Category Archives: Side Dishes

Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

20 Monday Oct 2014

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Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

This cornbread would make a great accompaniment to a steaming pot of chili on a crisp autumn evening.  The trick to getting the cornbread perfectly crispy on the edges without burning is to cook it in a screaming hot cast iron pan.  Since I don’t have a shallow cast iron pan or skillet, I use my 6-quart pot and it works just as well.

Bacon Cheddar Cornbread
Yield:  8 servings
Time:  Active: 15 min;  Total: 40 min

1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup flour
1½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1¼ cups buttermilk, shaken
¼ cup skim milk
1 egg
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup butter
1 jalapeño, finely diced
¼ cup scallions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices of bacon, cooked to be crispy*, and diced into small pieces

1.  Rub 1 tbsp. of butter into a cast iron pan.  Place the pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

2.  Place the jalapeño, garlic, shallot, and EVOO into a small sauté pan.  Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add scallions and ½ tsp. salt, cooking for another minute.  Set aside to allow to cool slightly.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1 tsp. of salt.

4.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, milk, and baking soda.  Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate.

5.  Melt 6 tbsp. of butter and whisk into the batter.  Fold in the cheddar cheese, sautéed veggies, and crispy bacon.

6.  Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven.  Rub remaining 1 tbsp. of butter into the bottom of the pan to coat.  Pour batter into hot pan and spread to smooth out the top.  Bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the edges are crispy.
* I find that the easiest way to cook the bacon is to microwave it.  Line a microwave-safe plate with paper towels, place the bacon in a single layer and cover with another paper towel.  Microwave for 5-7 minutes, until cooked to desired crispiness.

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Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

Smoky Corn and Pasta Salad

14 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by in Side Dishes

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Smoky Corn and Pasta Salad

The past few weeks have been busy!  My husband and I moved from Boston back to our home state of New Jersey.  There are so many things about New England that I’m going to miss dearly, but it’s exciting to be back “home” with accessibility to many of our old favorites, like Wegmans whole wheat pizza dough, Vintage seltzer, and Taylor ham.  And no matter what folks say, there’s no place on earth that grows more perfect tomatoes, blueberries, or corn!  They’re incredibly juicy and sooooo delicious!  I have fond memories of sitting in my dad’s garden as a little kid, eating tomatoes fresh off the vine, still warm from the sun.  Ahhh, that was heaven!  As a tribute to the great Garden State, the first recipe I’m posting after moving back features one of NJ’s best crops…sweet corn!

Is there anything better than fresh, sweet, juicy corn on the cob in the summertime?  It’s one of my favorite things about the summer, and I can’t get enough of it!  For this recipe, I cut the kernels off the cobs after they were cooked, and tossed in some smoky flavors, creating a great side dish for your next bbq that will perfectly compliment the smokiness of most grilled foods.

Smoky Corn and Pasta Salad
Yield:  4 servings
Total time:  30 minutes

3 ears of corn
2 cups cooked orzo
¼ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1 lb. cooked Andouille sausage, diced into bite-sized pieces
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it!)
¾ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. hickory smoked sea salt (or regular salt)

1)  Cook the corn to your liking (I boiled it on the stovetop, but grilling would be perfect for this recipe!).  Once cool to the touch, cut off the cob and place in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the orzo and Andouille sausage.  Toss the Parmesan cheese in and mix to distribute evenly.

2)  Whisk together the EVOO, canola oil, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and smoked salt.  Drizzle over the corn, pasta, and sausage and toss to coat.  Serve slightly warm.

 

I love using Hickory Smoked Sea Salt from Williams-Sonoma in recipes like this one.  It’s also killer in chili!  And sautéed peppers and onions!
Hickory Smoked Salt

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lentil Farro Salad

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Dinner, Healthy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Lentil Farro Salad

This recipe is filling enough to eat alone for dinner, but it also works great as a side dish to any fish, chicken, or meat.  I personally love it paired with a simple honey-mustard glazed filet of salmon, served over a bed of lentils.  (My note on how to cook lentils below will leave you with extra lentils–convenient for creating that bed to serve the salmon on!  I got the idea from one of my favorite restaurants which serves salmon over lentils mixed with sautéed mushrooms and a roasted red pepper glaze….YUM!)

Lentil Farro Salad
Yield:  4 dinner-sized portions or 8 side-dish portions
Time:  10 minutes total (or 50 minutes if you didn’t pre-cooked the farro and lentils)

4 tbsp. lemon juice
6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
¼ cup basil, chiffonade
6 scallions, diced
5 tbsp. hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup fresh parsley, diced
¾ cup cooked lentils*
¾ cup cooked farro** (or quinoa or couscous)
3 roasted red peppers, diced
4 carrots, grated
8 radishes, thinly sliced

1.  In a large bowl, combine the cooked lentils*, cooked farro**, roasted red peppers, carrots, radishes, and scallions.

2.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, EVOO, hot sauce, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley.  Pour over the ingredients in the large bowl.  Toss to coat.

* I always make extra lentils to have leftovers.  Make sure you rinse the lentils first and pick out any small stones that may be mixed in with them.  How to cook lentils:  Combine 1½ cups of rinsed lentils with 2¼ cups water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15-35 minutes, depending on the type of lentil you’re using (red go quicker, green take a little longer).

** How to cook farro:  Bring 2½ cups of water to a boil.  Stir in 8 oz. farro, and reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.  Remove from the heat, but keep covered so the farro re-absorbs some of the moisture.  Let stand (covered and off the heat) for 10 minutes.

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Lentil Farro SaladLentil Farro Salad

 

Chili Dusted Sweet Potato Fries

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Healthy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Chili Dusted Sweet Potato Fries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chili Dusted Sweet Potato Fries
Time:  20 minutes active;  60 minutes total

3 large sweet potatoes
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 tbsp. chili powder
ketchup (for serving)

1.  Preheat oven to 425ºF.  Lightly spray a baking sheet/roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Scrub and peel the potatoes.  Cut into long, thin strips, about ¼-inch thick.

3.  Place water in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.  Drop potatoes in and boil for 4 minutes.  They should be partially cooked at this point.  Drain and cool slightly.  Pat the potato strips dry and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Lightly coat strips with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with sea salt and chili powder.  Roast at 425ºF for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve with ketchup.

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Roasted Cauliflower

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Healthy, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Roasted Cauliflower

Not only does this make a quick and easy side, it’s also super healthy and delicious.  Truly delicious…it will convert even the most adamant cauliflower hater!  I often make it to accompany fish such as tilapia, haddock, or mahi mahi.

Roasted Cauliflower
Yield:  2-4 side-dish servings
Time:  35 minutes total

One head cauliflower
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
½ to 1 tsp coarse sea salt
¾ tsp crushed thyme

1.  Grease a large baking sheet and preheat your oven to 400°F.

2.  Cut the cauliflower into quarters.  Slice into ¼-inch sections.  Lay the pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roasted CauliflowerRoasted Cauliflower

3.  Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt and thyme.

4.  Cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until the edges begin to get golden brown.  I usually broil mine for about three minutes at the end because I like some pieces really brown and a little crispy.  It really brings that roast-y flavor out!

Roasted Cauliflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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