Roasted Tomatos and Rice

I guess it's just been one of those years. We waited breathlessly for the tomatoes to finally ripen on the vine until the very end of August. When they did first start to turn, they did so slowly and only here and there. Then all of a sudden (while I was on vacation, I might add), BAM! Tomatoes. Ripe and ready to be eaten. SO MANY...and SO SUDDENLY...that I have tomatoes up to my eyeballs. What a great problem to have! That's been the story of the past three weeks. So, when Jenny brought over 3 pounds of little cherry and yellow pear tomatoes for dinner, we had to think creatively to find something new to do with them.

Inspiration: 3 pounds of cherry and yellow pear tomatoes, picked off the vine that very
Time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Special equipment: 9x13 metal baking pan with at least a 1" lip, 3 medium bowls, 1 large bowl
Servings: 6-8


Ingredients:
2 cups of basmati rice, well rinsed
4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
3 pounds, cherry and yellow pear tomatoes, stemmed and cut into quarters (do not drain seeds)
1/4 Sweet onion, diced
3 medium carrots, chopped into bite sided pieces,
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 hand full of fresh green beans, stemmed and snapped into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook rice to desired chewiness by bringing chicken broth to a boil. Add rice and cover. Simmer over low heat. After 10-15 minutes the rice should have absorbed all the liquid. Remove from heat and let rest while you prepare the roasted veggies.
2. Turn oven to 450 degrees, and place rack in center of oven. Put a 9x13 metal pan in oven while preheating.
3. In first bowl, toss carrots in enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
4. In second bowl, toss green beans and garlic in enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
5. In third bowl, toss tomatoes and onions in enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
6. When oven has preheated, dump carrots onto metal pan (it will sizzle) and space so that carrots are in one even layer.
7. 6-7 minutes later, add green beans and garlic to carrots and toss so that the carrots cook on both sides.
8. 6-7 minutes later, add tomatoes and toss again making sure carrots, green beans and garlic are cooking evenly on all sides. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until juices have run out of tomatoes and all veggies are tender.
9. In a large bowl, mix together rice, roasted veggies and toasted pecans. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Optional: Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.)

Note: Spicy Italian sausage rounds would be excellent in this.