Now that it’s the start of a new year, I thought I’d start with a new veggie recipe. So whether you’re vowing to eat more veggies or just looking for an easy side dish, consider trying this one for Thymed Carrots Glazed with Vinegar. It’s more exciting than regular ol’ boiled or steamed carrots, and a great addition to a meal featuring roasted chicken, turkey, or pork. Enjoy!

Thymed Carrots Glazed with Vinegar
-recipe from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball

This is a classic preparation for carrots. The vinegar, sugar, and thyme combine to make a sweet-sour glaze with some punch. Dried thyme can be substituted in a pinch. Serves 8.

2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Boil carrots for 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet until foam subsides. Add carrots and toss for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to a glaze. Add a few grindings of black pepper.

Tags: carrots, glazed carrots, Side Dish, thyme, veggie side dish, veggies, vinegar

Brussels sprouts…people either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I happen to love ‘em and this recipe elevates the humble, often hated vegetable. I loved the texture of the shredded brussels and the added smokiness and saltiness of the bacon. This is a great side dish for roasted meats, especially turkey and chicken. 

We had a big garden when I was growing up and my dad always made sure there was space allotted for the brussels. When picked fresh, they are much sweeter than what’s available in most grocery stores (which can be bitter). Some stores (like Trader Joe’s) even sell them still on the stalk (that’s what I used for this recipe). Brussels are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid. C’mon, I dare you to step outside of your comfort zone and give brussels a chance! You might actually find that you like them.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
-recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food (November 2011)

Serves 4.

1 pound brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
3 slices bacon
1 cup water
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
cider vinegar (optional)

Shred trimmed brussels sprouts in a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat from skilled. Add brussels sprouts and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are tender, 15 to 20 minutes (add more water if pan becomes dry). To serve crumble bacon over sprouts; drizzle with cider vinegar, if desired.

Tags: bacon, brussels sprouts, Side Dish, Thanksgiving side dish

Since Thanksgiving is next week, it’s time to get your Turkey Day game plan in order. This recipe for Italian Sausage, Mushroom and Sage Stuffing is fantastic! Loaded with savory and earthy ingredients, it may just upstage the turkey!

For the bread, I used some homemade rustic bread that I’d baked earlier in the week. The hearty bread was a perfect foundation for the stuffing. I also substituted a little dry sherry (about 1/4 cup) and used a little less stock than the recipe called for. The result? A pan of delicious, moist stuffing that’s loaded with tasty ingredients — perfect for your holiday table! Enjoy!   

Italian Sausage, Mushroom and Sage Stuffing
-recipe from The Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

Some are just “ho-hum, nothing-special” stuffings, but not this one. The sausage is key here. Where I live, several local butcher shops make their own savory and richly flavored link sausages and those are what I buy. Look in your area for artisan sausage makers.

Once the sausages have cooked, I sauté the mushrooms in some of the flavorful fat. The browned bits of sausage clinging to the sides of the pan mix with the mushrooms, so that all these tasty morsels go into the stuffing. With the addition of sautéed vegetables and fresh herbs, this is bliss to a stuffing lover.

5 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
10 cups unseasoned dry bread cubes (see Cook’s Note)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound mild Italian sausages
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped or brushed clean, stems trimmed, and quartered
1 large yellow onion (about 12 ounces), chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a deep, 9-by-13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Place the bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. In 10-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and swirl to coat the pan. Cook the sausages until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and let cool. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add to the bread in the bowl.

Return the pan to the heat, and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Swirl to coat the pan, and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and sauté 1 minute longer. Add this mixture to the bread cubes, and stir to combine.

Cut the reserved sausages into ¼-inch rounds and add to the stuffing. Add the beaten eggs and stock to the bowl, and mix well. Place the stuffing in the prepared pan and bake, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned and crusty, about 1 hour.

If you have room in your oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey is roasting. Otherwise, bake it beforehand and reheat it once the turkey is out.

Cook’s Note: Making your own read cubes is a small, easy task with delicious results. There is just no comparison between homemade bread cubes and the cello-packaged ones available in supermarkets. I usually prepare mine a day or two before Thanksgiving. Buy a loaf of artisan or peasant-style bread, trim the crusts, cut the bread into ½-inch cubes, and spread them out on baking sheets. Toast the cubes in a 400ºF oven until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely and store in a covered container until ready to use. Artisan bakeries are springing up in every city and town around the country. Check out their breads, and use them for these bread stuffing recipes. However, if you are short on time, the bakeries often sell toasted bread cubes made from their day-old loaves, especially at Thanksgiving time.

Tags: Christmas, dressing, holiday side dish, holidays, italian sausage, mushroom, sage, stuffing, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving side dish, Thanksgiving stuffing, turkey stuffing

I love greens. Kale, collards, beet greens…they all get a thumbs-up in my book. This recipe for Sauteed Kale has a slight tang from the vinegar, a little hit of spice from the red pepper flakes and lots of flavor from the sauteed red onion and garlic. It’s a perfect side dish for Italian food or roasted meats (chicken, turkey, pork, beef).

Two pounds of kale sounds like a lot but it will cook down. Be sure not to over cook the kale so it stays a pretty deep green color. A handful of toasted pinenuts added at the end of cooking is a nice addition. Enjoy!

p.s. As an added bonus, kale is loaded with Vitamin C, calcium and lots of other good-for-you stuff.

Sauteed Kale
-adapted from a from Gourmet Magazine recipe

Makes 3-4 servings. 

1 pound kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch-wide strips (8 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain in a colander.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to moderate, then add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and salt.

Cooks’ note: Sautéed kale keeps, chilled in an airtight container, 3 days.

Tags: greens, kale, sauteed kale

Give me a spoon and a bucket of this stuff and I’m a happy girl. Okay, maybe that’s a little over doing it. I really do love this recipe, though. Corn pudding (if you’ve never had it before) is a savory baked corn dish that is creamier than cornbread but more dense than a custard. Basically, it’s a delicious corn casserole that pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, and would be a great addition to a holiday feast (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July). Many versions use canned cream of corn but we’re using fresh ingredients in this recipe.

I saved myself a little prep work and used Trader Joe’s White Frozen Corn (almost as good as fresh corn) and it worked perfectly. The fresh basil gives the dish wonderful just-out-of-the-garden flavor, and since I had fresh chives, I added some of them to the custard, too.

For the water bath, I set my 2-quart casserole of corn pudding in a larger pyrex baking dish, set it in the oven then poured hot water into the pyrex dish until it was close to halfway up the side of the corn pudding dish. Be very careful when removing the corn pudding from the water bath after it’s finished baking because you don’t want to splash scalding water all over you (it’s best not to be wearing shorts and flipflops for this part of the recipe).

Let the casserole cool for 15-20 minutes after taking it out of the oven to allow it to firm up a bit. Enjoy!

Sagaponack Corn Pudding
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

The basil and extra-sharp cheddar give good flavor without overpowering the delicate corn. If you can’t get fresh corn, use frozen. Makes 8 servings.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 45 min

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (6 to 8 ears)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
4 extra-large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8 to 10-cup baking dish.

Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and saute the corn and onion over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and then the ricotta. Add the basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked corn mixture and grated cheddar, and then pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with more grated cheddar.

Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot tap water. Bake the pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Tags: baked corn, Christmas, corn casserole, corn pudding, Easter, Fourth of July, holiday side dish, holidays, Ina Garten, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

With all the summer entertaining going on, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw is a great side dish to add to your cooking arsenal. Not only does it go well with a variety of grilled foods and other sides, it’s nice to see something other than pasta salad or canned baked beans at a potluck. Plus, we all need more veggies!

This slaw is slightly sweet and slightly tangy with a nice punch of heat from the mustards. I didn’t have spicy mustard so I substituted some whole grain creole mustard and a little extra Dijon. I also substituted green onions for the red onions because that’s what I had on hand…plus, it added more color to the dish. If you don’t have malt vinegar, I’m sure apple cider vinegar will do just fine. Enjoy!

Blackberry Farm’s Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com
Adapted from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook, by Sam Beall (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

For maximum crunch, this zippy variation on classic coleslaw should be made no more than 2 hours before serving. The dish makes a fine companion to fried chicken or burgers. Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. malt vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Tags: Blackberry Farm, cabbage, carrots, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, onions, Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw, vinegar

This simple summery salad will be perfect at your next cookout or potluck. The fresh flavors will compliment a variety of foods.

For the vinaigrette, I didn’t mess with a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic. Instead, I just smashed the garlic in a garlic press and proceeded with the recipe. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving. Enjoy!

Green Bean Salad with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

 If you can’t find ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes, substitute small wedges of ripe beefsteak tomatoes.
Serves six to eight.

3 cups fresh corn kernels (3 to 4 ears)
Kosher salt
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half diagonally
1 small red onion, cut in half through the root end, root trimmed, and cut lengthwise into very thin slices
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar; more to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the corn kernels and blanch for 1 min. Scoop out the corn with a strainer; set aside. Season the water with a generous amount of salt, let it return to a boil, add the beans, and cook until just tender, about 3 min. Drain the beans and spread them on a baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, put the onion in a small bowl filled with ice water (which will crisp it and mellow its flavor). Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Put the paste in a small bowl (or keep it in the mortar) and whisk in the vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then whisk in the olive oil.

Just before serving, drain the onions. Put the beans, corn, onions, cherry tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the vinaigrette. Taste again and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Serve right away.

Tip:  Garlic cloves mashed to a paste add a tasty kick. I use a large granite mortar and pestle to pound the cloves to a paste, but you can also use the flat part of a chef’s knife to mash the garlic. A pinch of kosher salt helps the process along.  Vinaigrettes with a bright edge tie the salad together. To stand up to vegetables—especially raw vegetables—your vinaigrette should be relatively assertive, and that means using a bright acid. Try combining fresh citrus juices and different vinegars.

Tags: basil, cherry tomatoes, cookout, corn, green bean salad, potluck, summer salads, vegetables, vinaigrette

Here’s a great side dish of crunchy snow peas and earthy mushrooms in a light, sesame-soy dressing. It’s quick, delicious and perfect for your next Asian-themed meal!

Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Ginger
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Tip: Choose dark green, dense-looking peas with no signs of drying or cracking. Trim them by breaking off the stem end and pulling the string away from the pod. Serves four as a side dish.

Tags: Asian, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, snow peas, soy sauce, stir-fried, Vegetable

It’s been a while since I cooked a pot of beans but since I was having friends over for a fiesta-themed meal, I decided to pull out all the stops. Sure, you can always use canned beans as a side dish, but home-cooked beans are so much better! This recipe comes from chef Rick Bayless, an expert on Mexican cooking.

I chose to make pinto beans but you could use red beans, black beans or white navy beans. The recipe says not to use garbonzos, lentils or favas, though. I started with cooking a few pieces of bacon (which I reserved for another use) then used the bacon drippings for the beans. A chopped onion and a few quarts of water and the beans were ready for a few hours of simmering in a dutch oven on the stove. Once the beans were tender, I seasoned with salt, let them cool then refrigerated for use the following day.

I rewarmed the beans in a saucepan, added a 1/2 can of drained fire-roasted tomatoes and seasoned with a little more salt. The delicious pinto beans had a creamy texture, and were inexpensive and super easy to make.

Home-Cooked Beans (Stovetop, Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker)
Frijoles de la Olla Tradicional o Moderna
-recipe from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

My favorite beans are the ones that have gently bobbed about for hours in the slow-cooker—it keeps the liquid at jsut the right temperature for tender, creamy, intact morsels of earthy-sweet goodness. But the stovetop offers the same, if you keep the temperature low enough, use a heavy pot (preferably made of Mexican earthenware) and stir the beans from time to time. Or, if you’re in a hurry (and making fried beans and don’t care if the beans remain whole), you can fire up the pressure cooker. Many cooks in southern and Gulf-coastal Mexico match the rustic flavor of their beloved black beans with resiny epazote or anisey avocado leaves (hojas de aguacate); but not all cooks do, which means you can feel free to add one of them or not.

Makes 7 to 8 cups.

1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dried beans (any Phaseolus bean will work, from white navies to reds and blacks —I’m not talking about lentils, garbonzos or favas here)
2 tablespoons rich-tasting fresh pork lard, vegetable oil or bacon drippings
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 large sprig fresh epazote or 2 fresh or dried avocado leaves if cooking black beans (optional)
Salt

Spread the beans on a baking sheet and check for stones, dirt clods or anything else you wouldn’t like to eat. Scoop into a colander and rinse. If using a slow-cooker, first pour the beans into a medium-large pot, pour in 2 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat; then pour into the slow-cooker. For stove-top, pour the beans into a medium-large (4- to 6-quart) pot or a pressure cooker. Pour 2 1/2 quarts water into the pot or 2 quarts into the pressure cooker. Add the lard (or oil or bacon drippings), onion and, if using, the epazote or avocado leaves. (For best flavor, lightly toast the avocado leaves in a dry skillet.)

For the slow-cooker, allow at least 6 hours on high for the beans to become tender, though you can leave them cooking for up to 10 hours. For the pot, bring to a boil on high, then partially cover (unless you’re using an earthenware Mexican bean pot) and reduce the temperature to low (the liquid should show a barely discernible simmering movement); the beans should be tender in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the variety and their freshness. You may need to replenish some of the water during stovetop cooking to keep the beans floating freely. For the pressure cooker, follow the directions that came with your model; in mine, cooking takes 25 minutes.

When the beans are tender, stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and simmer for a few minutes longer. Taste and season with additional salt if you think the beans need it. Remove the epazote or avocado leaves, if using, and the brothy beans are ready.

To Soak or Not: Mexican cooks don’t soak beans because they know that throwing out the soaking liquid isn’t a very good idea. It doesn’t do much to make them more digestible (only a steady diet of beans helps with that), and it makes the beans turn out pale in color and flavor.

TURNING A POT OF BEANS INTO DINNER: Cut 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of boneless pork shoulder roast into 1-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and slide close up under a hot broiler. In about 5 minutes, when the meat is brown, turn over and brown the other side. Transer to a slow-cooker or large pot. Prepare the recipe as described, with the addition of the meat. Serve in deep bowls with salsa, a salad and warm tortillas.

Tags: beans, frijoles, home-cooked, Mexican, pinto beans, pressure cooker, Rick Bayless, slow cooker, stove-top

Asparagus season is upon us! WooHoo!!! Here’s a quick side dish to serve with chicken, pork, beef…just about anything really.

For easy clean up, place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet before arranging the asparagus in a single layer.  Be sure to trim the tough ends off each piece of asparagus. Nobody likes gnawing on those hard-to-eat, woody ends! This dish is best served warm. Enjoy!

Recipe variation: drizzle the asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar before sprinkling with salt, pepper and Parmesan; then roast in the oven.

Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan
-recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

1 1/2 lbs asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 450° F.  Trim the tough ends from asparagus.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Spread asparagus in an even layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese has melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tags: olive oil, parmesan, roasted asparagus, springtime