie dish scraped the bottom of the pan.  At the end of the meal, I glanced over at my mom and then at the casserole dish.  Like Ralphie Parker's turkey lament in A Christmas Story, my beloved veggies were gone, all gone!  No roasted veggie curry!  No veggie tofu noodles!  Gone all gone!

Mom high fived me with a smile.  Looks like we have a new star.

Roasted Veggies...make lots.

Preheat your oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with foil.  Toss 1 head of cauliflower worth of florets and 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed with olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat.  Roast until browned and lightly crispy, about 35 minutes.  Scoop the veggies into a casserole dish and add 4 cups of cleaned halved Brussels to the still hot cookie sheet.  Toss the sprouts lightly with olive oil and season.  Drop the oven temperature to 350 and roast for 30 minutes.  Combine all veggies in the casserole dish and reheat just before serving.  Pass red pepper flakes, sea salt, and truffle oil at the table.

Note: if you have 2 cookie sheets and oven space, roast everything at once at 350 if desired.  Do not overcrowd the pans.

Merry Christmas!