Side Dish Recipes
Smoky Black Beans
Y’all, about soaking beans. Don’t do it. Don’t believe me? Please just try it anyway. Maybe some beans, big’uns like lima beans or fava beans could use a little soak. I very rarely cook with those so I haven’t tried it. But little’uns like black beans and pinto beans and navy beans? Don’t even bother.…
Read MoreCharro Beans
“Frijoles de Charro” translates into “cowboy beans” and are the Mexican equivalent of Ranch style beans, but just like homemade Ranch style beans, they are many times better than canned Ranch-style beans and quite different. Characterized by lots of bacon and tomatoes, charro beans are rich enough to stand on their own, or rather, sit on…
Read MoreSmashed Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Mustard and Thyme
Smashed Roasted Potatoes Recipe Video (scroll down for printable recipe) I’ve seen pictures of smashed roasted potatoes all over the internet recently and they reminded me maybe of the rissole potatoes we had several times at the Palace Cafe in New Orleans. Lucky me, they are pretty similar in texture — creamy inside, crunchy salty outside —…
Read MoreSpicy Black-eyed Pea Salad
With the new baby sucking up all my time, I have just about zero hours a day to cook, so things that can be made in advance are the tops, as are things that can be begun and then halted for 2-48 hours until I get a chance to get back in the kitchen and finish them.…
Read MoreMac and Cheese
Mac and cheese with three cheeses! That’s thrice the cheesy flavor for thrice the mac and cheese goodness. For this recipe, I’ve used sharp Cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan. Cheddar for the bite (and the classic color) with Gouda for extra creaminess and some Parmesan for extra saltiness. Swap out Parmesan for blue cheese if you…
Read MoreTurkey Gravy
It’s Thanksgiving time and that means horrible dry turkey that is only edible once slathered in turkey gravy! I kid. Your turkey doesn’t have to be dry; follow this butter-injected turkey recipe to see. But, dry turkey or delicious, having a gravy-boat-load (or several) of turkey gravy on the table is very necessary. Pour that…
Read MoreButter Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Butter roasted sweet potatoes are an easy sweet potato side dish without the marshmallows. I love the combination of browned butter, lime juice, a squirt of honey and rosemary with these roasted potatoes; it’s complex and a little surprising. The butter and honey combine in the oven to make a shiny glaze and the lime…
Read MoreButternut and Barley Salad
Giveaway and a salad recipe! Pacific Merchants sent me this beautiful wooden salad bowl and tongs set; see their handcrafted acacia wood pieces here. I made a butternut and barley salad to go in mine, which would be a great addition to a Thanksgiving table but also fits the bill perfectly for the make-abead, complete-meal kinds…
Read MoreHow to Cook Rice
Lots of people struggle with how to cook rice. I know because I hear about it every week. So to appease the masses and throngs of youngsters and oldsters who’ve requested help with rice, here is another video in the Learn to Cook series: How to cook rice on the stove, without a rice…
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