Carrots In Peanut Butter Sauce Casserole? Olive Thought So, Give It A Try!!

As I have mentioned before, my mother-in-law was a great cook and we shared many lunches together all those years ago. I would characterize her as an adventurous cook, she definitely had her likes and dislikes, and you never knew what you might get served on any given lunch, could be anything from a killer beef stew she liked to make out of porterhouse or T-bone steak leftovers and often you would see the bones right in the stew, or a butter an onion sandwich, or scrambled eggs that she had tossed in leftover salad right along with the dressing that was on it. On this day she placed a casserole on the table that smelled delicious and looked it too. I proceeded to ask her what it might be, cuz you know, you never knew, and she said it was carrots in peanut butter sauce, topped with just white bread, crusts cut off, and buttered on top and baked until the bread was nice and brown. Of course I then said how is it made, after tasting it, it was different but so good!! She said "oh just make a white sauce adding peanut butter, top your precooked carrots then add the bread and butter top and bake". I then asked if you really needed to spread the bread pieces with the butter. Wrong, to a butter lover, I got the look and "of course, my dear"!! When she used my dear in conversation you never were really sure if it was my dear or was a sign of disgust with your question/comment...Not being a cook at that point I just commented" ok", then I went home and in those days of no computers, hauled out my trusty cookbook and looked up what the heck a white sauce even was!!

As I like to say, through the years the recipe/idea got lost in the shuffle, probably because husband was not impressed with the casserole, so it did not make the "make it again" rotation, until today. I have decided to retry it again, and see if it is true that your tastes change every 7 years, it has been many seven years gone by, and thought I would blog it in case someone else might like to give it a try. Here is what you do very simple, please read Notes at bottom of recipe:

Oven 375, time 20-25 minutes (see note below)

Precook cut/sliced carrots in amount of choice, till just crisp tender, place in lightly sprayed casserole (leftovers work perfect)

Make your fav white sauce, or pre bought white sauce, add desired amount of peanut butter once sauce is made and hot, don't skimp here, and some black pepper, both to taste

(there are all kinds of white sauce recipes on internet if you do not have a fav one you make)

Stir into carrots in casserole dish

Cut crusts off your bread and butter, then cut into desired shapes, place on top

Bake at 375 until bread pieces are lightly browned, and casserole is bubbly hot, 20-25 minutes

Time will depend on thickness of your casserole and your oven

Note: if your peanut butter is really thick you can loosen up in microwave 30 seconds at a time until you think it will melt into the white sauce better!

Note: you could do this casserole at 350 if you are cooking something else with that temp, but will take about 30 minutes, either way watch closely last few minutes.

Got a thumbs up from him today, woot woot