I’ve said this before, but my mom’s candied carrots were one of the reasons my love affair with vegetables began at a young age. There were never leftovers: my siblings and I often had seconds, and if there were any left – thirds. I don’t recall there ever being leftovers (I make a little extra, so we will have leftovers, and they are great on round two).

Now when I make these for my family, my toddler will eat all the carrots on his plate before digging in to anything else. And I love that, because they are super easy to make. Peel & chop, throw it all in a pot, and turn it on. Since I’m usually serving these with a roast meat of some sort, I like to prepare it all while the roast is in the oven, and then turn the stove on when the meat comes out – that way I’m forced to let my roast rest the appropriate 10-15 minutes.

The molasses-free carrots are have a lighter and brighter flavor that I prefer in warm weather, while the candied version has a heartier flavor that is great in the cooler months. Carrots are a fairly sweet vegetable, so you don’t need much molasses if you are making the candied version, and overdoing it will make them heavy and less appealing.

Dill Carrots / Candied Dill Carrots

Adapted from my mom’s go-to carrot recipe.

Serves 4

I like these a little toothy, but they are also delicious on the soft side. You don’t need exact amounts of any of these ingredients, and I usually don’t measure, but have provided them here as guidelines.

Ingredients

• 6 medium-large carrots
• a splash (approximately 2 tbsp.) of water
• a knob (approximately 1-2 tbsp.) of butter
• a sprinkle (approximately ½ tsp.) of dill
• optional (for candied carrots): a drizzle (approximately ½ tsp.) of molasses

Directions

1. Peel the carrots, cut into bite-sized chunks, and place into a medium saucepan.  Add a splash of water, butter, dill, and molasses (if using).
2. Cover and place over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until carrots reach desired tenderness.

Serving Suggestions

These carrots are great with just about any American meal, particularly with roast meats – chicken, tri-tip, and pork (like this Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Pan Sauce) are my favorites. I love them next to Pan Grilled Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Roast Japanese Sweet Potatoes and Mashed Caulitatoes. Oh, and these are a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.