Winter Panzanella

Preheat your oven to 425F. Toss the beet cubes with a small amount of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spread them in a baking pan and pop them into the oven. Roast until just for tender, about 40 minutes. In the meantime, toss the butternut cubes with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, spread them in another baking pan and roast alongside the beets until tender, but not about to fall apart. About 20-25 minutes. Take the butternut squash and the beets out of the oven as they are finished and set aside to allow them to cool for a while. In a very large sautee pan, heat about 2 Tbs. olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Toss in the bread cubes and toss them around. Cook, tossing frequently, until they become golden browned, 10ish minutes. Take off the heat and set aside. At this point, slice the kale and the red onion and put them in a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients except the olive oil. Then, gradually whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Pour about half of the dressing in with the kale and onion and toss to coat. Once the bread, butternut squash, and beets are lightly warm, but not hot toss them with the kale and onion in the bowl. Add the rest of the dressing and toss more. Finally, add the cheese and apple pieces (and a few sliced sage leaves, if you wish) and toss thoroughly until everything is well combined. If you like your salad with more dressing, feel free to double the dressing amount. I've always preferred 'scantily clad' salads, but this has been a bone of contention at times in my family since others prefer thoroughly drenched salads. Serve immediately, or allow to sit for about a half hour at room temperature before serving to allow the bread to soften and the flavors to mingle.