Side Dish Recipes
Honey Sweetened Corn Muffins (gluten-free option)
My husband adores cornbread, so I have made it scores of different ways over the years. Since his birthday is today, and because we like to start birthdays in our family with birthday muffins, bagels, donuts or baked oatmeal — basically, anything I can stick candles in to start the day off in a festive…
Baked Cheddar Spinach Squares
Easy, cheesy spinach squares are a retro appetizer that make an equally delicious side dish. The squares may be baked ahead and reheated and freeze well too. The look of today’s menu item may remind you of a crustless quiche. In this recipe, however, two eggs serve as a binder for the remaining ingredients…
Roasted Cauliflower and New Potatoes with Blue Cheese
Super easy and incredibly satisfying, this recipe is veggie-based comfort food at its best. Minimal ingredients equal maximum flavor! Rice makes a perfect “sponge” for the flavorful tomato-based sauce in my easy slow cooker chicken tikka masala. But with this and other dishes for which rice forms a purposeful base, I sometimes replace the…
Honey Orange Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
The day before Thanksgiving, I saw A recipe for Hasselback Potatoes posted by my friend, Sonali, from The Foodie Physician. They looked completely delicious and I shared them on my page. I loved how she used sweet potatoes as an alternative to the white potatoes typically used in this Scandinavian dish. By the second time…
Whole Wheat Cheddar Chicken (or Turkey) Quesadillas
It’s always fun to strike upon a new way of using something. In my kitchen, this often happens out of desperation, like when I lack the right ingredient and the time (or desire) to go to the store! A favorite twist I stumbled upon a few months ago was using pita bread instead of tortillas…
Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Butternut Squash
This is a recipe I like to make at least once every fall or winter. Most of the ingredients can be easily held on hand and it is a delicious, satisfying way to get a day’s worth of colorful veggies. While this recipe works well as a unique side dish, perfectly paired with poultry or…
Classic Crispy Top Macaroni and Cheese
This is basic mac and cheese at its best – easy and cheesy with just the right amount of crusty topping! Do you have a favorite comfort food? Good old macaroni and cheese is my 10-year-old’s usual request and he asked for it several times recently and I hadn’t gotten around to it. Then, he…
Honey Orange Roasted Carrots (Parsnips Optional)
Usually, the mention of cooked carrots doesn’t elicit cheers of excitement in my house. Everyone tolerates roasted carrots but would really prefer them raw. Until this recipe! While making a smoothie recently, I realized how beautifully orange juice and zest pairs with pumpkin. I figured this winning flavor combination would translate to other orange vegetables,…
Roasted 2-Way Potatoes
This is the way I got my kids to like sweet potatoes: mixed with regular potatoes and cooked like steak fries. I started by sneaking just one on their plate. Having had one especially picky eater, I have a whole lot of dinnertime tricks up my sleeve! I like to think those tricks actually worked,…
Apple Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Curry and Mint
A simple protein will turn this wholesome, flavorful, plant-based salad into a complete meal. Easy to make ahead and perfect for meal prep! Years ago, my vegetarian sister introduced me to quinoa. She first explained that, contrary to what it seems, this grain is pronounced “KEEN-wah.” She further mentioned that quinoa is popular with vegetarians…
Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta — plus my favorite tips for roasting vegetables
This picture is of the veggies on the baking sheet for a reason. I use a few techniques to achieve roasted vegetables that are golden brown and full of flavor yet still slightly firm. And it starts with the tray! When roasting vegetables, the side touching the tray will brown first. So, as I mention…
Gorgonzola Tomato Salad
Prepare this flavorful dressing ahead and you will have a delicious salad ready in a flash. Perfect as a dip or as a salsa over grilled steak or chicken, I also like using this dressing on Grilled Romaine and Prosciutto Salads. The use of Greek yogurt allows for a thick, delicious option to your favorite…
