Dinosaur Slaw

Posted on 25 April, 2013 by Christine

I have a few friends (I won’t name names) who have poked fun at my love of kale. Well, Friends, get ready to poke some more.

I don’t know why, but when other really green things have scared away my children, one in particular, kale hasn’t. It started when I baked up my first batch of Kale Chips. Both kids could eat an entire batch in the blink of an eye. So, I started adding kale to soups and salads, and even smoothies, in an attempt to get more “good” into my kids. Nine times out of ten, it works! Kale is really, really nutritious. I won’t bore you with the nutritional nitty gritty, but if you’d like to know more, check out there article here. (Not only will you learn something about nutrition, you’ll learn about “massaging your kale”, which I’ve never done, and I find hilariously funny for some reason.) Read more... (675 words, 7 images, estimated 2:42 mins reading time)

Quick Cooking Ratatouille

Posted on 11 April, 2013 by Christine

Warmer weather means better produce! This quick and delicious side dish is the perfect thing to throw together after a visit to the farmer’s market on a warm spring day, or even just a visit to the local grocery store.

I started by prepping all of my veggies. I chopped up a bright, yellow pepper, and some crisp green onions. I thinly sliced up a bright green zucchini, and then peeled and chunked up a small eggplant. Finally, I halved a pint of grape tomatoes

Then, it was time to cook! Read more... (458 words, 7 images, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Fennel, Apple & Potato Gratin

Posted on 29 March, 2013 by Christine

I’ve mentioned to you before that, while I love to cook, I am not very good at making up my own recipes. I’ll never write a cookbook, because I’m just not THAT creative. If I have a recipe in front of me, I can usually tweak it to improve on it, or mess around with the concept a bit, but to come up with something out of thin air? It’s a rare occurrence. Read more... (1108 words, 9 images, estimated 4:26 mins reading time)

Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic, Garlic and Thyme

Posted on 6 February, 2013 by Christine

As you’ve probably guessed after reading this blog, there’s not much I won’t eat. Up until recently, however, mushrooms were on my No-Fly list. My parents have told me time and time again, that when I still small enough to be in a high chair, I loved mushrooms so much that my mom would saute some to have with dinner, and my dad would have to fight me for them. I don’t believe them. I don’t ever remember a time as a child when I came near a mushroom without cringing. Read more... (747 words, 8 images, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon & Garlic

Posted on 16 January, 2013 by Christine

Just when you think I can’t possibly roast another vegetable…it’s happened again! This is yet another example of how roasting makes all veggies better. Really. Incredibly good. So good, that Emily’s eyes rolled back in her head when she tried it.

This time, it’s broccoli. I know, I know. I never would have thought broccoli would be a good candidate for roasting either, but then I ran across a roasted broccoli recipe in Ina Garten’s cookbook Back to Basics. There, she tossed the roasted broccoli and garlic with lemon, Parmesan pine nuts, and basil. Looked good to me! I figured I’d give it a try that night with dinner. Read more... (512 words, 7 images, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Ham and Toasted Pecans

Posted on 28 December, 2012 by Christine

Christmas dinner, for us, was a small affair this year. It was just the four of us. Pretty quiet, and the youngest two of the four wore their pajamas to dinner. (The cast of “Downton Abbey” would be mortified.) It was a lazy, laid back day over all. One that we all needed and really enjoyed. And at the end of it, I was left with a cozy holiday feeling, and an excessive amount of Christmas ham leftovers.

I hope you guys like ham, because it’s likely that I’m going to throw quite a few hammy favorites your way in the coming weeks! Read more... (722 words, 8 images, estimated 2:53 mins reading time)

Five-Spice Glazed Salmon with Roasted Sesame Green Beans

Posted on 30 November, 2012 by Christine

It’s so nice when things work out just the way they are supposed to, isn’t it? It seems like our lives have been in warp speed lately between holiday prep, trips, school, after-school activity overload, homework, projects, meetings, deadlines, etc. etc… The few months that the girls have been back in school have been a whirlwind, and the next few months, as we prepare to move, are going to be just as crazy, if not crazier.

So, it’s always nice when I’ve planned something simple, and it works out to actually be…simple. Read more... (760 words, 7 images, estimated 3:02 mins reading time)

Pizza di Spaghetti

Posted on 28 November, 2012 by Christine

When it comes to portion sizes, I’m usually pretty good at figuring out how much of something I need to make to feed my family. Usually. When it comes to pasta, namely spaghetti, I always end up making too much.

After a recent spaghetti dinner night, I was left with this…

It was about two cups of leftover pasta. I put it in the fridge, determined to figure out some way to use it, and I did, the following night! Read more... (638 words, 8 images, estimated 2:33 mins reading time)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Dijon Cream Sauce

Posted on 19 November, 2012 by Christine

I’m sitting in my parents’ kitchen right now, and my dad just saw the recipe I’m posting today. His response?

”I will never eat that.”

My dad swears that he hates Brussels sprouts. He hasn’t tried them in years, and has certainly never had them like this. I know that he’d really like them, if he gave them a chance. I plan on sneak attacking him at some point. Mwa ha ha! How often do children have to force feed their parents a vegetable? It’s going to happen though. Just you wait. Read more... (497 words, 7 images, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Posted on 14 November, 2012 by Christine

Like most of the country, I’m really looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the best dinner of the year, isn’t it? Family, friends, an insane amount of food, and good cheer? Perfect.

One of my favorite traditional Thanksgiving dishes to make is a sweet, pecan-crunchy topped sweet potato casserole. It’s a family favorite, and a hit every time. That said, there’s nothing wrong with changing up tradition every once in a while and trying something new. I ran across this recipe for Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes and figured I’d give them a try. It really is a single serving version of the giant sweet potato casserole that I usually bring to the table, but would work for both a crowd or a small group. You just need to adjust the amount of potatoes you use. Plus, they can be made ahead, which is always a huge plus on Turkey Day. Read more... (984 words, 10 images, estimated 3:56 mins reading time)

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Category Archives: Side Dishes