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Showing posts with the label Side Dish

Bite Size Milk Butter Bath, Mexican Street Corn

Bite Size Milk Butter Bath, Mexican Street Corn, is a brilliant way to prepare corn on the cob.  If the name itself doesn't convince you, the clever method of crafting the recipe will.  Milk, Butter, Mexican flavors, Sweet Corn, who can resist? There are plenty of ways to cook corn on the cob, but not one of them will hold a memory the way these Milk Butter Bath Mexican Street Corn will. The popular Mexican street corn has become a favorite around my house, especially with the grandchildren.  I was introduced to it by four of my grandsons, who worked for a vendor at our county fair for the last several years.   

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe is a simple and fast okra dish that is crunchy, flavorful, and not at all slimy.  Some like it better than fried. There is nothing like fresh okra in the summertime.  I love okra any way you can cook it, but blistered okra could become my favorite way to eat it. This okra is super easy to make and takes very little prep work.  What keeps the okra crisp and does not release its juices which can be gummy, is to not add any water (liquid) when cooking the okra.   Another tip is to heat the avocado oil, firing hot but not burning, and then add the okra.  This renders the crisp outside to the okra and a tender inside.  This is also how I cook mushrooms, which makes a great compliment to the okra.   Once the okra is cooked, stop stirring it.  Continuing to stir the okra will change the texture of the okra, which is why it is best to cook the okra just before serving. The seasoning is straightforward, salt and pepper with a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Montreal ste

Fun and Easy Roasted Whole Caramelized Carrots

Fun and Easy Roasted Whole Caramelized Carrots, a classic, super simple side dish to grace holiday meals and family dinner tables.  The dish calls for a few straightforward ingredients that enhance the purest flavor of the carrots. I love everything about roasted root vegetables, especially how easy and quick they take to roast. While they are hanging out roasting in the oven, I can prepare other dishes to go with them. These roasted whole carrots are fun to make, just peel them and toss them in a mixture of seasonings, brown sugar, and avocado oil.   The carrots' natural sweetness and the deep seasoning flavor are excellent.   The small amount of brown sugar compliments the mild sweetness of the carrots. Honey is an option too.

Spring Asparagus Salad with Tangy Avocado Lemon Vinaigrette

Spring Asparagus Salad with Tangy Avocado Lemon Vinaigrette is a spring salad that comes together quickly with fresh taste with fresh vegetables and zing in the vinaigrette, which makes someone think it is perfect for a side dish.    Spring is on its way!  And I am getting ready with my Asparagus Salad with Tangy Avocado Lemon Vinaigrette.  It is beautiful, fresh, healthy, and so vibrant. My spring salad is made with simple, fresh ingredients, asparagus, cucumbers, and chili peppers.  The salad is drizzled with an amazing avocado lemon vinaigrette.  The dressing only takes minutes to make and adds so much freshness.

Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal, but for a holiday meal, you might say they are superb in every way.  Starting with, they can be made ahead and then refrigerated until time for your holiday meal. These Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes are rich, velvety smooth, and so decadent.  Let me just say, my family loves my mashed potatoes, but when I make these, I raise the bar.      Honestly, they are so decadent, so rich, so buttery, that I reserve these for special occasions and holidays. For our Christmas dinner, while the  Prime Rib Roast  is resting under a foil tent, the ideal time to put the Magic Green Beans  and the Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes in the oven is now. This will benefit  everything coming together at the right time. 

How To Make Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe

Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes, sweet little potatoes crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with a generous sprinkle of coarse salt.  There is nothing complicated or fussy about them–– just easy.   My household agrees that potatoes are one of the most delicious, adaptable, and affordable foods on the planet.  Mashed, fried, roasted, and baked––they take them any way they can get them.   I must say, though, these Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes hit the high marks for richness.

Granny's Green Beans and New Potatoes

Fresh Green Beans and New Potatoes , a simple side dish full of flavors from the garden, homegrown green beans, and the first crop of new potatoes.   Fresh vegetables are the best if fresh out of the garden, and you cannot beat them. I love Fresh Green Beans and New Potatoes cooked with ham or bacon.

Pork Belly Baked Beans

 Pork Belly Baked Beans, pork and beans enhanced with a glorious slab of pork belly chunks, rich molasses, chopped onions, bell pepper, and ever so slight sprinkle of red pepper flakes deliver these traditional baked beans to an umami adventure.  These Pork Belly Baked Beans are one of the most delicious ways to enjoy pork belly and baked beans, simply delicious. I made a spin on my traditional  Southern Baked Beans for the recipe for the bacon; I switched for a slab of pork belly that I cut up into 1/2-inch chunks.  The pork and beans need to be drained really well to start off with. And the pork belly needs to cook low and slow until done and golden brown, stirring and watching closely not to burn.  If you try to cook it faster, it will present chewy and dry results.

Magic Carrots {Granny's Recipe}

Magic Carrots, a vintage salad recipe, is mainly known as Copper Pennies, Marinated Carrots, Sweet and Sour Carrots, but we know them as Magic Carrots.  Perfect for the holidays, potlucks, and even an elegant dinner. Magic Carrots are a unique side dish that brings memories of my childhood.  Back in the day when I was growing up, it seemed mother would bring these carrots out around the time spring came; to me, they screamed Easter.  

Turnip Hash Browns

Turnip Hash Browns are an excellent low carb side dish and the perfect substitute for potatoes.  Make them in an air fryer or roast them in the oven, seriously delicious, not to mention keto friendly. Turnip Hash Browns are a yummy addition to any meal, not just breakfast.  I have always enjoyed turnips cooked with turnip greens, but I have played around with roasting them in the oven and cooking them in the air fryer for an alternative to potatoes in recent years.   I like to peel them and cut them up in small cubes versus shredding them.  I keep it simple and toss them in a little drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on them.  If you would like to cook them in the air fryer, just spray a little avocado oil on them with your favorite seasonings.  

Caprese Salad Skewers

Caprese Salad Skewers, a simple Caprese salad on a stick, easy to make and, fancy to look at.  The perfect little appetizer to wow your guest any time of the year. With warm weather and the peak of the tomato season coming, I wanted to share one of my favorite appetizers and an afternoon snack, Mini Caprese Salad Skewers.  The best part about this recipe is it only calls for four ingredients, fresh, light, and delightful. Fresh grape tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, fresh basil, stacked on mini skewers, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze makes for the perfect bite, heaven on a stick.

Pineapple Casserole

Pineapple Casserole, a sweet Southern casserole that can be served as a side dish or dessert at Easter on many Southern tables without a doubt.   It is made with canned pineapple, flour and sugar, sharp cheddar cheese, and topped with crushed Ritz crackers.   Who would have thought pineapple, cheddar cheese, and Ritz crackers coming together would make a remarkable, delicious dish, only in the south.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Whole Roasted Cauliflower,  a delicious side dish that is meaty and filling enough it could hold center stage as a meatless main dish. Cauliflower has become one of our favorite vegetables.  I have always broken the cauliflower into flowerets and roasted them with a little olive oil and seasonings.  After seeing several recipes come across Instagram, I was so intrigued by roasting a whole cauliflower I had to give it try. The key to getting a tender succulent return on roasting a whole cauliflower is to cook it in butter with fragrant spices and herbs before roasting.  This will cut down on the roasting time and lends a beautiful sauce to serve over the cauliflower cut into glorious steaks.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

Summer Vegetable Gratin, four simple vegetables layered in a gratin fashion on a bed of sauteed sliced onions then topped with a mixture of buttery breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.   With summer overload of squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant, I like to make a lovely Vegetable Gratin.  The vegetables bake into a tender bubbly casserole, rendering them into a vibrant melody of summertime freshness. The vegetables are beneficial to using uniform size, so the gratin cooks evenly and not yielding too much moisture.  Also, the larger the vegetables, the larger the seeds. In the recipe, I use fresh Roma tomatoes, straight neck squash, slender zucchini, and mini Japanese eggplants.  At the last minute, I scattered a few garlic pods in and around the vegetables to enhance the flavors.

Stain Glass Fruit Salad

Stain Glass Fruit Salad, fresh pineapple chunks, fresh strawberry slices, and fresh blueberries tossed all together in a strawberry pie filling, homemade or canned.    Light and fresh...who says it can't be for dessert!   The night before any celebration we are having, I make Celebration Salad.  I like another quick fruit salad  I make from my childhood using canned fruit, but this is our favorite. I try to use fresh fruit as much as I can.  Especially now, while the strawberries, pineapple, and blueberries are in season.   We have some that are not a fan of bananas in this salad, so we leave them out but feel free to add them along with any other fresh fruit.  I think Kiwi and grapes would be another delicious addition or even peaches.   If you add peaches, a homemade peach pie filling is a great combination.

The Secret to Making the Best Old School Pea Salad

Old School, Pea Salad,  a classic salad made with  simple ingredients, crunchy pieces of onion, chopped dill pickles, and boiled eggs with a coating of mayonnaise.  A n easy summer salad perfect for potlucks and gatherings.    Pea salad is a classic summer dish.  It pairs well with ham and chicken dishes or any grilled meat.  There is a secret to making the best recipe.

How to Cook the Simplest Most Flavorful Southern Baby Lima Beans (Granny's Recipe)

Baby Lima Beans,  t hey sometimes called butter beans in the south.  They are little green beans with the texture of creamy butter, cooked without adding cream — southern comfort food. A Southern Spring delight, Baby Lima Beans, served alongside a hot pan of cornbread, fried okra, fresh tomatoes, cole slaw, and garden spring onions.  Add fried chicken, and you have the perfect meal.

How To Make The Best Roasted Little Tomatoes

Roasted Little Tomatoes , place little tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, lightly drizzle with avocado oil and give a generous sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper, cooked in the oven until caramelized.  Simply delicious! As soon as the holidays were over and I started back on the healthy eating plan I have been on since 2017, I knew I wanted some of these Roasted Little Tomatoes on my menu rotation.   They are super easy to make and a bonus, they are super delicious too!  haha! I like to roast these up and keep them in the refrigerator for a healthy snack, flavorful salad, in addition to a tasty hamburger and a topping over mini meatloaves.  I have found the ideas for the lovely jewels are endless.

Sage Pork Tips and Rice Dressing

Sage Pork Tips and Rice Dressing with all the flavors of Thanksgiving.  The pork tips are cooked low and slow in the oven with mushrooms and onions and a sprig of fresh sage and thyme nestled in the broth.     I grabbed a large package of pork tips and our local Sams this past week at a terrific price.  I like to cook half of the package and then freeze the rest, but this time I decided to cook the whole package.  As the temperatures here in North East Texas is getting pretty chili, I couldn't wait to cook something warm and comforting. We love beef tips, and I wanted to use the same cooking method of low and slow as I do with them.  I cooked the Pork Tips in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours.

His and Her Sweet Potato Casserole

His and Her Sweet Potato Casserole, two Thanksgiving traditions come together, toasted marshmallows and pecan crumble toppings blanketing creamy smooth sweet potatoes.  Scrumptious!! His and Her Sweet Potato Casserole is the perfect sweet potato dish. We have half of our family that likes the marshmallow topping and half that like the crumble topping, so last year, I came up with the idea to serve one dish with two variations. It was such a hit that I decided to make it again this year.