Did you ever notice that when you go to a barbeque, family function or a holiday get together you may be asked to bring a side dish? Side dishes come in many varieties and can make the meal. You may have a recipe that is yours or from your grandmother, mother, father or family friend that can be a wonderful addition to the main course. These side dishes can be a variety, from potatoes to beans, cauliflower, broccoli, breads among many others. Some of the recipes here are old favorites of mine, and recipes shared from others around the country. They are tried and true. If you would like to share any of your recipes with me, I would be happy to post them.
Samantha’s Florida Texas Style Potatoes
Combine:
- 2 pounds frozen hash browns (thawed) and 1 stick of butter (melted) in a large mixing bowel
Mix and Pour Over Potatoes:
- 1 pint sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 can cream of chicken soup or mushroom soup either will do
Mix Together Topping:
- 2 cups cornflakes
- 1/2 cup butter (melted)
- Spread over casserole
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours. Serves 12.
ENJOY!
Rich’s Florida Barbecue Baked Beans
Fry 6 pieces of bacon and let cool. Crumble bacon after it cools for topping of baked beans.
In a skillet:
- Sauté’ 1 small onion in 2 tablespoons of butter until translucent.
Add:
- 2-28 oz cans Bush Baked Beans drained
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Simmer slowly with lid off until it cooks down and thickens.
- Put in serving bowl. Add crumbled bacon right before serving.
ENJOY!
Chris’s Virginia Loaded Cauliflower Broccoli Casserole with Beans
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of bacon, fried crispy
- ½ large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ large head broccoli, cut into florets
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterrey jack mix
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
- To make the loaded cauliflower broccoli casserole: Preheat your oven to 370ºF (190ºC).
- Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crispy and crumble. Drain from fat and set aside.
- Steam cauliflower and broccoli until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Or nuke in the microwave with 1 cup of water for 7 or 8 minutes.
- Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the steamed cauliflower and broccoli florets, half of the bacon, 1 cup of the cheese mix, and half the parsley and mix well to combine. Transfer to a baking dish lightly oiled and top with the remaining cheese, and the other half of the bacon.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake another 5-10 minutes or just until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Serve the loaded cauliflower broccoli casserole immediately.
ENJOY!
Dorothy’s Washington Dc Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 (15.5 oz.) can wax beans
- 1 (15.5 oz.) red beans
- 1 (15.5 oz.) can lima beans
- 1 (15.5 oz.) green beans
- 1 large green pepper
- 1 large red onion
- 1 cup cooked pasta (bowtie pasta or elbow macaroni)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. celery seed
- 1 Tbsp. mustard seed
Instructions:
Drain beans, slice onion and dice pepper. Mix all together. Let set overnight in refrigerator or several hours before serving. Will keep 7 to 10 days in refrigerator.
ENJOY!
Z’s-Florida Mahlab Bread Loaves
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cups (2 sticks) of unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. ground Mahlab (Mahlab is a spice made from the seeds of a cherry. The cherry stone is cracked to extract the seed kernel and then ground to make this spice)
- 2 cups white sugar
- Combine milk and butter, heating in a saucepan on medium just until the butter melts. do not boil; stir in the sugar until it is dissolved and add the Mahlab. Set aside to cool too lukewarm.
Yeast Mixture:
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tsps. white sugar
- 4 – .25 packets dry yeast
- Dissolve sugar in water, sprinkle yeast over the surface and set aside for about 10 minutes until mixture becomes frothy.
Eggs:
- 6 eggs, very lightly beaten to break up the yolks
- Very slowly, pour in the cooled milk/butter mixture to the eggs, stirring constantly. Add the yeast mixture and stir until blended.
Dry Ingredients:
- 8 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur works very well)
- 1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsps. Kosher salt (sear salt and table salt are too salty)
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the wet mixture. Stir until a soft dough is formed. Knead 10 minutes by hand or 8 minutes with a stand mixer. Place dough into a well-oiled large bowl, oil top of dough too; cover with plastic wrap and set aside to proof (rise) in a warm place. You can preheat your oven to 200 degrees, then cool it down to around 100 degrees and this will help the dough rise more quickly. Dough should double in size in about 2 hours.
- Punch down the dough and let it rise again until doubled – about 45 minutes to an hour.
Forming the Loaves:
There are two ways you can form the loaves.
Method A / Traditional Braided Style:
Separate the dough into 5 even portions. Divide each portion into 3, then roll each of the 3 pieces into 12-inch ropes; braid the 3 ropes together and pinch to seal and tuck under at each end of the loaf. Place loaves about 4-5 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes – 1 hour. Brush loaves with beaten egg yolk/milk wash. Option: sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 8 minutes; turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue to bake an additional 17 minutes or until golden brown all over. Bread freezes very well, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Toasts nicely!
Method B / Jelly Roll Style:
Separate the dough into 5 even portions. Roll out each portion to about 1/4″ thick. Brush with melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle it with sugar, cinnamon, chopped nuts, and golden raisins. Roll jelly roll fashion and place, seam side down, into a buttered floured loaf pan, turning the long loaf left to right to left like a snake. Let rise again until doubled in size. Bush loaves with beaten egg yolk/milk wash. Sprinkle top with slivered almonds. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 8 minutes; turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue to bake an additional 17 minutes or until golden brown all over.
ENJOY!
Alzina’s Candied Louisiana Yams
Ingredients:
- 12 sweet potatoes
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup minced walnuts or pecans
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Cinnamon to taste
Instructions:
Boil sweet potatoes until almost tender. Peel, place in baking pan. Cook sugars, water, butter and walnuts until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Sprinkle potatoes with cinnamon. Pour sugar mixture over potatoes. Bake in 350-degree oven for 40 minutes.
ENJOY!
Holly’s Canada Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes sliced about 1/8 ” thick
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
To make the sauce, melt butter, onion and garlic over medium heat. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Combine milk and broth. Add a small amount at a time whisking to thicken. The mixture will become very thick, continue adding a little bit of liquid at a time whisking until smooth. Once all of the liquid has been added, bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk. Stir in salt and pepper and let boil 1 minute.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13″ baking dish. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 of the cream sauce over top. Repeat layers ending with cream sauce. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and potatoes are tender. Broil for 3-4 minutes to obtain a golden top. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
ENJOY!
Cora’s Utah Corn Pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 package frozen corn (2 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 2 Tbsps. butter, melted
- 2 cups light cream
Instructions:
Thaw the frozen corn. Beat eggs at high speed. Stir in corn and a mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Add butter and cream. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish, place in a pan of hot water and bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 1 hour or until a knife tested in center comes out dry.
ENJOY!
Valerie’s California Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 small head cauliflower, cored
- 4 Tbsps. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3 Tbsps. creamy French onion dip
- 8 oz. shredded mild cheddar
- 8 oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne
- 2 cups crushed sour cream-and cheddar potato chips
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, grate the cauliflower on the large holes of a box grater or chop it into chunks and pulse to rice-size pieces in a food processor. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the grated cauliflower and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender: another 5 minutes. Add the flour; cook for 1 minute, stirring. Gradually add the milk while stirring constantly, then increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the French onion dip, Cheddar, Colby Jack, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt until melted. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top the pasta with the crushed potato chips. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes (be careful, the potato chips can burn easily)
ENJOY!
M’s Rhode Island Easy Potato Dumplings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 2 cups flour
- 2 Tbs. farina
- 1/2 tsps. salt
- 1 egg
Instructions:
Mix together all ingredients and form into balls. Drop into boiling salted water and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Can also be placed on top of sauerkraut to cook covered but allow longer for cooking time.
ENJOY!
K’s California Caramelized Vidalia Onion Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
- Chips, for serving
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the onions and sauté until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the water and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pan, turn the heat to low and cook until the onions are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pan ever looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water. Let cool completely. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire, garlic salt, onion powder and pepper in a medium bowl. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Stir in the reserved onions and the scallions. Chill until serving time. Serve with chips.
ENJOY!
Lisa’s Georgia Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds green beans
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 8 oz. baby belle mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 large shallot
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. ground dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, you may need more to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup sour cream flavored potato chips
Instructions:
Finely chop the mushrooms. Mince the shallot and garlic. Snap ends from green beans and break in half. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup water over high heat. When simmering, add the green beans and cover. Cook the green beans for 7 to 10 minutes until tender. stirring once or twice. Remove the beans from the skillet to a bowl. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot and mushrooms and cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens. Gently toss green beans into sauce. Transfer to a serving dish (9 x 9) or medium casserole dish). Top with grated Parmesan and broken chips. (If making in advance, add the topping immediately before serving so that it stays crunch.) You can also use French fried onions as well.
ENJOY!
Vickie’s Virginia Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream plus more if needed
- 3 Tbsps. unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsps. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 Tbsps. Mascarpone cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- freshly chopped chives
Instructions:
Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are in about 1-inch cubes. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to medium low to maintain a rolling boil. I always move the lid slightly aside on the pot to have a 1-inch gap to prevent boil over of the potatoes to eliminate any mess on the stove. Cook until potatoes are fork tender and you can easily pierce them with a fork when touched. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Place the diced potatoes through a ricer and then place back into the warm pot. If you don’t have a ricer, mash the potatoes with a masher and place back into the warm pot. Add the cream, butter, Parmesan, mascarpone and garlic and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the chopped chives before serving. I grow my own chives; therefore, they are fresh and always accessible from my herb garden, or you can get them from the grocery store.
ENJOY!
Tim’s Nv Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 6 medium russet potatoes
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream, for serving
- Chopped scallions, for serving
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise and carefully scoop the flesh into a large bowl, leaving 1/4-inch-thick potato shells. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Brush on the potato shells and season with salt and pepper. Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. While they are baking add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, milk and cheese to the potatoes. Mix just until well blended (do not beat). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the potato mixture into the potato shells and bake for 1- to 15 minutes or until browned. Serve each potato topped with sour cream and onions.
ENJOY!
Z’s Sauteed Sauerkraut
Saute’ until done but not crisp. Drain most of bacon grease
- 1/2 lb. good quality thick smoky bacon chopped into 2″ pieces
- 1 large onion chopped
Stir in and saute’ to melt sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsps. Kitchen Bouquet
- 2 Tbsps. Bay leaf powder (or 3 large Bay leaves)
- 4 Tbsps. caraway seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
- 2 Tbsps. Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. pepper
Add and Combine
- 4- 14 ounce jars of sauerkraut, drain and liquid reserved, lightly rinsed. Use naturally fermented sauerkraut from refrigerated section in store or in pouches with no additives or vinegar.
- 1 small or medium head of green cabbage, core removed, sliced thin
- 3 large Granny Smith or Braeburn type apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- Cover and simmer 4 hours on stove top in dutch oven or 350 degrees in the oven for 4 hours, or 4 to 5 hours in a crockpot. Add some of the reserved kraut liquid as needed to keep mixture from burning/scorching or use 1/2 cup white wine as an option. Add a bit of salt and butter on top and you can serve it with Kielbasa – Polish sausage. You can keep the Sauerkraut in the refrigerator for about a week and a half or you can freeze it in containers.
ENJOY!
