Glazed Carrots & Turnips

I mentioned last week that I had never tried turnips before. I found this recipe on the Food Network's website and thought I would try it because it sounded simple to make. It turned out pretty good. My only complaint was that my turnips got a little overcooked. Overall I like the flavor and simplicity of this side dish.


3/4 lbs of turnips, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
3/4 lbs carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt & Pepper to season



Place vegetables in a skillet that is just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add just enough water so that it comes halfway up the side of the vegetables. Add butter and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Cover pan with a lid, left slightly ajar and simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove lid, turn heat up to high, and cook until all of the water has been absorbed, tossing vegetables frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

P.S. Have you ever heard of rainbow carrots? I had never heard of them, until last week. They are so cool, they are yellow, orange, dark red, and white in color but taste like regular carrots. So, if you are wondering why my carrots are weird colors in the picture, that why! (AW)

Garlic Green Beans

Green beans are a mystery to me.

Up until about three years ago, I didn't like them. Not only did I not like them, but I didn't understand how other people could like them. They were an alien concept, and I just didn't want to bother.

But, like most foreign concepts, you may need to place them in familiar settings to grasp them. So when you introduce garlic cloves to the equation, you're translating from Weird Green Bean Language to good, old, "reasonable" English, and before you know it, you're eating green beans with steaks and stir-fry, and you're saying things like "these green beans are really doing it for me."

As far as who, precisely, you're saying these things to, though, I'm not sure. But this is what good cooking can do - take the unmanageable and unfamiliar and make them delicious, even desirable.

Also: canned green beans are stupid. Go fresh or go home! (DW)

1 lb fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed
6 cloves of garlic, cut in thin slices
1 tablespoon butter
Garlic powder & salt, to taste

Add green beans and garlic slices to a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 7 minutes, or until green beans are cooked to desired tenderness. Drain water. Add butter, garlic powder and salt to taste. Serve while beans are still warm. (AW)