Easter is just around the corner and I have two amazing recipes coming up that are simple but so delicious. Every year around this time I am knee deep in a million things, one of which is my son’s birthday (Grant will be turning 5 next week and I am so excited about his party but so sad that he is growing up so fast. We are having a Ninja Turtle Birthday complete with a real live “Ninja Turtle”!) We all know that dinner time doesn’t go away just because we are busy. In fact for most of us, dinner time becomes a nuisance during busy weeks where as we look to it as hassle rather than a blessing to be together as a family. So with that said, I don’t have a main course recipe for you today that will be for next week (feel free to look through my recipe archive) but what I do have for you is a simple and SOOO DARN DELICIOUS side dish of Roasted Cast Iron Skillet Carrots that will make any dinner time preparation a breeze and the result a winner.
Roasting anything let alone vegetables in a cast iron skillet is a top notch idea. The cast iron skillet gives your recipe a nice extra roasted flavor enabling you to NOT have to cook something at extremely high temperatures. It is a seamless cooking method in my opinion and one I grew up knowing how to do. In fact, as a wedding present I received a seasoned cast iron skillet from my grandmother (Nanny) and let me tell you it was better than any china or crystal a southern girl could get:) The cast iron skillet is by far my favorite go-to in the kitchen and not only does it cook anything and everything amazingly well it is inexpensive, non-stick and virtually indestructible.
Cast-iron skillets are used for a variety of things- bake a cake, sear a filet, roast or fry a chicken, fry potatoes- you name it. I know in my family we always have a million things cooking in the oven for Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving but never too much on the stove itself. Go crazy with me this coming up holiday and let’s roast our carrots on the stove!
So in case you don’t know how to season a cast iron skillet let me give you the low down:)
1) Wash and dry your pan very very well
2) Oil it down. Oil it in and out and all around. Every nook and cranny. I like to mix my oils during this process so for the first oil down I might use canola oil- then for the second oil down I might use pecan oil, repeat with vegetable oil or corn oil, etc. It adds a tiny extra dimension of seasoning in my personal opinion. Bake it in the oven at 350 for an hour. Take it out and allow it to cool
3) Oil it down again! Oil it in and out and well you get the picture! Bake it in the oven at 350 for another hour. Repeat yet again and again until it is pitch black
4) Okay, so now you are done. Well done for now at least. The more you use the pan the more it will be seasoned. The more its seasoned and provides you with such an amazing flavor to your dishes the more you will want to use it over and over and the more it will be in essence “seasoned!”
- 3 TBSP butter
- 1 TBSP Olive Oil
- 20 baby carrots or 15 medium-sized carrots
- 3 TBSP brown sugar
- 1½ TBSP molasses
- 1 TBSP red wine
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 3 TBSP fresh chopped Dill or your favorite herb like parsley or basil
- Melt the butter and olive oil together in cast iron skillet over medium to low heat. Add in the brown sugar, molasses and red wine. Season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Allow the brown sugar and molasses to melt and combine nicely. Toss in the carrots and cover with marinade/glaze. Watch carefully and cook for 10-12 minutes turning over the carrots at intervals of 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and place in your serving dish. Toss with the fresh dill and serve:)
Great tips for seasoning the skillet—I hadn’t thought to mix up my oils. The carrots look delicious. I am crazy about the heirloom varieties in their rainbow of colors.
I love roasted carrots – this looks like such a delicious variation!
What a lovely side dish for Easter! I have just the skillet. It is a bit over 70 years old and well seasoned. I couldn’t do without it.
Best,
Bonnie
70 yr old! That is amazing! I bet it cooks perfectly.
These look yummy! WE love roasted carrots!! Thanks for the tips on the skillet. THis dish is great for EASTER!
Have a great day!
I love this post! I adore my cast iron skillet but forget to use it – and never thought to use it for roasting vegetables. Thanks! Ninja Turtles are still popular?! Wow – my children both own their own homes and they loved them back in the day. How fun! I wish weeknights were easier – and I sometimes long for a slower pace. Enjoy them while they are young because it flies by.
I know! I remember when my brother loved ninja turtles and now its back again. Brought back memories! it was a great Easter and a great party. Hope you had a wonderful weekend as well
Awesome tips on seasoning the cast iron skillet.
Those rainbow carrots look marvelous!
I must, must, MUST get my hands on a great cast-iron skillet. Can you believe that my (northern) mother gave hers away years ago? Now that I’ve lived in SC for 17 years, I STILL don’t have the required equipment!!! Secondly, you canNOT believe that the Italian cooking class that I went to over the weekend demonstrated (and we devoured) ROASTED CARROTS! I am convinced that God is telling me to make this for EASTER, my absolutely favorite holy day of the year!
God bless you Jessica, and have fun at the Ninja Turtle party!!!!
Hugs,
Roz
Oh roz! I need to find one for you and mail it to you:) You must get one!
My grandparents and my dad swore by their cast iron skillet. There was almost nothing that was not prepared in it- I can totally appreciate it. I think roasting vegetables is very clever idea in a cast iron-very cool.
Happy Birthday to your little one. Yes, they do indeed grow-up fast.
Velva
Great caramelization on the carrots in the iron skillet. Cast iron rocks.
Sam
Lovely looking carrots!
I dug out my cast iron skillet last night for dinner…it was raining and I had to cook our steaks indoors! Love my pan! Your carrots look wonderful…I’m always looking for a little twist on side dishes for the holidays and these are perfect!!!
Oh that is one of the ways I surprise my husband is by cooking the steaks on the cast iron as a surprise. He loves it
Your carrots look amazing! What a wonderful recipe. That’s great advice about the cast iron skillet too!
Jessica, these carrots look divine! I have never stove top roasted them before and I love this idea. I really appreciated your “how to season a iron skillet” instructions. I never really was sure so this was extremely informative.
I think I would have a hard time sharing these! I just love roasted carrots. So sweet…almost like candy!
What a lucky little one, it will be such a fun birthday party. I have never roasted my carrots in a skillet, I should buy one and try this.
You should totally get yourself one!
I would love to have a cast iron skillet! But they are pretty costly over here! The roasted carrots looks wonderful and delicious! Makes the perfect side dish for any meal!
Have fun with the Ninja Party!
Happy Birthday to your little boy! Thanks for the tips for seasoning the cast iron pan and the colourful carrots looks divine! Great to serve at Easter!
Thanks for sharing wonderful information, it is really nice information.
Cast iron or enamelled cast iron are my absolute favourites! About 15 years ago we did away with ALL our non-stick cook wear and replaced it with cast or enamelled cast iron! One of my favourites is a French Dutch oven I bought when we first moved into this house. Next up would be a gigantic cast iron frying pan at the cottage, it must be 100 years old if a day. JTs grandparents cooked in it at the turn of the century (when aboriginal Indians still canoed on our lake)!
Those carrots do look scrumptious, I was going to oven roast some today but I’m going to try your suggestion instead!
You know what! I use my cast iron but never tried enameled cast iron. Do you like it better or just the same? Im curious…
hi jessica, your post makes me want to go to the store and get a case iron skillet.. haha.. expensive here though 🙂
We love our cast iron skillet and roasting in it is NEVER a bad idea. In fact every once in a while Liz has to ask me to stop roasting things, especially carrots. Delish! 😉
LOL! Stopping roasting things! Never! LOL!
Hi Jessica,
I have been wanting to get a cast iron skillet for so long now. Heading straight to Bed Bath and beyond to get one.
These veggies look superb!!
Oh I hope you did just that Asmita! It is well worth it