.broccoli casserole.

Super easy and super yum. I added chicken to make it more of a meal versus a side dish. Original recipe is by Paula Deen and can be found here. Perfect for these cold nights that we have been having :)



Ingredients
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup Grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cup crushed Ritz crackers (I used saltines since it was what I had)
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combing, broccoli, mayo, cheese, soup and eggs. Mix well with a metal spoon. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the crushed crackers and pour the melted butter evenly over the crackers. Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned.

.zucchini bake.

In our house we LOVE zucchini and yellow squash. Probably could eat it everyday its that yum. I usually just saute in with some lemon pepper but when I came across this recipe on Pinterest I just had to give it a try. We literally almost ate this entire dish that you see below in one sitting and keep in mind its just me and the hubby and we are little people. It was just THAT good. Try it out for yourself :)




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 (I skipped this)
2 T thinly sliced green onion ( I skipped this)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup white cheese blend
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

Preparation
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.

.veggie medley.

This BEYOND amazing recipe was taught to me by my friend Valerie. For someone who I usually poke fun at for not cooking this was probably one of the best side dishes to a meal EVER. I seriously made it twice in one week and even ate it cold. Another perk to this recipe is that it can easily be adapted to your individual preferences by adding or omitting veggies. I added some feta on top the second time and it was also delicious. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!





Ingredients {add as much or as little of each ingredient that you prefer}
Zucchini
Chopped onion or pearl onions
Corn (I didn't have any so its not pictured)
Diced tomatoes (I used a can)
feta (optional)
Lemon Pepper
Vegetable seasoning (From costo, but you could use whatever seasoning you prefer)
Olive Oil

Preparation
Chop all ingredients and add to a medium saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or until veggies are soft. Season with lemon pepper and vegetable seasoning. Top with feta if desired and enjoy!

.mashed potatoes.

These are the wonderful mashed potatoes that I served with the chicken marsala. I love baked potatoes but the hubby is partial to mashed potatoes and after almost a year and a half of marriage I decided to make them for him. I had no idea how simple this recipe really is and super yummy. (helped that I added some cream..yum) This recipe was so great I made it again the following week..and accidently made 6 lbs of mashed potatoes, so needless to say we will be taking a break from anything potato for awhile. Enjoy!



Ingredients {serves 6}
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup warm milk (I added some yummy cream)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Preparation
Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper; mash until light and fluffy.

.sweet coleslaw.

I usually am not a huge fan of coleslaw. However, this recipe was AMAZING and paired so nicely with the bbq chicken sandwich. And so simple to make! Enjoy!





Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
2 tablespoons diced onion
2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Preparation
Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

.twice baked mashed potatoes.

This amazing recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law. The original recipe was done with the potatoes carefully put back into the skins. I do not have the skill or patience to do this so I added my own twist and just mashed it all together, skins and all. Definitely a crowd pleaser and one thanksgiving leftover I can never get enough of. Enjoy!



Ingredients
4 to 12 potatoes
1 pint cottage cheese with chives
1 stick of margarine or butter
1/2 cup mayo
parmesan
parsley flakes

Preparation
Put potatoes, washed and pierced with a fork, in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Take out and let cool. Mash up potatoes with skins. Add cottage cheese, margarine and mayo to potato mixture, and mix well. (if you want it to be really smooth mix with beater) Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese on top. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley flakes on top. Enjoy!

.green beans.

The perfect side dish, to any holiday meal. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1 bag of green beans
4-5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

Preparation
Put all ingredients in a pan heated to medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

.chili cheese fries.

One of my most favorite guilty pleasures...To save time I bought frozen french fries from Fresh & Easy. (I was really impressed by these, they were super yummy) I also bought two cans of already made chili (one with beans and one without) If you have more time feel free to make the chili from scratch. Hopefully ill be blogging a chili recipe soon. Enjoy!



Ingredients
French fries
Chili of choice
Cheddar cheese

Preparation
Make french fries according to package directions. Top with chili and cheese! YUM!

.parmesan steak fries.

I love love love fries. These fries are actually much healthier than my favorite McDonald's fries..They take much longer to make, but I figure if I must eat fries, and I MUST, then parmesan steak fries are the way to go! These are a great addition to any burger (as pictured with my fav blue cheese burger) and fabulous for the summer. Enjoy!




Ingredients
cooking spray
2 large russet potatos (about 1 1/2 pounds total) unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder to taste

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Cut each of the potatoes in half lengthwise. Rest each half on its flat side and cut each half lengthwise straight down into 4 even slices. Put the potatoes into a medium-size bowl and toss with the oil and seasonings.
Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the potatoes with cheese and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until they are crisp and golden brown; there is no need to turn them. Enjoy!

.ranch potato salad.

This is another recipe out of my fabulous magazine, 5 ingredients or less. I made this for a pot luck to celebrate my friend Kim's birthday. My first pot luck where I actually made something, instead of just running to the store and buying something! The hubby loved this and devoured the leftovers which we actually reheated and turned it into a warm mashed potato side dish. Also, I have never boiled potatoes before..and apparently if you boil them for too long the skins fall off. opps!




Ingredients
2 pounds red potatos
1 bottle (8 ounces) ranch salad dressing
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (2.8 ounces) bacon bits
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash garlic pepper

Preparation
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until tender,

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (dressing will be thick). Drain potatoes and cut into cubes; add to the dressing and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Refrigerate the leftevers.

.beer bread.

My two favorite things in life :) This is the simplest recipe ever given to me by my mother-in-law. It is a great addition to any meal! Don't get drunk!






Ingredients

3 cups self rising flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 bottle of beer
1/4 cup butter

Preparation

Grease a large loaf pan. Mix ingredients with spoon and put in loaf pan. Pour 1/4 cup of melted butter over top. Bake 375 for 45-50 min. (325 for 45 min in convection oven)

.sweet potato fries.

These are my ABSOLUTE favorite! Bought from Trader Joe's in the frozen section. So cheap, simple, and a great addition to any meal. I like to have them with a horseradish sauce that I make with mayo and horseradish. Just mix in the horseradish to taste. SO good!

.jalapenos.

This recipes was given to me by my friend Betsy and I was eager to try it because I desperately needed something to do with the extra jalapenos I had from the pizza recipe. Such a simple recipe! Just needed to cut the jalapenos in half, scrap out the seeds, fill with mexican cheese, then sprinkle on some Larwy's seasoning on top. I baked at 400 until the cheese melted. YUM!!!

A WORD TO THE WISE...I was told that jalapenos are worse on your eyes than onions...however they did not seem to bother me until I touched my face with my hands. The same hands I used to pick out the seeds. (apparently you should use a spoon or gloves, but Im clueless) My face started burning..then I put water on it and this just spread around the burn, I accidently touched my eyes...and long story short and 40 minutes of screaming sobs later, my husband pouring milk on my face, a hot painful shower, alcohol and a fan on my face actually helped. But for two days every time I touched my eyes they burned. Apparently jalapenos have the worst oil ever. I did not know, and now YOU know :)