Local color

I try to come up with at least one if not more vegetarian meals each week; Ken and Dean are meat eaters and neither hears 'vegetarian' and thinks he'll like dinner. So it's kind of amazing when I make something that they'll both eat (and enjoy).

This recipe is adapted from the 6/2007 everyday food magazine (thanks, Martha). For us, making it also means being able to eat a primarily 'locally grown' meal.

Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables

About 2 pounds yellow summer squash or zucchini (courgettes), sliced into rounds a little less than 1/2" thick (I peel ours first, but you don't have to if there are people at your house who will eat them skin-on); cut the larger rounds in half
About 4 cups (2 pints) grape or cherry tomatoes
2 medium red onions, cut in half and then into half-moon slices (not too thick)
Olive oil
salt and pepper
Enough pasta (between 8 and 16 ounces, depending on if you want the veg or the pasta to dominate and how many people you need to serve), of a good shape for salad
1/2 cup or more of grated Parmesan
Fresh basil - optional - torn or sliced up

Preheat oven to 450f. Divide squash slices, tomatoes, and onions between two large rimmed baking sheets and drizzle freely with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 30 to 40 minutes, checking and stirring a couple of times until everything's nicely browned up.

Cook the pasta, drain, and return to pot.

Add veg, Parmesan, and basil to pasta - toss and serve.

And if you have leftovers, they are lovely eaten cold for lunch the next day.