i propose a roast!

Can I just exclaim for a moment about my love of roasting? No, not making fun of people in front of an audience in a loving way, but the process - the exquisite art - of putting various combinations of food into the oven for a nice long time and allowing them to reach new heights of flavor and depth. Some people are afraid of the oven. It's intimidating because it seems too intense. Like a cooking method your grandma did and therefore way to complicated and time-consuming for amateur chefs.

Seriously, though, it's not. I like to think of the oven as doing for cooking what washer/dryers did for laundry and what dishwashers did for dishes: it takes the work OUT of it. You simply arrange some veggies, meats, or baked goods in a dish and let the oven do the work for you! Plus, I would argue that you simply cannot develop the same kind of flavor through any other method. For example, in the recipe below I can't think of another way to make the roasted fennel, shallots, garlic and tomatoes so rich and sweet and soft on the stove.

So, as a kitchen amateur/wannabe genius kitchen innovator, I am here to tell you oven-roasting is your friend. Here is my most recent Sunday night creation:

Penne with Roasted Vegetables, Heirloom Tomatoes and Italian Sausage

1 lb. bulk sweet/hot italian sausage (I get 1/2 lb. of each, can use pork or chicken)
2 large bulbs fennel, sliced into thin wedges
3 large shallots, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
4 heirloom tomatoes, halved
8 oz. chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 C. white wine
1 lb. whole wheat penne pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 C. chopped italian parsley
1/2 C. shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp. herbes de provence
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
olive oil
salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss fennel, garlic, tomatoes and shallots in olive oil, dried herbs and spices, and salt and pepper. Arrange on one or two baking sheets lined with parchment, tomatoes cut-side down. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through cook time. In the meantime, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in dutch oven and add sausage. Cook until just browned and lay on plate lined with paper towels to drain fat. Add mushrooms and saute until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add roasted shallots and fennel and saute 3-4 minutes. Stir in wine and scrape all browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring mixture to a boil and add tomatoes with all accumulated juice, then garlic from skin and stir in. Add sausage to pot, stir, cover halfway and simmer 10 minutes. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.

This dish is deeply-flavored and just great comfort food. It's pretty healthy, too! I use lean chicken sausage and flax seed pasta, and of course olive oil is good for your heart! When tomatoes aren't in season, use drained canned tomatoes and roast them the same way. Save the juice to add to sauce if necessary. You can also substitute the wine for vinegar like balsamic or use red wine for a richer, darker sauce. It's so fun to play with food!