#Thanksgiving Bonus #FoodieFriday: Roasted Carrots

Okay, I couldn't resist posting another one. Hey, next week is Thanksgiving, at least for those in the U.S., and who doesn't enjoy good food?

I've been seeing a ton of "Help! What should I make?" posts on the Internet (jeez, Facebook, haven't you ever eaten a Thanksgiving dinner?), and I thought I'd help out a little.

A lot of the questions are wondering what to make for a vegetable side. Most people say they're

Pic from the Food Network

already having the standard green bean casserole and/or sweet potato casserole, so they want something different or something that's not a casserole, too.

My suggestion would be to make these amazing roasted carrots. The recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.

I often mix the carrots with parsnips, which creates a pretty orange and cream dish. I usually cut the parsnips slightly smaller than the carrots because they're more dense, and that way the whole thing will cook at the same rate.

This dish transports well, too. In the past I've served it out of warmed-up Corningware (or whatever you have that's oven-safe), put foil on top, and brought it with me. It warms up nicely if it does cool off as well. I've brought it to a few Thanksgivings, and have been asked for the recipe each time. People are always shocked by how simple the dish is.

And I'm a big fan of "everything in moderation", but if you or someone you know is trying to keep their Thanksgiving intake on the lighter side, this dish is perfect for that. No cream or heavy butter (as much as I love those things) and though these carrots are good in their own right, they don't distract from the main event--that fabulous turkey.

A quick word about leftovers: The carrots are great warmed up, and, if you have enough of them, I would also suggest finding a good carrot soup recipe and pureeing them to make that. They're very versatile.

Enjoy!

xoxo Sarah