Roasted Potatoes With Garlic and Thyme

Delicious and flavorful potatoes that are a perfect side for any meal. The garlic and thyme add a wonderful flavor to the potatoes. The recipe calls for red new potatoes but I often substitutes what I have on hand and they come out great.  

This is a very easy recipe to make.  First, the potatoes are boiled for about 5 minutes and then placed in a baking dish.  Drizzle some olive oil over the potatoes and toss.  Next add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to the potatoes.  Bake for about 20 minutes and serve.  

You have a tasty side to go with any main course.  This dish is also perfect for the holidays.

Roasted Potatoes With Garlic and Thyme

From Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library

Ingredients:

Salt

2-2 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter, cut in half crosswise (you can use the potatoes you have on hand) Note: If am using Baby Creamers, I do not cut them in half

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 or 5 garlic cloves, cut in half

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons crushed dried thyme

Fresh ground pepper

Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Fill a large pot three-fourths full with water and bring to a boil.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and the potatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, cover partially and cook for 4 minutes.   Drain well.

3. Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish or baking pan, preferably in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top, then turn the potatoes over several times so they are well coated with the oil.  Sprinkle the garlic over the potatoes.  Sprinkle on the thyme and a little salt and pepper.

4. Place in the oven and bake, turning the potatoes over several times, until tender and golden, 20-25 minutes.

5. Transfer to a serving dis, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 6-8

Cole Slaw

Cole Slaw is a quick and easy side to make.  It goes well with practically everything, cookouts, sandwiches, BBQ,  fish, poultry, etc.  I  open up a bag of cole slaw mix and toss it with a nice vinaigrette dressing.  Mmmmm delicious.

Cole Slaw

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Salt & pepper to taste

1 bag (16 ounce) Cole Slaw mix

Directions:

1.  Making the vinaigrette:  Whisk the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.  

2. Making the Cole Slaw:  Open and pout the bag of Cole Slaw Mix in a large bowl.   Pour the dressing over them and toss well.  Refrigerate for an hour or more before serving.

Serves 6

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

 

Broccoli is not a veggie my family usually dislikes.  However, when I found this recipe for a broccoli bake, and sat it before them, they loved it.  Broccoli is paired with bacon (everything is good with bacon), cheese, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper.  They are all combined together and baked at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes.  

You have a tasty side that goes great with any meal. 

 

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

From Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds (900g) broccoli, stems removed (can use vegetable peeler to peel, then slice and eat like celery) and crowns cut into florets (about 8 cups of broccoli florets)

2 strips thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips

5 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream

1 cup (236 ml) whole milk

2 to 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (1 to 2 teaspoons if using fine ground black pepper)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

8 ounces (225g) cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

1 Blanch the broccoli florets: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water). Add the broccoli florets and boil for 3-5 minutes or until just tender enough so that a fork can easily pierce the floret, but still firm. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

2 Cook the bacon: While the water in step one is coming to a boil, cook the bacon pieces on medium heat in a frying pan until lightly browned, but not crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Set aside.

3 Make the egg mixture: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a bowl, whisk the eggs into the flour, then whisk in the cream and milk. Add the black pepper (more or less to taste), salt, and mustard. Mix in about a third of the cheese.

4 Assemble the casserole: Place the blanched broccoli florets in the casserole dish, sprinkling about a third of the cheese over the broccoli florets as you lay them down. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the broccoli.

Pour the egg, cream, milk, cheese mixture over the broccoli, moving the broccoli pieces a bit so that the mixture gets into all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese.

5 Bake for 25 to 40 minutes, or until set. Once the top has browned, you may want to tent with aluminum foil to keep from burning.

Serves 6

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

This is the best tasting Rice Pilaf you will ever make.  It is so easy to make and everything is done in an Instant Pot.  Have I mentioned I Love My Instant Pot.  You melt some butter, sauté your rice and orzo pasta until golden.  Then add some chicken broth and seasoning. Lock the Instant Pot - be sure the vent is on seal.  Select your rice setting and you are cooking.   When done, let the Instant Pot do a natural release.  Remove lid, and fluff.  You are now ready to serve.


Enjoy.

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf
From Life Made Simple and Slightly Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c.  or butter
1/3 c. orzo
1 c. white rice - rinsed
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
 1 tsp. dried parsely

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Turn Instant Pot on SAUTE mode. Add the butter. Once hot, add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Add the rice and cook until it turns bright white, about 3-4 minutes.
2.Carefully pour in the broth along with the garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, and dried parsley.
3. Place the lid on. Make sure valve is switched to sealing. Turn SAUTE off and select RICE. . Once cooked, allow the pressure to come down naturally. This will take anywhere from 12-15 minutes.
4. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Buttery Lemon Parsley Noodles

Need a great side dish that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious?  Try making some Buttery Lemon Parsley Noodles some night.  I made this recipe last night and it was a hit.    Instead of using Pasta, I used Extra Wide Egg Noodles.  They worked perfectly.
These  noodles have a nice light flavor with a hint of butter.  Tasty and delicious.  


Buttery Lemon Parsley Noodles
The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Pasta (fettuccine, Linguine, Angel Hair)
4 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Finely Minced Parsley
1 whole Lemon
 Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation

Cook the noodles according to package instructions. (If using angel hair, stop just short of the al dente stage.) Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the cooked pasta and cook it around in the butter for a couple of minutes so that a few of the noodles get a little bit of a pan fried texture to them, whatever that means.

Zest the lemon. Squeeze in the juice, then add the zest of half the lemon.


Add salt and pepper to taste, then toss around and serve. Yum!

Crockpot: Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Peas and Bacon

Spaghetti squash is a fun squash to cook and eat.  When the squash is cooked these veggie strands of spaghetti are scooped out.  Usually, I just put my normal sauce over the squash, toss and serve.  Today's recipe is different.  It is a "cousin" to one of my favorite recipes of "Pasta With Peas and Ham."

This recipe is very easy to make.  Start by washing a spaghetti squash.  Poke it a few times with a fork and cook on high in a crockpot for 3 hours with a cup of water.  When the squash is done, scoop the spaghetti out.  In a bowl combine some bacon, peas, cream cheese, salt, and pepper.  Mix it well with the squash and place back in the crockpot for about 45 minutes.  After about 20 minutes, stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook for the remaining 25 minutes.  When done, serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

This is a delicious side dish or a main dish.  Enjoy.


Creamy Spaghetti Squash With Peas and Bacon
From Cooktop Cove

Special Equipment:  Crockpot

Ingredients:
1 (about 5 pounds) spaghetti squash
1 cup water
5 slices of bacon - diced
2 cups fresh or frozen petite peas
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup  powdered Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping


Directions:
1. Clean squash and poke with a fork throughout the skin.  Place the spaghetti squash and the cup of water in the crock pot. Cover and set on high and cook for 3 hours.
2. Add the bacon to a skillet and cook until soft.  Set aside.
3. Remove the squash from the crockpot when it is cooked.  Cut open with a knife lengthwise.  Carefully remove the seeds.  Scoop out the spaghetti strands.  Place the squash back in the crockpot.
4. Stir together the bacon, peas, cream cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Add to the crockpot.  Stir and mix well.
5. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on high.  Add the Parmesan cheese, stir, cover and cook for another 25 minutes.  Serve and top with additional cheese if desired.  

Serves 6 main servings

Cheesy Broccoli-Rice Bake

This dish is one of my favorite sides.  Rice in  a creamy cheese sauce with broccoli .  It goes with everything and is great for family dinners and to take to pot lucks or other gatherings.

Not only is this side dish delicious - it is easy to make.  You cook some rice (I cooked mine in my Rice cooker).  Mix the rice with some cheese, Cream of Mushroom soup, milk, pepper, and fresh broccoli.  The broccoli rice mixture is spooned into a prepared baking dish.  Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve.

A delish side is ready to enjoy:)

Cheesy Broccoli-Rice Bake
From Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 cups water
1tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 loaf (16 oz) prepared cheese product, cut into cubes
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper, if desired
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (1/2 inch)
1 cup fine soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/2 slices bread)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Directions 

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook rice in water as directed on package. 

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in cheese, soup, milk and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. 

3. Stir in broccoli and rice. Spoon into baking dish. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle over rice mixture. 

4. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until light brown on top and bubbly around edges.

Makes 8 servings