Spanish Tomato & Cheese Salad

I love Spain. My Dad loved Spain, too, and I think some of my affection for the country came from him. But even without that connection, Spain would still have a pretty firm hold on my heart. And then there’s the food. Paella alone is enough to make me want to book a flight.

But one of the things I really fell in love with while I was in Spain was the cheese. Specifically, Manchego. Oh my goodness. Manchego in Spain is something special.

I still love Manchego here in the U.S., but it isn't quite the same. That's true of so many foods, really. Something you eat in its home country just seems to have a little extra magic that doesn't always make the trip across the ocean.

And since it's tomato season, pairing ripe, juicy, straight-from-the-vine tomatoes with Manchego seemed like a pretty obvious idea for a side dish.

Naturally, I then proceeded to completely screw up the recipe.

I didn't realize I was out of Sherry vinegar until I was already making it. Rather than admit defeat and put the whole thing on hold, I substituted fresh lemon juice because I knew I needed some acidity. Red wine vinegar didn't seem like the right choice at the time.

Turns out, I was wrong.

The lemon and Manchego just didn't work for me. The flavors weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't the combination I was hoping for. In hindsight, I think the red wine vinegar would have been a much better substitute.

I'm not giving up on this one, though. I have some beautiful heirloom tomatoes sitting around that need to be eaten, and I really like the idea of this combination. So tomorrow I'm making a trip to the store for Sherry vinegar and giving it another shot.

Spanish Tomato & Cheese Salad

Recipe from Spain On A Fork

Serves 4

• 4 tomatoes
• 1/2 lbs Manchego cheese (Aged 6 months) .23 kg
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml
• 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar 8 ml
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano 1 gram
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley 4 grams
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

Wash & pat dry the tomatoes, then cut each one into rounds that are 1/4 inch thick

De-rind the cheese and cut into slices that are 1/8 inch thick

Add the slices of tomato and cheese into a serving dish, going in order of tomato and then cheese and in a circular design

Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil into a bowl, along with 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar, finely grate 1 clove garlic, add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, season with a kiss of sea salt & black pepper, whisk together until well mixed

Pour the dressing over the salad, serve at room temperature or add into the fridge and serve chilled, enjoy!

Cherry Tomato Salad

Sister-in-Law Janet’s tomato plants have officially entered the “please take some tomatoes” phase of summer.  Luckily for me, I was the recipient of a bowl of those gorgeous little cherry tomatoes.

I absolutely love fresh tomatoes. There’s just no comparison between a tomato picked ripe from the vine and the ones sitting in the grocery store. Store-bought tomatoes can look pretty, but that fresh-from-the-garden flavor is something else entirely.

The dressing for this salad is basically a simple vinaigrette, so nothing complicated there. I tossed the tomatoes with a Persian cucumber, and the two worked really well together. Fresh, crunchy, and exactly the kind of simple combination I enjoy.

I liked pretty much everything about this recipe with one exception: the orange zest. I didn't even use the full tablespoon called for, and it still wasn't working for me. The flavor just seemed out of place with everything else going on. If I make this again, the orange peel is definitely getting the boot. Sometimes a recipe just needs one little tweak to make it right for you. 

Cherry Tomato Salad

Recipe from Healthy Recipes Blog

Serves 4

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved 
• ¼ cup green onions - chopped; green parts only

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Your first step is to mix chopped fresh tomatoes (I usually use sliced cherry tomatoes) with chopped scallions.

The next step is to add a tasty dressing made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and orange zest.

Mix the salad, let it rest, then serve.

Combine the tomatoes and the green onions in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange zest, salt, and pepper until they emulsify into a thick, velvety dressing. If the dressing seems too thick, mix in a teaspoon of water.

Pour the dressing on top of the vegetables and mix to combine.

Let the salad rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. This step is not mandatory but helps the flavors meld and improves the salad's flavor.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Photo from Feel
Good Foodie

I’m currently on a serious cucumber kick. They’ve become one of my favorite easy, throw-together salads lately. I make my go-to Asian cucumber salad all the time, but tonight I was serving ribs, and the Asian flavors just didn’t feel like the right match. So I switched things up and made this creamy, delicious version instead.

This salad couldn’t be easier to make, and chances are you already have most of what you need in the kitchen. I put it together about an hour before dinner. It doesn’t actually need any time to sit, but I like giving the cucumbers a little time to mingle with the dressing. You know, let everyone get acquainted before dinner.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Feel Good Foodie

Serves 4

• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large English cucumbers thinly sliced
• ¼ red onion thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, vinegar, dill sugar, and garlic powder until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Add the sliced cucumbers and red onions on top of the sour cream dressing and stir to coat.

Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Crispy Garlic and Mushroom Green Beans

I had some leftover French green beans from book club and a package of mushrooms that needed to be used up, so I went looking for a recipe that would put both to good use. This one ended up being the perfect side dish for dinner.

I used baby bella mushrooms because they're my favorite. They have a rich and are pretty much the only mushrooms I buy these days.

This recipe comes together quickly with just a handful of ingredients, making it an easy weeknight side. 

The flavor was exactly what you'd expect from a garlic mushroom green bean dish. If I make it again, I'd probably add a little extra garlic since I can never seem to get enough of it. Other than that, it was a simple, tasty way to use up a couple of ingredients that were hanging out in the fridge.

Crispy Garlic and Mushroom Green Beans

Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves 4

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
• 2 T sliced garlic
• 2 c sliced shiitake mushroom caps or cremini mushrooms
• 1/3 c water
• 12 ounces haricots verts (French green beans), trimmed
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil and butter; swirl until butter melts. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic from pan with a slotted spoon.

Add mushrooms to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1/3 cup water and haricots verts; cover and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; cook 30 seconds or until liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with garlic and salt.

Cucumber Salad

Photo from Home
Made Hooplah

I've been on a real cucumber kick lately. I find making these quick little salads makes getting veggies
easier. I've been making a lot of the Asian flavor salads, but for Book club tonight I figured I'd better tone it down a bit (we have a member who doesn't like spice). 

This is an old time recipe as I understand it. The Anti Spice girl in book club said they made this all the time back in the mid-West. I can see why...It's delicious.

The tang of the vinegar with just a little hint of the sweet really makes this a good vinegairette for these cucumbers. 

I used Persian cucs because those are the ones I'm addicted to now. They're like little individual cucumbers. I didn't slice them thin because I like my slices to be a bit thicker. I also didn't add all the dill. 2 tablespoons seems like WAY too much dill. 

I had vinaigrette leftover so I'll be adding some cucumbers into it for tomorrow's dinner too. 

Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Home Made Hooplah

Serves 6

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large English cucumbers, sliced thin
• 1 medium red onion, sliced into thin half-moons

In a large bowl, whisk together white wine vinegar, water, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix until sugar has dissolved.

Add cucumbers and red onion to bowl, then use a spatula to toss and mix until veggies are coated in dressing.

Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Serve as desired.

Sautéed Haricot Verts with Marmalade Vinaigrette (French Green Beans)

Photo from The
Suburban Soapbox

I'm always on the lookout for quick, delicious vegetable side dishes. As much as I enjoy green beans, I tend to cook them the same way over and over again, so I'm always happy to find a recipe that shakes things up a bit.

This one fit the bill perfectly. I happen to love French green beans—although for reasons I still can't explain, I insist on calling them "hairy armpits." Don't ask. It's just one of those weird things my brain does. The good news is they cook quickly and, if you're careful not to overcook them, they stay wonderfully crisp and tender.

The vinaigrette was light and fresh, but I did think it could have used a little more orange marmalade. The ladies from Vines & Spines mentioned they couldn't really taste the marmalade, and I had to agree. It added a touch of sweetness, but I was hoping for a more noticeable citrus flavor. Next time I'd probably bump up the marmalade just a bit to let it shine. 

Sautéed Haricot Verts with Marmalade Vinaigrette (French Green Beans)

Recipe from The Suburban Soapbox

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
• ½ pound haricots verts, baby string beans, stem ends removed
• 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• ¼ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• For the marmalade vinaigrette:
• 1 lemon juiced and zested
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Set up a large bowl of well-salted ice water for shocking.

Add the beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Strain and immediately transfer the beans to the salted ice water. When cool, strain again and set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large pan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute, until the garlic begins to blister and become golden. Remove the garlic and set aside.

Add the beans to the pan and sauté until hot and just beginning to blister.

Transfer the beans to a serving bowl, season with salt and serve with the marmalade vinaigrette.

Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

Photo from CJ Eats

Our dinner club recently visited Din Tai Fung, and the BFF insisted that we order their famous cucumber salad. I'd heard people rave about it before, but somehow I'd never actually tried it myself.

One bite and I completely understood the hype.

Ever since that dinner, I've been on a mission to find a recipe that comes as close as possible to the original. I'm sure the exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but this version gets remarkably close. In fact, it's so good that I've become a little obsessed with it. By "a little," I mean I've been making it almost every single day.

The secret is taking the time to salt the cucumbers and let them rest before adding the dressing. That extra step pulls out excess moisture and keeps the cucumbers crisp. As a bonus, the salad holds up much better in the refrigerator and doesn't turn watery or slimy after a day or two.

My grand plan is to make a batch at the beginning of the week and have it ready whenever a craving strikes. So far, however, that strategy hasn't worked out very well. I've only been making single servings because I keep eating the entire bowl in one sitting.

No regrets. Burp!

Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

Recipe from CJ Eays Recipes

Serves 4

• 1 lb cucumber, Persian or English
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 tbsp chili oil
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

To prepare the Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad dressing, mix together light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, grated garlic, chili oil, and sesame oil. Whisk them together and your dressing is ready!

Begin preparing your cucumbers by slicing them into 1/2″ rounds. Once your cucumbers are uniformly sliced, place them in a bowl and mix the cucumbers with salt, then let them sit for 30 minutes. Next, rinse off the salt and pat them as dry as possible with a kitchen or paper towel.

The salt will help to draw out excess moisture for the cucumbers through osmosis which will result in a more crisp vegetable.

Once the cucumbers are as dry as possible, add them to the dressing and mix them well to get each piece coating in that delicious dressing. Let them sit in the marinade for at least 10 minutes then stack them up and enjoy!

If you are making Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad ahead of time, make sure to transfer them into an air tight storage container up to 2-3 days in advance.

Once the cucumbers are stacked beautifully, the final step is to add an additional drop of chili oil to each cucumber for that pop of color and spice! Serve and enjoy!

Cherry Tomato Salad

Photo from The
Mom 100 Blog

This really isn’t the ideal time of year for my annual tomato salad obsession. Normally, that happens later in the summer when Seattle Sis-in-Law’s garden is overflowing and she sends me home with bags and bags of tomatoes in every shape, size, and color imaginable. Then I spend weeks happily working my way through every tomato salad recipe I can find.

This time, though, the tomatoes came courtesy of an Amazon Fresh ordering mishap. I ordered a package of tri-colored cherry tomatoes and somehow ended up with a giant container. Way more tomatoes than I could ever use in my usual side salads.

While searching for a completely different recipe, this one popped up. I’m convinced the universe was trying to tell me something. Call it fate, call it serendipity, but I took the hint and added it to the menu.

I only made one significant change: I tossed in a Persian cucumber. It seemed like the right move at the time, and after one bite, I can confidently say it was a very wise decision. The cucumber added a fresh crunch that paired perfectly with the tomatoes.

What really makes this recipe shine, though, is the dressing. It’s absolutely delicious and ties everything together beautifully. After the first bite, I immediately marked this recipe as a favorite. It’s simple, fresh, and packed with flavor—exactly the kind of recipe I’ll be coming back to again and again.

Cherry Tomato Salad

Recipe from The Mom 100

Serves 4

• 4 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• For the Dressing:
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt and toss. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and pepper.

Drizzle over the tomatoes, add the oregano and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Green Beans with Warm Pistachio Vinaigrette

Photo from Simply Stacie

For some reason, I had it stuck in my head that pistachios were very Greek. I honestly have no idea where that came from, but once the thought settled in, this recipe immediately earned a spot on my Greek Sunday dinner menu. Naturally, I had to Google it just to make sure I wasn’t completely making things up. Turns out pistachios really are tied to Greek cooking, especially on the island of Aegina where they’re a huge part of the agricultural history. So I’m counting this as a win for my random food instincts.

The minute I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it — Greek dinner or not. There was just something about the combination of pistachios and green beans that sounded perfect to me. Crunchy, nutty pistachios with crisp-tender green beans? Yes, please.

And let me tell you, this dish absolutely delivered. It was fresh, flavorful, and just a little different from your average vegetable side dish. The pistachios added such a great texture and richness without overpowering the green beans.

I only made one change to the recipe, and what I thought was a tiny tweak ended up making a huge difference. Instead of red wine vinegar, I used sherry vinegar. I’m convinced it made the dish even better. The flavor was a little softer, slightly sweeter, and worked beautifully with the pistachios.

This is definitely going into the “make again” pile. It’s easy, delicious, and feels a little fancy without requiring much effort at all. Honestly, this would be the perfect side dish to bring to a dinner party or holiday meal because it looks impressive while being incredibly simple to throw together.

Green Beans with Warm Pistachio Vinaigrette

Recipe from Simply Stacie

Serves 4

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup shelled pistachios chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 lb green beans trimmed

Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add pistachios and saute for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vinegar, water and salt to frying pan. Stir to combine.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and blanch green beans for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Toss beans with vinaigrette.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Phhoto from
Butter Your Biscuit

This Thai cucumber salad was the perfect side dish for a any weeknight dinner, but especially for the Red Curry Dumpling Soup I made tonight. 

Crisp cucumbers, tangy lime juice, sweet chili sauce (YUM), and crunchy peanuts come together in a way that tastes so fresh and bright. It’s one of those recipes that feels restaurant-worthy but takes almost no effort to throw together. And makes enough to have as a leftover.

The dressing is the real star here. It’s sweet, savory, a little spicy, and somehow makes plain cucumbers completely addictive. 

Thai Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 6

• 2 English cucumbers sliced ¼ inch thin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ red onion halved and sliced ¼ inch thin
• ½ cup peanuts chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste

Place 1/2 of the sliced cucumbers in a strainer and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over them, then place the second layer followed by another teaspoon of salt. Let sit for about 20 minutes, rinse, put on a paper towel, and pat dry. (This step is optional but allows the cucumbers to stay crisp longer.)

Place the sliced cucumbers, onions, peanuts, and cilantro in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl add the sweet chili sauce, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and mix until combined.

Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and toss until coated. Add salt to taste.

Onion Soup Mix Roasted Potatoes

Some recipes come with a whole story—and this one starts at a book club gathering long, long ago. Queen PopUp made a simple potato dish that completely stopped me in my tracks. I actually went quiet for a moment (which, if you know me, is saying something) just trying to process how something so easy could taste that good.

Naturally, I had to know the secret. She casually pointed to the side of a box of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, and just like that—mystery solved.

Ever since that day, onion soup mix has been a pantry staple in my kitchen. When it goes on sale, I stock up and make things a little more practical by emptying all the packets into a mason jar. I rarely need a full envelope at a time, and this way nothing goes to waste. Plus, when I’m making these potatoes just for myself, I can scoop out exactly what I need—usually about a tablespoon—and call it good.

I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count since that fateful book club night, and it never disappoints. Simple, nostalgic, and ridiculously delicious—just the way the best recipes should be.

Onion Soup Mix Roasted Potatoes

Recipe from The Onion Soup Mix box

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 (1-oz.) pkg. onion soup mix
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Sliced fresh chives, for serving

Drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil onto a large baking sheet and place on center oven rack. Preheat oven to 425°.

In a large bowl, toss potatoes, onion soup mix, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil until combined.

Carefully remove sheet from oven and gently tilt back and forth so hot oil covers surface of sheet. Arrange potatoes on sheet in an even layer.

Bake potatoes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and fork-tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

Sprinkle potatoes with salt. Top with chives.

Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans

Some traditions just stick—and honestly, this is one I have zero interest in breaking. Every year, we celebrate Sherrie’s birthday with BBQ ribs. And I’m fully on board with that plan… mostly because I love a good rack of ribs, but also because it gives me the perfect excuse to switch up the sides and try something new.

Over the years, we’ve paired those ribs with everything from au gratin potatoes to pasta salads and classic BBQ baked beans. This year, though, I found myself wanting to do something a little more meaningful.

My dad has been on my mind a lot lately—it’s his birthday month, so that’s not surprising. Food memories have a way of sneaking in during times like that, and one dish kept coming back to me: his slow-cooked green beans.

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuit

Dad loved those beans. He’d grab pounds of fresh green beans, a ham hock, and red potatoes, then let everything simmer away for hours. They were soft but not falling apart, rich with flavor, and unmistakably his. I loved them then, and I think I appreciate them even more now that he's gone and can't make them.

So, in honor of him, I decided to try a slow cooker version I found on Butter Your Biscuit. And… they were fine. Not bad, not amazing—just fine. I may have gotten a little heavy-handed with the pepper (whoops), but even beyond that, something was missing.

Honestly, I don’t think it was the recipe’s fault. I think it came down to time.

I missed my window to cook them low and slow for six hours, so I cranked the slow cooker to high for four instead. And if you’ve used a slow cooker much, you probably already know—high heat just doesn’t work the same magic as low. I’m a firm believer that “low and slow” isn’t just a saying, it’s a requirement for certain dishes.

Would I make these again? Absolutely. But next time, I’m giving them the full day they deserve—just like Dad did.

Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 8

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans (rinsed and trimmed)
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 russet potato peeled and diced
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 T Worcestershire
• pinch of red pepper flakes optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add the trimmed green beans to the slow cooker. (I like to cut mine in half)

Cut bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions into the bacon grease and sauté until soft about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds.

Add sauteed onions and garlic and bacon grease to the green beans. Followed by the diced potatoes.

Pour in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes if desired. Give the green beans a toss. Cover.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours or until desired tenderness.

Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle cooked bacon on top and serve.

The Best Broccoli Salad

Photo from To Simply Inspire

I think any broccoli salad is the best broccoli salad, so the title for this one is kinda a gimme. 

I needed to keep Christmas dinner low key so opted to make a simple broccoli salad. This one has a few more ingredients than my normal salad does, but I think it'll add a nice change to it. 

Turned out this was so amazingly delicious. I could have eaten the whole bowl. It'll be made again for sure. 

The Best Broccoli Salad

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 8

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoon white sugar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

For the salad:

• ½ cup bacon bits
• 8 cups broccoli florets diced in bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup red onion diced
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoon white sugar,
• 1 cup mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup bacon bits
• 8 cups broccoli florets, ½ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup red onion,
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds

Make the dressing

In a medium bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper and mix together well. Place n the refrigerator.

Make the Salad

Add the bacon bits to a skillet or cast iron pan and cook the bacon for about 8-10 minutes until crispy.

In a large serving bowl, add the broccoli, cranberries, red onion, cooked bacon bits and sunflower seeds and toss together.

Then pour the dressing over top and stir to coat all the ingredients well.

Place in the refrigerator chill for at least 1 hour for the flavors to blend together.

Firehouse Green Beans with Bacon

I love canned green beans. I can't explain why, and I'm not even going to bother trying. I don't, often, eat the French cut green beans. I find them too stringy sometimes. ahem. 

At any rate, this recipe seemed super simple and bumps up the green beans a little for a side dish. 

Photo from Julie Blanner blog

Turns out this was fantastic. I'd make it again in a heart beat. Though, if I'm being honest, I'd use cut green beans. They're my favorite. 

Firehouse Green Beans with Bacon

Recipe from Julieblanner.com

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ shallot minced
• 2 ounces bacon 1/2 pkg real bacon pieces
• 29 ounce green beans 2 cans French cut, strained
• ½ cup parmesan grated

On medium low heat, add butter, garlic, shallot and bacon to pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add green beans, increase heat to medium, stirring frequently until hot.

Garnish with parmesan and serve.

Serve the beans immediately.

Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms

I like mushrooms. But I get bored of eating them just plainly sautéed. But it's hard to find a way to make them that isn't boring. When I came across this recipe, I knew I'd need to give it a try. 

Photo from Spaceships and Laser Beams.com

It's basically is mushrooms alfredo! How can that be bad? 

It wasn't. 

It was different than what I'm used to but I'm real glad I made it. It got a weird texture when the mushrooms cooled off on my plate, but that's pretty typical of how I feel about alfredo sauce in general. 

Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms

Recipe from Spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com

Serves 4

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 400 g whole white mushrooms washed and dried
• 1/4 c cream cheese cut into small cubes
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c heavy cream 33%
• 1 T Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp dry ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 T fresh chipped parsley

In a large 12 inch frying pan cook together butter, olive oil, garlic, and mushrooms over medium-high heat until mushrooms are tender. This should be about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add in cream cheese and cook until cream cheese has melted.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add in parmesan cheese, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

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.