#BloggerCLUE ~ Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots

This is my first month joining the C.L.U.E. Bloggers (CLUE = Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat).  Blogger C.L.U.E. is a group of like minded food bloggers who get an assignment each month of another member's blog; our mission (should we choose to accept it) is to take the theme for the month and find any recipe on our assigned blog that fits. Make the recipe, photograph the recipe, and share it with you on reveal day! For the month of April I had the fun task of finding a "Spring Vegetable" recipe from Lauren's blog "Sew You Think You Can Cook". I apparently needed a lesson on what spring vegetables included. I had a recipe chosen, then had a niggling thought that maybe it didn't qualify. I was right. Brussel sprouts are not spring vegetables. However they are delicious and I made that recipe anyway! Lauren had a bunch of delicious sounding vegetable recipes that I really want to make very soon including her Perfect Corn on the Cob, Creamed Spinach, Easy Asparagus, and Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole!

So, here is a brief vegetable lesson - these are the highlights of the vegetables that ARE considered spring vegetables according to Fruits & Veggies More Matters and About Food (I should note that the two lists actually did not necessarily agree, so maybe there is some leeway there?!!):

• Artichokes
• Asparagus (including white and purple varieties)
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Butter Lettuce
• Baby Carrots
• Collard Greens
• Corn
• Fava Beans
• Green Beans
• Morel Mushrooms
• Mustard Greens
• Pea Pods / Peas / Snow Peas
• Red Leaf Lettuce
• Spinach
• Spring Baby Lettuce
• Swiss Chard
• Vidalia Onions

That is a pretty fantastic list to work with! I took some liberties with the "baby carrots" and made this with the ones I already have. I'm sorry, but I couldn't pass this one up, and you won't want to either! This recipe is amazing.

These are rich from the butter, sweet and tender from roasting, perfectly seasoned from the salt and pepper and then you add the sweet and tangy from the honey and balsamic vinegar??! OVER THE TOP. I swear I ate almost half of these before it was even time for dinner. I couldn't stop popping these in my mouth. They were absolutely delicious. You can bet I will be making these again, very, very soon.

Find the other Blogger C.L.U.E. members posts for today at their websites:

• Asian Fried Quinoa by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Asparagus and Prosciutto Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef
• Asparagus Salmon Fried Rice by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Blue Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Blue Cheese Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Broccoli and Cheese Muffins by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Cheese Soufflé with Garden Salad by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Chicken Tikka Salad by Ramona from Curry and Comfort
• Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake by Kim from Liv Life
• Cowboy Vegetable Scramble by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Halibut and Spinach en Papillote by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Lemon Bars by Anna from Anna Dishes
• Maple Soy Glazed Spring Carrots by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Peppercress and Basil Pesto by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Raspberry and Rhubarb Rustic Tarts by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Spring Green Risotto by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots from Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook

Ingredients
6 - 8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into about 3 sections, with the larger sections halved or quartered to make fairly evenly sized pieces
1 - 2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS honey
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS butter

Directions

1. Place carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and toss in olive oil (enough to coat), salt, and pepper. Roast carrots in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes; stir / flip the carrots and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes (or until starting to brown, and tender).
2. When there are ten minutes left on the timer, combine the honey and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low simmer and allow the mixture to thicken (do not allow to boil). Remove sauce from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
3. Move carrots to a serving platter or bowl and drizzle with desired amount of sauce (I didn't use quite all of it). Toss gently. Make sure to toss again just before serving so you have a good coating of glaze on all of the carrots.