How to create Roasted Harvest Vegetables & Cherry Apple Crisp

On today’s menu, Roasted Harvest Vegetables, a perfect side dish for any occasion, and for a tasty dessert, Cherry Apple Crisp. The good news is that both mouth-watering dishes are very easy to create (you can wipe the sweat from your brow now).  Our personal-chef is the exquisite Judi Adelman, founder of No Excuse Cooking, located in California. Judi says:  “Growing up near the sides of my grandmothers and my mother in the kitchen is where I learned to cook and found myself the happiest.  Our home was always filled with wonderful aromas from the lovingly prepared dishes made for the family to eat and enjoy. As a parent and wife, I have fine-tuned those recipes creating new adventures in eating that have made my family happy and impressed my friends and clients.  After six years as a kitchen product consultant, I realized my passion was cooking and the teaching of that skill to others.  My hope is to be able to bring your family and friends to the table to enjoy the pleasures of sharing food and good times together. And when we’re done, you will have No Excuse Cooking.”

Roasted Harvest Vegetables (Party of 8)

6 cups diced peeled beets (about 1 pound)

4 ½ cups (2 1/2-inch) cubed, peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3 cups (1 1/2-inch) cubed turnips (about 1 pound)

1-2 parsnips peeled and cut (1 pound)

1 lb of shallots or red onions peeled

2 cups (1-inch-thick) of sliced carrots (preferably rainbow carrots or whole baby carrots)

8-12 garlic cloves peel but leave whole
3 tabs olive oil

Salt and pepper

3 sprigs rosemary

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450°F or cook with turkey 1 ½ hours before meal.

Cut all vegetables about the same size for even cooking.

Spread vegetables in a single layer on 2 small or 1 large foiled-lined baking sheets.

Drizzle veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Toss veggies very well. Then, cover them with foil.

Bake vegetables for 30 to 45 minutes.

Next, reduce heat to 350°F for another half hour. 

Uncover and roast 10-15 minutes more or until they are tender and golden brown.

Wala! Dinner is served, but why stop here?

To really wow your guests, even the naysayers, add the Cherry Apple Crisp dessert below.

Cherry Apple Crisp

2 (16 oz) bag of frozen cherries (do not defrost) or one bag cherries

2 cups granny smith apples cored peeled (cut into piece the same size as cherries)

½ cup sugar

3 tabs cornstarch

1 tab lemon juice

¼ teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup flour or oatmeal

5 tabs butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup chopped walnut or almonds or pecans

¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Spray baking dish with with Pam.

Place fruit in a baking dish.

Sprinkle fruit with sugar and cornstarch mix.

Add lemon juice and almond extract mix again.

In a separate bowl, mix oatmeal (flour) sugar, nuts, cinnamon and salt.

Cut in butter with a pastry blender or with fingers mix together until topping looks crumbly.

Spread mixture on top of fruit.

Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes.  Then, lower temperature to 350°F and bake 25 minutes more.

Eat warm or cold. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Bon Appétit!

To learn more about Chef Judi, visit her Web site, www.noexcusecooking.net or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Is there a particular dish you need assistance with right away, please send inquiry to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This interview obtained by chinika.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Chinika, LLC .

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