Roasted Beets and Sweet Potatoes

I had a wonderful weekend of family fun time in New Jersey and amoung the many highlights was getting the whole family together for a belated Passover celebration on Saturday night. I was helping my brilliant mother make some dishes and I stumbled upon this beauty when I was researching side dishes for Passover. I'm not the biggest believer that you eat with your eyes, but this dish is a serious stunner. I am a convert. Not only does it taste delicious, the colors are so beautiful together that they brighten up the whole table. Beets are also slightly sweet when roasted and their flavors compliment the sweet potatoes nicely. Since they are similar firmness and texture, they cook at the same time and temperature and are properly cooked. Also, this recipe is very simple to make so you can serve this up with ease. We had chicken, lamb, and brisket and these were a nice compliment to all three.Roasted Beets and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
5-6 small beets (or fewer larger ones)
3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (or dried)
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Peel and slice the beets into 1/2 inch cubes.
To peel the beets, you will want to wear rubber gloves of some kind unless you like when your hands are a pretty shade of purple for a week. Beet juice is delicious, but it will stain any and every surface it touches. Use a plastic cutting board and some caution.
2. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into similar chunks.
3. Put them together in a large baking dish. Admire how beautiful they look together.
4. Drizzle with about 1/4 cup olive oil, and toss the vegetables around in the dish with brown sugar, thyme, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper until evenly distributed.
5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and delicious.