Roasted Roots- a Fall and Winter Favorite!

A savory blend of colorful root veggies, roasted in herbs and butter. I am ORDERED to make this dish every Thanksgiving and Christmas by my Mother "....and of course, Terry will be bringing the Roasted Roots..." This dish is a great compliment to any long-roasted meat. They can be cooked at the same time. This blend has something for everybody. Even if you aren't a big fan of rutabagas or parsnips, don't leave them out! They add to the overall sharp/sweet flavor. Just use a smaller amount if you aren't a big fan. I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic for the simple reason that fresh garlic has a tendency to go bitter during the long cooking. Try fresh, if you want-but powdered seems best. Also, if you are running low on time you can par-boil the roots first, but you lose some of the complexity of the finished flavors.VERY IMPORTANT! Slice or dice the veggies in size according to their 'density'-meaning that the rutabaga gets diced smaller than the carrots, and the potatoes are left a little larger- so everything cooks evenly. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter (or 2 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup of good-for-you oil)
• 2  teaspoons garlic powder
•  salt and pepper
• 1  onion, very large chopped in large chunks
• 1  small  rutabaga, diced fairly small
• 3 -4  carrots, sliced in 3/4 inch chunks
• 2 -3  parsnips, sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
• 1⁄2 cup dried herbs
• 1  tablespoon parsley
• 2  teaspoons thyme
• 1  teaspoon rosemary
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon tarragon
• 1  cup water or 1  cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Melt butter and oil in bottom of very large roasting pan.
3. Put veggies into pan and toss with melted butter to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour water or broth into the bottom of the pan without washing off the seasonings.
4. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the water is evaporated, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove foil from pan. Sprinkle with dry herbs and stir well. I use a spatula and flip everything over a few times. Put back into oven and continue roasting for about another hour or so-could be less or more- You want the Roots to be browned and crispy on the edges.
6. If you find that the roots are soft and cooked through, but not browned yet- you could put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp-make sure you stir frequently so they don't burn.
7. Let sit a few minutes before serving, stirring up all the good stuff from the bottom of the pan.