Side Dishes :: 3/4 :: Leslie Durso

Archive for Side Dishes – Page 3

Corn Tamale Bake

By Leslie · Comments (3) · June 7th, 2010

I love tamales, but who has all day to wrap them? Here is a much easier solution! You basically make one big tamale in a baking dish and bake instead of steam. Super easy and super yummy!

Corn Tamale Bake

Serves 6

What you'll need:

5 ears of corn

2 tbsp. butter

a big pinch of kosher salt

a pinch of white pepper (if you don't have white regular black pepper is fine)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grits

1 green chili, de-seeded and finely chopped or a half a small can of green chilies

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the husks off all the corn and place in a bowl of water. Remove all the silky strings. Next, cut all the corn off into a large bowl.

Now take half of the corn and liquid and put in a food processor with the grits and pulse until pureed and set aside. In a large pan melt the butter and add the rest of the corn, cream, salt and pepper. Saute on low for about 5 minutes. Add the pureed corn to the pan and stir. Turn the heat off, add a handful of the cheese and mix. Fold in the chilies.

Grease a 8×8 baking dish and line with some corn husks. Dollop some mixture on the husks to keep them flat.

Now take more husks and tuck them under and let them flap over the sides. Then put a the rest of the mixture in minus a quarter of it. Put a layer of cheese down, then the rest of the mixture.

Fold the husks down on top of it. And seal with a couple toothpicks.

Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. If the husks start to brown, place a piece of foil over the dish. Serve warm and sprinkle with diced purple onions and tomatoes.

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Comments (3)

Categories : Ethnic: Mexican, Side Dishes

Corn on the Cob with Dill Butter

By Leslie · Comments (4) · May 21st, 2010

Ah Summer! Oh how do I love Summer!

One of my favorite Summer foods is corn on the cob. So sweet and delicious! And here I pair it with on of my favorite herbs: dill!

This dill butter is ridiculously easy and so versatile! You'll also love this stuff in baked potatoes, on toast, tossed with some veggies and whatever else you can possibly think of!

Dill Butter

What you'll need:

a pad of butter, room temperature (homemade is the best)

a handful of dill, chopped

a pinch of salt

What to do:

Blend it all together and spread on whatever sounds best!

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Comments (4)

Categories : Butter, Side Dishes

Quinoa Salad

By Leslie · Comments (1) · February 3rd, 2010

So I am on a quinoa kick these days. Here is a really easy recipe for quinoa salad. You can vary it up really easily too. Do different beans, add lemon or different herbs, anything you feel like!

What you’ll need:

quinoa

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 can mixed beans, rinsed

a handful of parsley, chopped

a dash of cayenne pepper

a dash of paprika

a dash of white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

Make the quinoa according to the directions on the package. While it’s cooking, saute the onions and bell peppers with a little olive oil till they get soft, about 6 minutes.

Toss the quinoa, beans, onions and peppers and all the seasonings in a bowl. You can serve this warm or cold.

xoxo

Comments (1)

Categories : Quinoa, Side Dishes

Mushroom & Spinach Quinoa

By Leslie · Comments (3) · January 30th, 2010

You may be saying, “What the heck is Quinoa?” [KEEN-wah]

Have no fear of the food with the weird name!! It’s super satisfying and really good for you! It’s gluten-free and loaded with iron, magnesium, fiber and protein, making it a vegetarian’s best friend. Quinoa can be found just about anywhere now, look for it in the rice isle.

This is a really yummy recipe that makes a great side dish to meat or a great main dish for us veggies! You can really use quinoa in lots of recipes, anywhere where you would use rice, orzo, or couscous.

Quinoa with Mushrooms and Spinach

Serves 4

What you’ll need:

1 cup of uncooked quinoa (prepared with vegetable stock according to the directions on the package)

6 oz. of crimini mushrooms

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 handfuls of fresh spinach, sliced

6 or so leaves of basil, sliced

What you’ll do:

While the quinoa is cooking, saute all the ingredients except the basil in a small pan with some olive oil. When the quinoa is done, toss with the mushroom mix and stir in the basil.

That’s it!! Could it be any easier?? So yummy too! I like it served warm. Give it a try!

Comments (3)

Categories : Quinoa, Side Dishes, Vegetables: Mushrooms, Vegetables: Spinach

Beet Greens

By Leslie · Comments (3) · January 3rd, 2010

Don't you dare throw out those beet greens! They are so tasty, really good for you and really easy to make! They taste like a hearty version of spinach. If you never have, give them a try! So here is a crash course on how to prep, cook, and serve beet greens.

I'm using golden beets today, but red beets would taste just as yummy.

So first cut off the beets and save for the next blog ; )

Take the stalk in your fingers and snap at the base of the leaf.

Once you've snapped the stalk, pull down and pull some of the ribs off. (like celery, they can get a little stringy, but this method solves it completely)

Next, soak and or rinse the leaves well! They tend to usually be a little sandy.

In a medium frying pan, heat a little olive oil. Add some sliced garlic then. . .

add the greens!

Add a few squeezes of a lemon. (vary depending on how much you like lemon or you can omit it completely)

cook, turning often, until it wilts to about half the size of the original pile. Serve warm.

This is such a yummy side dish!! It goes great with just about anything!

PS Thanks Mom and Dad for my awesome new camera! I feel like I should redo every picture on my blog now!

Comments (3)

Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetables: Beets

Twice Baked Potatoes

By Leslie · Comments (3) · December 30th, 2009

I love potatoes. All kinds of potatoes. But crispy skin filled with creamy, cheesy goodness might be my favorite way to make them!

Last night we served them as a side dish for steak. If you are going to make it a side dish, I recommend counting on each person to eat a half of potato, but make and extra potato or two, these are so good, people may want seconds!

Twice Baked Potatoes

What you'll need:

Idaho potatoes (as many as needed)

A few pads of butter

A splash or two of milk

A shake of garlic salt

Fresh chopped chives (you could also do broccoli, bacon, or plain)

A bunch of cheddar cheese

What you'll do:

Clean your potatoes well and stab them a couple times with a fork. (this is to let the steam escape so they won't explode.)

Bake them right on the rake in a oven pre-heated to 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove them from the oven and lightly cover them with butter.

Place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until a fork with go into them easily. (the time will vary a little depending on the size of the potato.

When done, remove the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Careful, they will be super hot!

Then carefully scoop out the insides into a bowl.

Lay the "shells" on a foil lined baking sheet. (you want to line with foil whenever you are baking with cheese to make clean up easier)

In the large bowl with the potato whites, add a couple pads of butter, a splash of milk, a handful of shredded cheese and the garlic (or plain) salt.

Blend with a hand mixer and continue to add butter and or milk till they are creamy and smooth. Taste to make sure you have it just right.

Fold in the chopped chives.

Fill the potato skins with the mixture.

Top with more shredded cheese ; )

Bake on 400 degrees or broil till the cheese is bubbling on top! Serve immediately and enjoy!

Comments (3)

Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables: Potatoes

A New Twist on Cranberry Sauce

By Leslie · Comments (1) · November 25th, 2009

Cranberry sauce is a staple on any Thanksgiving table, but don't be afraid to mix it up! First off, if you've never made cranberry sauce from scratch before, give it a try! It's sooooo easy!
Here is how you make cranberry sauce:
What you'll need:
12 oz. (1 package) fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
What you'll do:
In a sauce pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the cranberries and reduce heat to a slow simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the cranberries start to burst. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
That's it!!! It's sooooo easy! Make sure to make your own this year!
Try these fun things to add in:
Mandarin oranges
Pineapple chunks
Pomegranate seeds
Granny Smith apples

Comments (1)

Categories : Side Dishes

Creamed Spinach

By Leslie · Comments (1) · November 23rd, 2009

Ok, it's an oldie but a goodie!! I love creamed spinach at Thanksgiving! There are about a million recipes for it but here are two of my favorites!

PS the photo is of the second recipe : ) This first one is a pretty traditional recipe that I do.

Creamed Spinach

What you'll need:

3 tbsp. butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 pounds spinach, stems removed

1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks

What you'll do:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Continuing to whisk, cook until the mixture lightens in color, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, couple pinches of salt and the nutmeg. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking. Remove from the heat again and stir to cool it slightly. Meanwhile, warm up a deep pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and a large pinch of salt; cover and cook about 3 minutes or until it just starts to wilt. Toss with tongs, then continue to wilt, uncovered, about 2 more minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then press the spinach in a strainer until mostly dry. You can also use a paper towel at the end to get the rest of the moisture. Place it on a cutting board and give it a rough chop. Gently reheat the sauce, then whisk in the whole egg and yolks. (Make sure to whisk them in good! You don't want scrambled eggs in your spinach!) Continue to stir, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Now that recipe is pretty good, but seriously, the best creamed spinach I've ever had has got to be how my Grandma made it! It may seem a little, what I like to call "trashy", but it is the best recipe ever!

Grandma's Creamed Spinach

3 large bags frozen chopped spinach (or you can use fresh spinach, I do.)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup (or a little more) mayonnaise (or veganaise)

1 small can french fried onions

Place the frozen spinach in saucepan. Cook on medium low until all the spinach is defrosted. Drain spinach and then take a small amount at a time and squeeze against a strainer to remove as much liquid as possible. Put this spinach in a bowl. After squeezing out all the spinach, add mushroom soup and mayonnaise. Mix well to make sure there are no areas of plain spinach. Turn mixture into a baking dish and top with onions. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until bubbling. Seriously so good! I hope you enjoy!

I can't wait for Thanksgiving!

Comments (1)

Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables: Spinach

Countdown to Thanksgiving!

By Leslie · Comments (1) · November 20th, 2009

I love Thanksgiving! It's a holiday completely centered around food! (and family!) I'm going to countdown to Thanksgiving with sharing some of my favorite recipes to serve during the holiday!

I can't stress again that cooking for lots of people is all about preparation! Don't go to the store the day before and expect to shop, bake and prep everything! As of today you should already be planning in your head and making a "meal plan". Remember if only have 1 oven it will be dominated with a turkey so you may have to rethink some of your sides.
Today I'm making my sweet potato mash with garlic mushrooms! I love this cause it's a modern twist on an old classic. The potatoes are nice and sweet and the garlic and mushrooms give it a real umami (earthy) flavor! Give these a try!

Sweet Potato Mash with Mushrooms and Garlic

What you'll need:

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut in half

2 yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in half

3 tbsp. butter (or more if needed)

A splash of milk

A pinch of salt

1 package of mushrooms (any kind will work, I like using crimini or baby bellas), diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced

A handful of parsley, chopped

What you'll do:
Fill a large pot with water and place the peeled potatoes and yams in. Place the pot on the stove and turn to high. (you don't want to put them in already boiling water, because they will fall apart. The outside will cook much faster than the inside.)

Meanwhile in a larger pan, saute the onions and mushrooms with some olive oil and a pinch of salt on medium heat. (not any higher heat! they need a lower temp to sweat!) After a few minutes add the garlic and parsley and turn to low.

When the potatoes are fork tender, (meaning a fork slides in and out of them very easily) remove them from the water and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, milk and pinch of salt. With an electric mixer, mix with the potatoes till they are smooth.
To plate, plop a spoonful of potatoes onto the plate and top with a spoonful of mushrooms. So good!

Comments (1)

Categories : Side Dishes

12. How to Prepare and Make Eggplant

By Leslie · Comments (2) · October 12th, 2009

Eggplant is one of the most used and diverse vegetables out there! Originally a native to India, eggplant is now used all over the world.

eggplant_plant Being Italian vegetarian, I love eggplant! It makes a great meat substitute in recipes! I'm going to teach you how to prep an eggplant and one of my favorite ways to cook it! This recipe is so easy and one of my favorite side dishes ever! First off, you need to salt the eggplant: Wash the eggplant and cut off the ends.

DSCN2122

Slice the eggplant lengthwise in about 1/4 inch slices. (I'm slicing for my recipe today, but you could also dice or slice widthwise) DSCN2123 Place the eggplant slices in a strainer and sprinkle with salt. This draws all the bitterness out of the eggplant.

DSCN2124

Let sit for about 30 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. For this recipe I'm going to grill the slices in a grill pan.

DSCN2125

You'll know it's done grilling when it's soft and flexible. Next place the slices on a workspace and place a slice of mozzarella cheese, basil leaf and a slice of roma tomato in the center of the eggplant and roll up the edges.

DSCN2126

Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and stick into the oven for a couple minutes until the cheese just starts to melt. Serve immediately. These are such tasty, healthy little treats!! DSCN2128

Eggplant is also great diced into some baked macaroni! Eggplant Parmesan and Eggplant Rollatini are some of my favorites too that you can find in previous blogs! Love eggplant rollatini? Try placing a mound of spaghetti inside before you wrap it up for a different version. One of my favorite Indian dishes is Baigan Bhartha which is a combination of smashed eggplant with tomatoes, onions and Indian spices! Super Yummy! Eggplant is also great in Mousaka, Ratatouille or just plain grilled with some garlic, parsley and olive oil.

FUN FACT: Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant, with a concentration of 100 ng/g (or 0.01 mg/100g). However, the amount of nicotine from eggplant or any other food is negligible compared to passive smoking.^[8] On average, 20lbs (9 kg) of eggplant contains about the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette.

FUN FACT #2: Eggplant is closely related to the tomato and the potato

Comments (2)

Categories : 29 Things to Know in Your Kitchen, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetables: Eggplant, Vegetables: Tomato

Archive for Side Dishes – Page 3

Corn Tamale Bake

Corn on the Cob with Dill Butter

Quinoa Salad

Mushroom & Spinach Quinoa

Beet Greens

Twice Baked Potatoes

A New Twist on Cranberry Sauce

Creamed Spinach

Countdown to Thanksgiving!

12. How to Prepare and Make Eggplant

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