Glazed Spiced Baby Carrots with Pecans is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Baby carrots are coated with butter and brown sugar, mixed with warm spices, then topped with toasted pecans.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add nuts and heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Toss pan a few times to turn the nuts. Watch closely as nuts can easily burn. Once fragrant, turn off heat, and transfer pecans to cutting board. Set aside to cool.
In the hot skillet, add the ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Shake pan to spread the spices and once fragrant, add the carrots and stir to coat. The residual heat from the pan will awaken the spices and bring out their optimal flavor. You need to add the carrots the second you smell the spices to prevent the spices from burning.
Add the juice, butter and sugar and stir. Turn the heat back on to high and bring to a boil. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, roughly chop pecans and set aside.
Uncover skillet and lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and turned into a glaze. Depending on your heat this could take 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the pecans.
Transfer carrots to serving bowl. Use a heat-proof spatula to scrape out all of the glaze from skillet.