Keep Calm and Carrot On: McCormick Teams Up with Celebrity Chef Carla Hall and Culinary Expert John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen to Celebrate Easter and International Carrot Day

HUNT VALLEY, Md., March 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Easter lands on April 4th, which also happens to be International Carrot Day! To celebrate spring and the Easter Bunny's all-time favorite food, McCormick partnered with celebrity chef Carla Hall and culinary expert John Kanell to serve up the ultimate tribute to the carrot.

Let's Get to the Root of It!
Carrots are having a major moment.  Not only are carrots versatile and can be prepared easily and quickly, they're also delicious in savory and sweet dishes of all types.  Plus, their vibrancy and multi-hues makes them the star of the table and social media posts, too. 

"People are craving carrots more than ever," says Kevan Vetter, executive chef at McCormick. "Our search data shows they are looking for carrot side dishes and appetizer recipes with popular cooking methods like roasting, glazing, and air frying. People are also looking for fresh and creative takes on the classic dessert – carrot cake."¹

Carrot On with New Easter Recipes
Chef, author, and television host Carla Hall has reimaged a starter staple with a carrot-y twist. Her exclusive recipe for Roasted Carrots-in-a-Blanket is a flavorful take on the beloved classic. The roasted carrots, seasoned with McCormick Paprika, ground Mustard and Rosemary, are wrapped in a light and flaky pastry.

"The thing I love most about the humble carrot is its versatility. They can be a snack, part of a salad, their own side dish, or even added to soups, sauces, and desserts," says Hall. "I love making carrots the star and surrounding them with a supporting cast of yummy spices, herbs, and other ingredients.  The entire family will be asking for an encore after they try my unique and vegetable-forward twist on pigs-in-a-blanket."

Also, try Carla's bright and colorful Warm Carrot Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing for a showstopping side.  Rainbow carrots are lightly spiced with McCormick Cayenne and Black Pepper to complement naturally sweet Granny Smith apples, golden raisins, and pineapple.  A simple, creamy dressing drizzled on top includes McCormick Pure Lemon Extract and adds a slightly tangy pop to finish the dish. 

For dessert, culinary expert and Preppy Kitchen founder John Kanell, shares two creative takes on a favorite spring dessert.  These Carrot Cake Cookies from John offer everything you love about carrot cake but in a handheld package.  Grated carrots, rolled oats, coconut and chopped pecans are combined with McCormick Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and Pure Vanilla Extract to create the perfect chewy cookie.  Kids will have fun helping add the sweet frosting, which can include cute and easy Easter touches like bunny faces, carrots, or colored sprinkles.

John's decorated yet easy-to-replicate Carrot Cake Roll with a Lemon Cream Cheese Filling combines his family's two traditional loves – carrot cake and lemon.  Flavored with McCormick Cinnamon, Ginger, Allspice and Nutmeg this cake has a warm sweetness that accents the creamy and bright lemon filling.  Mini carrots can be quickly piped on top from leftover filling tinted with food color.  This treat will have everyone begging to eat dessert first.

"Growing up, desserts were always the highlight of Easter, with my mother and grandmother making wonderful carrot cakes from scratch," says John Kanell. "Our favorites around that time of year were carrot cakes with silky cream cheese frosting and lemon roll cakes. I combined the two to make a carrot roll cake with lemony cream cheese frosting that is just beyond delicious but so easy to make. My carrot cake cookies are like little cakes in cookie form with just the right hit of coconut, one of my favorite springtime flavors," he continued.

To round out this fun and exclusive carrot-themed recipe collection, McCormick shares these new and all-time favorites:

• *New* Air Fryer Maple Glazed Carrot Fries
• *New* Vegan Carrot Bacon
• Slow Cooker Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Carrot Shaped Waffles 
• *New* Cinnamon Carrot Ice Cream with a Cookie Crumble
• Carrot Cake Swirled Cheesecake Bars
• Carrot Patch Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (Traditional and Vegan versions).

From savory to sweet, look to the colorful carrot to add new fun to holiday menus that every bunny will love.  For more inspiration and recipes, including kid-friendly crafts like the new Easter Carrot Slime and egg dyeing tutorials, visit www.mccormick.com/easter, download the Flavor Maker by McCormick app (free on iOS and Android), or follow McCormick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About McCormick
McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor.  With over $5 billion in annual sales across 160 countries and territories, we manufacture, market and distribute spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the entire food industry including e-commerce channels, grocery, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses.  Our most popular brands include McCormick, French's, Frank's RedHot, Stubb's, OLD BAY, Lawry's, Zatarain's, Ducros, Vahiné, Cholula, Schwartz, Kamis, DaQiao, Club House, Aeroplane and Gourmet Garden.  Every day, no matter where or what you eat or drink, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick.

Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland USA, McCormick is guided by our principles and committed to our Purpose – To Stand Together for the Future of Flavor.  McCormick envisions A World United by Flavor where healthy, sustainable and delicious go hand in hand.  To learn more, visit www.mccormickcorporation.com or follow McCormick & Company on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:
Katie Walker
McCormick
443-422-4795
[email protected]

Diana Cantu Corcoran
Sunshine Sachs
956-763-6088
[email protected]

¹ Search data from McCormick.com, Google Trends, and Pinterest Trends (January 2020–February 2021)

SOURCE McCormick