I guess I haven’t really said a whole lot about my backyard vegetable garden this year. Then again, it hasn’t really done a lot this year. I know I’m not the best at this whole gardening thing and all, but usually by September things have turned jungle and I’m drowning in cucumbers and tomatoes. This year, I got a mere three bitter cucumbers and I think I can count on my hand the number of red cherry tomatoes that have fully ripened. I tend not to have high expectations of myself when it comes to gardening, but most years I at least get plenty of cherry tomatoes for my salads. So I’ve been a frequent buyer at the farmer’s market this year, which isn’t totally a bad thing. Those guys have way more interesting vegetables for sale than I’d ever attempt to grow. The cucumbers are never bitter. Oh, and the cherry tomatoes are cheap, and sweet! Now that things have cooled off just a bit, and veggies (home grown or not) are a-plenty, I’ve got the perfect easy September meal. The sauce for this one cooks up in the oven, and the mushrooms roast at the same time. The only thing you need the stove for is boiling up some pasta. This couldn’t be easier! I loved this meal for reasons I never even expected. The cherry tomato sauce was all kinds of delicious. I was going for spicy, which I got, but roasting cherry tomatoes brings out their sweetness. I felt like I was taking a bit of a chance on the mushrooms. I don’t usually roast my mushrooms, and while I love blacking seasoning, this was a totally new use for it in my kitchen. I loved the result. They were spicy, just the right level of tender, and added the perfect savory flavors and hearty bite to contrast the tomatoes and pasta.
