Do I have permission to gloss over the fact that I have not posted in waaaaaaaaaay too long and just pop up a little post here like it was a regular occurrence? Please? I won't even attempt to make excuses about being busy during the holidays or mention that I barely cooked a decent meal the entire month of December (thank you, Trader Joe's soup in a carton, for getting me through the holidays). Fine then, it's settled. Time for a blog post!

Let's start things off with one of the simplest pleasures of winter cooking: roasted vegetables. The same basic treatment can be applied to hardy winter vegetables and fruits and makes for a delicious side or salad topping or soup base. Start with a selection of sweet potatoes, turnips, butternut squash, rutabagas, apples, quince, new potatoes, celery root, yams, carrots, onions... pick a few that look good to you and get to peeling and dicing! Add some winter-y herbs for flavor bonus (rosemary, sage, thyme) if you'd like, but good ol' olive oil and salt and pepper is really all you need.

Here's a basic recipe to get you started.

Sage-Roasted Winter Vegetables

2 purple yams

1 sweet potato

3 medium turnips

1 quince (substitute 1 granny smith apple)

8 - 10 sage leaves

olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Peel all vegetables. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes. The more evenly cut the vegetables are, the more evenly they'll cook, this is the only semi-difficult step in this recipe. Place cubed vegetables in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Heat 3 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by putting a pinch of a sage leaf in. If it sizzles, the oil is ready to fry the sage leaves in. Add the sage leaves to the skillet, 3 or 4 at a time, turning after 30-40 seconds. Continue cooking on the second side for another 30 seconds, then pull from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Save for later.

3. Pour the now sage infused olive oil over the vegetables in the bow. Add 2-3 tsp. kosher salt and quite a few grinds of fresh pepper. Toss the vegetables in the oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet (lined with parchment or sprayed with pan spray). It is important not to crowd the vegetables or have them piled on top of one another, otherwise you won't achieve the crispy edges and browned skin you desire!

4. Place the pan in a 350 degree preheated oven. I like to put an ovenproof dish filled with about an inch of water in the oven when roasting- I find it gently steams the vegetables so they cook through and you don't end up with a caramelized outside and crunchy inside. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring with a spatula after about 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and density of your vegetables. Test with a fork for tenderness.

5. To serve, top with the fried sage leaves, crumbled, and a little more salt and pepper. So good!