Featuring winter vegetables...

Yesterday's snowstorm in the DC area felt like the start of winter, despite what the calendar says. So tonight I made dinner featuring two classic winter vegetables: sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts.

The sweet potatoes were part of a black bean chili from Eating Well. Usually I find their recipes too bland, but this is one of my winter standbys. (This might have something to do with my secret ingredient—hot lime pickle from the Indian market, instead of ground chipotle.)

I used sweet potatoes that I picked up on the last day of the Mt. Pleasant farmers market. (Unfortunately, everything else was from the grocery store.)

I also made brussels sprouts for the first time, using a Mark Bittman recipe. I had intended to roast them, but this was faster and, as a bonus, called for butter.

I actually halved the brussels sprouts, even though the recipe calls for them to be cooked whole. I thought they were better halved, but Bittman does warn they are easier to overcook that way.

The only thing I really changed about the recipe is that I threw on some shallot pepper from Penzey's. I'm not sure if it really added anything, but I forgot I had it and wanted to use it on something.

I thought the brussels sprouts turned out really well. I've never been a huge fan, but I've tried them a few times roasted and now braised, and I'm liking them more and more. This was a really easy recipe, too, that will definitely be added to the winter rotation.