Side Dish Recipes
Bacon Roasted Cabbage
Incredibly easy, super satisfying, and a delicious way to get a hearty serving of a wholesome cruciferous vegetable! As a child, I’m pretty sure I never uttered the words, “Yum, cabbage for dinner!” Yet I’ve actually heard similar words when serving this wholesome, budget-friendly vegetable in the following way. For many years, I’d use…
John’s Dilly Beans
This is a simple canning process requiring no fancy equipment. You can even use a stockpot instead of a canner. As I unpacked my older son’s duffle bag after his first summer at camp 10 years ago, I found a small glass jar carefully nestled among the dirty socks and damp towels. When I…
Roasted Zucchini and Mushrooms with Feta
This garden-fresh dish is super simple to make and complements most any protein. When tossed with pasta, it becomes a complete meal! At the start of each season, I spend a little too much time pondering how to fill the three months that follow. Sometimes, I have a minor panic that I won’t have…
Long’s Yellow Tomato Soup
A delightful summer soup with a stunning color and a hint of optional heat. Yellow tomatoes are also a lower acid tomato with lots of natural sweetness. The mere description of this soup inspired me to plant yellow tomatoes in our backyard garden. The first year, I think I got three. The second…
Sandy’s Tomato Pie
Essentially a crustless pie, the unique ingredients in this seasonal favorite create a crusty base that’s loaded with flavor and fabulous texture. (For those who need it, there’s an excellent gluten-free option in the recipe notes.) Soft foods like mashed potatoes, soup, Jell-O, and ice cream are normally on the menu the day someone…
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Popular Mexican street fare is reinvented as a flavor-packed salad that’s quick to prepare and always a hit! I’m pretty sure I was a college graduate before I witnessed someone putting anything but butter and salt on corn on the cob. After all, I grew up in Lancaster County where corn is frequently consumed the…
Roasted Eggplant Salad with Smoked Almonds & Goat Cheese
This unique salad offers a little something smoky/salty/tangy plus a hint of crunch to balance the creaminess of the roasted eggplant. For a heartier meal option, stir cooked pasta into the eggplant mixture…or add the cold leftovers to a bowl of baby spinach for a filling green salad. My friend Dan’s two favorite foods are eggplant…
Jack’s Favorite Kale Caesar Salad
Luxuriously creamy yet egg- and mayo-free, this Caesar dressing is the star of the show and coats the hearty, wholesome kale beautifully. Don’t miss the optional Polenta Crouton recipe! Three or four years ago, my husband sent me a text while on a business trip in Chicago: “Had an awesome kale Caesar salad for…
Mediterranean Zucchini Noodle Salad
Think Italian sub in veggie form. That may sound like a strange comparison (and you might say hoagie, depending on where you’re from), but it’s a pretty good way to sum up this satisfying seasonal salad. Spoiler: there’s an easy way to convert this into a flavor-packed pasta salad, because who doesn’t love a delicious…
Classic Deviled Eggs
A widely popular appetizer, side dish, or that little “something extra” at picnics, potlucks, holiday meals, and family dinners, this simple deviled egg recipe is a family favorite! Deviled eggs have long been popular picnic and party fare. We all know the drill. Cut the cooked eggs in half lengthwise, scoop out the yolks,…
Tzatziki (and a few graduation pictures!)
In addition to the requisite photos of this cool, creamy, perfectly summery sauce, I have graduation pictures for you! As I mentioned last week, the past couple of weeks have been equal parts busy and exciting around here. The main event was last Thursday when John and 699 of his classmates paraded across the stage…
Crunchy Chicken Poppy Seed Slaw
We’re gearing up for our first graduation around here! That on the heels of last weekend’s big garden tour — over 500 people came to our home over the course of the weekend. (Major props to our sons who couldn’t shoot hoops or do much of anything else in our yard on the first sunny…
