Joey's Carrot Soufflé

 I'm always searching for new and delicious recipes for Thanksgiving side dishes, and here's one you should DEFINITELY try. Frankly, I love all things carrot, whether it's steamed, roasted, mashed or even just raw. So I knew I'd love a carrot souffle too!
 The only problem was that I looked at several recipes and they all seem to be absolutely LADEN with butter and sugar. Now, if you know me, you know how much I love Miss Paula. But in this case, all that butter and sugar just seemed excessive to me. Plus, it seems to me that including cinnamon (as many carrot souffle recipes do) would just make the souffle taste like a pumpkin pie. Call me crazy, but if I'm gonna have a carrot souffle, I want it to taste like CARROTS, not a dessert. So this is my version of a recipe I found online. I scaled the butter WAY back (less than half of what the original called for) and omitted the sugar altogether, because the carrots are already sweet!! No need for added sugar! And I used just a tiny pinch of nutmeg instead of cinnamon. It was PLENTY sweet, it didn't need all the extra butter, and the nutmeg added just a hint of spice. Plus, as you can see from the photo, it puffed up beautifully as it baked. Perfect! So if you're looking for a new way to enjoy carrots, try this one!

2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt and pepper
pinch nutmeg (optional)

 Cook carrots in boiling water until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes; drain well. Place all ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process until well blended and pureed. Pour into a buttered casserole or soufflé dish. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for an additional 45 minutes.


Tips:
If you REALLY feel the need to add sugar, just add maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons.
If you don't feel like peeling and cutting up the carrots, just buy baby carrots. No peeling necessary! Just throw them right into boiling water and follow the recipe. Simple!
This recipe probably makes about 6-8 servings but it can be doubled or tripled as needed to feed your crowd.