Don't Make a Tsimmes Over It - 6/5/11

10 - 12 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Corn or canola oil
Kosher salt, coarse black pepper, white granulated sugar

1 - 40 oz. can of sweet potatoes (yams), very well drained

2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Kosher salt, grated fresh lemon peel, to taste

Line a rimmed metal baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the carrots on the sheet and pour over some oil.  With your hand, roll the carrots in the oil to make sure they are coated.  Sprinkle the carrots with salt, pepper and sugar, and mix with your hand to coat.  Place in a 375 to 400 degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes and bananas to the baking sheet, and shuffle back and forth so they pick up some of the oil and seasoning.  Place back in the oven and bake another 15 minutes.  Remove the pan and carefully turn over the sweet potato and banana pieces. 

Melt the marmalade in a glass measuring cup, in the microwave, for no more than a minute.  Stir in the Grand Marnier.  Spoon this glaze mostly over the banana and sweet potato piece.  Return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the glaze is set and the carrots are tender.  Season with a little more kosher salt and finish with some finely grated lemon peel.

Remove the finished dish to a serving bowl, and if the bananas and sweet potatoes start to fall apart, DON'T MAKE A TSIMMES OVER IT!  As my mother used to remind us, it all ends up in your mouth anyway.