These Maple Syrup Roasted Carrots are easy enough to work into your culinary repertoire weekly, they’re the perfect take-a-long during potluck season and they’re absolutely fancy enough to serve when you’re entertaining family and friends.
Tip: The variety and cut of carrot you choose will determine the “fancy” factor of your finished dish. When I’m entertaining, I’ll often buy young carrots with their tops (for their shape, I don’t use their tops of coarse). If I’m dying for veggies because I haven’t eaten any for say…a month (hey, it happens to all of us), I’ll use jumbo carrots and cut them into uniform, one-inch chunks. This way, I’ll get a generous serving. If my attention span for cooking is shorter than a toddler’s, I’ll buy peeled baby carrots and use those so I can save the “step” of peeling.
Difficulty: Super Easy
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into uniform pieces
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup from Canada
- coarse salt and cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup candied pecans
Tip: To candy your own pecans, when the carrots are through cooking, remove to a microwave safe platter. Working quickly and safely, using a hot pad on both hands at all times to prevent burning your hands, pour ¼ — ½ cup pecan halves on the hot cookie sheet. Pour two teaspoons olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, and then coarse salt and cracked pepper to taste over the pecans. Using a pair of tongs or a metal spoon, toss until pecans are well coated. Place pecans in the oven and cook 5-7 minutes or just until the whole kitchen smells of delicious roasting pecans and the pecans are toasted through. Note: the maple glaze will harden as it cools. Immediately poor over carrots and serve. If the carrots have cooled too much, necessary, reheat in the microwave for one minute.
