Corn, peas, green beans…repeat. Sometimes I feel that’s how my side dishes go. A bit boring and far too routine! So I set out looking for a couple new recipes to add to my menu. These are simple and delicious – tastes special enough to bump up any weekday menu.
Continue reading “Side Dishes That Will Add New Life to Dinner”Tag: Potatoes
Rosemary Potatoes With a Secret!
If you love delicious, buttery, (but still light) seasoned potatoes, but don’t have much time to cook, read on!!
Red potatoes are a favorite side dish of mine. They’re my favorite for potato salad. They wonderful in Pioneer Woman’s Hot Crash Potatoes! It’s hard to beat red potatoes roasted with rosemary in the oven…BUT they take a good bit of time to cook in there!
I was delighted recently to be thumbing through my Cooking Light Cookbook and find a recipe for Rosemary Potatoes done in the microwave! They came out still moist, not withered up like some things when they’re microwaved. I was so happy with the results, I just had to share this technique with you! I love to have a side dish that can be ready in 15 minutes and taste like you’ve been working on it for an hour!
I made these potatoes for Sunday dinner – a day when we come home from church ready to eat! This meal was so fast! I had a package of honey-glazed ham in the freezer, so I warmed up slices of ham, cooked my green beans on the stove with this method and popped the potatoes in the microwave. In FIFTEEN minutes dinner was ready! That’s faster than we would have been seated at Cracker Barrel! This recipe is a keeper!
Here’s how you make them:
Rosemary Potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, quartered (about 4 cups)
Instructions:
Place butter and garlic in an 8-inch square baking dish. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 45 seconds or until butter melts. Add rosemary, salt, pepper, and potatoes; toss well. Cover and microwave at HIGH for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (Mine took a little less than this).
I hope these pictures make you hungry for roasted red potatoes and you try this recipe! All you need is 15 minutes (or less!).
What kind of potato is your favorite? And are you like me, and want to throw an “e” on the end of “potato?!!” What in the world?? Oh well….
With love from my country kitchen,
(L)Oven Monday – “Grilled” Chicken Tenders that Taste Like Cracker Barrel’s
I love it when a restaurant has healthy food that’s so good you don’t feel like you’re missing out when you choose to order wisely! That’s how I feel about Cracker Barrel’s Grilled Chicken Tenders! They’re so juicy and flavorful that every bite is like an indulgence. Recently I found This Copycat recipe on Southern Plate that reminds me so much of that delicious entree! They’re not really grilled, but they have the taste of it! Let me show you how simple this recipe is!
“Grilled” Chicken Tenderloins
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
- 1 cup zesty Italian dressing
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 3 teaspoons honey
Instructions:
- Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over. Seal and marinate for at least an hour. Doing this step the night before would make supper a breeze!
- Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized. This can take from 30-40 minutes.
- Coat each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it.
Here’s what it looked like about half way through the cooking process:
I cooked my chicken in my electric skillet and it took about 30 minutes, so just keep an eye on the your pan to tell when it’s done. This is so delicious! I used the leftovers later in the week for wraps for our lunch and it was delicious cold! This would be a great staple to keep in the freezer!
If you need a super-simple and fast side to go with a meal, here’s something we love:
Canned Potatoes with Rosemary and Tomatoes
Canned potatoes, drained
1 Tbl. Butter
Grape Tomatoes, halved
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Melt butter in small skillet. Cube the potatoes and add them to the skillet. Let them get brown and a little “crispy.” Add herbs and Grape tomatoes. Let cook until tomatoes are warm.
This is a super-easy and yummy meal! I hope you’ll put it on your menu and then let me know how you like it!
Do you have a favorite Copycat recipe you make?
With love from my country kitchen,
(L)Oven Monday – Comforting Soup
Hapy Monday and the Day after Christmas! Â I trust you had a wonderful time of celebration! Â I’ll share about mine on Friday when we hit the highlights!
Often after all the rich holiday foods, a simple meal of a comforting, homemade soup is just the thing to have for supper. One reason I love this soup is because it’s so incredibly good, but it’s also really simple.
The recipe is for Baked Potato Soup, and it’s from Cooking Light, but I’ve tweaked it a bit.  Baking the potatoes makes it easy to assemble, and I also think it makes the soup so much better than boiled potatoes chunks.  This also means there’s no peeling or cutting necessary!  Just wrap the potaotes in foil, pop them in the oven, and in an hour you’ll be ready to make supper.  The baked potatoes make fine shreds of potatoes that give the soup a creaminess that is irresistable and comforting!
I had some holiday ham left over, so instead of topping it with bacon, the chunks of ham added the perfect flavor. Â So, you add what you have, bacon OR ham, and I think you’ll be delighted with the results!
Baked Potato Soup
4 Baked potatoes
2 Cups milk
1-2 Cups Chicken Stock
3 – 4 T. flour
Salt & Pepper
Sour Cream
Bacon or ham
Cheddar Cheese
Let Baked potatoes cool slightly, then scoop out the potato flesh from the skins and place in a bowl. Â Set aside.
Heat milk in a saucepan and slowly add flour, whisking in to combine. Â Cook until slightly thickened. Â Add Chicken stock, stir to combine. Â Add potatoes into mixture. Â Cook until thickened. Â If using ham, add it at this point. Â Cook until heated through.
Remove pan from the heat. Â Stir in 1/2 Cup Sour cream.
Ladle soup into bowls. Â Top with bacon, (if you didn’t use the ham) and shredded Cheddar Cheese.
My husband declared that this was the “best Potato soup ever!” Â Try it and tell me if you agree!
Enjoy!
Summer Luncheon ~ Salmon Croquettes
A couple weeks ago while visiting my family in Kentucky, my sister had my parents and me over for a summery lunch. Â Everything was so delicious, and I promised I would get her recipe for the Salmon Croquettes for you all. Â Today’s the day!
This is a great meal – it’s healthy, it’s economical, and it’s so yummy! Â These are all things you could keep on hand for a busy night when you need supper in a hurry. Â I chop up fresh red peppers and keep them in the freezer for recipes like this. Â Why not plan on making this one night this week?
Salmon Croquettes & Mayo/Herb Topping
WHAT YOU NEED:
15 oz skinless, boneless pink salmon (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)
½ cup panko crumbs
½ cup finely chopped red sweet pepper
½ cup finely chopped green onions
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 TBL mayo
1 TBL yellow mustard
Topping:
½ cup mayo
3 TBL finely chopped fresh parsley
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
1 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce
- Mix topping ingredients. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
- In a medium bowl combine salmon, bread crumbs, sweet pepper, green onions, egg, 2 TBL mayo, and mustard. Shape into eight 2 ½ inch patties. (about 1/3 cup each)
- Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add patties, cook 4-5 minutes or until browned. Spray the tops with cooking spray before flipping.  Continue cooking 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. (160 degrees F)
- Place patties on a platter with a dollop of the mayo topping.
Her potato Salad tasted like something purchased in a nice deli! Â This was a great addition to the Salmon!
POTATO SALAD
8 medium red potatoes
ÂĽ cup chopped fresh parsley
ÂĽ cup chopped green onion tops
1 cup chopped celery
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
ÂĽ cup diced pimento
1 TBL Dijon mustard
1 cup mayo
ÂĽ cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste.
1 TBL seasoned salt
Wash and cube potatoes, leaving skin on. Boil potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients and gently fold into potato mixture.
Now, let me end this post with a fun and delicious way to have the taste of S’mores but with a little twist! Â Pictured below is what we call Waffle Cone S’Mores:
Take all the ingredients you would like to melt and roast together, add it to the inside of sugar cone or waffle cone. We have found that a good combination is chocolate, marshmallows and strawberries. Â Fruit really adds the “over-the-top” edge! Â The mini Reeses cups makes the perfect little cap at the top of the cone, and when it melts…wow!
Pack it deep inside the cone, wrap in foil and set it on the grate over a fire or grill. Â Try to wait patiently for everything to melt together – about 10 minutes. Â Unwrap and enjoy!
These are the kinds of treats summer was intended for! Â Plus you have the fun of the fire, everyone standing around making their own dessert, laughing, munching and enjoying the summer evening. Â What fun!
I hope you’ll put some part of this on your menu soon. Â What a great recipe for your family, and one special enough for entertaining with as well!
With love from my country kitchen,
RefreshHer 