Potato and Feta Cheese Nuggets; Thanksgiving Experiment

Since I bought a huge container of feta at Sam's for last night's Spanakopita, I searched the internet for recipes containing feta. I mostly found Greek Salad recipes. But, I had all the ingredients for a recipe for Potato and Feta Mouthfuls, and I thought Jacob might eat it- he still lacks the chewing skills necessary for salad.

The potato and feta mouthfuls were okay. We decided they were missing something- possibly a sauce. We tried them with Dijon mustard, but that didn't help very much. Ranch dressing probably would have been good.

I also made a recipe of broccoli and carrots that I wanted to test as a possible Thanksgiving option. I had been looking for a vegetable that could be cooked on the stove. This recipe fit that description. And, the description in the cookbook promised that it would be "abundant in color as well as flavor." The book also noted the dish could be made a day ahead and reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. This was very enticing.

I found the recipe in Treebeard's Cookbook. Treebeard's is a restaurant in Houston that serves Southern food. I have never been there, but I would love to go- everything I've tried in their cookbook has been delicious. (A friend from Houston gave me this cookbook several years ago.)

The broccoli and carrots had a nice flavor. Art and Jacob both really enjoyed the dish. I think I have found a side to serve on Thanksgiving!

Ingredients
3lb broccoli, cut in florets
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
2lb carrots, cut in circles
1 1/2 teaspoons dill seeds
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Blanch broccoli in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter in the oil over moderately high heat. Add garlic. Stir in carrots, dill seeds, sugar, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are well browned and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a casserole dish and cover.
Add the remaining 7 Tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook over high heat until the butter is fragrant and a deep nutty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and toss to coat. Add the broccoli to the carrots and mix.
Serves 6-8.