things cooks like

things people do when they love to cook:

- your favorite room in your living space is the kitchen
-after a long day at work, you get excited by knowing you get to make a delicious meal when you get home
-the more stressed you are, the more likely you are to be baking. or cooking.
-you get excited over weird kitchen gadgets
- you read cook books in bed, and leave them all over the house... even though they do belong in one's favorite room, the kitchen
-you think it is fun to try new recipes, and are constantly thinking of ways to "make it better"
-looking at pictures of food is fun

the other day i was talking to someone and they asked me, what do you like to do. i responded casually, read and cook. they quickly asked me what types of things i like to read and some of my favorite authors, i rambled to her my list of things i like to read (MFK fischer, julia child, elizabeth davis, alice waters... ) and they responded.. so you really must like to cook. i sat there and thought, yes, yes i do.  my one hobby of cooking affects several other of my hobbies. so much so that i can't go an hour with out thinking about food. do i have a problem? maybe! but.. i wouldn't have it any other way.

anyway! we had friendsgiving a couple weekends ago and at friendsgiving, i decided after reading this month's edition of bon appetit, that i need to mix up my veggie cooking and try this. chad has declared these carrots as his new favorite, which is saying a lot because carrots are something we eat quite often and in a variety of ways...


harissa and maple carrots

2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1/4 cup olive oil ( i use whole foods)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon harissa paste
a few dashes of cumin
salt and pepper
2.5 pounds of carrots, scrubbed, peeled and cut

1. preheat oven to 450
2.  whisk garlic, oil, syrup, harissa, and cumin in a small bowl. add salt and pepper. toss in carrots.
3. place in a large roasting pan, season with salt and pepper again and bake for 35-40 minutes.

ENJOY!