Tag Archives: side dish

Kids, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes

Smushed Taters In The CrockPot

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Oh my! I think I’ve finally recovered from my Thanksgiving food coma… have you? I’ve tried to hold off on posting too many new recipes lately because some of you may not even want to think about cooking so soon after Thanksgiving but I just had to share this one. These are so good I could probably eat a whole batch by myself!

A while back I posted our Smushed Taters recipe and that was a hit in our home. Well, at one of the Thanksgiving square dance dinners we attended there was a dish that reminded me of this recipe except that it had been made in the crockpot. Hmmmm…. what? Why had I never thought of this. I didn’t get a chance to get the recipe but here is how we made our version last night. Which was another smashing hit when served with Steamed Asparagus and Broiled Parmesan Tilapia!

I think I want to give this a try with red skin potatoes or cauliflower at some point.

Smushed Taters In The CrockPot

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 potatoes, peeled and washed well
  • 1/2 stick butter, cut into pats
  • non stick spray
  • Salt and pepper (We like Lawry’s Garlic Salt)
  • shredded cheese
  • chives, optional
  • bacon bits, optional

Directions:

Spray your crockpot well with nonstick spray.

Place the potatoes in the crockpot and cover. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-4 hours, just until tender. (I didn’t add any water but you may want to add a little if they seem like they are drying out.)

Take a potato masher or large fork and slightly mash the potatoes.

Place the pats of butter on top.

Season as desired.

Top with shredded cheese, chives, and bacon bits. Cover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve as is or with sour cream.

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes, Single Parenting

Fried Cauliflower/Vegetables

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I had never heard of Fried Cauliflower until my little sister came to visit one time a few years ago. I was pregnant at the time and not able to eat a lot of anything but this was something that I was able to eat and keep down. I have made this several times since then and everyone loves it.

I’ve heard of Fried Broccoli but never tried it however I do believe you could substitute broccoli (or other veggies) for the cauliflower in this recipe.

Fried Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into small chunks
  • 1 box of House of Autry Medium Hot breading mix (you could probably use another kind but this is what we use)
  • 1 c. buttermilk or water
  • oil for frying

Directions:

Line a plate with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or deep fryer.

Dip the cauliflower in the water or buttermilk.

Then coat in the breading mix.

Drop the coated veggies into the hot oil and fry 3-5 minutes until golden brown.

Drain the veggies on the plate and enjoy!

Try these with this Cajun Dipping Sauce. ** link will update soon

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes, Single Parenting

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Oh my gosh! I really love summertime and the fresh veggies from the garden. I love a fresh tomato sandwich but sometimes those green tomatoes tempt me and I have to rob a few off the vine to have some fried green tomatoes. If you haven’t had a fried green tomato you should really try out this recipe tonight!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 green tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 c. flour (or 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. cornmeal)
  • seasoned salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 c. oil
  • 1-2 T. butter or margarine, optional
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Line a plate with paper towels.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Mix together the flour and seasonings.

Dip the green tomatoes into the flour, then the egg, and then the flour again.

Drop the floured tomatoes into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

Drain on paper towels.

Let cool and enjoy.

I enjoy eating these with this Cajun Dipping Sauce. ** link will update soon

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes, Single Parenting, special needs

Sauteed Squash

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This is one of those recipes that you can use with fresh or frozen squash.

Sauteed Squash

Ingredients

  • 2-3 yellow squash, sliced or diced
  • 2-3 zucchini squash, sliced or diced
  • 1 small onion, sliced or diced
  • 1-2 bell peppers, sliced or diced (optional)
  • 1-2 T. butter, margarine, or oil
  • 1 t. minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the butter in a large skillet or medium high heat.

Add the veggies and saute for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy!

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes, Single Parenting

Cheesy Squash Casserole

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I had to laugh because it was brought to my attention recently that I use a lot of cheese. This is true because we love cheese. You could probably make this recipe without cheese if you chose to though.

This is a good way to use up fresh squash or any squash that you may have in the freezer.

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. yellow squash, chopped or sliced (I have thrown some zucchini in with it too)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 pack Lipton onion soup mix (optional)
  • 1 c. cheese, grated
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Grease a casserole dish.

Saute or boil the onion and squash until tender.

In a bowl mix together the soup mix, cheese, eggs, milk and half of the crushed crackers.

Add the cooked squash and stir well, season to taste.

Pour into the casserole dish.

Mix together the remaining crackers and the melted butter. Sprinkle over the squash.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting, recipes, Single Parenting, special needs

Vegetable Casserole

4 Comments

Sometimes it is hard to get kids to eat their veggies and we have to resort to all kinds of tricks to sneak the veggies in however this is a tried and true way to get them to eat veggies and like eating them. My sister had mentioned that she had made this also and that my nephews liked it which was amazing.

The amounts may not be exact as this is one of those recipes where I just kind of dump everything in together. You may want to tweak them to your liking but I hope you enjoy. You could probably also top this with French’s Onions instead of the cracker crumbs.

Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 2- 12 to 16 oz bags of frozen mixed veggies, cooked (I like to use the vegetable medley from Sam’s with cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots but sometimes I use the mixed veggies with green beans, carrots, peas, and corn.)
  • 1-2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 1/2 – 2c. mayo or miracle whip
  • 1 pack ranch seasoning or Lipton Onion Soup mix (optional)
  • 1-2 c. Ritz crackers, crushed
  • 1 stick butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mix the mayo and cheese. Add the ranch and/or soup mix, if using. Stir well.

Add the cooked veggies to the bowl with the mayo mixture and stir to coat.

Pour into the greased dish.

Mix together the butter and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle over the veggies.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

home organization, Meal Planning, Parenting

Fried Eggplant

2 Comments

This is a recipe that a dear friend taught me when I was very young. I enjoy making this because it always brings back sweet memories.

We also enjoy the Eggplant Parmesan that another friend told me how to make. I use this as the base and just add to it.

Fried Eggplant

  • 1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 c. bread crumbs
  • oil for frying

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

Dip the eggplant into the egg, and then into the crumbs to coat.

Fry 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.

Place on paper towel lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.

These are a great side dish and can be served immediately.

home organization, Meal Planning, recipes

Chinese Fried Rice with Veggies

6 Comments

I love Chinese food but I don’t get the chance to get it very often. I have a few different stir fry recipes but I needed a good recipe for fried rice. Well it took me a little while but I came up with one that the whole family enjoys. This could almost be a meal in itself.

We like to eat this with the Japanese White Sauce. It’s probably not the healthiest thing in the world but we don’t eat it very often. Also check out my recipe for Easy Fried Noodles.

Chinese Fried Rice with Veggies

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 2-3 c. cooked white rice (best to cook it a few hours before)
  • 1/4 c. sesame oil (can use olive oil)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 c. frozen peas & carrots or mixed veggies
  • 1/4 c. soy sauce
  • 1-2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Heat the sesame oil in  a large skillet over medium heat. Add the veggies (including the onion) and fry until tender.

Push the veggies to the side and add the eggs to one side. Lightly scramble the eggs.

When the eggs are cooked mix them with the veggies.

Add the cooked rice and chicken to the skillet. Carefully mix in the veggies and eggs. Put the soy sauce over the top and gently stir.

Heat thoroughly. Serve hot.

 

home organization, Kids, Life, Meal Planning, recipes

Salad

28 Comments

We have a salad with a lot of our dinners through the week. Most of the time it is a very simple salad but it can be made into substantial meal of its own.

Generally I use romaine lettuce and I try to add some baby spinach to it. If it is growing season I will use leaf lettuce and whatever veggies I have available. I look for sales at the store and try to incorporate other veggies as I can get them.

You can add almost anything but normally we have lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes. My kids really like ranch so I will toss the salad with dressing before serving.  This helps keep the kids from drowning their veggies in a sea of ranch. 

You can also cooked meats to your salad to make it into a meal. Throw in some diced boiled eggs for a little extra protein.

I will sometimes make some chicken salad or tuna salad with a side salad, a scoop of cottage cheese, a sliced boiled egg, anda few slices of peaches on the side. It’s the perfect lunch or light dinner.

Throw in some shredded cheese too if you like. The possibilities are endless. Experiment with different combinations until you find something your family enjoys.

Kids are more likely to eat it if they help with the prep. Mine like to cut the cherry tomatoes in half with a butter knife. They also like to stir the ranch when we mix it up.

Salads are good all the way around. They can help you sneak in some extra servings or fruits or veggies. They are full of fiber and lots of vitamins depending on what you put in it. They can also help you feel fuller. Salads can also help to balance out a meal that may be lacking in certain areas.