Roasted Potatoes with Oil-Cured Black Olives

One day, I found some oil-cured black olives in my pantry and thought about what to do with them. I decided to cut them up and add them to some roasted potatoes. The result was delicious!

RECIPE:

1 pound red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons oil-cured black olives, pitted and quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (preferably Italian flat-leaf parsley), divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, toss the potato cubes and onion wedges with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the coated potatoes in a single layer in a deep baking dish or roasting pan.

Cover with foil, and roast for 15 minutes.

Uncover and stir.

Return to oven and roast uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and lightly golden.

Add the olives and 1/2 tablespoon of the chopped parsley to the potatoes, stir to combine, and roast uncovered for another 5-10 minutes to heat the olives and combine all the flavors.

Toss with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of parsley, and serve.

-- 3-4 servings

Honey-Cinnamon Roasted Carrots

Here I started with my basic recipe for Roasted Carrots and added a light glaze of honey and cinnamon, which gives the dish a festive flair without being too sweet.

RECIPE:

1 pound medium-to-large carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the carrots in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Cut the thicker pieces in half again lengthwise, so that all the pieces will be similar in size.

In a large bowl, toss the carrot pieces with the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the honey, the cinnamon, and salt and pepper.

Arrange the coated carrots in a single layer in a deep baking dish or roasting pan lined with non-stick foil. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir.

Drizzle the carrots with the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey, along with additional salt and pepper as needed, and toss well to coat the carrots evenly.

Return to oven and roast uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 10-20 minutes, or longer as needed, until the carrots are tender.

-- 2-3 servings

Tarragon Wine-Glazed Mushrooms

Here I started with my recipe for Wine-Glazed Mushrooms but substituted tarragon for the thyme, giving the dish a sexy French accent. It's a delicious variation.

RECIPE:

1 pound white or brown (crimini) mushrooms, or a combination
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (preferably Italian flat-leaf parsley), divided
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms. Cut larger mushrooms into quarters and cut smaller mushrooms in half.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the shallot, and saute for 1-2 minutes, until soft and fragrant.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet, along with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until the mushrooms are lightly golden, approximately 6-8 minutes.

Add the white wine, along with 1/2 tablespoon of the parsley, the tarragon, and additional salt and pepper as needed. Raise heat to medium-high, and saute until most of the wine has evaporated.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of parsley. Saute for another minute or two, to blend all the flavors.

-- 4 servings