Carrot Casserole - who knew?

One of my latest cookbook acquisitions is: Bake Until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook by Clifford A. Wright, 2008. (Okay, I refrained from putting it in citation format). I always find something interesting in here. So this weekend I needed a veggie dish to add to my dinner menu. And, I found this simple recipe.

2 # medium carrots, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick (Note: I used the mini peeled carrots, sliced with my food processor)

6 T unsalted butter

1 C crushed Ritz crackers

1 large onion, chopped

2 T flour

6 T milk (I actually used more)

1 t dry mustard

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 X 13 casserole dish.

*Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and cook the carrots for 7 minutes. Drain & set aside.

*In a skillet, melt the butter. Transfer 4T to a bowl and add in the crushed crackers.

*To the remaining butter, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the milk, mustard and salt - cooking on low until thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, stirring until melted.

*Combine the carrots and cheese sauce and place in the buttered casserole dish. Top with the buttered crackers and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

*Note: may halve recipe