When adventure ideas where spent, we took plates of cheese, crackers, and nuts and sat in the dining room bay window that overlooked the woods. The room was filled with hushed childish whispers as we regaled one another with ghost stories, pausing occasionally to stare out the window, hoping to see a ghoul emerge from the woods.
But the next day, Thanksgiving, was the anticipated event. Family and friends crowded into my grandmother's dining room, every mouth watering at the sight of the long table laden with Tom Turkey and his backup singers (delicious sides, of course)
I devoured everything on my plate, especially the spiced sweet carrots my aunt made...just for me. Those delicious veggies graced my own Thanksgiving table for years to come, until my younger son was diagnosed with autism. I've written before how the texture of some foods trigger his gag reflex. I was determined to find an alternative to my aunt's more traditional carrot recipe. As silly as it sounds, I felt those carrots had to be on my Thanksgiving table--it was tradition. After much experimenting and tweaking I devised a recipe that I was happy with. The carrot casserole has a slightly citrus-cinnamon taste, and one bite transports me back to those precious Thanksgiving memories of my childhood.
Carrot Casserole
Serves 8
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
¼ cup butter, softened
2 T. marmalade
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 medium eggs, beaten
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Cook the carrots in lightly salted water until tender.
Drain the carrots and place in a large mixing bowl and mash. Add the butter, sugar, marmalade, cinnamon, flour, vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until everything is well combined.
Add the eggs and beat well.
Pour the mixture into a greased 1.5 quart baking dish and bake at 325 F. for approximately an hour or until the center is set. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar if desired.