Not to sound like a broken record…but…the side dishes make the meal! Seriously! What is Turkey without stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, candied yams, homemade buttery rolls, and all your favorite holiday salads? It’s just a big awkward bird sitting in the middle of your dinning table! Oh sure…the “Turkey” got an honorable mention in “Scrooge”…but only because this salad wasn’t on menu! If it was…he would have leaned out the window and asked the boy to go “Fetch” him the pan of Cranberry Orange Jello Salad! Then even that crabby miser could have won my heart!
Side Dishes
One of my favorite side dishes when having Mexican Food is the rice! I love a good Spanish rice. Especially if it is packed with the warm flavors and spices of true Mexican food. A few years ago I came up with this home style version that is so easy and so flavorful! So much better than what you find at your local restaurant. I bet you have the secret ingredient in your cupboard right now!
One question I’m asked a LOT is “What do I serve with…..?” I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. What you pair your main dish with, can determine if it’s “o.k.”, or it’s a… “I’ll be dreaming about this dinner for years!” meal. (Okay… maybe they’ll just dream about it for a day or two, but you get my drift!) These perfectly glazed brown sugar and amaretto carrots go great with a Holiday Ham, Turkey, Prime Rib Roasts, or Pork Tenderloin. In other words…they go with just about any meaty main dish you make. Except Hot Dogs…I shouldn’t even have to say that, but you know who you are! lol
I’m struggling to get back into the swing of things after our wonderful Vacation to Virginia! Translation…I’ve been ignoring the garden…and a few other things! I went out the other day and found club sized crookneck squash! I hate to waste…so I decided to fry them up like I do my gigantic Zucchini…only I was lazy and didn’t want to stand at the stove to fry them. So…I didn’t. Instead, I came up with this awesome way to oven fry them! They are AMAZING! I’m thinking I’m going to keep ignoring that garden! (wink, wink) Why not when this is the result!
It just wouldn’t be summer without a pot of these Cowboy Baked Beans on the table next to the grilled chicken and corn on the cob! Ya just gotta have some “stick to yer ribs” beans to make it a complete meal…at least at this nest ya do!
One of the best things about summer is all the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables available. I especially love fresh fruits…blackberries, strawberries, pineapple, apricots, peaches, and plums. So many to chose from. Not too many things better on a hot summer day than a bowl full of cold fruit salad. Each bite packed full of amazing fruity juices. So the last thing we want to do is cover up all that fruit in a blanket of cream dips and dressing. Let’s allow the fruit to be the star! It’s spent months growing into perfection…it needs to shine. The simple Honey Poppy Seed dressing in this salad allows that to happen splendidly! Wanna join me for a cup of this Honey Poppy Seed Fruit Salad?
I can actually remember when these Cheesy “Funeral” Potatoes showed up on the scene! (YES! I’m THAT old!) Back then we didn’t call them “Funeral Potatoes”. I’m O.K. with that! We nicely called this recipe “Cheesy Potato Casserole” and left the event of “death” out of it! I mean, I do realize they are “To Die For”, and they are now a standard staple at every funeral across the country…but I really hate their acquired “nick name”. I mean if they are stuck with the nick-name of “funeral” potatoes…allow me to introduce you to “funeral ham”, “funeral” Parker house rolls, “funeral” bagged salad mix with Great value “funeral” ranch dressing… and let’s not forget about “funeral” Texas sheet cake! Okay, okay…I’ll put away my sarcasm for the day…but first, could you pass me the “funeral” margarine….
I’m busy planning my Easter menu! I am a true believe that side dishes are as equally as important, if not more so, than the main dish. I live by the motto that the side dishes can be a “meal breaker”. (No pressure right?) Never fear! I’ve got lots of wonderful side dishes headed your way and I’m starting out with this really easy and super delicious Broccoli Puff. It has a light, fluffy cheese topper that will remind you of a vegetable souffle!
Happy NYE Eve! I’m down with a cold, but that isn’t going to stop me from sharing my favorite hot dip recipe with you. You have to have it for your big New Years Eve parties! Hot Spinach and Artichoke dip is a classic. It’s not exactly new on the party scene. However, I’ve stepped it up a notch by serving it on a buttery garlic toasted Crostini! The combination of the two is OUT OF THIS WORLD! In a word… Amazing! I don’t think I’ll ever eat it again with corn chips. Your guest will absolutely love this dip/crostini combination. Come take a peek at how simple this is to make. Best part…you can make it ahead of time! One less thing on the “to-do” list! 😉
The count down is on to the biggest foodie holiday ever! Thanksgiving! Where tables around the country are laden down with giant juicy Turkeys! One of the BEST things about Thanksgiving dinner is all the amazingly wonderful side dishes! One of my all-time favorites is this homemade Spiced Cranberry Orange sauce. It’s easy and so simple! All you need is four ingredients to make the most delicious cranberry sauce you have ever had! I promise! It’s so yummy you’ll be sneaking spoonfuls of it! (Don’t ask me how I know that! lol)