Category Archives: Side Dish

February 27, 2013 · 11:26 am

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Bread

So, we love carbs at our house. Love them. I am a big label reader, however, so I was SUPER happy when I found these rolls in a can that met my label reading standards. Woot!

My family loved these and we also thought it would be great if we could make a sweet version with cinnamon and sugar. Maybe I will get to that next week, in the meantime enjoy this yummy goodness.

Ingredients:
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky layers kind)
1/2 stick of butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Throw the cold stick of butter in a bundt pan and let it melt in the preheating oven.

While the butter melts, cut the biscuits into quarters.

In a bowl, toss the biscuit pieces, garlic, Italian Seasoning, and Parmesan cheese together.

Once the butter is melted, add the biscuit mixture, sprinkling with any cheese and garlic that gets let behind in the bowl.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 25 minutes until golden brown. Turn out on a dish and enjoy!

What did the family think? They LOVED it!

Where did this recipe come from? I have seen this on Pinterest a lot, but I got this version from The Virtuous Wife

Photo from Gumbo Gang

Leave a Comment

Filed under Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

February 18, 2013 · 6:40 pm

Parmesan Green Beans

We love cheese around here and things really do taste better when you put cheese on them. My oldest not only will eat these, but he likes them. Likes them!!! They are super easy too!

Ingredients:
Frozen green beans (You’ll need enough to feed however many people will eat them.)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Defrost green beans in the microwave. They can still be a little frozen, just not in a huge chunk of ice.

Spread green beans out on a cookie sheet and pour on a few dollops of olive oil. Stir around to coat most of the green beans with the olive oil.

Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Bake for about 12 minutes.

Take out of oven and sprinkle with Parmesan.

What did the family think? They love them. (excpet the youngest who is “allergic to all things green)

photo from The Accidental Southerner I just discovered this blog and am loving it so far.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

December 18, 2012 · 9:01 am

Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Beets

I am the only person in my house who will eat these which is too bad for them which means more yummy beets for me.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
8 small beets, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices*
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450°.

Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Add beets and toss until beets are well coated. Add salt and pepper, and toss again.

Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Stir vegetables, and bake 15 more minutes or until slightly crisp but tender.

*You could also use this recipe with carrots, turnips, rutabaga and/or parsnips. A mixture of all of these is also great.

What did the family think? Thumbs down from everyone but me. Again, boo for them, but more for me.

Where did this recipe come from? adapted from a recipe at myrecipes.com


photo from Okay, Let’s Do This

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

November 13, 2012 · 1:57 pm

Cider Glazed Carrots

This warm fall carrot dish would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table.

3 cups baby carrots
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Instructions:
Place carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until tender. Drain.

Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over low heat; cook until butter melts, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium; add carrots. Cook 3 minutes or until carrots are glazed and thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

What did the family think? Half of of the family liked these. My hubby doesn’t do cooked carrots and neither does our youngest, but two of us liked them very much.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooking Light, November 2002

photo from Mommy’s Kitchen

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Side Dish, Vegetarian

May 14, 2012 · 10:38 am

Quick Summer Veggie Salad

I know this isn’t technically a recipe, but I thought I would pass along this idea. I also realize this dish isn’t revolutionary, but let me start from the beginning. I was at the grocery store and wanted a cool summery salad-type dish to go along with our hamburgers for dinner. I went to the deli and got some cold tortellini and veggie salad. The employee handed me the container and I looked at the label. Holy smokes! The ingredient list was a mile long. I handed it back to her and kindly told her I had changed my mind, but I still didn’t have a salad. I headed back to the produce aisle and had a lightbulb moment. I grabbed a package of pre-chopped cauliflower and broccoli and a bottle of gorgonzola and pear salad dressing.

Directions:
Rinse veggies and place in a mixing bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the dressing of your choice to the veggies. Toss and serve or toss and let them marinate for a while before serving. Keep refrigerated until ready to be served.

See, I told you it wasn’t life changing, but it was quick and cool. It was just what we needed to go with our hamburgers and the ingredient list was pretty straight forward.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked it. I thought I might be able to get our oldest to eat it, but he looked at my while I was eating some cauliflower and said, “I don’t know how you eat that stuff.” Oh well. Heavy sigh. Someday maybe?

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

May 11, 2012 · 4:52 pm

Baked Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

My kids get so tired of eating salad, but quite frankly, that’s just about the only veggie that they can both agree on. I decided to take a walk on the wild side last night though and make this yummy asparagus dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 ½ tablespoons bread crumbs

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450° F.

In a medium baking dish or on a cookie sheet, toss asparagus with the oil and arrange in an even layer.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bread crumbs.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.

What did the family think? 3 out of 4 isn’t bad, right?

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from Holiday Food Safety and they got it from the Produce for Better Health Foundation

photo from Confessions of a Chocoholic

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

April 11, 2012 · 11:42 am

Easy Slow Cooker Refried Beans

These are super easy, healthy and were a wonderful addition to our taco dinner last night, but (full disclosure here) my house smelled like an onion factory exploded in it and we could smell it before we even got in the garage. I don’t know if I had a super stinky onion or if that’s just what you get when you throw a whole onion in the CrockPot. Ignore the smell, enjoy your beans and then light a candle to get the stink out.

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
½ fresh jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
One big pinch of cumin
6 cups water

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight while you are sleeping.

When done cooking, remove the bigger onion chunks and drain the excess liquid.

Mash remaining beans with a potato masher or the backside of a wooden spoon.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked them and there were enough for leftovers for the next day for lunch, too. Our kids aren’t huge refried bean fans, so they weren’t a hit with them. I would like to note though that when our youngest was little we had to practically restrain him from literally licking his plate clean when we would have refried beans. Somewhere around the age of three he decided refried beans weren’t for him

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from 100 Days of Real Food and she got it from Allrecipes

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Mexican, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 19, 2012 · 12:06 pm

CrockPot Macaroni and Cheese

Full disclosure…this is NOT health food. As I was making this I was thinking to myself that this might be something that Paula Dean might make…butter, cheese, milk…and oh so good. Also, just a heads up, this makes a lot of mac and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) pkg. macaroni
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions:
Cook macaroni following package directions. Drain well.

Grease bottom and sides of 3 1/2 to 5-quart crockpot.

Toss hot macaroni in slow cooker with the vegetable oil then add all remaining ingredients. Stir gently to combine then cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

What did the family think? Yum!

Where did this recipe come from About.com

photo from About.com

2 Comments

Filed under Easy, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 12, 2012 · 11:51 am

Glazed Carrot Coins

I am always trying to think of ways to get my kids to eat more of a variety of veggies. They will eat salad day after day after day, and although that is awesome, a little variety would be nice, too. My kids are not totally opposed to carrots, although when they do eat them, they are usually raw. Cooked carrots have usually been met with a groan or two. That was not the case tonight.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Instructions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add the carrots; cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

What did the family think? 3/4 of our family liked these. My oldest even said, “Wow! These are really good!”

Did I change anything? I used baby carrots instead of carrots coins. I already had them in the refrigerator so there was no need to buy even more carrots.

Where did this recipe come from? Taste of Home

photo from food.com

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 16, 2012 · 8:19 am

Lemony Green Beans

We eat a LOT of salad around here because it’s the only veggie that everyone in our house will eat without a whole lotta crying and whining. Last week our oldest was begging for a different veggie, so he was very happy to find these on his plate last night.

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb green beans, trimmed (frozen or fresh)

Instructions:
Zest the lemon into a large bowl using a fine grater or zester. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. Add in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put a pan of water on to boil. Boil beans until tender. Drain well, then put the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.

We had this with salmon, a baguette and fruit salad.

What did the family think? 3/4 of us liked them.

Where did this recipe come from? jamieoliver.com

Leave a Comment

Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian