It's almost Thanksgiving, which is full of recipes that are ridiculous to prepare.  They either have a bunch of steps that you're trying to take in order while making 10 other recipes at the same time or they take up oven space for hours on end.  But this recipe is so easy that you can whip it up while the turkey rests after cooking.  Or, as long as you keep an eye on them, the carrots can be roasted at a slightly different temperature so that you can have them in the oven with another side.  Another option is to steam or boil the carrots, but I personally don't like the taste and texture as much as roasting.  Whatever works for you works for me.  The flexibility is what's so nice about this recipe.  Of course, with butter, brown sugar, and dry ranch mix, they're not as healthy as plain roasted carrots, but they're still vegetables.  And it's a holiday, after all, so let's all cut ourselves some slack.

In reality, after having Thanksgiving with my family last weekend (and the leftovers that all ended up at our house), I can't imagine another round of the same food in less than two more days with my in-laws.  We didn't have these carrots, so maybe I'll make them for a slight change in scenery.  Plus, it's more about the company than the food anyway, right?  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Easy Roasted Ranch Carrots

1 pound baby carrots drizzle of olive oil 5 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 package dry ranch mix  (like Hidden Valley)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the carrots in an even layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast until the carrots are softened, about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saute pan and mix in the sugar and ranch mix until combined.  Add the carrots and stir until they are completely coated.  Serve warm.

Source: adapted from Hidden Valley