Cheesy Potato Carrot Smileys

These Cheesy Potato Carrot Smileys were a hit with this little sweetheart! We sent him home with the rest and his mom said "What the heck did you put in those smileys? He's eating them like a crackhead!" Haha! Big flex!  

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 lb (4 small) potatoes

2 medium carrots

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsps cornstarch

1/4 tsp dry minced onion

1/4 tsp garlic powder 

Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots until tender then mash all the ingredients together. Use enough cornstarch to form a dough consistency. Take 1 heaping tablespoon of dough and roll out between two pieces of plastic or waxed paper to 1/4" thick. Use a dusting of cornstarch if it's sticky. Use a glass or round cutter for the circles then poke a straw in for eyes and swipe a spoon in for a smile. Or three straw holes if you want to make "boo" faces for Halloween. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil. Place the smileys on the pan leaving space as they may spread depending on your consistency. Brush with a little olive oil and bake at 375°F for 15-18 minutes. You may need to re-form the face a little when the smileys come out of the oven and are still warm. Makes 10-12

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Roasted Dijon Carrots and Apples

Savory sweet carrots, melty apples all in a perfectly tangy maple Dijon sauce.

Ingredients:

8 large carrots (2 lbs) cut in 1/4" thick slices

4 large firm apples (1 lb) cut in 1/2" wedges (use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)

2 onions, diced

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

5 tbsps Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsps fresh thyme leaves 

Whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, pepper and thyme together. Add the carrots, apples, onion and garlic and toss to coat. Roast in a 425°F oven covered with foil for 10 minutes, then uncover for 15 minutes. Toss then return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until carrots are cooked to your liking. Easily made ahead. Just make it and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Serves 12

Adapted from: alternativedish.com

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Roasted Carrot and Broccoli Stems

I never knew we could eat broccoli stems, but lo and behold here they are. And they are delicious! It's like a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Buy broccoli and get the stem for free! Sweeter than the florets that we have been eating while tossing the stalks. But no more!! They can of course be made alone but I thought I'd pair them with bright carrot slices.

Ingredients:

2 broccoli stems

2 small - medium carrots

2 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

 

Start by cutting the woody end off the broccoli stems then, using a vegetable peeler, peel off the out layer and slice thinly. Peel and slice the carrots thinly too. 

Toss together with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Spread out on a parchment lined bake sheet. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes tossing halfway through.

I can't imagine how many broccoli stems I have thrown out over the years!

Serves 2-3

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Air Fryer Roasted Carrots

Tender, crisp and quick.  If you're making boiled carrots (boring) the cooking time is about the same. But if roasted carrots are what you're looking for then this air fryer method cuts the cooking time in half!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb carrots (2 medium ones)

1 1/2 tbsps olive oil

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Slice the carrots about 1/2" thick. Mix the olive oil and seasonings together, add the carrots and stir to coat. Place in the basket in a single layer. 

Air fry 10 minutes tossing the carrots over halfway through the cooking time.

Makes 2 servings

With Stir Fry Cross Rib Steak. Here's the recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/02/stir-fry-cross-rib-steak.html 

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Roasted Radishes and Carrots

Radishes are often overlooked as a cooked vegetable, but they can be roasted like most any root vegetable. Roasted radishes are mellow and with sliced carrots make a vibrant veggie side! 

Ingredients:

3 small carrots

5 or 6 radishes

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dry oregano

salt and pepper to taste

chives to garnish

1/2 a lemon

Quarter or halve the radishes and cut the carrots so that they are about the same thickness as the radishes. Toss with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Roast at 450°F for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender. Then top with chopped chives and give them a good squeeze of lemon and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Oven Roasted Carrots

Carrots are everybody's favourite veggie amiright? I mean they're not like brussels sprouts, eggplant or turnip where you have to dress them up to convince people they're good. That's why this is a basic roasted carrot recipe, no bells and whistles just good carrots!

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots

3 tbsps olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dry oregano

fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Wash and scrub (or peel) the carrots and cut lengthwise into sticks of even thickness. Place them in a plastic bag along with the oil, pepper, onion and garlic powders and oregano and shake, shake, shake! Lay them out (mostly) single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 425°F for 30-40 minutes or until desired tender/crispness.

Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 6-8

Find more Hot and Cold Running Mom on Pinterest

BBQ'd Carrots

Here's a simple one.

Cut 4 carrots lengthwise and lay on a sheet of foil that has been oiled with olive oil.

Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle some ginger, parsley, salt and pepper on top.

Add a few pats of butter and 1 tbsp of water and fold up the foil to seal.

Barbecue the packet at 350F for 30 minutes.

This served 3 but of course you can increase the amounts to what you need.  Just make sure the carrots aren't piled too high as it would affect the cooking time.

Beet and Carrot Salad

Ok, so I tried baking the beets and carrots in the oven.  They were alright, but it really took longer than I thought it would. If you are able to, BBQ the beets. (Boiling them would be my third option)

Here's how to BBQ:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2014/10/bbqd-beets.html

But if you can't BBQ them here's the oven version.

6 medium-sized beets
4 large carrots

Brush the vegetables clean and pierce them a few times, put them in a baking pan.

Bake in a 425F oven for about 60-75 minutes.  Check the carrots closer to 60 minutes.  They could come out and put the beets back in.  At that time you may want to add a couple of tbsps of water to the pan. Don't overcook, you don't want mushy veggies.
When time is up turn the oven off and leave the beets in for another half hour.

Take them out and when cool peel beets.  No need to peel carrots unless you don't like the rustic look.  Slice and toss with:

2 tbsps. white wine vinegar
4 tbsps. olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
Salt to taste

Serve at room temperature.

You might also like:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2014/10/chocolate-beet-muffins.html