Food Friday: Sort of Quick, Sort of Braised, Carrots on Vacation

Deep colored vegetables and fruits are supposed to be very good for our bodies.  I eat the darker colored vegetables whenever I can.

On vacation last week my sister and I went to a thrift store and found several really good things, including a folding steamer basket.  When we left on vacation this time, I had thrown most of the vegetables and fruits in our refrigerator into a cooler bag to take with us to eat up.  (NOTE TO SELF:  Do NOT do this again!!!  It is too much bother.  Instead  {new note to self!} save money all year so we can eat out on vacation most meals.)

We did not use the steamer last week, but this week, I put the steamer basket in a wonderful heavy pot that was here in the unit with two cups of water in the bottom and started the pot on medium high heat.  (I discovered the reason the steamer basket had been donated to the Salvation Army:the third leg had broken off.  Nevertheless it was still very usable, though it listed a little towards Sawyers'...)

More or less braised carrots.  Really delicious!

In the meantime I had peeled and cut into sticks about 3 inches long nearly a pound of carrots.  I put them into the steamer, covered the pot, and let them steam for about 6 minutes, until the carrots were tender crisp.

When the carrots were cooked enough to suit me,  I put about two teaspoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet and melted it over medium heat.  After adding the cooked carrots I put them into the melted butter and stirred gently.  When they all were shiny with butter, I sprinkled on one teaspoon of granulated sugar and stirred again.  I turned off the heat and stirred and tossed the carrots for a couple of minutes then served.  They were really yummy. 

There are more carrots in the refrigerator so I will make this again.  Maybe next time Dear One will eat one or two sticks...but I am not counting on it.