Glazed Carrots

This recipe from Lil' Luna has changed my go-to veggie side dish from broccoli to carrots. These are so satisfying and easy to prepare. Yum!

16 oz. bag of baby-cut carrots

1/2 c. water

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Bring carrots, water, butter and brown sugar to a boil in a pan over medium-high heat. Turn to low and simmer for approximately 6 minutes.

Here is where I sometimes venture off the directions for a bit. Not all baby-cut carrots are created equal. Sometimes they are thin and petite. In that case, skip this paragraph. The recipe, as written, will work just fine. But sometimes baby-cut carrots are short but very fat and will take longer to soften up. In that case, I cover the pan and simmer (on low or medium low) for an additional 6 minutes or so. Then remove the lid and continue on with the final phase. 

Turn back to high and cook until all the water is evaporated and carrots are tender, usually another 5-6 minutes. I like to stir occasionally to give every carrot a turn in the sweet glaze. Remove from heat. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and enjoy!

According to Lil' Luna, this makes 4 servings (94 calories each).

Pico de Gallo

This is about as fresh and simple as it gets. Jeff loves this on top of homemade chicken enchiladas. It's also great to scoop onto tortilla chips for a quick snack. Super easy, completely healthy, and totally delicious.

8-10 fresh roma tomatoes

1/2 of a red onion (yellow onion works, too)

1/2 c. fresh chopped cilantro

2-ish tsp. salt

Dice and mix to taste, adding more or less of each ingredient according to your preferences. Add a little jalapeño, if desired, though we prefer it without.

Harvest Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is originally from Thanksgiving Point in Utah. My sister passed it on to me and I've tweaked it a bit over the years. It has a slightly better texture when you peel, cube and roast the squash yourself, but I found frozen butternut squash at the grocery store one day and it was a game changer! It cut the prep time from about an hour to only 20 minutes. I've included the simplified recipe at the end. Maybe give both a try and see if the extra time commitment is worth it. For me, this used to be a luxury dish - something I only made once or twice a year. But now with the simplified version, I can make it whenever I'm craving its deliciousness. 

2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (4-6+ c. squash)*

1/4 c. olive oil

pinch of salt and pepper

1 small diced onion

1 Tbsp. butter

3 c. chicken broth

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

     Toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast in oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes until browned. While squash is roasting, place onion and butter in large sauce pan and sweat until translucent. Add chicken stock to sauce pan and roasted squash. Boil until squash is tender. (Before pureeing the soup, you might remove some of the liquid so it’s not as runny. You can always pour some back in as needed.) Place in blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth. Return to pan and stir in spices and cream.

*If using more squash, alter other ingredients as needed.

 

Harvest Butternut Soup, Simplified

This version uses frozen butternut squash and comes together in about 20 minutes.

2 bags (10 oz. each) frozen butternut squash (steamable, organic)

2-3 c. chicken broth

A small handful of dried onion

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. curry powder

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. heavy whipping cream

     Place chicken broth in large sauce pan and bring to boil. Add onion and squash. Boil until squash is tender. (Remove some of the broth, if needed, before pureeing.) Place in blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth. Return to pan and stir in spices and cream.

Zucchini Casserole

I love zucchini season! This recipe always makes it into our summer line-up when the garden vegetables are in full swing. From my friend Greta, this is one we keep around!

Saute:

½ cup chopped onion

6 Tbsp. butter

¾ cup sliced carrots

Combine with:

2 ¼ cup herb or chicken stuffing mix

2 cans cream of chicken soup

½ c. sour cream

4 medium zucchini in ½” slices then cut in half (half-moon shaped)

Place in 9x13 baking dish and top with a little more stuffing. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes.