Archive for the ‘Side Dish’ Category

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

February 27th, 2010 by andrea | 2 Comments | Filed in Asian, Pasta, Quick Cooking, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish

I really enjoyed this simple and refreshing Asian noodle salad! I loved the combination of sweet, salty and tangy flavors.

I added some julienned red bell pepper for extra crunch and color. To make a more substantial salad, stir-fried shrimp, chicken or tofu would also be delicious additions. For the dressing, I added a little sesame oil and soy sauce for extra flavor. Since I only had seasoned rice vinegar, I omitted the extra sugar, and also omitted the salt since I added soy sauce. If you want a little kick to the dressing, add some Asian chile garlic sauce.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
-recipe from epicurious.com

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Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter and Parmesan

February 15th, 2010 by andrea | 1 Comment | Filed in Recipes, Side Dish, Vegetable

Here's a fun way to eat your yellow veggies: cooked spaghetti squash drizzled with browned butter and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It's simple and makes a good side dish for chicken.

Instead of boiling the whole squash, I microwaved it (saving 30 minutes of cooking time). To do this, carefully cut the top off the squash off an inch or so below the stem, split the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves cut side down in a microwaveable dish (overlapping is fine), add about 1/4" of water to the pan, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 15 minutes (or until the squash is cooked to your liking). Now proceed with the recipe.

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Pineapple Pork Fried Rice

January 22nd, 2010 by andrea | 2 Comments | Filed in Asian, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Rice, Side Dish

pineapple-pork-fried-riceThis fried rice is a delicious blend of sweet (pineapple), salty and savory (soy sauce and hoisin sauce). Plus, it's super fast to make so it's a perfect weeknight meal.

I used pork tenderloin instead of pork chops, and two cups of leftover steamed jasmine rice. The Asian chili-garlic sauce I used says "Sweet Chilli Sauce" on the label. It's the sweet-hot kind with little flecks of chili and chili seeds in the sauce.

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Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel

November 25th, 2009 by andrea | 1 Comment | Filed in Condiment, Recipes, Side Dish

spiced-cran-sauce-zin

Cranberry sauce is a must-have at any turkey dinner, and every year I like to try out a new recipe. This year, however, I went back to a tried and true recipe that I love: Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Zinfandel. The name may sound fancy but it's super easy to make. This delicious crimson sauce is lightly flavored with citrus and spice while the Zinfandel adds richness without tasting winey.  Serve alongside roast turkey, chicken, or pork.

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Green Beans with Bacon and Red Pepper

November 20th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Pork, Recipes, Side Dish, Vegetable

green-beans-with-bacon-and-If you're looking for a change from the traditional green bean casserole or just a new veggie side dish, look no further. This tasty recipe is sure to please! It combines crisp-tender green beans, sweet red pepper and smoky bacon, and takes only minutes to prepare.

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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

September 30th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Pasta, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish

 hawaiian-macaroni-salad

If you've ever had a Hawaiian plate lunch then you've tried this style of macaroni salad. It's slightly tangy, slightly sweet and traditionally served with some sort of pan-Asian main entree like teriyaki beef or kalua pork and a few scoops of white rice. I made it recently for a Hawaiian-themed dinner party that Husband and I attended. Each creamy bite of macaroni salad brought back fond memories of a trip to Hawaii a decade earlier when we feasted on plate lunches almost daily.

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Green Beans Vinaigrette

August 12th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Quick Cooking, Recipes, Side Dish, Vegetable

green-beans-vinaigrette

This is a perfect summery side dish: crisp-tender green beans tossed with a light, lemony vinaigrette. It's simple, tasty and very easy to make. 

Even though the vinaigrette is delicious as is, I added a small amount of Dijon mustard for a little added pizazz. To make sure that each green bean was evenly coated with the dressing, I tossed the green beans first with the vinaigrette before piling them on the plate and drizzling with more vinaigrette. I substituted thinly sliced red onions for the shallot, and finished with a sprinkle of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper. Yumm!

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Green Bean, Red Onion, Roast Potato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette

July 15th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Potatoes, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetable

green-bean-roast-potato-sal

Here's a delicious, summery salad that is perfect for your next potluck: roasted red potatoes and crisp-tender green beans tossed in a flavorful rosemary dressing. Yumm!!!

For the dressing, I add a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor and a bit of sugar to soften up the acidity. Also, I roast the potatoes until they are nicely browned, which can take longer than 30 minutes (depending on the size of the potato chunks). I use the ice water that the onions soaked in to cool the cooked green beans. The salad is also really good with the addition of crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat cheese. Enjoy!

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Chilled Sesame Asparagus

July 14th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Appetizer, Asian, Side Dish

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This crisp-tender, Asian-inspired asparagus dish is easy, delicious and a snap to make! I've made it many times and people always love it.

Always, always, always trim asparagus!!! There's nothing worse than having to gnaw on the woody, tough end of a piece of asparagus, especially at a party. Those untrimmed ends are impossible to eat. Do your guests a favor and take a few extra  minutes to trim the tough ends off. Next, have your bowl of ice water ready when you start cooking the asparagus so you can immediately "shock" it after you drain it from the boiling water. This stops the cooking process and helps the asparagus stay bright green.

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Two-Bean and Corn Salad

July 10th, 2009 by andrea | No Comments | Filed in Recipes, Salad, Side Dish

corn-and-bean-salad

I've been making different types of corn and bean salad for years (usually my own concoctions). I came across this particular recipe recently and thought I'd give it a try. It's quick, easy and very tasty. Based on what I had on hand, I substituted 1 chopped canned chipotle pepper for the jalapeno and used pinto beans instead of Great Northern beans. Kidney beans would work well, too, or you can just use all black beans.  I think the recipe makes closer to 6 servings than 8. This salad would also make a good "dip" for tortilla chips (choose a sturdy chip that won't crumble on contact).

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