Roasted Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

This semester has been so hectic for me.  When I saw that I had a chance to leave for a weekend, I got really excited! I decided to visit Bri in St. Louis for the weekend and it worked out that my best friend, Michael's group would have their fall show while I was in town! In order to get in at a good time, I was going to have to leave pretty early on Friday.  So, I drove to Chicago Thursday night to see my family acapella because then I would be able to leave earlier on Friday and have a slightly shorter drive.  Plus, I really wanted to see my parents!

Thursday was great!  After my Methods class, I drove home.  As soon as I got home, we went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and then had Swirlcup for dessert.  It was a great evening and I really loved getting to see my parents.  My mom and I watched Grey's Anatomy and Glee and I was able to pick up some stuff that I needed to take back to school.

Friday morning, I woke up and went for a great 5 mile run, showered, and then got ready to get on the road to St. Louis.  I arrived around 3:30 and then Bri and I met up with his friends around 5:30 for dinner at the Fountain.  This is Bri's favorite restaurant.  They have great food and amazing desserts.  Bri tried their Thin Mint Martini which is made with mint ice cream and I had the NuttyIrishman for my dessert.  Coffee ice cream, hot fudge, and pecans.  Yum!  It was a really fun evening.  I can't wait for tomorrow!

Today's recipe is all about veggies.  It is a fantastic side dish and will look great on the holiday table.  I made this for my sister's Thanksgiving, but I'm probably going to be making it again for my Aunt's Christmas party.  I found a recipe on the Food Network that was all about roasting potatoes and then I adapted it to incorporate brussel sprouts as well.  Brussel sprouts are great because they are in season and they add awesome color to your dish.  This dish was super yummy and a huge hit!

Roasted Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
3 lbs. russet potatoes
3 lbs. red potatos
4 lbs. sweet potatoes
5 lbs brussel sprouts
3-4 tbsp canola oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Wash the potatoes and chop into 2-inch thick pieces.  Place in a pot, cover with water and let boil for 10 minutes.  Drain potatoes and spread them out on a baking pan in one layer.  Drizzle 2 tbsp of canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss the potatoes to combine and then spread them back out. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are crisp.
3.  Wash the brussel sprouts and cut off the white ends.  Remove any yellow leaves.  Place on another baking sheet in one layer and drizzle the rest of the canola oil, salt, and pepper over the sprouts.  Toss the combine.  Place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until sprouts get crispy.
4.  While your veggies are roasting, mix the butter with the parsley, thyme, and rosemary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in a container and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the dish.
5.  When the veggies are done, place in your serving dish.  When ready to serve, make sure they are warm and then drop spoonfuls of the butter into the veggies so that it melts.  Toss to combine and serve!

Enjoy :)