Roasted Potatoes with Parsley, Parmesan and Bacon

The potato is one of those foods that is pretty versatile.  You have baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, hash browns, potato hash; you can make them into chips or fries, or make potato salad.  The list is quite long.  And unlike some foods such as fish, potatoes are a safe bet when you're hosting since pretty much everyone will eat them.

I've made several of the aforementioned dishes and have always had pretty good results.  It's always great when you can throw a few potatoes in the oven and let them bake while you fix the rest of your meal.  I mean, can I get a shout out for baked sweet potatoes topped with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter?!  

But when about when you want to add a little more of a different flavor to potatoes?  This recipe adds parmesan cheese, bacon and parsley to roasted yukon gold potatoes to create a flavor combination that is second to none in my humble opinion.  The bacon and cheese add a wonderful richness while the parsley brightens it just a bit to keep it from getting too heavy.  

I used baby yukon gold potatoes since they would cook faster, but the regular sized ones will produce the same result.  And the original recipe called for the removing of the potato skins, but I liked the rustic look and decided to leave them.

These potatoes are just as delicious as they look and they have most definitely earned a spot on my list of go-to recipes for when I'm hosting a get together.  After all, I'm pretty sure no one would complain about anything that has bacon and cheese :)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I've always been a sucker for both mashed potatoes and a good sweet potato casserole.  But what about straight up mashed sweet potatoes?  When my sister and I were planning a dinner menu for my parents' 30th anniversary celebration she suggested just that.

My main concern was that they would be bland.  I can eat a sweet potato plain without any dressings, but most people like that combination of cinnamon, butter and brown sugar that's often added.  You know, the kind they give you at Longhorn?  It's kind of like making a dessert out of your dinner by the time you add all that sugar. 

The recipe below lists what I added, but to be honest it's pretty hard to mess these up.  If you taste them and find there isn't enough flavor you can definitely add additional brown sugar or cinnamon.  Or butter :)

Considering that a sweet potato casserole calls for a cup or more of sugar I thought that this was kept relatively healthy.  Therefore, that means two servings are okay, right???

Not Your Basic Black Beans

Black beans most certainly have never been on my list of favorite foods.  It's not that I don't like them, but I'm pretty sure I've never come home, opened the pantry and thought "mmm, black beans!  Those will hit the spot!".  I've had them in my Joey Junior burrito at Moes but that's about it.

However, the other night when I needed a relevant side dish for my mango salsa topped pork chops it was the black beans that kept coming to mind.  I had been set on rice, but alas there was none in our pantry and quite frankly I was tired of having 5 cans of black beans staring me in face every time I opened the pantry door. 

But I didn't want just any black beans.  I needed something with a little bit of a kick.  Something with a bit of flair. 

After searching out several recipes online I came up with the below combo.  I know lime juice sounds like an odd ingredient to add to beans, but paired with the cilantro it does the trick.  And the cayenne pepper and chili powder really do add a kick that I liked despite the fact that I'm normally not crazy about spicy foods. 

These beans definitely have a Cuban or Mexican taste to them and would be perfect to add to those types of meals. 

Ramen Coleslaw

Coleslaw is probably on my top ten list of most hated foods.  So why did I feature it you ask?  Because this coleslaw doesn't have the dreaded mayonnaise in it.  Just the thought of it makes me shudder.  Ugh.

Instead, a vinegar based dressing gives this dish plenty of flavor while still keeping it light.  The actual cabbage part of it is obviously crunchy, but the added almonds and ramen noodles give it some additional texture that I just loved.  (FYI I forgot the ramen noodles at the store which is why you don't see them in any of the pictures.  Oops)

If you're itching to shred your own cabbage that is certainly okay, but I used prepackaged shredded rainbow cabbage since I knew I was going to be short on time.  Okay, and because I liked all the colors in the bag.  Lame, I know.

Just pretend you see those ramen noodles...

Quinoa Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Feta

I'm pretty sure I've already hit my whining capacity with regards to the heat this summer, but just in case you've missed my less than positive thoughts on Georgia's hot and humid summer I'll revisit the subject.  It's.flippin.HOT.  There are actually mornings where I debate whether or not to shower because I know the second I put a foot out the door my hair will have a meltdown, my makeup with smear due to the excessive oil and I'll get those nasty little sweat spots on my shirt because I'm literally baking alive.

On days like these I don't exactly want something heavy to eat.  Okay, let's rephrase that: if there's a slice of rich chocolate cake sitting there I'm going to eat it, but ideally I would be just as satisfied with something light and summery.

This quinoa salad hits the spot though.  Quinoa, being the superfood that it is, is packed with fiber and protein which means you'll feel fuller longer.  And because fresh produce is bountiful during the summer I'm sure you'll have no problem finding some locally grown cucumbers and tomatoes.  Top it off with some fresh parsley, feta cheese, and a lemon-olive oil dressing and you've got yourself a winner.  It's light, full of flavor, and because it's healthy you won't mind indulging in more than your fair share of it.

Mmm mmm good.

I'm not ashamed to say that I ate this stuff for breakfast, lunch AND dinner yesterday.  Yes, it was that good. [Insert sound of me tooting my own horn.]

FYI It's pronounced KEEN-wah.  I know I can't be the only one who spent all of last year pronouncing it KWEE-no-uh.....yikes!

Oven Roasted Cabbage

When you think of a delicious and flavorful veggie side dish, what comes to mind?  Probably sweet potato casserole, green beans, roasted zucchini, garlic mashed potatoes, etc.  But what about cabbage?  Yeah, I didn't think that one was very high up on your list.

I'm all about eating healthy, but when I see cabbage I usually think "rabbit food".   That or I wonder what kind of slaw is fixing to be made.  And I don't like slaw.

But this cabbage recipe just might change your mind.  It's the easiest side dish you'll ever make.  It takes next to no time to throw together and gives you a bit of time to prep other parts of your meal while it's roasting.

And since it's summer and there is plenty of fresh produce to be found, there's no excuse not to make this.

And since all you need is a head of cabbage, that means this dish can be prepared on the cheap.

And since you roast it on a pan lined with tin foil there is virtually no clean up.

Okay, there are four reasons right there to make this dish!  Do you need more convincing?  If so, hopefully these pics will do the trick :)

Those lightly browned parts are where the

flavor is.

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

Last weekend the hubs and I opted to cookout at home versus heading out for dinner.  Those nights are my absolute favorite.  Don't get me wrong...I definitely enjoy eating out, especially at local restaurants, but there's just something about the smell of the grill and spending the afternoon chopping and dicing away to prep a delicious dinner that night.

Sweet potatoes were on special that particular Saturday, so we decided to try our hand at some homemade sweet potato chips.  We received a deep fryer as a wedding gift that I have been DYING to use, and this proved to be the perfect opportunity.

I pulled out my vintage mandoline slicer that I had picked up a few weeks ago at an antique store and started slicing away.  I wish I had been able to slice the chips more evenly, but for my first go at it I didn't think it was too shabby of a job.  Plus, this thing is a few decades old so it probably wasn't all my fault, right?

*Make sure you have a mandoline slicer on hand for this task.  It's practically impossibly to slice these thin enough with a knife.

These chips were so bright and vibrant in color...

loved them!

I also whipped up a Zaxby's style sauce that we used for both the chips and the burgers.  I'll post the sauce recipe on Wednesday, so make sure to check back!

Summer Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, Avocado and Chickpeas

I'm not sure about where you are, but here where I live in Georgia it hit the upper 90's this past week.  Ugh.  I hate to be a negative Nancy, but unless there is a body of water (i.e. lake, pool, ocean, or heck, even a sprinkler) nearby I don't enjoy temps that hot.  You're sweaty by 9:00 in the morning if you dare venture outside and your car doubles as an oven in which to toast your morning bagel.

On days like these I want something light to eat.  Filling, but light.  

Enter this summer salad.

On Saturday the hubs and I stopped by Jaemor Farms (a-mazing local farmers market for those not familiar) and they had tons of fresh produce just begging to be adding to some yummy dish.  So of course I obliged :)

We picked up some grape tomatoes, avocado and corn that I paired with some chickpeas from home for the most delicious, light and refreshing summer salad.  This bowl of fresh goodness is topped with a honey lime dressing that brings out all of the bright flavors of each and every ingredient but at the same time isn't overpowering in and of itself.

Serve this dish as an appetizer when hosting your favorite friends or as a side dish.  Then keep it to snack on late at night.  Or in the afternoon.  Or right after lunch even though you're not really hungry anymore.  [Guilty.]

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

I've seen stuffed bell peppers on several sites over the world wide web recently, but to be honest they all look like too much work.  I know that sounds incredibly lazy, but I don't want to spend 45 minutes on a measly side dish that calls for 20+ ingredients.  Thanks, but no thanks.  I'll save those types of endeavors for special occasions.

And I'm guessing I'm not the only one in this boat who needs meal ideas that don't take Martha Stewart-esque efforts to put together.  Yes, those are great and I do feature a lot more in-depth recipes on this blog, but I also want to bring you realistic recipes as well.  Ones you actually might use because they're doable on a weeknight when you don't get home until 5:00.

My solution to this stuffed bell pepper issue turned out to be quite easy.....instead of stuffing the peppers with a mile long list of rice and spices, I'd just use Zatarain's.  I know, I know...that's cheating.  But on a night when you need something quick yet semi-impressive it works wonders and tastes delicious.

And so I present to you my 1-2-3-4 peppers.  Literally all you have to do to prepare these adorable cups is cook the peppers to soften them, prepare the rice, spoon the rice into the peppers and top with cheese, and then bake.  Boom.  You're done.

Of course if you really want to complicate things you can add chicken :)

Like?  I do.

Ginger and Honey Glazed Carrots

I know I may be in the minority, but I've always loved carrots.  I'll eat them raw with hummus, roasted alongside some beef, or glazed on their own.  One of my favorite ways to cook them is with a bit of butter and honey to add some just a bit of sweetness to them.  

I had seen a recipe by Alton Brown for some ginger and butter glazed carrots quite some time ago and ended up adding some honey to Alton's original take on the dish.  We were recently gifted some honey by a family friend who keeps bees (not sure what the official name for this is....would he be a bee-keeper??) and I simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to add some of this gooey goodness to the carrots.  

I was a bit skeptical when I saw that Alton's recipe called for the use of ginger ale soda to achieve the ginger taste, but I have to admit it made the dish so incredibly quick and easy to put together.  I'm sure you could achieve this same affect through the use of freshly grated ginger, but since I had just enough ginger ale left in our fridge I decided to give the soda method a go. 

And what do you know...it worked.  The ginger flavor wasn't incredibly prominent, but it was still there.  The flavor was so great and the dish was so easy to put together that it is now my go-to when I need a vegetable side dish in the future.

Enjoy!

PS Not sure why the carrots are flaming red/orange in the pics...trying to fix that.

Cornmeal Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are one of those things that I unfortunately did not try until I was a full grown adult.  And by full grown adult I mean I didn't try them until I was 25.  Yikes!  I know, I know.  For a Southerner that's basically a cardinal sin.

But when I tried them if was as if I'd finally seen the light.  I've had several versions of fried green tomatoes:  some with relish, some with goat cheese, some with a spicy sauce on top.  While I love all of these twists, I'm pretty partial to a nice helping of good ole plain fried green tomatoes.  They're so delicious in and of themselves that I don't really need anything paired with them in order for me to enjoy them.

My version below is made with cornmeal instead of flour.  I find that it gives the tomatoes a nicer crunch.  I also like a lot of pepper in mine to give them a bit of a kick.

Check out those big chunks of black pepper :)  mmmmm

And who knows, I might experiment and feature different versions of this dish with some relish or cheese, but for right now these will do just fine :)

Serve these up as a nice side dish or as an appetizer.  Easy and tasty!

Crock Pot Country Green Beans

I just love green beans, don't you?  To me they just have "southern" written all over them.  I guess that's because I associate them with my grandmother and great grandmother who always fixed them.

I grew up in a house next to my great grandmother who had quite an impressive garden.  She grew everything from okra to squash to zucchini to tomatoes (including green beans).  She passed away when I was really young, but I still remember running over to her house to see what she had picked from the garden and had brought back to her house in her wheel barrow.

My grandmother also always brings an amazing dish of green beans to every family get together.  I remember sitting on a stool at her house trimming them from time to time when she would get some fresh beans from her neighbor.

Look how fresh those little guys look!

So I guess I should say that to me green beans bring back fond memories of family.  Maybe they do for you too.

Either way you'll love this dish!  This is so easy to throw together and the flavor is fantastic!

Fanned and Roasted Red Potatoes

Doesn't the name of these just sound fun?  Fanned and roasted.  Delicious.  And the actual end result doesn't disappoint in the least.

I love baked potatoes, but one thing that always irks me is the amount of time it takes to cook them.  That and you can't really season them until you slice them open after baking them.

Just a tiny bit of crispy on the edges

But these potatoes cook much faster because the heat can get in between the slices, and you also get a chance to season them all the way through before sticking them in the oven.  The spices I listed below are just what I had on hand, but it's pretty darn hard to mess these up so branch out and try some other seasoning options.  You can also add cheddar cheese too, which would tie in another flavor.

Savory Sweet Potato Fries

I recently had some A-mazing sweet potato fries at Recess, a local restaurant in Gainesville.  I've had them a few times before in other settings and enjoyed them, but these were sprinkled with what tasted like a combination of cinnamon and brown sugar.

I know, I know.....coating them in such delicious things kind of takes the healthy factor out and basically negates the whole point of using sweet potatoes versus baked potatoes.  But I promise that if you just could have tasted them you wouldn't have cared either.

I wanted to re-create these little guys, but I knew I wanted to bake them versus frying them.  These fries turned out to be easy to prepare, and they have both a sweet and savory component.  The sweet potatoes let you count them as a veggie, while the brown sugar and cinnamon makes you feel like you're indulging a little.

The only changes I would make next time would be that I would make the fries slightly bigger and I would have spaced them further apart on the baking sheet.  When they get too crowded they end up soggy instead of crisp.