Is Thanksgiving about the turkey or is it really about the sides that go along with it? After our early celebration that happened last Friday, I’m pretty sure it’s all about the SIDES! To help with the meal, Whitney made Mac and Cheese (I’m sure she’ll share it with you!)and Alli made Sweet potatoes – both were scrumptious! We try to please all the men at our gatherings, so there are lots of potatoes and starches (carbs!). I made mashed potatoes, of course, but when I tried to decide what other vegetables to make, I didn’t want to throw in something weird…you know, like brussel sprouts or roasted cabbage. But I did want to change it up just a little. Continue reading “Delicious Thanksgiving Sides”
Tag: Side dish
Spinach Salad With a Twist
Meals can get boring if you don’t change things up a bit. I’ve found it’s all about The Sides! If you make your famous meatloaf or pork loin and just add a couple of different sides to along with it, it turns it into a brand new meal!
I love salads of all kinds, and a Spinach Salad is right up there with my favorites! I love this old standard, Continue reading “Spinach Salad With a Twist”
Fast Yellow Squash Side Dish
This Friday will mark the first day of fall! However, fresh produce is still available in the grocery stores, if not in your local farmer’s market. If you have access to fresh yellow squash, I have the perfect side dish that doesn’t require the frying method! This also goes into the category of prepared in under 10 minutes! This is healthy, delicious and fast – what a great combination! Here’s the recipe:
Yellow Squash Ribbons W/Red Onion and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 4 medium yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
How to Make It
Step 1
Using a vegetable peeler, shave squash into ribbons to measure 5 cups. Discard seeds and core of squash.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash, onion, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add salt, red pepper, and black pepper, and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.
Grilled chicken would be good with this dish. When I fixed it recently I did all vegetables. It was so refreshing and light! I hope you’ll try this! Even for people who might not love squash, peeling it so thinly is a great disguise!
Enjoy!
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,
Summertime Pasta Salad
I tried a new recipe this week that I loved for several reasons:
- I love a cold pasta salad in the summertime.
- I served it alongside a BLT and it was a great side dish.
- This would also be a great main dish by adding grilled chicken strips, or even shrimp or crab meat!
- It’s also a great do-ahead dish. I made it the night before and it was so great to have it all ready to pull out and add to a simple summer meal like BLT’s!
Tortellini Caesar Pasta Salad
This recipe was found in a Community Table magazine.
INGREDIENTS
2 (9-oz) packages cheese tortellini
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
3 ears corn – I used frozen corn kernels – You could use any fresh vegetable – cucumbers, zucchini or squash would all be delicious in this!
1 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
2 carrots, thinly
4 tomatoes, diced
Kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and cool.
Steam broccoli until tender, about 6 minutes; cool.
Cook corn in boiling water, 5 minutes; cool, then slice kernels off cob. I simply ran the frozen kernels under cold water and added it to the salad.
Toss tortellini, broccoli, and corn with dressing, lemon juice, carrots, tomatoes; salt to taste.
If you love pasta, you’ll love this recipe! I hope you’ll add it to your menu, either as a side or a main dish, and do it this summer!!
With love from my country kitchen,
RefreshHer 