Posts tagged ‘Side Dish’
He~Man Potatoes
Yes, I love potatoes and try them in all kinds of ways. I tried this recipe just because I loved the original name which was Masculine Potatoes 
I changed the name and I still don’t know what makes them masculine or he~man, maybe the bacon and horseradish but I still think it’s cute.
Mr. Meat Eater hates bacon in recipes so I had to leave it out. To compensate, I used a bit more horseradish. The hardest thing about making these potatoes, is boiling and mashing the potatoes. They are perfect for steak or roasts.
He~Man Potatoes
6-10 red potatoes
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup bacon bits
1 tsp horseradish
dash each of salt and pepper, use more if you like
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Boil potatoes until tender. Mash with skins left on and leave chunky, not smooth.
Stir in milk, sour cream, and butter. Add bacon bits, horseradish and salt and pepper.
Place in servings dish and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Adapted from Favorite Recipes of the Shenandoah First Responders Family and Friends
Happy Cooking!
Easy Mexican Rice
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This Mexican rice is really good and easy to make. I really hate cilantro so I subbed fresh parsley for the fresh cilantro like I always do. The original recipe came from Tasty Kitchen.
Easy Mexican Rice
2 tbsps oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups long grain rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced green chilies and tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can whole tomatoes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stie constantly making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Rotel and tomatoes and stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth and stir together. Add the salt and the cumin. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 additional minutes or until rice is done.
Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
Happy Cooking!
Cranberry Nut Chocolate Bark
Something I made when we had a few friends over before Christmas was this bark. I saw the recipe on King Arthur Flour and it looked so delicious to me that I had to try it.
It’s easy to make even though it may not look that way. Just make sure to follow the steps and yours will turn out great, too.
The recipe called for semisweet and white chocolate but I used the packages of chocolate and white bark that you can buy in the grocery store. They melt easily and then harden back up easily and they taste good.
Cranberry Nut Chocolate Bark
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup toasted pecans
1 pkg chocolate bark, melted
1 pkg white chocolate bark, melted
In a small bowl, mix the cranberries and toasted pecans together and set aside.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate bark according to the pkg directions. Spread into an oval on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and let set.
Melt the white chocolate according to the pkg directions and carefully spread over the chocolate layer. Before the white chocolate sets, sprinkle the cranberry and nut mixture over the top and press in lightly.
Let the chocolate harden for several hours and then break into chunks. If you are having trouble getting the chocolate to harden, put the pan in the refrigerator until hard.
Makes about 24 pieces.
Happy Cooking!
Oven Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
Everyone knows I am addicted to potatoes of any kind. I found this recipe on Pinterest posted by McCormick (the spice company) and we really loved it. For the life of me, I cannot remember what I served them with.
It was very easy to make and the spice mixture was just right ~ all the spices are the dried type. I used the baby red potatoes as posted in the recipe but someof them were a little big so I just made sure they were all basically the same size.
Oven Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder ~ I used a tsp because I like garlic
2 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered or at least cut the same size
2 tbsps olive oil
Preheat oven to 425º.
Mix oregano, paprika, thyme, sea salt and garlic powder together in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle the seasonings over the top of the potatoes and mix until all the potatoes are well coated.
Spread the potatoes on a foil-lined 15×10 sheet pan.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until tender and browned.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Happy Cooking!
Strawberry Sour Cream Jello Salad
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love jello. It’s weird, I know, but I crave the stuff. At one of my daughter’s bridal showers, this salad was on the table and I was in heaven. I didn’t get the recipe right them so I searched around until I found it.
It’s easy to make but takes a little planning. I made it with sugar-free jello and less fat sour cream so it was not full of sugar and fat. Mr. Meat Eater loved it, too, and I think it would be great for picnics or BBQs.
Strawberry Sour Cream Jello Salad
1 large box strawberry jello ~ I used sugar-free
1 small box strawberry jello ~ I used sugar-free
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 oz) boxes frozen strawberries ~ I used berries in light syrup
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 (16 oz) container sour cream ~ I used less fat
Mix boiling water with jello in a large bowl. Add strawberries (Frozen is fine) and pineapple ~ all the juices from the fruit go in too.
Pour half this mixture in a 13×9 pan and leave the other half in the bowl. Put both in the refrigerator. When the bottom layer has jelled, spread sour cream over it. Pour thickened jello from the bowl carefully over the sour cream.
Chill until the all the jello is firm.
Makes 8-10 servings
Happy Cooking!
Fried Cabbage and an Original Recipe Contest Sponsored by Del Monte
Before I get to my recipe, some contest information for those of you who enjoy coming up with original recipes. This week I was contacted by Del Monte and asked to let my readers know about a Facebook contest they are having for an ORIGINAL recipe using their products. Here’s how to enter the Del Monte Crown the Cook Facebook Contest:
Like Del Monte on Facebook HERE
Click on the Like Button and access the Crown the Cook application
Click “Submit Recipe”
Complete the registration form
Upload your recipe photo and enter your recipe
Click “Submit”
Your recipe must use a Del Monte product ~ the list of all products you can use can be found HERE
If your recipe is selected as one of the top three finalists, not only will you win a year’s supply of Del Monte® products*, but Del Monte will send you and a guest on a four day trip to San Francisco to compete in a cook-off against two other fans!
The grand prize winner will take home the title of Del Monte Cook-Off Champion, as well as thousands of dollars worth of professional cookware.
Official rules for the contest can be found HERE
If any of my readers are serious about entering, please let me know ~ it sounds like a great opportunity ~ a_recipe_a_day at yahoo dot com.
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On to my recipe ~ Fried Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day. Probably not something too many people like but I love it. In fact, Mr. Meat Eater and the kids wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. When I was growing up I loved creamed cabbage that my Mom used to make but I can’t make it as good as she did so I stick to the fried version. Actually, it’s really sauteed. I use butter but you can use bacon grease if you have some. This isn’t really a recipe per se but just how I make it!
My Fried Cabbage
1 cabbage, cut in half
3 tbsps butter
salt and pepper to taste
Slice the cabbage into thin slices and pull the slices apart.
Melt butter in large skillet. When melted, add the cabbage. Sprinkle with salt. Saute the cabbage until it cooks down and becomes lightly brown.
Place on a plate or in a bowl and season with pepper.
I only use a third of the cabbage at a time if I am making it just for me.
Makes 4-6 servings
Happy Cooking!
Panko Mushrooms
I found this recipe on Pinterest and my daughter tried it and loved it so I tried it as well. It’s so good!
I took my daughter’s advice and added some grated Parmesan cheese to the Panko and I think I would do that from now on. They are easy to make and I think they would be good for a party and are a great way to use up mushrooms that are starting to look a little sad.
Originally, the recipe came from Food & Wine.
***Adding here that The Low Fat Chick tried this recipe and baked them which is a GREAT option ~ here is the link to how she did it ~ Chives and Asiago Mushrooms. She has an awesome blog so I hope you will check it out!
Panko Mushrooms
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups Panko
12 large mushrooms, cleaned and stems discarded
Vegetable oil for frying
In a skillet, heat the oil until it starts to shimmer.
Put the Panko (and Parmesan, if using) onto a plate and beaten eggs into a bowl. Dip the mushrooms into the egg, then the Panko.
Fry the mushrooms until golden, over medium high heat being careful not to let them burn. They only take a minute or two to cook. Make sure you roll them over so all sides get brown.
Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Serve right away.
Makes 4 servings
Happy Cooking!
Black Beans and Rice
Mr. Meat Eater’s kidney doctor wants him to eat more beans. That’s not really a problem as long as I make the kinds he likes and I don’t necessarily like the same kind so…I make them for him and freeze most because I’m not a huge fan.
These were easy to make except I would only use 2 cans (1 can is about 1 cup) of black beans at the most next time I make them. Three cans turned out to be way too many. I think I would use chicken broth in place of the vegetable broth as well because I don’t really like the flavor of the veg broth. I used white rice since that is what I had but brown rice would work equally well.
The recipe came from Allrecipes and Mr. Meat Eater loved them!
Black Beans and Rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked white rice ~ can use brown
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups canned black beans ~ 2 cups would be plenty
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for several minutes until the onion is soft. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Add rice and saute for a minute or two.
Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is fluffy. Add the spices and beans and stir until combined. Leave on the burner for a few minutes until the beans are heated up.
Makes 10-12 servings.
Happy Cooking!
Adirondack Salt Potatoes
I have spent lots of time in the Adirondacks and have collected a bunch of cookbooks from the region. I pulled them all out and one thing they all have in common is salt potatoes. Just the name is enough to send my blood pressure even higher and my arteries harden but they are so delicious they are worth having once a year.
Mr. Meat Eater was smoking a slab of meat so I decided this was the perfect time for salt potatoes. Up in the Adirondacks, I can buy the potatoes and salt all in one bag but down here I have to buy small potatoes (I used small yellow potatoes) and just throw in the salt. They are served slathered in at least one stick of melted butter and any herbs you might want to throw in. The insides of the potatoes become very creamy and delicious.
Any leftovers I cut up and make fried potatoes the next day but then I throw away any leftovers of those because they are so salty tasting by that time, they are almost inedible. They are good to make for a barbecue and that is when we used to have them back in the day.
Mr. Meat Eater’s brisket rub remains a mystery. He has a little book that he keeps all his concoctions in and I’ll be darned if I can find it. I think he hides it. This particular rub is a bit spicy for me but he loves it. We serve it sliced up the first night and then make sandwiches with it the next day. The rest goes in the freezer for another day.
Adirondack Salt Potatoes
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
3 lbs small red or white potatoes, leave skins on
1 stick butter
Fresh herbs, optional
Pepper
Bring salt and water to a boil in a large pot. When boiling, add potatoes.
Cook potatoes until tender ~ about 25 minutes or so but test with a fork or knife at 20 minutes.
Drain potatoes. Put the pot back on the stove over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, turn off the heat, add the potatoes, herbs and pepper. Toss the potatoes and serve immediately.
Makes 6-8 servings
Happy Cooking!
Creamy Orange Fruit Salad
I love fruit salad of any kind but in the winter it can be hard (and expensive) to find enough fresh fruit for a nice salad. I like this recipe because it uses canned fruit and bananas and apples which I can get all year round.
This salad is very easy to make and it makes quite a bit and keeps for a few days in the refrigerator or until the bananas start to turn brown. When I made it, I had lots of creamy part and actually did not use all of it so I think it would be safe to say that doubling up on your favorite fruits would be fine but don’t be surprised if you have too much creamy part.
The recipe came from Allrecipes.
Creamy Orange Fruit Salad
1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (16 oz) can peach slices, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
2 bananas, sliced
1 apple, chopped
1 small box instant vanilla pudding (I used sugar free)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate, defrosted
3/4 cup sour cream
In a large bowl, combine the fruits and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat pudding mix, milk and orange juice concentrate for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well.
Spoon mixture over the fruit and toss gently making sure all the fruit is coated.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Makes 8-10 servings
Happy Cooking!
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