You can use any vegetables you like for this dish, but we’ll list the ones we like best. Amounts are up to your judgment; we always fill the pan, it cooks down some, but it’s still enough for us to stuff ourselves or to share with a third. We use a large (13" diameter) iron skillet, and you need a lid or use aluminum foil. As a side dish, the amount we make would serve six or more, but we fill our plates with it and lick them clean.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Of course you start with onions and several cloves of garlic. Chop the onions (and all the veggies) into big chunks or thick slices. Peel the garlic. We leave it whole (once roasted, they are mild and delicious). If you want to get fancy, you could use leeks or shallots too.

Sweet potatoes (also known as yams, but are really SWEET POTATOES) are the main ingredient in Gina’s favorite version of this. You may simply scrub them and chop them, or if the skins look gnarly, peel them first. John loves eggplant. Simply wash and chop. Potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, and/or carrots most often fill the rest of the space, though we’ve also tried turnips, rutabagas, beets, peppers, and cabbage. Also good are "hard" squashes with thin skins like delicatta or sweet dumpling. Be careful not to use too much soft, watery vegetables (i.e. zucchini), as it may make the dish too watery. Leaf veggies such as spinach or kale tend to get overcooked or dried out. If you really want some greens, add them near the end (10 minutes) of cooking time. We’re too lazy.

Once you’ve got all the veggies you want chopped up, pour some vegetable oil (er, a few tablespoons, perhaps?) in the pan, or pour it over the veggies once you put them in it. You may season however you want, but here’s the secret ingredient that really makes it to die for: Pour on some oil and vinegar Italian dressing. We usually use Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing. Or you can just add similar ingredients: oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic and onion powder. Or add whatever seasonings you like. Use Szechwan sauce, tamari, leftover goo from Chinese food. It’ll still be good!

Cover the pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes (shorter for mostly softer vegetables, longer for harder ones). The onions may have caramelized a bit, the veggies browned on one side. Oh, yum. Drool. Eat. Don’t let it cool, burn your tongue. That’s what we do.

Blissful eating, Ginohn