Creamy Carrot Casserole

This is one of my favorite vegetable casseroles.  It also freezes well for a great side dish later on.

6-8 carrots
1/4 cup water from cooking carrots             
2 Tbsp. dry minced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. horseradish, minced
1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise (no sugar and best tasting mayo)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup Ritz or whole wheat crackers, fine
1 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup toasted almond slivers

Cook carrots.  Mix cooking water, onion, horseradish, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Arrange carrots in baking casserole, pour mixture over carrots.  Top with crumbs, dot with butter, and sprinkle almonds on top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

Note regarding fresh garlic cloves: 
Several times I have forgotten about the garlic cloves I bought, and they get moldy or completely dry up.  Martha Grimes in Virginia said she freezes the whole thing!  A good idea, which I put into practice this week, except that I separated the cloves, peeled them, and froze them that way.  Either way is better than allowing them to go bad.