Quest for the Best Side: Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

THIS WAS FOUND AT http://www.onelovelylife.com/?p=3192 AND SOUNDS PERFECTLY EASY AND DELICIOUS.

What will I pair with this? It must be beef.  Now, off to find the perfect beef recipe.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, skins on, scrubbed and diced*
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2c grated parmesan
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, parmesan, garlic salt, and paprika. Spread potatoes out on a large baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees 30-40 minutes, stirring potatoes every 10-15 minutes for even browning. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

*The most important thing is to keep the potato pieces about the same size so they cook evenly. I like to slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise again, then dice. I end up with 16-20 pieces per potato. You can end up with more or fewer, just try to keep the pieces the same size.

 

Quest for the Best Side: Parmesan-Roasted Acorn Squash

This is by far my favorite way to eat acorn squash.  The Parmesan and the thyme,
knocks this one out of the park.The squash has such an amazing savory flavor when you add the cheese, and it looks pretty too.

This is definitely the season to go into “squash overload” mode, as I always do.  There
are just so many ways to cook squash…just make sure you try this one.

Parmesan-Roasted Acorn Squash
From Real Simple
Serves Four

1 2-pound acorn or delicata squash-halved, seeded & sliced 3/4″ thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400^o F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the oil, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Roast the squash until golden brown and tender, 20-30 minutes. Will depend on your oven.

FOUND AT: http://noblepig.com/2011/10/11/parmesan-roasted-acorn-squash.aspx

THIS IS NOT MY IDEA. IF IT’S YOURS AND YOU’RE COPYRIGHTED….BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION AND IT’S OUTTA HERE. THERE IS NO NEED FOR VERBAL AGRESSION

 

Quest for the Best Side: Asparagus Soup with Bacon

This is perfect for cooler weather. What type sandwich would YOU serve with this?  A panini? I’m thinking a chicken panini.  Recipe anyone? Share!

FOUND THIS AT: http://delishhh.com/2010/10/11/asparagus-soup-with-bacon-%E2%80%9Csparrissoppa%E2%80%9D/ (THIS IS NOT MY IDEA. IF IT’S YOURS AND YOU’RE COPYRIGHTED….BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION AND IT’S OUTTA HERE. THERE IS NO NEED FOR VERBAL AGRESSION)

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 4-6 people

¾ lbs of asparagus (about 1 bunch from the store or little less than 2 cups)
1 tsp butter
3 shallots
8 oz Bacon
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
1 tsp Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste

Start with cleaning the asparagus and then cut into ½ inch pieces.  (Save a few pieces for presentation). Put the asparagus into a pot of water with 1 tsp salt and let boil for 2 minutes. Then remove the asparagus and set aside and dispose of the water.

Cut the bacon in ½ pieces and put into a frying pan.  Let the bacon cook until the desired crispy state.  I usually like mine just slightly browned not very crispy.

On the side finely chop the 3 shallots and put that in a deep bottomed pot with 1 tsp of butter and sauté the shallots for 2-3 minutes. Then add the chicken stockand let it boil.  Then add the cream and the cooked asparagus. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.  After that puree the soup in a mixer to the desired state and put it back into the pot.

Add the bacon, salt and pepper to taste.

Another alternative could be to add fried mushrooms to the soup.

Serve soup and add a few asparagus pieces and bacon crumbles for presentation.

 

Quest for the Best Side: Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Note from Sheri:  You know what I’d use if you’ve been reading many of my recipes…YOU GUESSED IT! Stevia Brown Sugar.  Now it’s worthy of my Quest!

 

 

 

• 2 (16 ounce) cans green beans(WHOLE style)
• 1 lb bacon
• 1 cup brown sugar(approximately) (Sheri says: Use STEVIA!)
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• toothpick

Directions:

1. 1 Preheat broiler.
2. 2Pour drained green beans into large bowl.
3. 3Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
4. 4Cut each bacon slice into 3 equal portions.
5. 5Wrap 6-8 beans with bacon piece, securing with toothpick.
6. 6Place on broiler pan.
7. 7Sprinkle evenly with some of the brown sugar.
8. 8Broil until sugar melts and bacon browns.
9. 9Turn bundles over and sprinkle with additional brown sugar.
10. 10Broil until brown and bubbly.

1. Found at: http://www.food.com/recipe/Bacon-Wrapped-Green-Beans-Bundles-161900

 

Quest for the Best Side: Spinach Patties

1 bag of thawed and well drained chopped spinach

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

1/4 c diced onion

1/2 c shredded cheese

1/2 c bread crumbs

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix well in a bowl. 

Now, form into burger-sized patties. (or you can do spinach balls). Heat a non stick skillet over med-high. Spray with a bit of cooking spray.  Cook for 4-6 minutes each side.

FOUND AT: http://thevillagecook.com/spinach-burgers/

 

Quest for the Best Side: Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes

THIS IS NOT MY RECIPE NOR MY IDEA. I COPIED THIS POST BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED REALLY GOOD AND IS SOMEWHAT HEALTHY. IF YOU OWN THIS RECIPE AND DON’T WANT IT ON MY BLOG PLEASE TELL ME AND IT’S OUTTA HERE.
These were such a simple side dish & a great use for cauliflower (it seems we always end up roasting it). The cheese added a really nice depth of flavor & the cayenne just gave that bit of heat at the back of the throat.

I liked them with a little sour cream to dip them in while Matt preferred them with a little more
cheese grated over the top.Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes

1 head cauliflower
2 large eggs
1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c panko
1/2 t cayenne pepper (more of less to taste)
salt
olive oil

Cut cauliflower into florets & cook in boiling water until tender about 10 minutes. Drain. Mash the cauliflower while still warm. Stir cheese, eggs, panko, cayenne & salt to taste.

Coat the bottom of a griddle or skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Form the cauliflower mixture into patties about 3 inches across. Cook until golden brown & set, about 3 minutes per side. Keep each batch warm in the oven while you cook the rest.

Makes 8 pancakes

 

Quest for the Best Side: Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

http://dlynz.com/?p=2353

Jun 24th, 2009

by Donalyn.

You have probably seen recipes for Crash Hot Potatoes, using regular red or white potatoes  [I have a version of my own I will be sharing at some point], but these are a little different.  I had a couple sweet potatoes I needed to use up and they were getting a little on the aged side.  So I thought of cooking them like this, since as they age, sweet potatoes tend to get a little drier inside and that is a good thing when you are trying to get a little crunchiness on the outside of something. I’ll give you some tips for using fresher ones in a minute.

Peel two medium sweet potatoes and slice – these are about an inch and a half thick.Put 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and set the timer for 10 minutes – time from when you put the potatoes in, not from when the water starts to boil.These ended up taking about 12 minutes, though I pulled out a couple that were just a touch thinner a couple minutes sooner than that. You want them to be somewhat soft but not cooked through. Let them cool off for 10 or 15 minutes – they will hold together a little better for the next step.I wanted these to be hot in more than just the temperature – to my way of thinking, these were crying out for some nice spicy flavors to complement the sweet flavor of the potatoes. So I mixed up a little heat.
1 & 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
Blend that together really well with a fork, making to sure to get the sugar completely incorporated. Then I added about ten coarse grinds of black pepper and mixed that in too.Being careful not to squash them too much, flatten each sweet potato disk slightly. I did this right on the parchment paper on my baking sheet, and used a small bowl with a clear bottom, so I could see what I was doing. The potato stuck to the bowl each time, but I just carefully slip a spatula in there and they came right off and stayed together nicely. If they had come apart on me at all, I’d have just pressed them back into a circle on the pan. I drizzled each of them with a mixture of two tablespoon melted butted and two tablespoons olive oil and then sprinkled each one with the spice mixture, pressing it lightly on the surface. I carefully turned them over and coated the other side with the butter/oil and the spices. I roasted them in the oven, set at 375º for about 15 minutes, turned them over and roasted them another 10 minutes, till they had a nice crust on both sides from the caramelization of the sugar and spices.These were so good that we nearly died right there at the dinner table.Spicy-sweet and crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside – just amazing.

If I were using fresher potatoes – and normally I would be, since it is unusual for them to sit around very long here – I would skip the parboil and begin roasting them right on the baking sheet from the start, and then when they got soft enough to flatten I would proceed with the rest of the steps. You actually don’t have to flatten them at all of course, but it does provide more surface area and some ruffly sort of edges for getting more crunch on them – worth the bother in my opinion.

Now – go make some!

 

Quest for the Best Side: Cheese Zucchini Crisps

http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2007/06/baseball-bats-in-backyard-squash-fries.html

Ingredients

1/3 cup cornflake crumbs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or other hard cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt or dried herb/s or both
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 very young (4-inches long) zucchini or other summer squash,cut in 1/2″ strips
1/4 cup olive oil (or olive oil spray to further reduce calories)

Method

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Either dip squash strips in olive oil or spray both sides with oil spray. Press each strip with crumb mixture on both sides. Arranged coated strips on cookie sheet and bake approximately 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a starter, side dish or snack. –

 

I MADE THESE TONIGHT.  I HAD TO COOK THEM ABOUT 10 MNUTES LONGER THAN THIS RECIPE SHOWS.  I ALSO HAD TO BROWN THEM SO THEY WOULDN’T BE FLIMSY.    ADD MORE SALT AND PARMESAN TOO.

 

Quest for the Best Side: Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Sticks

My second find:

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Sticks

1 bunch of asparagus (mine had about 30 spears)

2 egg whites

1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray.

Snap off the tough ends of each asparagus spear. On two separate plates, add the eggs whites (lightly beaten) and the panko + flour + cheese. Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper if desires. Coat each asparagus spear in egg whites, then lay in the panko mixture and thoroughly cover. If the panko won’t stick, dip back in the egg whites and roll in panko once again. Lay each spear on the wire rack.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

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Quest for the Best Side: Easy Cheesy Zuccini Bake

I am on the lookout for the best side dishes.  Nothing really starchy or bready but something with some flavor.  This is my first find:

Recipe for Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2011/07/recipe-for-easy-cheesy-zucchini-bake.html

If you like zucchini, fresh basil, and cheese, you’ll love this Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake.

.

If you had really small zucchini you could just slice them, but I cut mine in half lengthwise and then into half-moon slices.

The recipe called for dried basil.  Pam used about a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil.  I bumped it up to nearly 4 tablespoons of fresh basil.  You can adjust the amount of basil to your own tastebuds.

Pam had the idea of adding a few tablespoons of sliced green onions, which I thought was perfect in this recipe.

To keep this dish South Beach Diet friendly, I used this low-fat blend called Pizza Cheese.  It’s a mixture of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses with only 6 grams of fat in 1/4 cup.
(You could use any type of low-fat white cheese.)

Toss together the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese.  Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Put the mixture into an 8″ x 8″ casserole dish that you’ve sprayed with olive oil or non-stick spray.

Bake 25-30 minutes, then sprinkle over another 1/2 cup of the pizza cheese.

Bake 10-15 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and the zucchini is cooked through.  Serve hot.

Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake
(Makes 4-6 servings; recipe adapted from a recipe by Karen Niessing in Penzeys Back to School 2011 Catalog, with suggestions from my sister Pam.)

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized zucchini,
cut in slices or half-moon slices
2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices
2-4 T chopped fresh basil (or even less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil)
2 T thinly sliced green onion
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-fat white cheese
(I used Pizza Cheese, which is a low-fat blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan)
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (I would use a little less if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can)
salt and fresh
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.  Spray an 8″ x 8″
baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray.  Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices.  Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop.  Slice green onions.

Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed.  Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.

When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese.  Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer,
or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked.
Serve hot.

This kept well in the fridge overnight, but mine was gone the next day so I don’t know if it would last longer than
that!