Oh Boy! You will love this Jalapeño Cornbread recipe. It is easy and delicious. There is plenty of room to customize it to your heat level. When we eat jalapenos we want to know it. Please do not tell me that using your mother’s nasty cast iron skillet that nobody has washed since the 1960s […]
Side Dishes
Mujadara – Lentils, Rice & Onions – from Biblical Times
Mujadara, Mujaddara, Mujadarah or Megadarra are all different spellings of the same dish. It is the Arab equivalent to Beans and Rice. Although it is now served in fine Middle Eastern restaurants, it was once considered a poor man’s meal as it did not contain meat. Meat was only added for special celebrations. Written recipes […]
Roasted Cauliflower – Healthy & Delicious!
When I grew up in the Mississippi Delta, my wonderful mother often made a cauliflower casserole. When I began to cook a few years ago, I got her to share her recipe with me. She knew it by heart, but copied a well-worn 3″x5″ recipe card for me by hand. I only cooked it […]
Southern Potato Salad – Texas Special “Tater Salad”
Potato Salad has been a staple for family gatherings for generations. My mom made great potato salad. My wife’s mother and grandmothers made great potato salad. If you want your relatives to yell, “Don’t forget to bring your special potato salad!” for future family gatherings, try this simple recipe. Ingredients 7 Pounds – Russet Potatoes, […]
REAL Macaroni & Cheese
OK, you must promise us you will NEVER take home one of those blue and yellow boxes of fake Macaroni and Cheese again. If you make this once you will clean out your pantry. You know you have a couple of boxes in there. Ingredients 12 Ounces – Elbow Macaroni, the smallest size available 1 […]
Stove Top Carrots
This healthy side dish is a favorite of our family. It is SO easy to prepare, beats frozen vegetables hands down and is filled with healthy vitamins. Carrots contain the following vitamins: B,C,D,and E. Their carotene is converted into Vitamin A by our bodies. Just as important, they taste good and the grand-kids love […]
Mixed Wild Rice
Rice-Rice-Rice! We love Rice! We can’t get enough rice, but we like a little variation in our rice dishes. Try this one. It is very simple, tasty. Ingredients 1/2 Cup – Wild Rice 1.5 Cups – Short or Long Grain White Rice 1 Each – Small Onion, chopped fine 2 Teaspoons – Extra Virgin Olive […]
Haricot Verts – Fresh Green Beans
OK, it’s a fancy-smancy name for Green Beans, but they seem thinner and fresh. We purchase them from the big box club store and they are fresh, not frozen. This is one of my wife, Teresa’s, favorite side dishes. Preparation is too simple. Ingredients 2 Pounds – Haricot Verts 2 Tablespoons – Butter 1/2 Teaspoon […]
Fried Rice – THE Oriental Side Dish
Every Asian meal at our home is accompanied by Fried Rice. My wife Teresa has been cooking this staple for years and takes over the task of preparing the rice. Ingredients 2 Cups – Long Grain White Rice 4 Cups – Water 2 Teaspoons – Salt 4 Ounces – Frozen Packaged Vegetable Mix with Carrots, […]
Cream Corn
This is a simple side dish that the whole family will love. It is a slight dress-up from opening a can. Ingredients 3 Cans – 15.25 Oz. Whole Kernel Corn, or 3# of frozen corn. 4 Tablespoons – Butter 4 Tablespoons – Flour 1/4 Teaspoon – Salt 1/4 Cup – Tomato, Finely Chopped 1/4 Cup […]
Easy Cheezy Potatoes – Great Side for Any Meal
This hearty side dish will be right at home with steak, pork or chicken. The initial inspiration came from a Houston restaurant several years ago, called Charlie’s Chicken, which differs from the Oklahoma-based chain. They served up a delicious blend of potatoes and other ingredients and the chef shared with us the basic ingredients. Ingredients […]
Outdoor Grilled Tomatoes
If you are grilling beef, chicken, pork or fish, bust open a couple of tomatoes and cook them on your grill at the same time. Ingredients and Preparation Simply trim the top and bottom, then slice in half and rub Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the flat surfaces. Season with your favorite all-spice or Italian […]
EZ EZ EZ Zucchini
If you spend any time at all dining with our family, you are likely going to get a good dose of Zucchini, or Italian Squash. We often grill it outside, combine it with Yellow Squash or Cucuzza. Sometimes we like it cooked simply by itself. It will have a very mild taste with a little […]
Papa’s Famous Bread Recipe
My Dad is a great cook and bread is his specialty. His bread recipe has evolved after years of experimenting and testing. This recipe is what he has determined to be the best tasting combination of ingredients and preparation. He uses this same recipe, without variation, for bread, pizza dough, ornamental bread, on a cookie […]
Fruit-Kabobs
Recipe Recipe? You won’t find a recipe here, just a concept. Simply combine the freshest fruit you can find from your local grocer or farmer’s market. My wife Teresa used watermelon balls, pineapple, blueberries, and a few strawberries. Place them on 1/2 wooden skewers. Adults will love them. Children will love them and will eat […]
Swiss Chard – The Valedictorian of Vegetables
There is a reason we call call Swiss Chard “The Valedictorian of Vegetables.” It is high in nutrients and taste great! Swiss Chard is very simple to prepare and can be grown in many parts of the US almost year round. My parents often have Swiss Chard growing in their postage stamp sized garden, and […]
Sicilian Bowtie Pasta Salad
After growing up in an Italian home I can honestly say I ate pasta all the time. My family, however, never prepared Pasta Salad until recently. This recipe is similar to my wife’s Pasta Salad. I’m happy to say it is almost as good as hers. I hope you like it. Ingredients 16 oz – […]
Saffron Rice
Saffron Rice is a favorite side dish with our family. And we have been cheating by using the same prepared mix for over 30 years. We have modified it to suit our taste. You may like the original better, but we find the concentration of seasoning to be too overpowering. This is our variation. It […]
Carrot Side Dish
Carrot Side Dish This is too easy and simple to list here, but if you are looking for a simple quick side dish that will go with any meal, stop here. Ingredients 2 Pounds – Fresh Carrots 1 1/2 Tablespoon – Stick Butter Morton Nature’s Seasoning 1 Teaspoon – Parsley Flakes, fresh or dried Preparation […]
Dressed-Up Cauliflower
Cauliflower is often steamed in a medley of carrots and broccoli. My mother, Mama Sara, cooks a great cauliflower casserole. It has heavy cream, butter, cheese, etc. I tried it one time and it was over a zillion calories. Yum! This is a simple side dish to cook when you are tired of rice or […]