Category Archives: Side Dishes

You say Potato I Say…Well, Potato

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I’ve always thought it was interesting that every culture has variations of many of the same foods. Tacos using ground beef for Mexico, meat sauce in Italy, Picadillo in Cuba. Pork is loved as pulled pork here in the states, schnitzel in Germany, Korea has Bulgogi. Here we love our chicken fried country style, in other countries they have chicken Marsala or chicken curry (I love curry. I’ve only told you that 376 times but it bore repeating.)  They all have different ways with chocolate, cabbage, rice and so many more. One of my favorites is all the different cultural uses for potatoes. Yep. Simple homey bumpy potatoes. They have saved people in many countries from starvation and made others wayyyyy too fat for their own good :-P. They can be fried, boiled, mashed, mixed with a gazillion other ingredients and pretty much no matter what you do (unless you add liver to them. ICK! No, I know of no liver and potato recipes but I had to throw in my hatred for liver.) they taste wonderful.

One of my favorite ways is dumplings. Dumplings are another thing that each ethnicity seems to have its own way of cooking. I am torn between German Potato Dumplings and Gnocchi for favored way of eating them. Tonight I played around with Gnocchi. While I love them just slathered with four sticks of butter (WHAT?!) and 3 pounds of cheese, I went a different route tonight. I probably could have used another package of Gnocchi because the final plateful has more other things than it does the dumplings :-p It’s chock full of fresh Asparagus, Portabello mushrooms, Shallots, garlic and chopped ham. It would make either a nice side dish or a fairly hearty meal on its own.It’s simple to make and delicious to eat. I would say though that if you’re really wanting the Gnocchi to be the focal point, either cut down on the other ingredients or double the Gnocchi. personally, as much as I love Gnocchi, I enjoyed it with the full helping of the Spring like Asparagus and the mushrooms and ham. YUM!

GNOCCHI WITH HAM, PORTOBELLOS, SHALLOTS & ASPARAGUS

  • 1 16 ounce package potato gnocchi, cooked, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water
  • 1 lb fresh Asparagus, woody ends cut off and the rest cut into bite sized lengths
  • 1 8 ounce package portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 8 ounces chopped ham
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  1. Cook Gnocchi as directed on package. Cover and set aside while you make the veggie/ham part of the dish.
  2. In large pan melt the butter. Add in the asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, ham and shallot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is crisp tender.
  3. Pour this mixture in with the gnocchi. Add the 1/4 cup of reserved cooking water and the Parmesan cheese and mix well.

A Very Cheesy Post

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30

 

I’ve always been the indecisive sort. At least I think I have. Maybe. Yeah, I have been. I’ll let you know. That inability to make up my mind has extended to food too. I will buy something at the store because it sounds oh so good and then either forget that I got it in the first place or get it home and suddenly it doesn’t look as yummy as something else. It makes me an interesting cook I guess because my family gets different treats as my mood  changes but it sure makes eating a difficult proposition.

But with this dish I don’t have to make a choice between two of my favorites. I love French Onion Soup. Well, I love cheese and onions and beef and it’s kinda silly to melt some cheese, throw some onions on top of it and add a steak instead of making yummy French Onion Soup. Actually, now that I write that, it sounds pretty darn good. I think. But getting back to the point here…

I also love Mac & Cheese. I mean, what’s not to love? Cheese, pasta, butter and did I mention cheese? So when I found this recipe that combines the two foods, I knew I had to try it. I am so NOT disappointed here. In theory I had planned to make it for Easter dinner and reheat it at my daughters house when we got there, but…ummm… I had to try it right? Quality control is a large part of cooking. Right? Right? There’s still some left. A little bit. Maybe if they take small bites….

But here it is. French Onion Soup Macaroni and Cheese. This stuff is cheese crack, I swear. It’s also a bit more in depth than other recipes I have posted but I promise you, you won’t regret taking the time to make this. It will go with any meal or just BE a meal. Just make sure you do a bit of quality control before you let anyone else try it. You have to be responsible you know.

This is adapted from Food Network

but I did make some changes to it.

French Onion Soup Macaroni And Cheese

TOPPING-

  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bechamel Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces Swiss Cheese or Gruyere, grated or cubed
  • 8 ounces mozzarella, grated or cubed

French Onion Soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 large white onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 Shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup dry red wine (I used a Pinot Noir)
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 pound pasta, cooked (I used plain old Elbow macaroni so as to not detract from the sauce which is the star of this dish)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Topping: Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside
  • Bechamel Sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk or half-and-half, adding a little at a time and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower heat, season with the salt and pepper and add Swiss or Gruyere and Mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.
  • French Onion “Soup:” Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add shallots and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add wine. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add beef stock and thyme and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.
  • Grease a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with onion “soup” mixture and bechamel sauce, and stir well to combine. Transfer pasta to baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan topping
  • Bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving or do what I did and burn the crap out of your tongue because you have no patience. Eat half of this. Tell everyone else it’s horrible and they shouldn’t eat it. Hide the rest in the fridge in a container labeled “liver”.
  • I can also see making this in individual ramekins and coating the top with even more cheese. Or erhmmm, maybe the extra cheese is just a me thing.

I Love Spring & Summer Veggies & Herbs

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I’m not a fan of hot weather. Actually, I hate hot weather. I am one of those people who loves the cozy feel of crisp Autumn days. I love sweaters and beef stew; the Autumn and Winter holidays and just the feeling of family togetherness that short days and long nights bring.

But one thing I absolutely adore about warmer weather is the food. I grow my own herbs every year. They are the only plants that don’t look at me, squeal in horror and die. So I grow basil, dill, sage, thyme, lavender and whatever else looks good at the store when I am out buying them. So every Spring and a few gazillion times throughout the Spring and Summer until my family threatens to kill me if I make it one more time, I make Pasta Caprese. The combination of fresh basil, mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes (since warmer weather means tomatoes that have more flavor than your pillow) and pasta (preferably a curly fun shaped one just because I’m five years old at heart) just screams Spring to me. It also screams “I am yummy; eat me until your feel like you’re going to explode!” but that may be a personal thing.

This is light yet filling. It’s not exactly low calorie but neither is it horrid for you.  You can cut the fat if you want to by using low fat cheese (or less cheese but I am pretty sure there are laws against that) and not using the small amount of butter used in the garlic tomato mix. This makes eight side dish servings or four entree servings as a vegetarian meal.

CAPRESE PASTA

  1. 1 12 oz box pasta (I used the new Smart Taste by Ronzoni because it has added Calcium, Fiber & Vitamin D)
  2. 1 teaspoon salt
  3. 1 pint cherry (or grape) tomatoes
  4. 1/2 cup chopped fresh Basil (if you absolutely can’t get fresh, use 1/4 cup from the tubes of basil puree you can find in the produce area. Don’t use dried.)
  5. 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  6. 1 lb mozzarella cheese (I used a mix of fresh mozzarella balls and an 8 oz bag shredded)
  7. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  8. 1 tablespoon butter
  9. 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • Cook your pasta in a large pot with the one teaspoon salt. Drain when done but scoop out one cup of the pasta water first and set aside. Put back into pot or serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, saute the garlic over medium heat with the olive oil and butter until it is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes and cook over low heat until the tomatoes soften; about three to five minutes. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the tomatoes. Don’t turn them into a puree, just flatten them out.
  • Add the cup of reserved pasta water to the tomatoes and let simmer for just a couple of minutes. Pour the tomatoes and liquid into the pasta. Add in your mozzarella and Parmesan and give it all a quick stir together. Last, stir in your chopped basil. Salt to taste. Pig out. Enjoy the taste of Spring.

 

The Great Cornbread Debate

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Go look up recipes for cornbread. You will find 75k variations but the biggest difference has been a matter of debate for many many years. I would imagine the first two women, back thousands of years ago, ended up in a life long feud over cornbread. The issue? Whether or not to add sugar.

For some reason, with home cooks and chefs alike, that is one food that will never be agreed upon. Even in my own household, it’s up for debate. Well, my husband and kids think it is anyway but since I’m the one doing the cooking, there isn’t much debate. I make it the way I like it and that’s that hehe.

And how is that you ask? Oh, you didn’t ask? Well, I’m telling you anyway because otherwise this would be a really short paragraph and ruin my reputation for being long winded. I make it with sugar. BUT……. very very very little. I do NOT like sweet cornbread. To me, that’s just a yellow cake made with cornmeal (yellow cornmeal versus white cornmeal is another debate but we won’t go there because if you use white cornmeal you’re just strange 😛 ). My husband and kids prefer sweet but again, there’s that “I’m the cook” thing. When I’m feeling kind (or I spent too much on Amazon and am sucking up) I’ll make sweet, but rarely.

The cornbread here is neither of these. yes, there is a touch of sugar in it, but only as a foil for the bacon. Yes, more bacon. Expect it to be a recurring theme in my recipes :-D. This cornbread is a savory oh so tasty version made with bacon, green onions, cheddar-jack cheese and green chilies. Slather this bad boy with butter and have at it. You can of course serve it as a side dish but why bother? You can eat more of it if it’s all you’re having. Just sayin’ 😀

Bacon, Cheddar and Chile Cornbread

  1. 1 1/2 cups cornmeal ( yellow cornmeal darn it! Yellow!)
  2. 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  3. 4 teaspoons baking powder
  4. 2 tablespoons sugar
  5. 2 1/2 cups milk
  6. 1/2 cup oil
  7. 2 large eggs
  8. 1 7 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
  9. 8 ounces cheddar- jack cheese (can use any sharp type of cheese you want really)
  10. 1 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled (try to make sure 3/4 of it actually ends up in the bread 😛 )
  11. 1/4 cup sliced green onion (about 2 large green onions)
  12. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  13. 1/2 teaspoon salt (careful with this if the bacon is really salty)
  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
  • Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) and baking powder in a large bowl.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until until they are well combined. Don’t over mix; that’s what leads to tough cornbread.
  • Put into a greased 13×9 inch pan and bake at 400 degrees until top is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Check after about 30 minutes because ovens heat differently.

Mine after my son got a hold of it when my back was turned. Grrrr....grrr I say!

 

Is there anything better than curry? Anything? Bueller? Anyone?

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13

I have a thing for curry. I need rehab. But I have no interest in being cured. If my kids wouldn’t tie me up and hang me by my toes from a clothesline, I would probably make every dinner something with Curry. Chicken curry for sure but why stop there? Curried hot dogs anyone? How about curried Twinkies? Ok, maybe not either one of those but still; curry is my life. Give me curry or give me death!!! I did NOT have sexual relations with that curry! When the going gets tough, the tough eat curry! And of course, from Red Dwarf, “But then I poured curry sauce all over it, and he just yummed it all up!” Ok, sorry. I’m done now. I got carried away on waves of curry. Champagne wishes and curried dreams! Ok, NOW I’m done. Maybe. But don’t gamble on it.

Well, today was a rare day because I was in the mood for something curried. Never would have guessed that was coming huh? But I didn’t want anything heavy. The guys decided they wanted fast food and since I’m not much on that, it left me with the chance to play. I’m pretty pleased with what I came up with. This can be a side dish to any sort of Indian, Middle eastern or Thai meal or even, as I’m having it, as a meal on it’s own. It has a lovely curry flavor and a mild sweetness as well as a subtle hint of coconut, pineapple and other fruits.  My house smelled amazing while this was cooking. The way I made it it has a bit of a bite but that is easily changed by leaving out the red pepper flakes.

FRUIT AND CURRY SPICED RICE

  1. 2 cups Basmati rice
  2. 1 13.66 ounce can coconut milk (I always use Thai Kitchen brand)
  3. 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks in their own juice, drained, juice reserved
  4. 1/2 cup dried Apricots, chopped
  5. 1/2 cup raisins
  6. 1 green onion, thinly sliced (and a little more for garnish)
  7. 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  8. 1 2/3 cups water or chicken broth
  9. 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  10. 1 teaspoon mild curry powder (yes, both the paste & the powder. They add different levels of flavor)
  11. 1 teaspoon salt (add when done cooking if you’re using the broth in place of water because it may not need it)
  12. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  13. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  14. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • In a medium pot, put your rice, coconut milk, water (or broth) and the reserved liquid from the pineapple. Add the curry paste, curry powder, apricots, raisins,  green onion, salt if using, garlic powder, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Stir to mix well.
  • Put over medium heat and stir frequently until it comes to a simmer. Then put on a tight fitting lid, turn your heat down to medium low and let cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Check every five minutes or so and give this a quick thorough stir because it will stick because of the coconut milk. When almost done, add the pineapple chunks. Mix well.
  • When done, garnish with the toasted almonds and some green onions. Enjoy!
  • Note- To toast Almonds the easy way, take the slivered almonds, put on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for one minute. When the minute is up, stir them around, spread them back out and put back in the microwave for another 30 seconds (make sure to peek through the window to make sure they aren’t burning.) Do this as needed until they are a nice toasty brown. It took two and a half minutes in my microwave.

All we are sayyyyyingggggg is give curry a chanceeeeee! Ok, NOW I'm done