Well if I had all those apples and carrots I'd make.....

grew up with this...

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,carrot_raisin_apple_salad,FF.html

purple carrots = garroted carrots = cruel and unusual treatment of carrots

Hmmm..... the mayo thing realy doesn't move me. I'm thinking something spicier.

I didn't strangle my carrots! Purple carrots are just a variety of carrot - a little spicier than normal orange carrots.

I'm in a spicy mood!

<tries to visualize a spicy carrot>

We used to have grated apples and carrots with lots of sugar and a bit of lemon juice for dessert.

Tries to imagine apples and carrots together..

Maybe a panorama of crisp raw carrots in ice water, or a marinade (I used the leftover juice from Mezzetta garlic olives, but I'm weird) plus sliced apples that have been lemon juice dunked. Well, those would clash..

I'm having trouble working up some kind of dessert delight with both of them, but the dessert part of my brain is faulty.

Carrot cake with cream cheesey icing layers with apple sauce or apple thins as next layer and then cake layer? Sounds like a mess..

Aha, carrot cake muffins with apple chunks and probably some nuts or raisins.

(where's the chocolate?)

OH MAN! Sozobe has the most amazing carrot cake recipe!

She sent it to me a long time ago. I made it for Mo's third birthday (five years ago!?) and held the layers together with apple butter. Then I made a little marzipan "vegetable garden" to decorate it with. It was great!

I need that recipe again.

(Soz, are you out there? I need that recipe again.)

Anyway.... tonight to use up some of this stuff I ended up making a kind of chutney with apples, carrots, onions, corn, tomatoes and dressed it with rice vinegar and soy sauce and garlic and sugar.

It was okay but not great.

I often make a salad by shredding in a food processor several carrots, a couple apples and a whole lemon. Then, I make a dressing using apple cider, minced fresh ginger, minced shallot, dried fruit medley, and a bit of curry powder. Depending on what mood I'm in, I sometimes add a bit of yogurt or mayo to make it a more creamy dressing. If the shredded lemon doesn't provide enough acid to balance out the sweetness, I add some more lemon juice. The lemon keeps the apples from turning brown.

I was recently ate a German restaurant, run by an Austrian couple (don't know if it matters, might be a traditional dish) and for a side dish they served cooked red cabbage. It was to die for.
I went back and talked to the chef, his recipe was similar to mine, but way better.
He used grated red cabbage, apples, CRANBERRIES, red wine vinegar, a hint of CINNAMON (you could probably use some Nutmeg) brown sugar, salt and a wee bit of white pepper and he just lets in steam for an hour or so, the cabbage still had some bite (not too mushy).

I had purple cabbage like that that I loved at a pub/restaurant. Same reaction, I asked the owner what the chef put in it - there was something just a little different than gave it such flavor and it was basically the same recipe you just gave except instead of cranberries he used currants (or raisins) and he also added the juice of satsumas (or clementines or tangerines- whatever you have).

I make it every Thanksgiving now.

I just had a bunch of carrots I needed to use and I made carrot soup. Mine were orange carrots - but I bet it would be even tastier with purple carrots if they're a little spicier.

You cut the carrots, an onion and a turnip (if you have it - I didn't have one so I used a potato (and added a little extra pepper as potatoes are a little more bland than turnips - but if your carrots are spicy, you may not need the extra pepper) in chunks and boil them in enough water to cover plus a little more. Add vegetable bouillion - either a teaspoon per cup of water or a cube per cup (depending on what you have). Cook until veg is soft. Add thyme and a splash of worcestershire sauce- salt and pepper to taste. Blend with hand blender until smooth. Garnish with a splash of double cream and coriander to serve.
It's one of my favorite soups on its own - but it also tastes really good mixed with tomato soup - once I only had half a bowl of each left so I mixed them together and it was really good.

If you have a few apples - I like to slice them up and eat them with a sharp cheese for a dessert.
If you have more than a few you can make apple crumble (or crisp) really easily:
slice the apples in an ovenproof pan. Sprinkle with sugar (I mix white and brown together) and cinnamon. Dot with butter. Mix flour (or oatmeal), sugar and cinnamon with butter crumbled up in it until it's a consistency a little lumpier than sand. Top the apples with that and put it in the oven for 30 minutes until topping is crunchy and apples are juicy. Serve with cream, ice cream or custard.

Apples and cheese, I get that part..

you can make a cucumber, tomato and onion (sweet purple onion) salad dressed with vinaigrette, salt and pepper.

I also love cucumbers sliced on tuna sandwiches - gives it a little more crunch than lettuce.

I love that salad Rock...grew up with that as well..just use a smidge of mayo or plain yogurt. So good!

Oh hi! Just saw this!

I did a quick search but couldn't find where I posted it before... I can write it out again though. Do you still want/ need it?

I couldn't find it either, soz. If you don't mind writing it out again I'd love to have it.

Sure thing...

Well, carrots are good..

And nice too..