As we get closer and closer to the big day, it's only getting busier and crazier but in just a few hours my little family will all be together again for the first time in several months, so all I want to do is skip down the street and sing. Fortunately for you, you can't see or hear me, but you get the picture--I am HAPPY!! How this transitions into amazingly delicious roasted parsnips, will be the feat of the century, but let's just say that eating them makes me happy, not as much as seeing my boys again, but still happy nonetheless and we'll just pretend that's good enough to make sense. In any case, if you're still looking for another side for your Thanksgiving table, you'll be happy (there's that word again) to know that not only are these ridiculously easy to make, but they are out-of-this-world delicious too. Happy?!!

Growing up, I really hated parsnips, so much so, that when my mom made chicken soup and added parsnips to the pot, she'd always make a separate pot for me! How time changes things because when I tested these out a couple of weeks ago, I'm embarrassed to report that between my daughter and I, we ate the entire two pounds of roasted parsnips over the course of an afternoon! They're almost like eating candy! The natural sugar of the parsnips gets released by the roasting process and mixes with the maple syrup so that each strip is encased in a chewy caramelized exterior, while the inside remains tender. So, so good and not too bad for you either!

And so crazy easy too! There are only a total of 3 ingredients involved--parsnips, oil and maple syrup.! And all you do is peel parsnips, cut them into little thin strips, place them in a roasting pan and toss with the oil and syrup. The oven does all the work! What emerges is a pan full of chewy, sweet, yet not overly so, addictive little strips. And you know what, that makes me happy! Try them and you'll be happy too!!

3 Ingredient Maple Roasted Parsnips

Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Bake Time: About 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds parnsips

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 400F. Peel the parsnips, cut off the ends and cut them in half and into quarters. Cut the quarters into thin strips any which way--you don't need to be precise here and place in a large roasting pan. Pour the oil over the parnsips in the pan and toss to coat. Drizzle the syrup over them and toss again.

2.  Roast, turning them every so often so that they cook evenly, for about 40 minutes, or until the parsnips are golden brown and starting to caramelize. Remove and serve immediately but be careful--the interiors get mighty hot!

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson. I cut the oil down from 1/2 cup to 1/3.