Category Archives: Side Dish

Asian Noodle Salad

Posted in Meals, Salads, Side Dish by

You are going to LOVE this yummy and versatile recipe.  We make this as a side dish, or add a little grilled chicken or poached shrimp and turn it into a meal!  We get mad raves on this easy to make salad… we’re sure you will too.

What makes it so easy is that we use this yummy bottled dressing.  As we’ve said before, we love to make yummy food, and we love it when we can find a product that makes the job of preparing that yummy food easier.  This is one of those products… Soy Vay Toasted Sesame Dressing and Marinade.  It can be found in most grocery stores, in the salad dressing isle.  I use about half the bottle on the salad and then throw the rest in a ziplock bag with some chicken breasts to marinate for grilling.

Asian Noodle Salad

  • 1 pound angel hair pasta, broken in half and cooked to Al Dente, then immediately flushed with cold water in a colander
  • 3/4 cup Soy Vay Toasted Sesame Dressing
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup snow peas, diced to 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onion
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup baby peas (frozen is fine)
  • 1/2 cup chopped water chestnut

In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients, and enjoy!

*I will also sometimes add some chopped brocoli and/or salted peanuts

Chantilly Potatoes

Posted in Side Dish by

What are Chantilly Potatoes? I knew that Chantilly was a town just outside of Paris, France. Is it such a great town that it had the way you prepare some potatoes named after it? YES! And did you know that Chantilly is famous for its cream? It is actually believed to have been the precursor for modern day whipped cream. And wouldn’t you know, the secret ingredient in this recipe is whipped cream! It’s all making sense now.

So in honor of Julia Child’s 100th birthday, here is a French inspired, easy, tasty potato side dish.

CHANTILLY POTATOES

  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
  • 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
 (may also use Havarti, Gruyere)
  • 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for about 10 minutes, or until soft and tender. (I gave mine a shake halfway through) Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes well. Add salt and pepper then cover again and microwave for an additional 3 minutes.

In a large bowl beat the whipped cream until stiff and peaks form. Gently fold in about 2/3 of the whipped cream into the potatoes. Most of the cream will be absorbed into the potatoes. Pour potatoes into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Potatoes will look slightly uneven. Do not rub with spatula to even out as potatoes will lose their airiness and lighter texture. Mix the parmesan cheese and all but 1/4 cup of Swiss cheese into the remaining whipped cream. Spread the mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with remaining Swiss cheese.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, until top is golden brown. Let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Smashed Potatoes

Posted in Side Dish by

How many ways can you make potatoes? Baked, mashed, roasted, boiled, twice baked, and on and on and on. How about smashed potatoes? This is one of my most favorite side dishes and so easy to make. These smashed potatoes take on a crispier outside and soft inside. My fave!

These measurements for this recipe are more like guidelines. I tend to like my food a little saltier than my husband, so I use almost 3 teaspoons of the Kosher salt. But you can cater this to what your family likes. I have left out the pepper completely when I know I will be serving this dish to little kids.

SMASHED POTATOES

  • 12 or so baby red potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 2-3 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons rosemary

In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add potatoes and two pinches of salt and boil for about 20 minutes, or until a fork inserted into potato feels tender.

On a jelly roll pan, drizzle some olive oil so potatoes do not stick to pan. Place potatoes on jelly roll pan and arrange like you would cookies. Then, using a potato masher, smash the potatoes then turn the masher 90 degrees amd smash again. (I find this takes a delicate touch) Then brush or drizzle more olive oil over the tops of the potatoes. Then sprinkle the salt on the potatoes. Lastly, sprinkle rosemary on. Remember that if you are using dried rosemary, to use less than if you are using fresh.

Place in a 450 degree preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops start to golden. Serve immediately!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Posted in Breads, Side Dish by

An oldie, but a goodie! I love ordering cheesy garlic bread when we go out, but it’s even better homemade! Yes, it’s bad for you, it’s a lot of carbs going in, but can’t a girl live a little?? I would not make this every night, but it sure is a great complement to any Italian meal. (Have you tried our homemade Alfredo sauce yet?) I love that it is a crispy, cheesy delight on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It is quick and easy to make and will dress up your meal!

Here they are right before going into the oven….yum!

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD

  • 1 loaf of French Bread
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup Shredded or Grated Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup per side)
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – no need to measure, enough to cover
  • 1 teaspoon dry Parsley flakes
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Soften the butter in the microwave then add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Mix together well. Cut your bread in half the long way and spread the butter and garlic mixture on top. Take the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top of both halves. Then cover with the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle dry parsley flakes on top and salt and pepper to taste. Cook  for 13-15 minutes, or until edges are browned and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and slice bread horizontally for serving.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Creamy Coleslaw

Posted in Main Dish, Side Dish by

Pulled pork is a summertime staple in our home.  I love it because it’s made in the crock pot, with out a lot of fuss and muss, and without heating up my kitchen.  The yummy combination of the tangy BBQ pulled pork and creamy coleslaw is so so good!  And it can all be made in the morning, so in the heat of the day when it’s time for dinner, you’re not slaving over a hot stove!

BBQ Pulled Pork

  • 1 pork tenderloin roast
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
In the bowl of a large crock pot, place the pork tenderloin roast, the water and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce.  Heat on low for 6 hours.
Remove from crock pot into a large bowl, and shred.  Return to crockpot, add the remaining 2 cups of BBQ sauce and heat for another hour.
Serve on toasted sandwich rolls, or hamburger buns, topped with creamy coleslaw.
Creamy Coleslaw
  • 1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 2 large carrots, finely shredded
  • 3/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons grated yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoons celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired.

Corn with Flare

Posted in Side Dish by

Ok, so this isn’t a recipe as much as it is a way to spice up your boring corn in a huge, flavorful way! I get on auto pilot sometimes and forget there is so much more to cooking than heating a frozen vegetable. There are so many thing to try and experiment with! Some of the greatest “recipes” are happened upon when I am trying to spice things up! This really doesn’t take that much longer than the usual corn you serve, and it is much more flavorful. And I promise, your family will thank you for it.

CORN WITH FLARE

  • 1 bag frozen corn (or fresh)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, rough chop
  • 1/2 red pepper, rough chop
  • 7-10 basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, melt butter. Add peppers and corn. Saute for about 4-5 minutes. Then add basil and salt and pepper. Continue to saute until heated through. Serve hot. Serves 4

Scrumptious Baked Beans

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One of my husband’s favorite meals is a plate loaded with my sweet cornbread and these scrumptious baked beans.  He can practically down the entire thing himself, and be perfectly happy.  Now, as for myself and my other 3 boys, we need a little something more.  So, I’ll usually throw on some grilled flank steak and a nice fruit salad to round it out.

SCRUMPTIOUS BAKED BEANS

 

  • 3 (16.5 ounce) cans baked beans or pork n’ beans
  • 1 pound thick cut bacon
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ¾ cup barbecue sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

 

Cut 8 slices of the bacon into 2 inch pieces.  In a large cast iron skillet, over medium low heat, fry the bacon just until fat is rendered, but not turning brown.  Do not crisp the bacon, as we will need it to do that in the oven. Remove the bacon onto a paper towel to drain.  Reserve a coating of  the fat in the skillet to brown the onion.  Add onion and cook over medium heat, until tender.  Stir in the 3 cans of baked beans and warm through.

 

In a small bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard.  Add this mixture to the skillet, and bring to a simmer.

 

Pour beans into a 9×13 casserole pan or a large dutch oven.  Top with bacon slices.  (Since you’ve already rendered the fat, they will crisp up nice and brown without leaving a layer of grease)

 

Bake for 2 hours, until the beans are cooked and soft, the bacon is brown and crispy, and there is no soupiness to the dish.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Posted in Side Dish by

My kitchen is ALMOST done.  For any of you who have been through this process, you know that the last few weeks are TORTURE!  Everything looks to be in place and functional, but it’s really not, because all the finishing touches take so long to complete.  Grouting the tile on the backsplash, getting all the electrical and lighting switches up and running, installing the accent lighting, touching up the paint, etc.  I hope that my kitchen will be officially complete by the end of this week… if not, then surely next week.  Stay tuned for the big reveal…

So, even though it’s not totally complete, I am semi-functional and so I am ready to start posting more delicious food on LJB.  Last week was my middle son’s 14th birthday.  When my kids have a birthday they get to pick to go out to their favorite restaurant or have Mom cook their favorite meal.  He wanted me to cook Flank Steak, Skip’s salad, and these mustard roasted potatoes.  It was the first meal I cooked in the new kitchen, and it was SO GOOD to have homemade fresh hot food again.

These bite sized flavorful potatoes are the perfect complement to steak, chicken, or pork.  You find you make these over and over again, because they just go so well with everything, and yet are so simple to make.  Roasting them at high heat makes them crisp on the outside and tender inside.

Bite Sized Mustard Roasted Potatoes

2 ½ pounds baby red or gold potatoes

2 medium yellow onions

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard

Course Sea Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes.  Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on the size, and place them on a sheet pan (jelly roll pan).

Quarter the onions and slice about ¼ inch thick to create ½ moon slices of onion.  Toss the onions and potatoes together on the sheet pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour until potatoes are lightly browned on the outside and tender on the inside.  Toss the potatoes from time to time with a metal spatula to ensure even browning.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with more sea salt, to taste, and the parsley.

Cheesy Skillet Corn

Posted in Side Dish by

I often find myself in the same old dinner dilemna. We have a meat, a veggie, maybe a bread, maybe a starch, maybe a fruit. So the dilemna becomes coming up with something different, unexpected and delicious. This is one of those side dishes that can help cure the same old dinner blues. It is a yummy cheesy corn that all family members will love. And it is a keeper, folks! Feel free to play with it. ( I added some Tapatio hot sauce tonight, yum!)

Cheesy Skillet Corn

Topping:

4  Tablespoons butter
2/3 cup crushed Ritz Crackers

Cheesy Sauce:

2  Tablespoon butter
2  Tablespoon flour
1 3/4 cup half and half
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste (I personally like about 1 teaspoon of salt, but I am a salt lover!)

Corn:
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2  (11 ounce) cans corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1  (11 ounce) can white shoepeg corn, drained
2 green onions, thinly sliced

For the crumb topping, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter to melt, then add the crushed crackers. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, or until light brown. Remove crumbs to a plate to cool.

In the same skillet, prepare the cheese sauce. Turn the heat down to low, then melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the half and half. Turn heat back up to medium and whisk fairly constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly hot. Add shredded cheese, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted throughout.

Add all the corn to the cheese sauce, stirring to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, to warm thoroughly. Stir half of the crumb topping into the cheesy corn and then transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the remaining half of the crumb topping on top of the corn, followed by the sliced scallions.

Yields 8 servings

Shannon’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Side Dish by

Alright people, I’m about to let you in on a huge secret!  These rolls are coveted in my community… people pay gazillions of dollars for these little honeys  (ok that’s an exaggeration, but I do sell a TON of them thru the holidays).  And, the truth is, they are easy.  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!  All it takes is a bread machine, a little time, and roll pin.  See.. easy!  All you have to do is plop the ingredients into your bread machine and set it to the dough setting and let it do all the work for you!  Have more than one bread maker, as I do?  You can produce these en mass, as I have done in the picture above.  And truly, it takes the same amount of time to make 2 dozen or 10 dozen… just depends on how many bread machines you can get working for you.

I’ve also included the options to make the basic roll recipe into orange rolls, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or an apple braid.  As you can tell, this recipe is super versatile.  You pretty much fashion them into whatever bread item you want to make.  I also use this recipe to make buttery white bread, cinnamon pull aparts, cinnamon raisin bread, monkey bread… the options are endless.  So, here’s just a few to get you started.

Make these throughout the holiday season and you will become the star of each and every dinner party, Christmas breakfast, Thanksgiving celebration, or family event!  Seriously, and you’re welcome!

Shannon’s Best Ever Rolls

Basic Roll Recipe

  • 1 2/3 cups Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 4 2/3 cups Flour
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 rounded Tablespoon yeast

In the chamber of a bread maker add all ingredients except the yeast.  Stir around to blend sugar into mixture.  Add yeast.

Set bread maker to “dough” setting… wait for cycle to finish (should take about an hour and a half)

When cycle is complete, turn out dough onto a board sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and shape to desired type of roll.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon mixture:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup cinnamon
  • ½ cup flour

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl

In a separate bowl melt 1 stick butter

Divide dough into 2 even sections.  Roll out one section(using Pam) into a rectangle.  Brush with butter.  Sprinkle with ¼ cup cinnamon mixture.  Roll up and cut into rolls.  (Should make about 9 pieces)  Repeat with second section of dough (So entire batch makes 18 rolls)

*At this point dough can be frozen or baked.  See baking instructions.

Dinner Rolls

Divide dough into 3 equals parts.  Roll into circles and cut into 8 crescent shaped pieces.  Roll into crescents.  *At this point dough can be frozen or baked.  See baking instructions.

Orange rolls

Follow basic roll recipe, except add the zest of one orange to the dough ingredients.

Then divide dough into 2 equal parts.  Roll into rectangles, and cut into 12 strips, vertically. Tie strips into knots, tucking ends under to form rosettes.  *At this point dough can be frozen or baked.  See baking instructions.

Apple Braid

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.  Roll each part into a rectangle, keeping the middle section of the rectangle at double the thickness of the side sections.  Brush middle with butter, and sprinkle with ¼ cup cinnamon mixture.  Then top with sliced, peeled apples.  Cut the sides diagonally and fold over each other in a braid.  See illustration.  * At this point dough can be frozen or baked.  See baking instructions.

Glaze for Cinnamon rolls and Apple Braid

1 stick butter, melted

8 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

milk to desired consistency

Glaze for Orange Rolls

1 stick butter, melted

8 cups powdered sugar

orange juice to desired consistency

* both of these glazes can be poured into plastic bags (in 1 cup portions)and frozen with the rolls, then left on the counter to defrost while the rolls are baking.  Then just snip a corner off the plastic bag and pipe onto rolls.

Baking Instructions for Rolls:

Place rolls onto a jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Allow rolls to rise for a couple of hours or longer, covered by a dish towel until the desired volume is achieved.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.

If you have chosen to premake the rolls and freeze them, there are 2 baking methods:

Quick Method

  • Remove rolls from freezer & place in a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray (Pam.)
  • Leave on counter to rise for 1 hour.
  • Leave bag of glaze on the counter to thaw.
  • After an hour, place the rolls in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.
  • Remove rolls from oven and reset temperature to 375 degrees.
  • When oven reaches 375, put rolls back in and bake for

12 minutes for dinner rolls or orange rolls

15-18 minutes for cinnamon rolls or apple  braid,

until tops are golden brown.

  • For rolls with glaze (orange, cinnamon, apple braid.  Snip the bottom corner off the glaze bag, and pipe glaze onto warm rolls

 Overnight Method (this is what I prefer):

  • Remove rolls from freezer & place in a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray (Pam.)
  • Leave on counter to rise overnight.
  • Leave bag of glaze on the counter to thaw.
  • Bake rolls at  375 degrees for

12 minutes for dinner rolls or orange rolls

15-18 minutes for cinnamon rolls or apple braid,

until tops are golden brown.

  • For rolls with glaze (orange, cinnamon, apple braid.  Snip the bottom corner off the glaze bag, and pipe glaze onto warm rolls.

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