I made these for our family Thanksgiving. Most of the members of my family like to try new things, so it was the perfect opportunity. Plus, we were coming from a distance and this was something that could be made ahead and reheated when we arrived. It is hard to come up with recipes that fit that bill, and since I love to cook, I hate to come empty handed or with a bag of dinner rolls! I should venture into baking my own bread…
Mashed Carrots with Honey and Chili Powder
Recipe and picture from Everyday Food Magazine, online version here.
1.5 lbs carrots
1Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tsp honey
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
course salt and ground pepper
Set a steamer basket in a saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Add carrots, halved lengthwise if large and cut into 1 inch pieces, cover and steam until very tender, about 25 minutes. (I boiled…I know, bad bad bad, but I didn’t have a steamer basket at this time. I do now though, thanks mom!). Transfer to a medium bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher (I used a potato masher). Stir in butter, honey and chili powder, season with salt and pepper. Serves 4. (I completely doubled this recipe for this occasion).
Verdict: This was an interesting flavor combination. It was a nice change from my typical cooked carrots which I season with a) just honey or b) brown sugar and butter (mmm…). The consistency of the mashed carrots was….different. They weren’t smooth, and I think I would maybe prefer them sliced.
Husband’s take: He ate them, but prefers the brown sugar and butter approach.
Changes I would make: Next time I make these, I will probably just slice the carrots instead of mashing them. Everyone thought they were sweet potatoes, which is a little bit of a surprise when you taste the chili powder! I’m not sure how the flavors would disperse, it might be a good idea to mix the chili powder with the honey before adding it to the carrots if you were going to go the sliced route.
Difficulty: Easy. Maybe I should remove this category of my review, as all of my recipes are easy!
What I am eating now: Muscle Milk Light protein shake blended with banana and spinach.
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