side dish

Creamed Spinach

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

Creamed Spinach is a pretty classic side dish for a meaty main course. And it’s easy to make at home!

In the past I’ve always bought the frozen stuff, and it is delicious. But when you make it yourself you can add any additional flavors you might like – such as garlic and cheese!

Be sure to have a great slice of bread, a biscuit, or a crescent roll to sop it all up!

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 C milk
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 10 oz fresh spinach
  • 1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Steps:

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot. Whisk in flour until it forms a paste.
  2. Add in milk, constantly whisking. Season with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, still whisking.
  3. Add spinach to the pot of milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until it wilts down. Stir in cheese until it melts.

*This recipe is modified from Katie at http://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/cheddar-creamed-spinach/*

Creamed Spinach

Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

While I don’t really make official New Year’s resolutions, I am trying my best to make more balanced meals – protein, starch, and vegetable. (It’s the “and vegetbale” that I always forget to plan!)

This side dish goes with just about any protein you choose, and as proven on Budget Bytes, it’s cheap!

For just the two of us I halved the recipe. I wasn’t planning on having leftovers for lunch the next day so didn’t bother making more than we needed. The recipe I present to you today is the halved version, to serve two.

Honey Balsamic Carrots

Ingredients:

  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/8 C balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp butter

Steps:

  1. Place carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast carrots in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Be sure to flip them halfway through the cooking time.
  2. When there are ten minutes left on the timer, combine the honey and vinegar. Allow tot thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
  3. Toss carrots in the glaze and serve alongside the protein of your choice.

Glazed Carrots

Creamed Corn

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Although not exactly a healthy side dish, I have to admit that I love creamed corn.

It’s a perfect side for any spicy main dish. And it works great as a dip for tortilla chips too!

Creamed Corn

Ingredients:

  • 20 oz corn, canned or frozen
  • 1 1/4 C heavy cream
  • 1 1/4 C milk
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • salt and pepper

Steps:

  • In a small pot over medium heat combine corn and cream. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
  • In a small bowl whisk together flour and milk. Add to corn and whisk until creamed corn reaches desired texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I like lots of pepper with my creamed corn!)

Creamed Corn

Whole-Cranberry Cranberry Sauce

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

Cranberry sauce is a must have item on the Thanksgiving Day spread. And even if you don’t like it, you still have to have a little spoonful to liven up your plate. It’s like a bright flower hiding in the desert. For those that do eat the cranberry sauce, it’s a cool, tart bite that keeps your taste buds alive throughout the entire meal. (My favorite part about cranberry sauce is actually what I do with the leftovers! I make a cranberry barbecue sauce to make turkey sandwiches on game day.)

We always use the whole berry cranberry sauce from the can. And it is my brother’s pride and joy. Only he is allowed to open that can and pour it into the serving bowl. I used to have one of those battery-powered can openers, but this year he’s going to have to put a little elbow grease into the job and use a traditional can opener! Fun fact: Giada admitted to using canned cranberry sauce at her home on Thanksgiving on Food Network’s Thanksgiving Live!

For the blog I decided to try and make cranberry sauce from real cranberries. It is such a simple recipe requiring very little attention. If you want to avoid the can, this is an easy way to do it.

Whole-Cranberry Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 3 C fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 C real maple syrup
  • 1/2 C honey
  • 1 1/4 C orange juice

Steps:

  1. Combine ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. (It’ll sound like popcorn popping!)
  2. Skim the foam off the top. Bring to room temperature.

*This recipe is adapted from Constance at http://thefoodiearmywife.com/homemade-cranberry-sauce-for-thanksgiving/*

Cranberry Sauce 1 Cranberry Sauce 2

Papa’s Sweet Potato Casserole

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

An absolute must have on the Thanksgiving table is Papa’s Sweet Potato Casserole. This recipe originated from Stuart’s grandfather. I have to admit that I have changed the recipe to decrease the amount of sugar.

The first time I made this casserole I substituted real pureed sweet potato in place of canned yams at my mother-in-laws recommendation. I looked at the recipe and the large quantity of sugar in the casserole frightened me, so I halved it. Even still it was way to sweet for my family members. Since then I’ve decreased the sugar even more and even reduced the amount of heavy cream. I must confess, every time I make this it turns out a little bit differently. Using fresh sweet potatoes means that I might not have the exact amount of puree once I pull it out of the food processor so I eyeball the heavy cream until the mixture reaches the perfect color.

On Thanksgiving I never have enough SPC! I even double the recipe allowing me to make one version with pecans and one version without. (My dad is allergic to nuts) To save on kitchen counter space, I make the casserole filling on Wednesday leaving only the topping to make and add right before putting in the oven Thursday.

Papa’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 – 3/4 C heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 stick butter, divided use
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C flour
  • chopped pecans (optional)

Steps:

  1. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake at 400 degrees F for 60 minutes until soft.
  2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  3. Peel potatoes when they are cool enough to handle.
  4. In a food processor puree sweet potatoes with heavy cream (you may need to do this in batches).
  5. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, 1 stick melted butter, sugar, vanilla, spices, and eggs. Pour into a casserole dish.
  6. Make the topping: combine brown sugar, flour, and 1/2 stick melted butter. If using pecans add to this mixture as well. Cover casserole with topping and bake 30-40 minutes, until it no longer jiggles.

Sweet Potato Casserole Sweet Potato Casserole 2

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

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Green Bean Casserole has always been my favorite side dish at Thanksgiving. I love the bright green that it brings to a plate of otherwise brown and white. The best part are the French’s Fried Onions that cover the top of the casserole.

We have always used the recipe on the can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, substituting frozen green beans instead of canned. Using frozen yields a brighter green and a fresher taste and last year I converted my brother-in-law, a true GBC lover, into using frozen from now on.

For the blog this year, I decided to make Thanksgiving side dishes leading up to Turkey day. But, with the exception of Sweet Potato Casserole, none of these recipes are ones that I’d made before. I thought it’d be fun, for blog purposes, to mix things up a little bit. (It was also fun to eat Thanksgiving favorites a month or two before the big day!)

When I experimented with this particular recipe I used fresh picked green beans from my husband’s aunt’s farm in Alabama! Because the beans are cooked in a slow cooker for 6 hours I highly recommend using fresh beans for this. Canned beans would become very mushy; frozen might work okay.

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 C flour
  • 1 1/4 C chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 C heavy cream
  • 2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut
  • 1-2 C French’s friend onions, divided

Steps:

  1. In a large skillet saute mushrooms in butter until mushrooms are golden and all liquid is evaporated. Season with garlic, thyme, and S+P.
  2. Add flour and ground onions, cook for a minute. Whisking, add in broth and cream. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Place green beans in slow cooker. Cover with cream of mushroom soup (that’s what you made in steps 1 & 2!). Cook on LOW 5-6 hours.
  4. Transfer cooked casserole into a casserole dish. Mix in extra French’s onions if desired. Top casserole with more fried onions. Place casserole under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until onions are extra crispy and casserole is bubbly.

*This recipe is modified from Christin at http://spicysouthernkitchen.com/slow-cooker-green-bean-casserole/*

Green Bean Casserole

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

~ lk529 ~ 6 Comments

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – I love the tradition. Unlike the Hollywood American Family, I love gathering with family. And, I love the food!

I think Thanksgiving as turned into my favorite holiday because after getting married, I’ve become the hostess for this family oriented holiday. Stuart’s family and my family converge on our home for not only Thanksgiving, but also for the Iron Bowl!

I am presenting a Thanksgiving side dish early so that I can participate in the Thanksgiving Side Dishes Link Party hosted by Let’s Dish. (Don’t worry, I’ll still do my week of Thanksgiving sides closer to the holiday.)Image

In combining our two families, there have been merging of traditions and additions to Thursday’s menu.

This dish is one of those that were introduced to my family by my mother-in-law. And each year, there’s never enough! I think this year a double recipe will need to be prepared.

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 oz pancetta, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 C chicken broth

Steps:

  1. Cook Brussels sprouts in salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain.
  2. Crisp up the pancetta in a large skillet in the olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Toss in the sprouts 5 minutes. Season with S+P.
  3. Pour the broth into the skillet and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the broth reduces so that it coats the Brussels sprouts.

*This recipe is adapted from Giada at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/brussels-sprouts-with-pancetta-recipe/index.html*

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Sew You Think You Can Cook

Easiest Asparagus Ever

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

One of my favorite vegetables is asparagus. We probably have it once a week.

I have a funny story to share about asparagus. I was at the grocery store, bagging my asparagus and an old man struck up a conversation with me. He told me that he cooks his asparagus in a coffee pot! I haven’t actually attempted his creative cooking method, but I could see how that would work – it would steam the vegetable. Maybe?

Good friends of ours introduced this preparation technique to me and I have to say it’s the only way I do it now!

Asparagus

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb asparagus
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • S+P to taste

Steps:

  1. Snap off the end of the asparagus.
  2. Place asparagus in a microwavable dish. Break apart butter and distribute atop the asparagus. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with S+P.
  3. Cover asparagus with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high 4 minutes, or until tender but al dente.

Image

Mom’s Mashed Potatoes

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

When I created my Recipe Index for the blog I realized that I haven’t blogged about any sides! How unfortunate. I never really think about them being important enough for their own post. But then I found myself scouring Pinterest and other food websites for side dish ideas. It’s harder than I thought it would be. It’s really not that easy to make a star out of your sides – unless it’s Thanksgiving! I’m going to declare it now – this first Thankgiving of my blog will be celebrated with a week of side dishes! Guess I better get cookin’! But I digress…

My first side dish post is one of my favorites. I don’t do mashed potatoes often, but when I do I always wonder why not. They’re just so comforting. This recipe is actually from my Mom. Well, I added chives for color (food photography is not easy!) and actually had to sit there and measure things out. We normally do this “by feel” but for food blog purposes, I needed to do more than say “add some sour cream”. So, here it is. This particular ingredient list yields 4 side helpings of mashed potatoes.

Mom’s Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 2 baking potatoes (i.e. Russets)
  • 3 tbsp sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/8 – 1/4 C milk
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives
  • S+P to taste

Steps:

  1. Peel and cut tomatoes into same size chunks – the smaller the cut the faster they’ll cook. In a pot cover the potatoes with cold water – you don’t need to fill the pot, fill about an inch above the top of the potatoes. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.
  2. Drain potatoes and either return to the pot or put in a large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, and a little bit of milk. Using a hand mixer, mash until potatoes are smooth. Add remaining milk if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I like a lot of pepper in mine!) Fold in chopped chives.

Mashed Potatoes