This recipe for a vegetable appetizer or entree is so very easy!

Amounts, ingredients and seasonings can all be adjusted to suit individual tastes.

Excess garden produce can be used or when one finds a sale price on certain vegetables in the produce section of a store, this easy recipe can be utilized for maximum benefit.

Roasting can bring out the natural sweetness of vegetables and be a delicious compliment to many meals.

Enjoy!

The picture below shows the vegetables I chose to use when making my version of an Italian antipasti after they had been roasted in the oven one day.

Doesn't it look scrumptious?

Here is the list of ingredients that were pulled from our refrigerator and pantry that particular day:

Onions

Red and Yellow Bell Peppers

Zucchini

Grape Tomatoes

Eggplant

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use these or substitute other vegetables that you may prefer or happen to have on hand when you are inspired to make this. There are no set amounts when it comes to the ingredients. Use more or less according to what you like.

Directions:

Assemble your ingredients.

Cover a baking pan or pans with heavy duty aluminum foil for easy clean-up. ( I always use several baking pans when making this recipe.)

Peel and slice your onions and eggplant into thin slices putting them into a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Wash and slice your zucchini and peppers into equally thin slices and if you are using larger tomatoes, also slice them. ( I have roasted the small grape and cherry tomatoes whole but have also sliced larger tomatoes for equally good effect and flavor. So just use what you have on hand and/or prefer.)

Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and use salt and pepper to taste. Toss the veggies with a spoon or by hand ( Personally I use my hands so that I can tell when the vegetables are all coated evenly with the seasonings and oil ) and then lay them out onto the baking pans arranging them in a single layer.

Bake in a 375 to 400 degree oven approximately 30 to 60 minutes or until done to your liking.

If you enjoy your vegetables a little al dente you will want to pull them out sooner, or if you like them soft and caramelized ( as we do ) leave them in longer checking every so often on their progress. We bake ours about an hour because we love the caramelized flavor.

Test with a sharp fork as to tenderness. You can also turn them over about half-way through the baking process to brown both sides if desired. This also redistributes the juices and keeps the vegetables from drying out.

When finished baking, serve them as an appetizer warm or at room temperature which is equally good.

Now here is how you can alter the recipe:

Vary the vegetables. Sprinkle dried herbs of your choice over the vegetables for a slightly different flavor. Dried basil, oregano, thyme or rosemary would all lend various flavors to the dish. You are limited only by your imagination and/or taste buds.

To make it into a delicious entree just toss these roasted vegetables that are room temperature into some cooked pasta ( your choice of pasta ) and dress with extra olive oil ( if needed ) and sprinkle with Parmesan or Romano cheese. Serve immediately.

Hope that you will soon enjoy this vegetable recipe that can be utilized as an appetizer or as part of an entree. Please let me know if you tried it and liked it. Also...if you have used ingredients not listed and have a different variation that you think other people may like, please post it in the comment section. Thanks and Bon Appetit!