Side Dishes

Savory Mushroom Sage Stuffing

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This is my family’s stuffing recipe. I don’t actually stuff my turkey. I use this recipe and make a big 9×13 inch pan of this stuff. The bread gets slightly crispy on top and the mushrooms and onions and celery are soft. It is really simple, but one of my all time favorite things to eat!

Ingredients:
14-16 slices hearty white bread (I use Grandma Sycamore’s white bread)
2 sticks butter
7-8 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium onions, diced
16-20 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. rubbed sage
S & P to taste
1 1/2-2 Cups chicken broth

Directions:
1. Using a serrated knife, cut the bread slices into small cubes. Lay the cubes out on a baking sheet. Dry them out in an oven set to 170 degrees over the course of a few hours or overnight. You want them to be completely dry and crunchy.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onions. Saute til just tender. Add the sage and S & P to taste. Add the sliced mushrooms, cook til mushrooms begin to soften.
3. In a large bowl, place the dried bread cubes. Add the warm mushroom mixture. Stir a bit. Then, add about 1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth-depending on how moist you want your stuffing.
4. Place the stuffing in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with foil. Cover with foil and cook for about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top becomes slightly crispy and golden.

Spider Deviled Eggs and Clementine Pumpkins

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Just thought a couple of healthy treats would be nice for a change around the Halloween season.  No need for recipes here, just a few simple instructions.

For the Spider Eggs:

Make your basic deviled eggs.  Use a half black olive for the body of the spider.  Slice the other half into 4 segments to make legs.  You’ll need one and a half olives to make one spider.

For the Pumpkins:

Peel a clementine.  Insert a cut piece of celery into the top opening for a stem.

Source:  pinterest

Summer Pasta Salad

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This is just a simple pasta salad that I thought I would try out from SAVING DINNER (see below for link).  I really like the subtitle on this cookbook: “The Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Bring Your Family Back to the Table.”  Well that is a mouthful, isn’t it!  So far, I have really like the recipes in the book and they are all pretty healthy.  This will be supper tonight.  Well, I also brought some to work for lunch so I will be getting a double dose! 



Ingredients:

1 pound ziti pasta
1 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped fresh tomato
1 cup fresh corn, or 1 cup frozen, thawed (I re-hydrated 1 cup of freeze dried corn–always trying      to rotate my food storage, you know!)
1/4 t. red pepper flakes (more if you want spicier)
1 cup non-fat milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese (I didn’t have any so I used the Romano Asiago blend from   a jar)
Salt and Pepper to taste 

1.  Prepare pasta; drain and set aside.
2.  In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add red onion and zucchini and cook until the onion is golden, stirring frequently.
3.  Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, tomato, corn, red pepper flakes, milk, and Romano cheese.
4.  Stir until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are hot.  Add the pasta and mix thoroughly.
5.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
NOTE:  There was no mention in the original recipe on whether this is served warm or cold–by trial and error I have found that this is a dish best served HOT.  Trust me on that.
SOURCE:  “Saving Dinner”, Leanne Ely.

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

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A little sweet, a little creamy and a little tangy (with a little kick for good measure).

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage, cut into thirds and core removed
2 large peeled carrots
1/2 medium sweet onion
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
2 T. dijon mustard
2 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Cut two of the cabbage thirds, onion and carrots into large chunks and place in a 12 cup food processor.  (Note:  If you do not have a food processor you can shred the cabbage and carrots by hand.  It will take longer but taste just as good!)

2.  Pulse in food processor until carrots and cabbage are both chopped into small pieces.

3.  Chop remaining cabbage into larger pieces.  Blend all cabbage together in a large bowl.

4.  Whisk together mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, sugar, peppers, and salt in small bowl until smooth.  Add more or less cayenne to taste.

5.  Pour dressing over cabbage mixture.

6.  Mix well until all cabbage is well coated.  Refrigerate at least one hour to let flavors blend.

Source:  www.livingwellspendingless.com

Mediterranean Inspired Orzo Salad

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 So, in April I went to Utah to surprise my sister for her 30th Birthday. Her husband then surprised us all by taking us by limousine to The Roof Restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. They had a salad there that was made with Israeli couscous and was full of Mediterranean flavors. I was determined to re-create it at home. I searched high and low for Israeli couscous, but when I turned up empty handed, I decided to just use orzo past, which I love.
It is a simple pasta salad using my Greek Style Vinaigrette.

Ingredients: 
1 C. orzo pasta
1/3 C. pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped (about 10 olives)
1/3 C. crumbled feta cheese
1-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped dill
Salt and Pepper if needed 
Directions:
Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. 
Chop Kalamata olives
Chop dill
Place orzo in a bowl, add olives, feta cheese, dill and dressing. Toss to coat. Adjust dressing or S&P according to taste. 
You could easily add whatever other ingredients you want. Chopped spinach, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts would be great additions. 
And, if you are lucky enough, you could try it with Israeli couscous. 

 

Yummy Stir-Fried Zucchini

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In an effort to eat healthy-fresh more often and because zucchini is so prolific right now, I have concocted this little number.  The Mediterranean Seasoning is from the 21-day Fix Eating Plan.  Yes, she is trying yet another weight-loss plan–it’s a journey.

Ingredients:
Fresh zucchini, cut into bite-size cubes (about 3 or 4 medium to large)
Mediterranean Seasoning, to taste (about a teaspoon or so)
Olive oil, about a tablespoon

Seasoning:
4 T. dried parsley, crushed
4 t. dried onion flakes
2 t. dried basil, crushed
1 t. ground oregano
1 t. ground thyme
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper

1.  In a medium or large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

2.  Add zucchini and stir to coat with oil.  Add desired amount of seasoning.  Stir-fry for about 3 or 4 minutes.

3.  That’s it!  Enjoy!  Goes well with many things.  I have had it with grilled chicken breast, a veggie burger, or just as part of a veggie plate.  Last night we had it with sliced garden tomatoes, boiled potatoes, and I just had to have some fried green tomatoes.  I know–fried.  It’s a Southern thing.

Easy Mexican Salsa Rice

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Ingredients:

2 c. instant brown rice
2 c. water
1 envelope enchilada sauce mix (or you could use taco seasoning)
1 c. salsa
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilis

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together in a microwaveable bowl.  Microwave on high for 8-9 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Let sit for 3-5 minutes and it will soak up most of the liquid in the bowl.  Fluff with a fork and serve.

Source:  www.sixsistersstuff.com

Deviled Eggs

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It’s summer–time for picnics and simple foods.  One of our family-favorite dishes is Deviled Eggs–great for picnics with the family or covered dish dinners at church or reunions.  My recipe just comes together as I am making it, but  this is how it usually ends up:

Ingredients:
Hard-boiled eggs, peeled (however many you want to have)
Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise 
Prepared mustard (yellow, Dijon, spicy brown, etc.)
Dill weed
Salt
Pepper
Paprika, optional–sometimes I want it, sometimes I don’t


1.  Slice your hard-boiled eggs lengthwise.

2.  Carefully pop out the yolks and place them in a small bowl.   Set the “whites” aside.

3.   Mash the yolks until crumbly–today I used a pastry blender and it worked perfectly.  Goodbye fork!   Add the rest of the ingredients, except paprika, according to taste (you could just skip mashing and put everything in a food processor).

4.  Spoon egg mixture into the well of each “white.”  You could also use a pastry bag with a fun tip to fill the eggs.

5.  Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

TIP:  Stay tuned for my next post where I show you how to boil the eggs so that the yolks don’t turn green on the outside. Ewww…

Grilled Mushrooms and Leeks

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So I have been wanting to cook with leeks lately. I like expanding my knowledge and cooking repertoire. A few years ago, it was re-discovering fresh beets. I never liked the canned ones as a kid and thought I wouldn’t like them fresh. Boy was I wrong. Next it was brussel sprouts. They get a bad wrap and now they are one of my favorite veggies. I had always wanted to try using leeks and finally bought some. I consulted pinterest and found a simple recipe with mushrooms and leeks. It’s from Martha Stewart. Link, here. Rather than using a wok, I just used a saute pan and instead of tossing the veggies with the oil, I just put the oil directly in the pan, then the veggies and then seasoned them.

 
Ingredients: 

2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 
1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms (I used cremini), cut in half or quarter.
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Salt and pepper 
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (I didn’t use the cheese and loved them without it.)
 
1. Quarter 2 trimmed leeks lengthwise; cut into 2-inch pieces (I used 3 leeks and cut them in half and then into about 1 inch pieces.)
2. Heat a wok or a saute pan over med. high heat.  Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan, then add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
3. Pour another Tbsp oil in pan. Add leeks and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing, until lightly charred, 15 to 25 minutes. Put mushrooms back in pan and toss to combine. Dust with 1 tablespoon Parmesan, if desired.