What's Cookin'? - Side Dishes, Side Dishes and More Side Dishes!

 Holy cow!

I've been so busy stamping lately that I haven't really posted any food! 

This blog is, after all, called "A Few of My Favorite Things", which includes stamping and cooking! 

But, since my last food post (on the 5th of May) I have had two stamp clubs, a 2/5/15 class, and I have been very busy making my oldest son's graduation announcements.

Oh, I haven't stopped cooking! I just went on a food-posting hiatus! So, it is my intention to do a few recipes tonight and one every day of this week, since I do not have any stamping events scheduled. (Next week I have another punch class so I will be sure to show off what I have created!)

By the way, that is the new Circle Personalized stamp from Stampin' Up! You can get it made to say anything you want! As you can see, I had it made with his name, school and "Class of 2014". 

You can view the stamp info online by visiting my website. Click "shop" in the upper right-hand corner:

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/

Until I post pics from the next punch class (May 28) - I hope you are hungry, because I have a lot to share! My iPhone is inundated with pictures of food! I have to blog so I can delete them and free up some space!

My post tonight will be on side dishes. That way I can squeeze several recipe ideas into one post.

Of course we enjoy (or, at least my husband and I do) the regular side dish of vegetables - steamed, roasted, baked - you name it, I'll make it!  Sometimes it's quinoa, rice, potatoes ...Tonight I will share with you some of the sides that I have made recently. A couple are simple and  a couple are indulgent, with fattening  ingredients.

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Pineapple stuffing

This recipe was shared with me years ago when I was teaching at Dover Area High School. My friend Tori E. made it for a school potluck and I fell in love with it! She was gracious enough to give me her family recipe. Since then I have made it dozens of times - a couple of those times it was Easter, since it pairs especially well with ham!

•1/2c butter

•1/2c sugar

•4 eggs

•one 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (use juice, too!)

•3 c bread cubes

* Cream butter and sugar

* add eggs, mix well

* add pineapple and bread cubes, mix 

* pour into a greased 2 quart casserole,

  Bake 350° for 30 to 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and top is golden brown

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Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Rosemary

It is just as the name implies!

This idea was given to me by my friend Marcia B. I think I make it a little differently than she does only because I misunderstood what she told me in the first place! Regardless, it is fabulous and we love it! 

Until I made this I had never even tasted a parsnip. Now this has become a staple in my arsenal of vegetable dishes.  If you've never had a parsnip, look in the produce section of the supermarket for what looks like a white carrot. My store sells them in convenient bags.

 I love roasting vegetables; it brings out their  sweetness as the sugars rise to the surface and become caramelized.

•Cut carrots and parsnips into "sticks".

•Toss parsnips and carrots with olive oil and kosher salt. (You decide on the amount of vegetables you need)

•Add fresh sprigs of rosemary throughout.

•Roast on 450° for about 20 minutes until soft and caramelized (brown).

Trust me you're going to love it! You'll never pass up a parsnip in the produce section again!

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"Beans and Greens"

This is an old Italian "standby".

I use broccoli rabe (rapini) and cannellini beans. But I bet that you could choose any combo!

•Rinse your greens and remove any tough stems.

• Sauté  in a frying pan with a little olive oil and a some minced garlic. (Sometimes I add 2 tablespoons of butter as well, as I do for a lot of my sautéed Italian vegetables)

• add one can drained cannellini beans

• add 1/2 cup chicken broth

• sook until liquid is absorbed and beans are heated through

• season with salt and pepper as desired

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Broccoli Stirfry with Garlic and Mushrooms

I think my mom invented this one! She's one hell of a cook! 

This has become a beloved dish over the years - even from my boys like it, and they normally don't eat broccoli!

You will need:

• one head broccoli cut into florets, stem cut into 1 inch pieces

• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 2 - 4 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

• 2T olive oil

• 2T butter

• salt, to taste

*Sauté  all in a frying pan on medium-high heat. I do the broccoli first,then add the garlic and the mushrooms, because they take less time to cook.

*Cook until broccoli is soft. Add salt last to taste.

Lately I have been adding about 1T of sesame oil too, for extra flavor. I love the nutty, roasted flavor that sesame oil adds! It seems to give it even more depth.

Enjoy!

What's cookin'? - Corn Pudding

One of my new favorite side dishes is corn pudding.

We usually eat a lot of vegetables as side dishes. I like most everything, so it could be anything: artichokes, asparagus, beets, carrots, greens, you name it -I'll eat it! Roasted, raw, baked, steamed... any way you serve it, it's fine with me!

Getting my boys to eat vegetables? Well, that's another story!

I prepare a variety of vegetables, and in different manners hoping to find one that appeals to their immature sense of taste. I know that it's not hopeless - geez, when my husband and I first started dating he only ate corn. Now he eats anything I put in front of him! So I keep plugging away....

I don't always please both sons, but the next day I try to appeal to the other one! Like this one - three out of four of us love it - the other one doesn't like corn ! (Sigh) If he would just try it, I know he would like this one. Maybe someday....

I found this recipe on the Internet and I have made it now three times. Once was at Thanksgiving  (yes, it's special enough to make it to that meal) and the other two times, well, you know, we just needed some comfort food!

That's how I would categorize this side dish. It's definitely not your steamed veggies that you have alongside your fish every night. It's a stick-to-your-ribs kind of side dish.

Take my word for it - it's super yummy! I could just eat it out of the casserole dish with a spoon!

Soft corn bread? Better!

Corn Pudding

• 1 can cream-style corn

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 stick butter, melted

• 1 box Jiffy brand corn muffin mix

• 1 c sour cream

Mix all ingredients well in a casserole dish. Bake 350°, 45 to 55 minutes depending on your size of dish, until edges start to turn golden brown.

Be careful not to eat it all at one sitting!

Healthy eating - More Nutribullet!

My post on the Nutribullet recipes has been the most popular so far! People have emailed that they're going to buy one - they just want more, more, more! I am not a spokesperson for the product - I just happen to love mine! So as I discover new "blasts" that I like, I will continue to share them!

I am still drinking them out throughout the day, so I have chosen three more recipes for you to try. I find recipes on Pinterest and the Nutribullet website. I base it on what I have on hand; what's in the fridge.

For example, two of these drinks feature grapes, because that's what we had. If you are making the smoothies, I urge you to do the same. By doing so, you don't have to make a special trip to buy ingredients for a particular drink (like papaya!) - just use what you have. 

Don't forget to be creative and come up with your own combinations! 

My husband is really good at that. Sometimes he throws Greek yogurt in or uses almond milk instead of water. They are really tasty, but for me, I usually stick to just adding water because I don't want the extra calories.

Here are three drinks that I have been enjoying:

Cantaloupe, spinach and grapes

I found this picture on the Internet, so it shows a few extra ingredients that I don't use (almond  milk and coconut oil). 

• Two handfuls spinach

•1/4-1/2 Cantaloupe, with seeds, but no rind 

• 15-20 Grapes with seeds

•  2 T flax seeds for extra fiber and omega-3's. (Optional)

• Filtered water to the max line (about 1c); add more if too thick 

Notes: The more fruit the better on this one; maybe cut down on the spinach.

Grape seeds and cantaloupe seeds are good for you! Include them!

Banana, grape,  and spinach smoothie with Chia seeds

I adapted this recipe from one that I found on the Internet when I was searching for smoothie recipes that contained grapes (again, because we had them). It had called for two bananas, 1c of orange juice, and honey. I cut it down to just one banana, and a whole orange instead of orange juice.   It also called for honey. I find that I do not need to add honey or Stevia (or any sweeter) to my smoothies.

• 2 handfuls spinach

• 15-20 grapes with seeds

• 1 banana

• 1 orange, peeled 

• 2T Chia seeds

• Filtered water to max line (about 1c) add more if too thick

This one doesn't have a name - it's my own creation- I was trying to use a beet! There were plenty of recipes out there that used beet, I just didn't have all of the other ingredients, so I made my own.

This is what I came up - with isn't it pretty? Okay, so I just named it - Pretty! The important thing is, it tasted as good as it looked!

• 1 Apple, cored  (You can't put apple seeds in the Nutribullet! When cut up they release cyanide! Who knew?)

• 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks (I just used about 10 baby carrots, cut in half)

• 1 medium beet, cut into chunks

• Handful of spinach

• 1 orange, peeled

• Filtered water to the max line (about 1c)  add more if too thick

I usually follow recipes, but every now and again I "wing it". I have had lots of yummy smoothies and a few stinkers! 

Notes: 

•Add frozen fruit to any smoothie if you prefer it cold

•sweetener or almond milk optional.

• Rind on citrus fruits (lemon, limes, oranges, grapefruits, etc.) are often included, but I find too many in one drink makes it bitter.

• Some seeds are good for you, others are bad! Check out this website before making your blast:

http://nutribulletblog.com/sipping-seeds-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

Remember: if you are using a blender to make smoothies, be sure that it can handle tough foods such as carrots and nuts. A food processor might be better!

If you are having trouble eating all the recommended fruits and vegetables, "blast" them!

Have fun!