Challenge Accepted: Parsnips

So in my last post, I told you all about my challenge to myself to try new vegetables this month. Well today is...parsnips!!!

Parsnips are a root vegetable very similar to carrots. They are a little sweeter and almost white in color. For this challenge, I chose to roast them since sources seemed to agree that they were best that way, although you can mash them like potatoes or steam them.

Roasted Parsnips with Horseradish Butter Sauce (adapted from recipe by SimplyRecipes)
1 lb. parsnips
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp horseradish
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 350. Peel and cut your parsnips. I cut mine into strips and discarded the woody centers from the larger parsnips. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to a baking dish and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 50 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even cooking.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

3. When parsnips are cooked through, spoon butter sauce over them and serve. Enjoy!

Easy of preparation: a monkey could do this.
Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes, approximately.
Taste verdict: Pretty darn tasty. They definitely taste a lot like carrots, but milder on the flavor and slightly sweeter. I was skeptical about the sauce since horseradish isn't my favorite, but it just added a nice tang to the sauce that balanced out the sweetness of the parsnips and the richness of the butter.

Also...you should meet one of my many kitchen companions. Below is Mini, our 6 year old Doxie. For the most part, she and her cohort, Cappie (our 1 year old Doxie) sit at the edge of the kitchen...but when food hits the floor they're a faster cleanup crew than pit crews in NASCAR.