Chili Butter Roasted Vegetables

Caramelized vegetables, in a chili-infused, buttery glaze. What more do I need to say to convince you that you need this in your life?

I do some sort of veggie dish every night, so I try to mix things up. My boys love chili-spiked everything, so I knew this would be a winning side. If you haven't tried combining vegetables with some of your spice rack staples, take note - it works and it's really delicious. Plus, it turns an ordinary side dish into something spectacular, with just a few shakes of a spice jar.

To blanch or not to blanch: I blanched the green beans before I roasted them. Yes, it's an extra step - and definitely one you can skip. I just wanted the green beans to be slightly more tender than crisp-tender. It requires a quick, 1-minute bath in boiling water - so choose to do that if you want more tender vegetables.

The best part about this side dish is that practically ANY vegetable would work. This time I chose green beans and zucchini (and I cleaned out my produce drawer in the process). Next time it might be broccoli and bell peppers. Or carrots and parsnips. Endless options.

Chili Butter Roasted Vegetables

1/2-3/4 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1 large or 2 small zucchini, halved crosswise and cut into thin strips (cut the zucchini about the size of the green beans)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (or use a cast iron skillet).
If desired, blanch the green beans in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. If you're not blanching the green beans first, simply place them in a large bowl. Add the zucchini to the green beans.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.
Transfer the vegetables to the prepared pan (or skillet) and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Serves 4