Zesty Cook » thyme

Flavor Packed Maple Butter Carrots

zesty — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:13 +0000

Happy Wednesday! Phew… what a day! We will get on that in a minute. I have been working on house decisions what feels like all day yesterday as the builders had made some great progress and had lots of questions as the floor system got underway today. House Update Below!!!!

On to the carrots! These babies were amazing. As part of the huge barbecue feast from yesterday we had some fresh garden carrots that were just aching to be kicked up with some Canadian Maple Syrup. Now not that this carrot recipe is low in fat… but I really enjoyed them.

Here are the simple step by step instructions on how to spin these carrots for your next dinner.

Ingredients

Carrots
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1/2 Tsp. Fresh Thyme
Salt
Pepper

Method

Wash carrots and cut ends off.

Cut into pieces and place in pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.
Drain water, turn off heat and place pot back on the burner.

Season immediately while hot, add butter, thyme and maple syrup.

Stir and serve.
ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I like to slightly under cook vegetables as I find they taste better than when they are mushy. So I like to keep a close eye and try to cut them similar in size so they cook evenly.

House Update

So there you have it! Some kicked up carrots and a zesty house update. Have yourself a great Wednesday and I will see you all tomorrow for a very “Beantown” menu choice.

Take care

zesty

Root Vegetables Revved Up!

zesty — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:00:02 +0000

Happy Wednesday! How about taking boring root vegetables and cooking them slightly different? Well you guessed it…. I did just that! I was contemplating what to make for dinner all day and I ended up coming up with this quick and easy hearty dish. I started with some turnip, carrot, parsnip and brussels sprouts then added some flavors to match.

The flavors I chose included honey, thyme and apple juice. The sweetness of the honey, earthiness of the thyme, and the acid form the apple juice was a great balance.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Turnip
1 Large Carrot
1 Large Parsnip
6 Brussels Sprouts
2 Tbsp. Honey
1/4 Cup Apple Juice
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Method

Prepare Vegetables

Preheat large saucepan oh high heat

Add olive oil to pan
Add Garlic

Add all other root vegetables except Brussels sprouts

Cook on high heat stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes to caramelize the vegetables

Add Brussels Sprouts and Thyme
Cook for 3 minutes
Add honey, and apple juice and bring to a boil

Simmer with lid for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender

ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Instead of apple juice for this recipe, try your favorite wine (red or white) to give it a richer flavor. If you choose wine make sure to let the alcohol burn off before putting the lid on to finish the cooking process.

Let me know what you think of this flavor combination. I was really impressed with the balance. This is definitely a quick and simple way to kick up the boring vegetables (as I call them).

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

Take care

zesty

Spicy Molasses Glazed Chicken Legs

zesty — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:00:49 +0000

I just had a craving for chicken legs tonight so I thought….. lets roast them for a change.

Ingredients

12 Chicken Legs
1/4 cup Molasses
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Dry Thyme
1 Tbsp Red Chili Paste
1 Tbsp Basil Paste
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Black Pepper

Method:

Set Chicken in Roasting Pan.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well together. Sauce should be fairly thick in consistency. I like to spoon the sauce over the chicken legs and make sure they are completely covered. If possible save a little sauce for basting

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. I like to cook covered for 30 minutes and then baste the chicken and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. Once complete it should look similar to those in the picture. I hope you enjoy!