Carrots are better, but family is best.

What's your favorite family meal? You know, the one you instantly go to when your grown kids come home for a visit, or when everyone is out of school and work and you just have time to sit and be together for a while... that old faithful dinner that just sings "Family!" and "Home!" For us, one of those meals is Mom's homemade chicken pie. She never puts vegetables in the pie (so there is much more room for chicken-y goodness!), but always has two or three veggie sides, and we mix them in as much as we want.  This time, one of the sides she made was the BCC glazed carrots. 

Glazed Carrots (from p. 422 of the BCC): The most interesting detail about this recipe, I think, is the specified way of cutting the carrots into lengthwise strips... making them unique and distinct from other familiar and/or famous versions of this classic home-cooked recipe (which usually has chopped or diced carrots). The glaze is a slow-cooked blend of brown sugar, salt, orange peel, and butter... not as "WOW-orange-sweet" as the glaze in the sweet potato dish, but very nice and subtle. Another great orange veggie to add to your family dinner favorites!

The special occasion was having Kevan, Dad, Mom, and I around the table together today for lunch. As much as my parents and I enjoy each other's company, it just isn't the same as when Kevan is here. We laugh more, because of Kevan's jokes, and he and Dad's ongoing battle of wits. We savor the food more and sit together longer because we're so busy talking and telling stories. Anyone who knows Kevan, knows that he adds more color and life and magic and joy to everything around him... and no one knows that better than his family.

So, while the carrots were great, and made the chicken pie lunch taste better, it wasn't really about the food... It was (and always is) about the wonderful people in our lives that we love so much... family is the best recipe.