Although summer is the peak season for okra, it is still available in grocery stores here in Texas, so we thought we’d share a really, really quick, easy and delicious recipe for sauteed okra. Until we found this recipe, okra was a vegetable that never made it into our rotation (I’m not a big fan of vegetables, so our rotation typically consists of veggies that Dan cooks in such a way that they don’t taste like vegetables). This recipe earned okra a spot among our usual broccolini, green beans, zucchini, and asparagus side dish favorites. Continue reading “Sauteed Okra”
Category: Side Dishes
Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
Always looking for cool new cooking utensils and gadgets, Dan picked up an interesting grilling tool at the State Fair — a Chile Grill. Basically, it’s a tray to hold stuffed jalapenos on the grill. We decided to try it out one evening when we were having grilled shrimp and a rice side dish. The jalapenos were pretty good, but very hot (we should have grilled them a little longer). We need a little more practice/experimentation with our ingredients, but the tray worked like a champ. Continue reading “Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos”
Butternut Squash with Gorgonzola
A few years ago we hosted Thanksgiving here in Dallas with some of my family, and we were looking for a new side dish. We happened upon a recipe for roasted butternut squash with gorgonzola cheese. It was amazing and we’re now hooked on this dish, which is full of autumn flavors and pairs perfectly with turkey. This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving dinner side dishes. Try it, you will not be disappointed!
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Roasted Veggies
We adapted this recipe from one of Ina Garten’s wonderful cookbooks, “Barefoot Contessa – Back to Basics.” This dish not only tastes delicious, but it combines the starch and vegetable sides all into one dish, cooked on a single cookie sheet. Through trial and error (probably more error than trial), we determined what we think are the best cooking times for each element of the dish to ensure that the potatoes cook fully and none of the veggies get over-cooked. Continue reading “Roasted Veggies”
Special Occasion Fruit Kabobs (And Balloons!)
We work at an office where people love to celebrate birthdays, usually with food. Someone almost always brings in cake, brownies and/or cookies in honor of their co-worker’s special day. A friend at work got creative for one birthday celebration and brought fruit, artfully arranged on wooden skewers. I have been copying her Fruit Kabob idea ever since.
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Crushed Potatoes
We recently came across a side dish called “Crash-Hot Potatoes,” and we were intrigued enough by the name to try them. This recipe is so simple — small red potatoes boiled until fork-tender, then “crashed” and coated in a bit of olive oil for roasting in a hot oven until crispy and delicious. We love the flavors of garlic and basil with olive oil, so we switched up this recipe by using a garlic-infused olive oil and dried basil (instead of thyme or rosemary) which added a very subtle Italian flair that was fantastic. These may be the current number one potato dish in our rotation. Try them — we promise that you will not be disappointed!
Update: We followed friend and commenter Carrie’s tip to crush the potatoes using the bottom of a dry measuring cup wrapped in plastic, and it worked like a charm. We also boiled the potatoes a little longer before crushing them.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
We’re always looking for new side dishes to mix things up, and this is a great one. We found the recipe on epicurious.com, which is one of our favorite sources of online recipes. This side is called Dave’s Tomato and Cucumber Salad. We’re not sure who Dave is, but he came up with a really good salad! Continue reading “Cucumber Tomato Salad”
Green Chile Cheeseburgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Green chiles make everything just a little better. We watched a program on the Food Network last week featuring green chile cheeseburgers and were inspired to try these on our own grill. So amazing. We decided to pair our southwest cheeseburgers with a healthier version of french fries — sweet potatoes pan roasted on the grill. A delicious late summer meal! Continue reading “Green Chile Cheeseburgers and Sweet Potato Fries”
Pennsylvania Corn
We visited Dan’s Mom in Central Pennsylvania recently, and one of the many highlights of our trip was the visit to Baronner’s Farm Market and the fresh sweet corn we purchased there. Late summer in Central PA means that farm fresh sweet corn is readily available, and Baronner’s sells the best around. If you can do it, the ideal way to cook corn is to boil it as soon as possible after it has been picked. Baronner’s sells corn that was growing only hours before you buy it. The first night we simply boiled the corn, and the next night we grilled up a few ears. Continue reading “Pennsylvania Corn”
Roasted Potatoes
Roasted red potatoes are delicious, but they take at least an hour to prepare properly, and thus we typically only have roasties on weekends. We usually do a half recipe when it’s just us. First boil the potatoes, then roast them in a hot oven. The end product is a golden, crispy potato with a soft inside. Well worth the extra time, particularly on a Sunday. Make these sometime. Continue reading “Roasted Potatoes”