Hiiii. How’s everybody’s weekend going so far? Get ready for another Grandma story this morning! I can hear your enthusiastic cheers from all the way over here! You already know how special my Gma is to me (she’s my favorite person on earth, but don’t tell S.O. that), and she’s been instrumental in shaping so many parts of my life, least of all, what I do in the kitchen. But her impact on my passion for baking and (some) cooking is very substantial too, of course.
My brother and I were raised by a single parent, my brave and selfless mother. When we were pretty small tykes, we moved into my grandparents house to live with them. Enter some of the best years of our lives! Maybe not the parts where my Grandpa would hound us for leaving every light on, but the rest was the BEST.
My Grandma would make bacon and eggs for breakfast, and let me watch back-to-back cartoons while she watched for my school bus out the front window. I did nothing to help… just zoned out to the Smurfs and Scooby Doo. We’d regularly bake together, making pans of her famous Lemon Bars or batches of Cracked Top Ginger Cookies. My brother and I would sit out on their enormous screened in patio listening to oldies, reading, and playing with our bevy of cats. My Grandpa would gather us all in the den to watch game shows or episodes of Alf. I could go on and on…
I totally just sighed wistfully and dreamed of going back to those wonderful and easy good old days.
Anyway, at the ripe age of 89, my Gma doesn’t do much cooking these days, but one of her long-standing traditions was making a roast on Sundays. An enormous, juicy roast with parsnips, carrots, potatoes, and gravy. While I was in college and law school, for my last meal before I had to go back, Gma still always planned a special roast. I credit her for introducing me to parsnips through her amazing roasts, and it kind of began a parsnip love affair for me.
Have you ever tried them though?? S.O. had never even heard of a parsnip til he met me. A grown man in his 40s! Then again, what bachelor-for-life has been exposed to parsnips, right? I explained, they’re sort of a cross between carrots and potatoes. Which… makes them kinda the perfect vegetable, don’t you think?
I love them with a roast and gravy for a savory touch, but they’re also excellent when dressed up a little sweeter. Like how sweet potatoes can go both ways. After parboiling the parsnips, they roast away in a honey dijon mustard glaze that is sweet, tangy, and a little spicy. The perfect cozy fall side dish.
Honey Mustard Glazed Parsnips
Ingredients
- 1 lb. parsnips peeled, halved lengthwise
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1/2 c. dijon mustard
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar optional
- splash of white wine
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Cook parsnips in boiling salt water til nearly tender, approximately 10-12 minutes.
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Drain and place in a 1 quart baking dish.
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In a small saucepan on low-medium heat, combine remaining ingredients and cook until the butter melts and the honey thins. Whisk well to throughly blend.
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Pour over parsnips.
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Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
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Change oven to broil, and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, watching closely, til parsnips are lightly golden. You can turn them or stir after several minutes if you'd like, to get more of the parsnips edges browned.
Yep, that was a very long-winded story and intro to have approximately 1 sentence about the parsnips themselves. Whatev. Look at the pics. That’s all you need to know!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
October 11, 2014 at 4:26 pmThose look really good. I think I’ve had parsnips a total of 2 times in my entire life. I never know what to do with them, it’s not something we ate growing up! I’ll have to try this recipe for them!
Sarah says
October 11, 2014 at 4:53 pmHaha, I think that’s probably most people! I don’t really know other people who eat them on the reg, but I love them. Just toss them in next time you slow cook a roast or something! They’re great that way too. I forgot it was your Thanksgiving this weekend – enjoy the holiday!! 🙂
Cailee says
October 12, 2014 at 4:38 pmYUM!! I love love LOVE parsnips and believe that they are vastly underrated… am I right?!! I mean they’re healthy, delicious and sooooo good roasted like this! YUM! 🙂 Great recipe!
Sarah says
October 12, 2014 at 6:10 pmLol! Definitely! A very underrated veggie, but one of the few I really like! This version is so delicious! Thanks so much for your comment, and for swinging by! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
October 12, 2014 at 6:27 pmSounds like you had such great memories of growing up with your grandparents! And I’m loving this parsnip recipe. I’ve never cooked them before, can you believe it?! But this recipe is definitely on my list to try. I love that you created a honey dijon glaze, sounds incredible!
Sarah says
October 12, 2014 at 8:43 pmOmgosh, living at my Gparents was the greatest! I feel super fortunate to have had that experience in my childhood! So much fun. 🙂 You should totally try parsnips! They’re delicious. And even if you don’t feel like making them this way, you can easily toss them in with a roast or in a crock pot. They cook like potatoes and carrots. Super easy! Thanks for swinging back here, Gayle!! Happy Sunday to you!
Stephanie says
October 18, 2014 at 7:02 pmLooks perfect for Fall! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
Sarah says
October 18, 2014 at 10:00 pmThanks so much, Stephanie!
Lou Lou Girls says
October 19, 2014 at 5:50 pmHello cute lady! This looks so yummy. Pinned. We couldn’t think of anyone better to party with. We hope to see you tomorrow at 7 pm.
Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls
Sarah says
October 19, 2014 at 6:14 pmI’ll definitely be at the party! Thanks for the invite, and for hosting! Hope you’re having a fabulous Sunday! 🙂
Mandi says
October 28, 2014 at 5:20 amI believe this has just made it onto the Christmas Menu……
Sarah says
October 28, 2014 at 6:11 amHaha! Great!! I love parsnips. They’re an underrated veggie, for sure! I hope you try them! 🙂