Cottage Fried Potatoes

This is a side I make quite often it is a great alternative to mashed potatoes all the time!
And super easy and quick to make. If you like onions you'll like this!

3 TB marge or butter
3 medium potatoes thinly sliced ( the thinner the faster it cooks)\
1 small onion sliced and seperated into rings
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup parmeasean cheese
1/8 tsp pepper

Melt butter in skillet, layer potatoes into skillet sprinkle with garlic p0wder, alt and pepper cook covered till potatoes are tender and browned. about 8 minutes. Flip over potatoes, brown the other side, add onion rings and cover for another 5 minutes. Uncover and add paremesan cheese. Cook til potatoes and onions are tender and browned.

Ranch Bacon Potatoes

Mandy- Here's another side dish! Its really yummy! Don't feel bad, I rarely make side dishes to go with my entree. I feel like superwoman if I manage to do both!

8 red potatoes sliced or cut into chunks
1/2 lb bacon
1/2 onion chopped
1 c grated cheddar cheese ( or more, lots of cheese is always better!)
2 Tb sour cream
2 Tb ranch dressing
3/4 cup mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. Fry bacon and break into pieces. In dish combine sour cream, mayo, ranch, onion and cheese. Stir in potatoes and bacon pieces. Top with more grated cheese. Cook in oven at 350 for 15- 20 minutes, to heat through.

Company Carrots

Well Mandy- better late than never! Here is a side dish recipie for you, you have probably had it before at Thanksgiving or somthing! I know your sister love it.

2 1/2 lb baby carrots
1/4 liquid from carrots
1/2 c mayo
1 TB horseradish
1 Tb minced parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c cracker crumbs
3 TB marge melted

Cook carrots, save liquid. In a bowl combine liquid, mayo. horseradish, parsley, salt and pepper,
add carrots and coat well. Mix marge with cracker crumbs and spread over the top of carrots. Cook at 375 until crumbs brown and it is heated through. about 15 minutes.

Minestrone Soup

1 lb sausage browned and drained
1 quart of water
2 chopped onions
2 large carrots sliced
2 large celery stocks chopped
1 28 ounce can tomatoes pureed
2 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce
2 cups of beef bouillon (2 cups of water to 4 beef bouillon cubes)
1 TBSP parsley flakes
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp oregano
Garlic salt to taste
1 can garbanzo beans
½ head of cabbage

Optional: 1 cup uncooked macaroni noodles. I personally don't like adding the noodles because they get soggy - and I'm not a fan of the added noodles because the taste is fine without them.

Simmer 3 hours

Creamy Parmesan Fondue

1 ½ cups milk
2 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp parsley flakes
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated

With an electric mixer, mix milk and cream cheese until well blended. Pour into saucepan and heat slowly. Add garlic salt and parsley. Slowly add parmesan and mozzarella cheese, stirring until smooth. Pour into fondue pot. Serve with bread cubes and chopped vegetables. (We also BBQ meats and dip those into the fondue).

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups taco sauce {I improvised with tomato sauce and 4 T. of taco seasoning}
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, and add the onion, bell pepper, and corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the taco sauce, and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin, stirring until blended.

Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, and set aside.

Open the can of beans, and spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and then top with as much shredded cheese as you like. Roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce and tomato.

Microwaved Apple Betty

4 med. apples, pealed & sliced
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 T. butter
Arrange apple slices in 8x8 or large pie plate. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over apples. Dot w/ butter and sprinkle w/ lemon juice. Sprinkle topping over top...

Topping:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. oatmeal
Pinch of salt
1/2 c. finely chopped nuts (though, I of course, omitted the nuts)

Melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir in flour, oatmeal, salt and nuts. Pat in place over apples. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes turning twice (unless you got a "turn table" in your microwave).

Let stand 15 minutes and serve w/ ice cream.

Oven-Roasted Spicy Potatoes

A classic Rachael Ray, good and easy!
Yields: 6 servings

5 pounds red potatoes
A palmful garlic powder
A palmful of onion powder
A palmful of dried parsley
A palmful of dried rosemary
A palmful of dried thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), to coat the potatoes
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut potatoes in one inch cubes and place them on a large baking sheet or roasting pan. Add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix to create a seasoning mixture (keep the leftovers in a well-sealed container for a later use).

Coat the potatoes with EVOO then sprinkle with the spice mixture. Toss the potatoes so the EVOO and spices are distributed evenly. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Garden Risotto

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, uncooked and cut into bite size pieces
3 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can chicken broth
1 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup parmesan cheese


In a sauce pan saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil and brown the chicken along with it. Add chicken broth, uncooked pasta and broccoli. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Stir occasionally so the orzo pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. This only takes a few minutes. Stir in the corn, salt and pepper and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

{This took more chicken broth and more time than the recipe called for, although I could have just messed something up. It was really tasty, though! It would also work great as a side dish.}

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

This is another Giada. Love her!

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Black Bean Burritos

1 can black beans drained
¾ can corn drained
1 small zucchini chopped
3 roma tomatoes chopped
1 stalk green onions chopped
1/3 cup vegetable oil
juice from 3 limes
salt to taste

Marinate together for a few hours. Place a large spoonful of veggies (Drain out the juice - I use a slated spoon) on tortilla and top w/ mozzerela cheese. Close with toothpick. BBQ or grill under the broiler until lightly browned.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2 C. Bisquick
2/3 C. milk
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cooking sheet. Bake 8- 10 min until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic powder. Brush mixture over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

{UPDATE: I mix the garlic powder (or minced garlic) in with the dough and then spray some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray on top. So tasty!}

Banana Cream Pie

This is an Ellie Krieger recipe... so it's probably the healthiest banana cream pie you can get while still tasting GOOD!

Cooking spray
12 graham cracker squares (6 full sheets)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons boiling water
1/3 cup, plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sliced banana (3 medium bananas)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.

Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in 1 corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie.

Nutrition Information per Serving Calories: 215
Total Fat: 8 grams
Saturated Fat: 4 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 1.5

Servings: 8

Frozen Fruit Cocktail

15 medium peaches sliced
1 lb seedless red grapes (I like to add more)
20 oz crushed pineapple
juice from 2 lemons
juice from 3 oranges
2 c sugar
Mix together until sugar is dissolved and freeze. (It's also very yummy fresh!!!)

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp celery salt
2 lbs tilapia fillets

Set oven to broil. Grease the broiler pan, then line with foil and grease the foil. Mix together parmesan, butter, mayo, lemon juice and garlic. Add all the remaining seasonings, mix well and set aside. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the broiler pan. Broil a few inches from heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn the fish over and broil approx 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and cover with parmesan mixture on the top side. Return to oven and broil for approx 2 more minutes or until the toppying is browned and the fish flakes easily. Yummy, yummy!

Veggie Sides

**** I found this in the drafts and decided to just publish it for Megan, who is in Europe for the next month ****

This is sort of a side dish... One of my favorite ways to eat squash in the summer is just by cutting it in lengthwise strips, tossing on some Lowry's seasoned salt, and throwing it on the George Foreman grill. Tasty! Also, grilling asparagus that's been buttered, salted, and peppered is yummy too!

Now for the best that Mandy may have mentioned in a previous post:

3 c. frozen california veggie mix
3/4 c. cottage cheese
1/4 c. medium cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese to taste

Basically, defrost the veggies in the microwave, then add the cheeses in the order listed. Microwave on high for three minutes and voila! You have yummy cheesy goodness. It sounds weird with the cottage cheese, I know. But trust me, it's not weird.

Impossible Apple Pie

Don't worry, the only impossible thing about this is it's impossible to mess up.

3-4 apples peeled and diced
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 c melted butter or margarine
1 c sugar
1 beaten egg
1 c flour

Fill bottom of 9 inch pie plate w/ apples. Sprinkle w/ cinnamon and sugars. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve warm w/ vanilla ice cream.