Today's Recipe: The Humble Rutabaga Casserole

Called lanttulaatikko in Finnish.  It's a traditional Christmas side dish, served together with similar casseroles or loaf-shaped dishes made out of potatoes and carrots.  But you don't have to be in December to make it.  I usually bake several casseroles at one go and then freeze most of them.

Here is one  lanttulaatikko recipe in English.  It's not quite the one I use, because it includes ginger and does not include freshly ground nutmeg.  Also, though cream is nice, I often use just milk.  But all those are acceptable variations. 

The only real change I would make in that recipe is the time in the oven.  The oven temperature should be 320 F and the casserole baked for an hour and a half.  The low temperature and long baking are essential for the flavors to intermingle and to produce the final flavor.

The rutabaga is called the "swede" in some parts of the world.  In case you happen to live in one of those parts.  Also, the recipe works with turnips, too.

Molasses (not syrup) is the one essential ingredient, whatever else you adjust.