A little Tuesday night treat

Around this time of the year, roasted vegetables are my go to winter food.

They are super easy to prepare in the oven, splashed with a little bit of olive oil, grainy salt and pepper and perhaps some fresh herbs. As simple as they are to prepare, they usually come out looking like a labor of love, tanned, gorgeously golden, deliciously caramelized, demanding respect from even the biggest veggie averse diners round your table. One disclaimer though: I have come to learn that most food theories do not always apply to Toddlers...

Since Christmas and Thanksgiving are so close to each other in the U.S., and since we celebrated both of these holidays at our place with Mr. Urban's mother and brothers, I knew that the "old Turkey and Works" won't cut it a second time around for Christmas dinner.

It has taken me a long time to persuade "the Team" that turkeys can be beautiful if dressed properly. That vegetables today are no longer your steamed frozen medley of years past. It has taken years of gentle nudges to persuade my mother in law, who is a rather great Persian cook, that a turkey doesn't need a side of colorful Persian dishes to make it "edible". I have endured many a smirks and rolled eyes to prove to a household of four boys (Mr. Urban + 3 Bros) that vegetables and delicious CAN coexist in one sentence, even if not disguised in stews and quiches as they have been used to.

Turkey. Gravy. Stuffing. Cranberry Chutney. Vegetables. That is all I have asked for this side of the border for eight years! And slowly but surely "the Team" is coming around...

So in a frenzy to find a dazzling side dish for our Christmas dinner, I decided to try stuffed mushrooms. They were a hit my friends! One for "Turkey and Works"!

And since then, I have made them again and again. As a side dish to our meat dishes, and as an appetizer. You can prepare them in no time. And count that they always comes out looking delicious (provided your oven is set at the right temperature).

Oh, and if you like to read further musings on roasted vegetables, check out this NY Times editorial.

The Urban's Rosemary Stuffed Mushrooms

1 sprig of roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated good Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 sweet or hot Italian sausage taken out of the casing (leave out for vegetarian version)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 table spoons plus extra of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 white mushroom caps

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a frying pan saute the sausage with a little olive oil and the rosemary. Breakdown the sausage with your fork into little pieces. Once the sausage is done, let it cool for a few minutes. If you are making these vegetarian, then just add the chopped rosemary to the mix without sauteing. In a mixing bowl mix the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, parsley and the sauteed sausage and rosemary. If you have a toddler s/he can help you with this step.

Line a baking tray with foil, drizzle some olive oil to coat the bottom. Line up the mushrooms with enough space between each. Spoon the filling into each mushroom and then drizzle a little more olive oil on top of the mushrooms. Place the tray into the oven for 25 minutes until the mushrooms and the filing look golden.

Enjoy!

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