Pan Roasted Carrots with Apple Molasses is a simple preparation in a buttery apple glaze with a hint of Dijon.

Pan Roasted Carrots with Apple Molasses

By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime

I am really excited that November is finally here and once more we are looking down the lane towards Turkey Day. The upcoming holidays are going to be very special for me this year. I am even already looking forward to Christmas and holiday decorating…and even snow!

Well, that never happens.

But we have had an extremely bad round of luck here at Palatable with two job losses within 6 months. I really was coiled up to the point of being ready to spring towards packing up my house and moving during the most busy time of year. I wasn’t even  sure we’d be able to celebrate at all. Not to mention kitchen wares tucked away in lost boxes, just the thought of having a kitchen at all. And not some extended stay motel.

My kitchen is my element and when I am out of my own kitchen I am just not at home. Do you ever feel that way?

And Thanksgiving really is about home,  and family. About coming together and breaking bread and all that good “chit”. During a cross-country household move,   sometimes my meals have been cold cuts slapped on white bread standing over a kitchen  island with a torn open bag of chips and a gallon of milk divvied up among paper cups. In fact, it has become a ritual of sorts, even down to the requisite Bunny Bread (cheap white bread of course), and thinly sliced bologna. Not exactly a  turkey dinner with all the trimmings,  is it?

But we have gotten really lucky, dodging (yet another) bullet, not only having some of our livelihood restored, but not having to sell the house and move at all.

And now that we have turned a corner, I find myself with a bit less time to do my planning. Turkey, obviously. And mashed and stuffing, but what about sides? Sometimes it feels like the sides are my personal territory. Family will  demand a turkey or ham or the like, along with mashed and gravy for Sarah, and Bill will want the stuffing,  and desserts are usually the pumpkin pie and a cream pie and possibly a cake (if I wanted something else). Sometimes it seems like the Mom in the family is always the one to cave-in  to the desires of others at holidays. And I am by no means saying that is a bad thing. My cooking for my family is an expression of my love, and also my way to nourish them outside of spiritual care. But it does pretty much opt out a lot of my choices. And many families are like that- locked into the same old things, year after year.

Even being a food blogger while I try to share my creativity and skill, I ask myself: “Who will want to try this new recipe for their holiday?” Holidays are very very important at the table. It is not really a great time to be experimenting with one of the classic “Pinterest fails” out there. And not even implying that recipes on Pinterest are landmines waiting to be stepped on. As a blogger, I have had such faithful recipes I’ve made for years go suddenly wrong in someone’s hands while I ask myself how it happened.

But the recipe I post today really is an easy one. Simple roasted carrots. The way it is made deluxe is through the apple molasses (which you will have to spend the day making yourself, but it makes enough to last a good long while). Essentially in that, you just boil  down the cider until it is like honey, then save it refrigerated in a jar.

For my carrots, I chose an organic heirloom variety in different colors. Those are all carrots, and not turnips or beets or anything. The first time I posted some rainbow carrots online, I recall someone asking me what the other veggies were. They are carrots. I  do like the colors, but really you can make these with ordinary orange ones. I will say that the ones I picked were young and slender, just a little bit fatter than my thumb. You can also use other sizes, but the way you cut them (or not) is going to change the roasting time. Unless you cut them the size they would have been. But if you end up cutting into thirds, it can be a bit tricky, and nobody wants to almost chop their finger off on Thanksgiving day and sit in the ER getting stitches.

I  trimmed back the tips on the carrots- you  can leave yours on or off. Try to leave the very thin bottoms on there though. They get wonderfully crispy and caramelized, almost like carrot-bacon.

Don’t  forget to check out the Sunday Supper recipes below. Hopefully after reading through all these, you will actually have to decide which sides to eliminate from your menu instead of wondering what to do.

And have the best of holidays from both me, and Bill, and  my furbabies and extended family at Palatable Pastime-

~Sue
-listening  to “Save Me” from The Golden Hum by Remy Zero on a sunny Saturday afternoon…whatcha’ listenin’ to out there?

Sunday Supper

Best Holiday Side Dishes

Hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking

Fruity Side Dishes

• Cranberry Apple Relish by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Cranberry Fluff Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Easy Cheesy Pineapple Bake by This is How I Cook
• Pecan Cranberry Jello Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Apples by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Other Side Dishes

• Chestnut Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Easy Mushroom Rice Pilaf by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• One Pot Macaroni and Cheese by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Potato Dinner Rolls by The Redhead Baker
• Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing by Life Tastes Good

Potato Side Dishes

• Gingered Sweet Potatoes by Simple and Savory
• Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes by Cookin’ Mimi
• Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Red Potatoes by Food Done Light
• Southern Praline Sweet Potato Casserole by The Weekend Gourmet
• Southwestern Potato Bake by The Freshman Cook
• Stacked Sweet Potatoes by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Sage Butter by Cooking Chat
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession

Vegetable Side Dishes

• Acorn Squash and Brussel Sprout Side Dish by Caroline’s Cooking
• Bacon Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts by The Crumby Cupcake
• Braised Red Cabbage by Turnips 2 Tangerines
• Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Candied Acorn Squash by Cricket’s Confections
• Cheesy Jalapeño Corn Casserole by Food Lust People Love
• German Green Bean Salad (Bohnensalat) by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Homemade Green Bean Casserole by Family Around The Table
• Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole by My Life Cookbook
• Miso Glazed Corn by NinjaBaker.com
• Pan Roasted Carrots with Apple Molasses by Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Cranberries by The Chef Next Door
• Roasted Onions with Parsley Pesto by Monica’s Table
• Roasted Parsnips with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary by Wholistic Woman
• Roasted Pumpkin with Rosemary and Thyme by Feeding Big
• Spicy Balsamic Roasted Vegetables by Pies and Plots
• Sweet Corn Pudding by Brunch-n-Bites

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Glazed Baby Carrots Dijon

Carrot and Raisin Salad

Honey Roasted Carrots