Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Photo from Dinner, Dishes and Desserts

You can never go wrong with a baked potato. Load that bad boy up and you have an even better
potato. 

This recipe was delicious, of course. I mean mashed potatoes with sour cream, cheese, green onions and bacon...what's not to like. 

It was a perfect side for the Country Style Beef ribs I made for book club. 

Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Recipe from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Serves 8

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 4 cloves garlic, mashed
• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 - 1 cup heavy cream or milk, (amount depends on how creamy you like it)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Tablespoon salt, (approximately, adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot. Fill with water, so the potatoes are completely covered. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash potatoes. Stir in butter, sour cream, and heavy cream. Mash further if necessary to get to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese, and bacon (reserve some for the topping).

Pour into 13x9 in baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and reserved bacon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Slow Cooker Smothered Barbecue Green Beans

Photo by Incredible
Recipes

As a side to tonight's BBQ fest Sunday dinner, I found this recipe. I've had it in my list for some time and thought tonight would be a great time to try it. 

Small change, I already had the slow cooker going with the pork, so I did this on the stove. I didn't cook it for as long as it says either. I used canned green beans and I just felt like that would make them mush if I cooked them that long. 

These were super flavorful and oh so delicious. I never thought about putting BBQ sauce in green beans. Glad someone did. 

Slow Cooker Smothered Barbecue Green Beans

Recipe from My Incredible Recipes

Serves 6

• 12 strips thick-cut bacon chopped
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
• 1/2 c tomato ketchup
• 3/4 c Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce
• 1/3 c  light brown sugar
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 15 oz. cans cut green beans, drained and rinsed OR fresh if you prefer

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, then Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.

Drain most of the bacon grease from the skillet, leaving about 2 tbsp. left in the pan.

Add diced onions and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Combine tomato ketchup, Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and well combined.

Spray the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and add green beans, sauteed onions, and barbecue sauce mixture.

Stir to combine and sprinkle top with cooked bacon. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on LOW heat.

ENJOY!

Asian Pickled Cucumber

Photo from Cooking
with Lei

I am all in with the viral cucumber recipes going around Instagram. Well, I'm probably a little behind, but I'm now all in. These recipes make eating cucumbers fun and delicious. 

I've made a couple randomly, but none of them were that fantastic. THIS one is though. So good. 

I wasn't sure what 800 g of cucumber was, so I used 4 small Persian cucumbers. I peeled mine and cut them into big 1 inch chunks. 

I did not do the salting thing. I didn't have time and I really didn't think it would matter much. I did let these bad boys sit of an hour in that marinade though. Worth it. 

I also swapped out sugar with an allulose substitute. Low carb and all. 

Finally, for the fresh chili, I used gochujang.

Asian Pickled Cucumber

Recipe from Cooking with Lei

Makes 2 servings

• 800 g cucumber
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 5 clove garlic (adjust it to your liking)
• 3-5 fresh chilli (adjust it to your liking)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon salt

Preparing the Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into strips and remove the seed part.

Marinating with Salt: Mix the salt with the cucumbers and let them marinate for one hour. Then wash the salt off the cucumbers and squeeze out any excess water.

Flavorful Finish: Mix in sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chili, garlic and your pickled cucumbers are ready to eat. Store some in a container in the fridge for later enjoyment.

Baked Parmesan Broccoli Casserole

Photo from Dinner
Then Dessert

Thanksgiving is always ... ALWAYS about the food for our family. And I've kept that tradition going strong. I follow every recipe that we've made for years to the T. It's the way Thanksgiving is to be for me. 

Except, this year. I love our family's Broccoli Casserole, but it makes SOOO much and I was only feeding 4. I still wanted a vegetable, and I still wanted broccoli. Then I found this recipe. 

It was delicious. Super easy to throw together, which is helpful for Thanksgiving. The leftovers were just ok to me - mostly because I LOVE the broccoli casserole leftovers, warm or cold. 

I'd make this again just for me. It was that easy. 

I chose to not do the Ritz topping. I didn't want to buy an entire box of ritz for just a few crackers. So I swapped out the Ritz crackers with Fried onions! I burned them in the oven, but they were still delicious. 

Baked Parmesan Broccoli Casserole

Recipe from Dinner Then Dessert

Serves 8

6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided

• 1 yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 4 cups broccoli cut into bite sized florets

Topping:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup ritz crackers crushed
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13" baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Add 3 tablespoons butter to a large skillet on medium heat.

Add the onions and cook until just translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add in remaining butter.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, milk, egg, salt, black pepper and paprika.

Bring to a simmer until it just begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

Add in Parmesan cheese and broccoli.

Stir to coat, then pour into baking dish.

Topping:

Add butter to a large skillet on medium heat.

When melted add ritz crumbs and parmesan cheese.

Stir to coat well and cook until crispy and just beginning to brown, stirring occasionally until it begins to brown.

Add to the top of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

Crack Potatoes

Photo from Love from the Oven

The Niece and her wifey were here for a couple of days. When they're in town, I make ribs. I wanted to make something other than Mom's Macaroni salad because Sherrie is GF Girl and she misses out on a side if I make pasta. 

This recipe was delicious. Super easy and super flavorful. The cream cheese adds a nice little tang along with the sour cream.

I halved this recipe because serving 12 is WAY too much for our little group. Halving it I still had enough left overs to send some home with Sherrie and a serving for myself. 

Crack Potatoes

Recipe from Love from the Oven

Serves 12

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 ounces ranch dressing powdered mix two 1 oz packages
• 3 c cheddar cheese grated and divided
• 1 pound bacon cooked, chopped and divided
• 30 ounces shredded hash brown potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Prepare a 9X13 inch baking dish by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick spray.

Using a very large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dry ranch dressing mix.

Stir in 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese and about half of the chopped bacon. Add in the hashbrown potatoes and stir to mix well.

Place mixture into prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove baking dish from the oven and sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and the remaining bacon. Return dish to the oven and continue baking, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

Funeral Potatoes (157 of 150)

Photo from Small Town Woman

These are probably my favorite potato casserole thing. The name, I only assume, is because this gets
taken to pot lucks at church when there's a funeral. 

I made something similar to this last Christmas dinner. Those were called something different, but same idea. 

These feed a crowd. And a crowd I was having tonight for Sunday dinner. I'm sure I'll have leftovers too. 

I have two GF peeps who come to these dinners so I did not use the cream of chicken soup. I used another 8 oz of sour cream. 

Funeral Potatoes

Recipe from Small town woman.com

Serve2 10

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
• 32 ounces frozen hash brown potatoes (thawed for 30–40 minutes)
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1 can (10.5 ounce) cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 2 cup crushed corn flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes

In a large bowl, stir together hash brown potatoes, onion, 1/2 cup melted butter, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cheddar, and Monterey jack. Spoon into prepared dish.

Stir together 1/4 cup melted butter and crushed cornflakes. Sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Creamy Tomato and Cucumber Salad (117 of 150)

Photo from Spicy
Southern Kitchen

I often look for a salad I can make that isn't lettuce. It's hard for me since there's a lot of side salads
without lettuce that I don't like. Thankfully I like tomatoes and cucumbers. 

Janet's tomato  plants are delivering a LOT of tomatoes this season. Perfect opportunity to make this salad. It's light and a delicious side salad for the summer. 

Creamy Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 6

• 1/3 c sour cream
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 T cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chopped fresh dill or parsley
• 1 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 1 sweet or red onion, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and dill.

Add cucumber, tomato, and onion. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.

Charro Beans (79 of 150)

Photo from Lemon 
Tree Dwelling

Tonight was Sunday Dinner. The theme was Burrito Bowls. Everyone brought something to add to the bowls. I made the Carne Asada from this taco recipe. And the chicken from this recipe.  On top of that I did these Charro Beans.

The flavor combination of these beans is amazing. They are so delicious and so much better than refried beans. They were a nice addition to the burrito bowls. 

Charro beans should not be confused with Borracho Beans. That said the only real difference is Borracho beans have beer in them. And are also delicious. 

I'm not sure why, but I didn't include the ham and bacon in my recipe. I had two types of chorizo I used and thought that would be enough pork. I think it turned out good. I'd make these again in a heart beat. 

Charro Beans

Recipe from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Serves 12

• 4 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained
• 6 slices bacon
• 7 ounces chorizo sausage
• 1 c diced ham steak
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Prepare the vegetables by dicing the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro and mincing the jalapeño and garlic. Prepare the meats by dicing the ham and bacon.

Add the diced bacon, along with the chorizo, to a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, crumbling the chorizo as you go, until the bacon is crispy.

Add in the prepared onions, garlic, and ham. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are translucent.

Add in the remaining ingredients, including the liquid from the beans, and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro as desired.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes (Recipe 45 of 150)

Tonight I was craving potatoes. I had some steak bites I was going to make and I felt like I needed potatoes with it. I realize potatoes aren't low carb and you know what? That's ok. 

I didn't want just a baked potato or mashed potatoes. I wanted something different. I bought some fingerling potatoes to use in this recipe. I like them better than red potatoes. 

If I made this again I'd not include the bread crumbs. I don't think they added any value to this recipe. The parmesan was all this needed. 

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Recipe from - I really don't know. 

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 lb small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 " slices
• 3 T Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 c Shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 c minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375F. Place baking sheet in the oven to preheat.

Toss potatoes with oil in a bowl. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and parsley; add potatoes and toss gently until potatoes are coated.

Arrange potatoes on the preheated baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender, 30-35 minutes.

Herbed Steak with Orzo Caprese Salad (Recipe 154 of 150)

I have a recipe that's similar to this one that is one of my favorite summer salads to bring to a pot luck or something. It's a light salad with simple flavors.

Tonight's dinner would be much better in the summer time. It was delicious, don't get me wrong. It just felt weird having it when it's 39F outside. 

I grilled my steak earlier in the afternoon so it had time to chill. In fact, I made the whole salad around 3pm and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors could come together. 

While I was eating it, I remembered the Med Orzo Salad I made this summer and realized it too is similar.

I made a enough for a serving for lunch tomorrow too. I might toss in a few olives for good measure tomorrow. I did throw in cucumber tonight because I had just a small end left and needed to use it up. I'll be burping all night, but it was worth it.

I also didn't "cook" the tomatoes and cheese. That's not something I'd enjoy. 

Herbed Steak with Orzo Caprese Salad

Recipe from Our Best Bites

Serves 6

24 ounces steak*

8 ounces grape tomatoes

1/4 ounce parsley (a small bouquet)

8 ounces fresh mozzarella (mozzarella pearls work great!)

4 cloves garlic

12 ounces orzo pasta 

2 tsp Herbes de Provence

2 T balsamic vinegar

1–2 T extra virgin olive oil for the salad, plus more for cooking

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 400 F.

Chop the parsley, discarding the stems. Wash the tomatoes. Mince or grate the garlic. If you bought a single ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2″ cubes.

Set steaks out on a plate or plastic cutting board to rest at room temperature. Season both side with salt and pepper and Herbes de Provence. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, add the orzo to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Drain in a fine mesh strainer.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan (cast iron if you have one) over medium-high heat. When hot, add the prepared steak and sear 2-3 minutes per side, using tongs instead of a fork to turn the steak. After they have seared on both sides, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until desired doneness is reached, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 5 minutes.

While the steak is roasting, reduce the heat to the pan you seared the steaks in and add a little more olive oil to the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove the pan from heat.

Add the pasta, balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (this is a great time to use flavors like garlic or lemon), parsley, and mozzarella to the pan with the tomatoes. Stir gently to combine and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

After the steak has rested for a few minutes, slice it thinly against the grain. Divide the pasta salad between plates (you may have some salad leftover–just serve it cold the next day!) and top with the sliced steak. Garnish with additional minced parsley and serve.

Shake and Bake Ranch Potatoes (Recipe 152 of 150)

Photo from Spicy 
Southern Kitchen

I don't post too many vegetable recipe. My vegetable dishes are usually something like broccoli or asparagus sautéed. Simple. But I have a ton of vegetable recipes. I think I need to start making more.

This one was hard to make for a single serving. I didn't want to open a full packet of ranch for such a small amount, but I did. And it was worth it. This was really yummy. I'd make this again for sure. 

Shake and Bake Ranch Potatoes

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 6

• 1/2 c Italian bread crumbs
• 2 T Ranch seasoning, I use Hidden Valley
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 T melted butter
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Add bread crumbs, Ranch seasoning, paprika, and black pepper to a large zip top bag.

Add potatoes and shake to coat.

Add butter, oil, and parmesan cheese to bag and shake again. Pour potatoes out onto prepared pan.

Bake 15 minutes. Stir and bake another 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad (Recipe 88 of 150)

Photo from Pioneer Woman

I have found the perfect summer salad. You heard me. Perfect! This Med salad has all sorts of flavors that are #1 on my list of favorite flavors. It's pretty similar to my other favorite summer salad Herbed Vegetable Orzo Salad. I first made that salad in 2015 and have made it a hundred times since. 

Tonight is my favorite Sunday dinner, the Low Country Boil. What's a Low Country Boil? 

It's called “Lowcountry Boil” because of the key ingredient, shrimp, which is a principal product of the Lowcountry. Many recipes differ, but the staple ingredients of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes remain the same.

That's it. You put all that goodness in a huge pot. Add some seasonings and boil away. Then you dump the whole thing on a table and got at it. We haven't done one of these for a couple of years and all of us regulars loved it then, and are looking forward to it tonight. 

My contribution, besides sausage, is this salad. I had a small bowl for breakfast and I can say 100% this is delicious. As I was eating it I thought about making it without pasta and thought swapping pasta for lettuce would be equally as delicious. 

This is a good summer salad because it has no mayo, which can get icky sitting in the sun. Make this recipe! You don't regret it. I promise you'll want to eat it all the time. 

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 10

• 1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 12 ounces, weight Orzo Pasta, Cooked, Drained, And Cooled
• 1 c Red Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 c Yellow Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 c Kalamata Olives, Halved
• 1 c Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1 c Chickpeas, Drained.
• 1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced
• 3 T Minced Fresh Parsley

In a jar or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until totally combined.

Place the orzo and all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Stir to combine, taste and adjust seasonings, and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Top with more feta and parsley and serve as a main dish salad or with grilled chicken, fish, or burgers!

Madeira-Roasted Mushrooms & Shallots (Recipe 119 of 125)

Photo from Eating Well

 Y'all...this recipe! OMG. If you don't like mushrooms, then move on. 

I am a big fan of sautéed mushrooms...in any form. I frequently put a splash of balsamic at the end and I love that. Then this recipe crossed my path. 

Whoa. The flavor of the madeira wine is off the chart good. I didn't, and wouldn't change a thing.

Madeira-Roasted Mushrooms & Shallots
Recipe from Eating Well

Serves 4

• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 c thickly sliced shallots
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil 16.9 Fl Oz
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ⅓ c Madeira

Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the center rack and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss mushrooms and shallots in a large bowl with oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread on the hot baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.

Stir in Madeira and continue roasting until the vegetables are browned and the Madeira has evaporated, about 5 minutes more.

Dina's Tossed Mushrooms

Tonight I made two new recipes. Pan-Fried Hone Garlic Chicken was my protein. This was my side dish. I had a lb of mushrooms in the fridge for a reason I can't explain, so it worked perfect. 

SkinnyTaste recipes rarely disappoint and this one didn't either. I ended up cooking mine for about 30 minutes, mostly because I forgot them and in my oven that was perfect. I'd make these again if I was looking for something different to do with mushrooms. 

Dina's Tossed Mushrooms

Beautiful photo from SkinnyTaste

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

• 1 pound white button mushrooms
• 2 T water
• 1/4 c dried Italian-style breadcrumbs
• 2 T Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• 2 T Italian parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• black pepper to taste
• 2 T olive oil to drizzle
• olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice off the bottom of the stems; then, use a moist paper towel to gently remove any dirt from mushrooms.

Quarter or halve the mushrooms, depending on the size.

Sprinkle water in the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish then place mushrooms in a single layer on top of the water.

In a small bowl combine next six ingredients: breadcrumbs through salt/pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the mushrooms.

Drizzle evenly with olive oil then spray the top with olive oil spray so it’s evenly coated. Bake uncovered until the mushrooms are golden, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Garlic Mushrooms

Yet another favorite that isn't on the blog. And before you ask, yes, I'm bored tonight and updating/coordinating my recipe list is something to do. 

According to my notes, this was made for a Sunday dinner in Dec 2018. It was a big hit. So much so that I handed out the recipe to two guests. I've made this a handful of times since then. When I made it originally I had forgotten to add the wine to them. I don't add wine to them now when I make them. 

Garlic Mushrooms

Photo from CafeDelites

Recipe from CafeDelites

Serves 4

• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 an onion chopped (optional)
• 1 pound Cremini or button mushrooms
• 2 T dry white wine* (optional)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

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

Sauté the onion until softened (about 3 minutes).

Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges.

Pour in the wine and cook for 2 minutes, to reduce slightly.

Stir through thyme, 1 tablespoon of parsley and garlic. Cook for a further 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Season generously with salt and pepper (to your taste).

Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve warm.

Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan

 Oh Mushrooms! How I love thee. They, like broccoli, I eat frequently and I often get bored with the ol' saute with garlic. So finding a simple, flavorful (layers of flavors), and delicious recipe made me happy. 

Now that I've made this, I'm even more happy. This will make it into my normal rotation for veggie sides. 

Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan
Recipe from Eatingwell.com

Photo from EatingWell.com

Serves 4

2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp ground pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Stir oil, marjoram, pepper and salt together in a large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with vinegar. Sprinkle with Parmesan and continue roasting until the cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

I have heard of these types of potato casseroles as "funeral potatoes".  I think it's the type that people can bring to church potlucks or funerals. It' makes a good amount (9x13) and can I just say...are incredibly delicious.

I would modify this recipe ever so slightly when I make them again.

First, I'd saute the onions. Putting the raw onion in without sauteing it made the onions a bit crunchy and they still had a bite to them.

Then, I don't think cream of chicken soup is the right flavor for this. I think you could either, do away with that soup because there's already a lot of liquid going on in this. Or add mayo, or use another cream of something. It's really a very versatile recipe.

Bacon on top would have really made this fantastic...oh and maybe green onions. MMM. I didn't use corn flakes or Ritz as the topper. I had panko so I used them and it was fantastic.

So, bottom line... 5 stars for sure.

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole
Recipe from Cooks.com
Serves 6 - easily

Photo from The Salty Marshmallow

2 lbs. hash browns, defrosted (JW Note, and you might want to ring them out a bit)
1/2 c melted butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c milk
1 c sour cream
2 c grated sharp cheese (Colby or cheddar)

TOPPING:
2 c crushed corn flakes (can use Ritz crackers)
1/2 c melted butter

Mix above ingredients and put in a 9"x13" pan.

Melt butter and add corn flakes to mix. Sprinkle topping over potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

JW Modifications:
1. Cream of Chicken didn't add much flavor. Can use any cream of whatever soup
2. Need to sauté the onions before putting into the casserole. They were still pretty strong after cooking
3. Bacon on the top would be a nice topper to this. As would green onions.
4. I used Panko instead of corn flakes for the top.

The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Side dishes are a big thing for me. I need creativity for side dishes or I get bored pretty quickly. There's a ton of variety in the protein but side dishes aren't as easy for me.

I made this for a dinner party and it was a huge success. So tasty and so delicious. I'll make this again for sure.

The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
Recipe from Sweetcsdesigns.com
Serves 4

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
2 T olive oil, extra virgin
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c Parmesan , shredded or grated
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper, fresh cracked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Trim asparagus to remove tough, woody ends - discard ends.

On a baking sheet (line with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup), lay down asparagus.

Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and lemon juice, mix around with hands to coat evenly.

Pour cheese and garlic powder over asparagus, mix with hands to evenly mix and coat asparagus.

Generously season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes - checking at around 10 minutes to see if tips have started to brown slightly and asparagus has softened a bit.

Cook until asparagus is soft and has crunchy browned bits, about 15 minutes total (this is very dependent on your oven and the thickness of the asparagus stalks - watch it to be sure it doesn't overcook.)

When asparagus is done, serve immediately.

Calorie 141
Carb 6
Protein 7
Fiber 2

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower is one of those veggies that's super good for you but really doesn't have much of a taste. I like to bake it at high heat and get it all crispy on the outside.  Tonight for Sunday dinner, I decided to try this cauliflower gratin. I added broccoli too thinking it was a nice addition.

Cauliflower Gratin
Recipe from ??

1 head cauliflower, divided into 1 in florets
4 T unsalted butter, divided
1 c diced onions
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
3 T flour
1 1/4 c whole mil
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c grated Gruyere
1/2 c grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425.

Coat a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook cauliflower in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again.

Melt 2 T butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Off heat, stir in Gruyere and 1/4 c Parmesan, then stir in cauliflower until completely coated; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 T butter, combine with bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 c Parmesan and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over gratin and bake until crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbly, 25-30 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.

Corn and Cucumber Salad

I saw this in a Cook's Country magazine and knew I had to make it. I just needed the right reason to. If I made it for myself, that'd be just too much corn. Right?

So along came a mobile Sunday dinner that would be in a beautiful house on the water. Perfect!

As I typed up this recipe I realized I followed almost none of it. Between my laziness and my forgetfulness, I improvised a lot.

In the end, it was fantastic.

Corn and Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4-6
I doubled the recipe and had enough for maybe two services left having fed 10 people.

1/2  cup extra-virgin olive oil

Taken from the Internet

4  ears corn, kernels cut from cobs  [JW Note: This is the lazy side. I simply bought frozen corn and thawed it]
 Salt and pepper
5  tablespoons lime juice (3 limes)  [JW Note: And this is the forgetful side. Forgot limes, so stopped and bought a lime garlic dressing instead. Way easier and delicious.]
1/4  cup sour cream  [JW Note: ended up not using sour cream at all.]
1/4  red onion, sliced thin
1  jalapeño chile, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin
1  English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
3  ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)  [JW Note: Blech. I used the feta cheese, but didn't like it. Then again I don't like Feta in general].
1/4  cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add corn and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and spotty brown, 7 to 9 minutes; transfer to large bowl. Refrigerate corn until completely cool, about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, remaining 7 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup lime vinaigrette to separate bowl and whisk in sour cream; set aside. Add onion and jalapeño to remaining lime vinaigrette; let sit while corn is cooling, at least 15 minutes.

3. Add cucumber and onion-jalapeño mixture (including vinaigrette) to bowl with corn and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with feta and basil. Serve.