Category: Side Dishes


Jul
2017

P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans (copycat)

categories: Copycat Recipes, From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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P.F. Chang’s spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!

Looking for a tasty new way to serve those yummy summer green beans you get from the grocery store, Farmer’s Market or your own garden?  How about this delicious, quick and easy recipe for P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans (copycat)?

I’ve grown my own green beans for years now, so I’m always on the lookout for new ways to cook and serve them.  I found this “copycat” recipe for spicy green beans on Pinterest, and decided to give it a try. You will be surprised how GOOD these green beans are!  The addition of an Asian pan sauce makes them “practically perfect in every way” (to coin a phrase from Mary Poppins).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Are These Spicy Green Beans Difficult To Make?

Are these spicy green beans difficult to make? Absolutely NOT! All in all, the beans take only 5-6 minutes to cook… really!  The “hardest” thing you will have to do is snip the ends off the beans… ha ha! Here’s how to make delicious P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans from the comfort of your own home:

Make The Asian Sauce

First make the Asian sauce by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl, and then set aside until ready to put it in use. See how EASY that was?

An Asian inspired sauce is mixed in small bowl to add to green beans.
Pour the sesame oil into a large skillet or wok. NOTE: You can buy sesame oil in the Asian food section of most supermarkets. Turn the heat to medium high for about 30 seconds, and when the oil is hot, add the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Stir well, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful NOT to burn the garlic.

Sesame oil is used to add flavor to the cooked veggies in this dish.

Green onions, garlic and red pepper flakes are cooked in a skillet with sesame oil.
Time To Add The Fresh Green Beans!

Add the green beans to the skillet. Stir them constantly, and continue to cook them for 3-4 minutes, until they are almost fully cooked. The beans will turn a deeper green color as they cook.

Green beans are added to the skillet.

Add The Sauce To The Spicy Green Beans

When the green beans are done cooking, move them over to one side of the skillet. Give the Asian sauce a good stir, and then add it to the skillet. Stir well, and cook the sauce for 30 seconds (still on medium-high heat). Let the sauce come to a boil, then turn the heat to LOW. The sauce will thicken very slightly as it cooks.

Adding the Asian sauce to the spicy green beans in skillet.
Stir the sauce into the green beans to fully coat them.  Cook the spicy green beans and sauce for another 30 seconds, and then remove the skillet from the heat.

Spicy green beans finish cooking in the Asian sauce.

P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans Are Ready To Serve!

Place the hot green beans and sauce onto serving plate or into a bowl, and garnish with sesame seeds (if using). Serve the spicy green beans while hot, and ENJOY!

The spicy green beans are sprinkled with sesame seeds and served.

Sesame seeds garnish the serving plate covered with P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans.

We enjoyed trying this recipe for spicy green beans. They are NOT too spicy at all, and have fantastic flavor!  I used only 1 pound of green beans, so if you are using 2 pounds of beans the quantity will be much larger than shown in my photos!

Hope you will consider trying this recipe. I trust you will find it just as delicious as we did! Have a great day, and please come back again soon!

Looking For More VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES?

You can find all of my vegetable dishes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Recipe Source: http://domesticsuperhero.com/copycat-pf-changs-spicy-green-beans/

5 from 1 vote
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P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: spicy green beans
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 75 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Beans:
  • 1-2 pounds fresh green beans , ends trimmed and beans cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 green onions , chopped thin
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
For Asian Sauce:
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Sesame Seeds , for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Make the Asian sauce by mixing ingredients in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside until ready to use.
  2. Put sesame oil into a large skillet or wok. Turn heat to medium high for 30 seconds. To the hot oil add chopped green onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly and being careful NOT to burn the garlic.
  3. Add the green beans to the skillet. Stir constantly and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are just about fully cooked. The beans will turn a deeper green color as they cook. When beans are done, move them over to one side of the skillet. Give the Asian sauce a good stir and add it to the skillet. Stir well, and cook the sauce for 30 seconds (still on medium-high heat); let the sauce come to a boil, then turn the heat to LOW. The sauce will thicken slightly. Stir the sauce into the green beans to coat. Cook beans and sauce for another 30 seconds, then remove skillet from heat.
  4. Place the hot green beans and sauce onto serving plate or in a bowl, and garnish with sesame seeds (if using). Serve the green beans while hot... and ENJOY!
Nutrition Facts
P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 75 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Sodium 237mg10%
Potassium 194mg6%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 660IU13%
Vitamin C 10.6mg13%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin to your Pinterest boards!P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!

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May
2017

Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms

categories: Bacon, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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You’re going to enjoy Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms! This flavorful vegetable side dish also has onions and garlic, and is ready in under 20 minutes! You're going to enjoy Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms! This flavorful vegetable side dish also has onions and garlic, and is ready in under 20 minutes!
I started growing rainbow chard in my garden several years ago, so I enjoy trying new ways to prepare it.  Recently I cooked Swiss Chard with bacon and mushrooms, red onion, and garlic as a side dish for dinner, and was very pleased with the results. The addition of bacon, mushrooms, onion and garlic to Swiss chard made this quite a flavorful vegetable dish!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Is Swiss Chard?

Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable that has been around for centuries. The chard develops large stalks, once mature. The leaves can be green or slightly red, and the stalks can vary in color, such as white, yellow or red. The leaves are very nutritious, and fresh young leaves can be eaten raw in salads.

For this recipe I used red chard, and did not use a published recipe. I used only my ideas for what might taste good paired with this veggie I grew in our backyard garden.

Growing Swiss chard in our garden.

Prepare The Bacon

Stack bacon pieces on top of each other. Using a sharp knife, slice bacon into thin strips. Place bacon pieces (sliced) into a large skillet. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon pieces begin to brown (3-4 minutes).

Leave all bacon grease in the skillet (this photo is from another recipe, but shows how I slice the bacon for quick cooking).

Cooking bacon to add to Swiss chard and mushrooms.

Cook The Swiss Chard

Add chard stems, sliced mushrooms and chopped red onion to the bacon and bacon drippings in the skillet. Continue to cook until chard stems become slightly tender (3-4 mins). Now add the chopped chard leaves, and stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until leaves have wilted and are cooked through (2-3 minutes).

Swiss chard, bacon, red onion and mushrooms cooking in bacon drippings in skillet.

Add minced garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, being careful to not burn the garlic. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Minced garlic, salt and pepper added to cooked Swiss chard.

Time To Eat Swiss Chard With Bacon And Mushrooms

Serve this Swiss chard immediately, while hot. It is a simple side dish to prepare that will compliment a variety of main dishes.

Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms served in white bowl.

I cut the Swiss Chard stalks into fairly large slices as you can see from the photos, so if you prefer smaller bites, slice them to the thickness you prefer. Some folks prefer to leave the stalks out and only cook the leaves… whatever your preference is, GREAT!

Hope you will consider trying this recipe, and as always, I sincerely trust you will enjoy it! If you enjoy Swiss chard, be sure to check out my recipe for Swiss Chard with Onions and Garlic!

Looking For More Veggie Side Dish Recipes?

You can find all of my veggie side dish recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 
You're going to enjoy Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms! This flavorful vegetable side dish also has onions and garlic, and is ready in under 20 minutes!
Category: Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: swiss chard
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 210 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4-5 slices bacon , (cut into thin pieces before cooking)
  • 8-10 mushrooms , sliced thin
  • 1/4 cup red onion , chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons bacon grease (approx. from cooked bacon)
  • 1 head Swiss chard (I used red chard), chopped and divided (stems separated from leaves)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Stack bacon pieces on top of each other. Using a sharp knife, slice into thin strips. Place bacon pieces (sliced) into a large skillet. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon pieces begin to brown (3-4 minutes). Leave all bacon grease in the skillet.
  2. Add chard stems, sliced mushrooms and chopped red onion. Continue to cook until chard stems become slightly tender (3-4 mins).
  3. Add chopped chard leaves, and stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until leaves have wilted and are cooked through (2-3 minutes).
  4. Add minced garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, being careful to not burn the garlic.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve while hot.
Nutrition Facts
Swiss Chard with Bacon and Mushrooms
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 210 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 332mg14%
Potassium 455mg13%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 4585IU92%
Vitamin C 23.6mg29%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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May
2017

Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Cauliflower rice, (seasoned with Parmesan and garlic) is a trending, healthy substitute for people wanting to avoid the carbs/starches in white or brown rice! Cauliflower rice, (seasoned with Parmesan and garlic) is a healthy substitute for people wanting to avoid the carbs/starches in white or brown rice!
I recently found a recipe for Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic, and decided to check it out. What a great way to get more veggies on the ol’ dinner plate!

How Cauliflower Rice Got It’s Name

The dish is called “rice” because a head of cauliflower is processed in a food processor (or by using a box grater) so that the florets become small enough that they LOOK like rice.  The cauliflower is then cooked and served.

This recipe for cauliflower rice adds a bit of flavor to the cooked “rice” by adding a bit of fresh grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic and butter. The result? A tasty side dish, that still comes in under 100 calories! It’s very easy to make cauliflower rice. If you’ve been curious like I was as to HOW to make it, give this simple recipe a try, and see for yourself!

How To Make Cauliflower Rice

To “rice” the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and core from a medium sized head of cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into small florets.

Cauliflower Rice is made using fresh cauliflower, cut into florets.

Place the florets into a food processor (with blade attachment).  Pulse several times until the cauliflower florets are small like grains of rice.

Can I Still Make Cauliflower Rice If I Don’t Own A Food Processor?

The good news is… YES!!!  If you do not own a food processor, no problem… simply use a box cheese grater and grate into small rice sized pieces!

Cauliflower florets are processed in food processor until it resembles rice.

Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan on medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, so that the garlic flavor is infused into the melted butter.

It is important NOT to burn the garlic, so keep an eye on it!  Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and stir. Turn the heat up to medium-high to finish cooking.

Garlic is cooked in butter, then cauliflower rice is added to pan.

Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and stir well, to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender, stirring often.

Season the cauliflower rice with salt and pepper, to taste. I added some dried parsley at this point, as well. Stir to completely mix all ingredients, and reheat, if necessary to serving temperature.

Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic is seasoned with Parmesan cheese, garlic and spices.

Pour the rice into a serving dish, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.  Serve this side dish hot.

Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic in bowl, on a red placemat.

Hope you will consider trying this recipe for cauliflower rice.  It fools the eye because it LOOKS like rice on the plate, but has fewer calories, and tastes like cauliflower (with some seasonings)! What a great way to get more veggies onto the ol’ dinner plate, right?  You might also want to try my recipe for Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice. Have a great day!

Looking For Other RICE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. You might also enjoy a few other recipes for RICE that I have on this blog, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: http://kirbiecravings.com/2016/05/garlic-parmesan-cauliflower-rice.html

0 from 0 votes
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Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Total Time
12 mins
 

Cauliflower rice, (seasoned with Parmesan and garlic) is a trending, healthy substitute for people wanting to avoid the carbs/starches in white or brown rice!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower rice
Servings: 8 (1/2 cup) servings
Calories Per Serving: 95 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower (will yield approx. 4 cups of cauliflower "rice")
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Dried parsley (just a shake or two)
  • Salt and pepper , to taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. To "rice" the cauliflower, remove outer leaves and core from a medium sized head of cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Place florets into a food processor (with blade attachment). Pulse several times until florets are small, like grains of rice. No food processor? Use a box cheese grater and grate into small rice sized pieces!
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan on medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, so the garlic flavor is infused into butter. It is important NOT to burn the garlic, so keep a good eye on it! Add "riced" cauliflower to skillet, stir, and turn heat to medium-high.
  3. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and stir well, to combine. Cook cauliflower for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until cauliflower is tender. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and dried parsley. Stir to combine all ingredients, and reheat if necessary, to serving temp.
  4. Transfer the rice to a serving dish, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan and Garlic
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 95 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 171mg7%
Potassium 173mg5%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 230IU5%
Vitamin C 26.2mg32%
Calcium 93mg9%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Cauliflower rice, (seasoned with Parmesan and garlic) is a trending, healthy substitute for people wanting to avoid the carbs/starches in white or brown rice!

 

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Jan
2017

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Mushrooms

categories: Bacon, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Pan-seared Brussel sprouts with bacon, mushrooms, shallots, butter and garlic are a perfect side dish for your holiday dinner, or any other meal!Pan-seared Brussel sprouts with bacon, mushrooms, shallots, butter and garlic are a perfect side dish for your holiday dinner or any other meal!
If you like trying new vegetable dishes, I’m sure you will LOVE this simple side dish recipe for Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Mushrooms! 

We enjoyed this delicious side dish with our dinner recently! This delicious veggie dish is a perfect one to be enjoyed for the holidays or other meals!

I grew up not liking Brussel sprouts at all, but as an adult, I’ve come to love them! We eat them pan-seared, roasted, steamed, and practically every way they can be prepared.

I decided to create a new recipe from scratch, to come up with a new way to enjoy them!

For this recipe I pan-seared Brussel sprouts with bacon, then added mushrooms, shallots, salt, pepper, minced garlic. I finished this dish off with a touch of butter. The results are DELICIOUS!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Brussel Sprouts With Bacon and Mushrooms

Chop up the bacon and add it to a large skillet. I like to use kitchen scissors to cut the slices of bacon into tiny pieces before cooking. It makes the bacon cook a lot faster this way!

Cook the bacon on medium heat 2-3 minutes, until it is about half-way done.

Cooking the bacon pieces to add to pan-seared brussel sprouts.

Place brussel sprouts (that have been cut in half) into the same skillet.  Continue to pan-sear the vegetables in the bacon drippings for a couple minutes.

If necessary, you might want to add a little bit of olive oil to skillet, in order to keep from burning the veggies.  Lightly season the brussel sprouts with salt and pepper.

Brussel sprouts and bacon pieces are cooked in bacon drippings in skillet.

Continue cooking the brussel sprouts until they begin begin to soften (3-4 minutes). Make sure to turn them over to the other side, half way through cooking time.

Measure 3 Tablespoons of water into the pan, and cook until the water has dissipated.

Water is added to brussel sprouts and bacon and cooked until it is gone.

Add the sliced mushrooms and shallots to the skillet. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are done and cooked through (approx. 3-4 minutes).

Stir in the minced garlic, and cook for an additional minute, stirring often, so you won’t burn the garlic.

To Finish Cooking The Brussel Sprouts

At this point, the brussel sprouts and mushrooms should be cooked through. Toss a tiny pat of butter into the skillet, and stir until it melts and coats the veggies.

NOTE: **Butter is completely optional, but it does add more flavor… just sayin’.

Sliced mushrooms and shallots are added to brussel sprouts and bacon in skillet.

Serving The Brussel Sprouts

Remove pan from the heat, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and then serve the brussel sprouts. Transfer them to a serving plate, and dig in!

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Mushrooms are served on white platter.

The bacon will be fully cooked , the Brussel sprouts will be tender, and there will be a whole lot of flavor going on!

Cooked brussel sprouts on platter, with bacon and mushrooms.

Brussel sprouts with bacon and mushrooms is a very simple, yet tasty side dish to prepare.  I hope you will have the opportunity to make this easy recipe.

It’s one more way to get yummy veggies (including Brussel sprouts!) onto dinner plates. Plus… everything’s better with bacon, right? 

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a great day!

Looking For More VEGETABLE Dishes?

You can find all of my vegetable dishes in the Recipe Index at the top of the page. A few favorite recipes are:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Mushrooms
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Pan-seared Brussel sprouts with bacon, mushrooms, shallots, butter and garlic are a perfect side dish for your holiday dinner or any other meal!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brussel sprouts
Servings: 2 servings
Calories Per Serving: 144 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 Brussel Sprouts (approx. 5 per person), cut in half (and stem removed)
  • 1-2 slices thick cut bacon , chopped into small pieces
  • Olive oil (only if necessary due to low bacon dripping residue in skillet)
  • salt & pepper , to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 4-6 mushrooms , sliced
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon butter
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Add chopped bacon to medium skillet. Cook on medium heat until about 1/2 way done. (do not drain bacon drippings).
  2. Add brussel sprouts that have been cut in half (and de-stemmed). Continue to pan-sear brussel sprouts in bacon drippings for a couple minutes (add a tiny bit of olive oil to skillet only if necessary). Lightly season brussel sprouts with salt and pepper.
  3. Continue cooking until brussel sprouts begin to soften (3-4 minutes), flipping over half way through cooking. Add 3 Tablespoons water to skillet; cook until water has cooked away.
  4. Add sliced mushrooms and shallots to skillet. Continue cooking until mushrooms are done and cooked through (approx. 3-4 minutes). Add minced garlic; cook for additional minute. At this point, brussel sprouts and mushrooms should be cooked through. Add butter, and stir until butter has melted and coated veggies. (Note: Butter is completely optional, but adds good flavor)
  5. Remove pan from heat, season with additional salt and pepper (if needed), then serve.
Nutrition Facts
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Mushrooms
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 164mg7%
Potassium 532mg15%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 780IU16%
Vitamin C 81.6mg99%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pan-seared Brussel sprouts with bacon, mushrooms, shallots, butter and garlic are a perfect side dish for your holiday dinner or any other meal!

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Jan
2017

How To Can Ranch Style Beans

categories: Canning And Preserving, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Ranch style beans are a perfect “grab and go” side dish for chicken, hamburger, hot dogs, etc. Learn how to make and can them for long term storage!Ranch style beans are a perfect "grab and go" side dish for chicken, hamburger, hot dogs, etc. Learn how to make and can them for long term storage!
If you enjoy beans as a hearty side dish for chicken, burgers, hot dogs, etc. AND like canning, then you might be interested in learning how to can ranch style beans.

I learned how to can ranch-style beans from a website for canning enthusiasts (sbcanning.com). Canning some ranch style beans to have in my pantry to use as a side dish for some of our dinners sounded wonderful to me. The recipe was actually easy to prepare, and the beans are quite delicious!

This recipe to can ranch style beans as written makes 5 pints, but can be easily doubled. In the original recipe it calls for 4 Tablespoons chili powder, but I used only 3 Tablespoons, to lower the “spicy factor”. That was the only change I made to the original recipe. Here’s how to make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare Pressure Canner, Jars And Lids

Prepare your canning jars, lids, and pressure canner, according to recommended canning guidelines and the manufacturer instructions for your appliance. You must use a pressure canner to can ranch style beans!

A pressure canner must be used to can ranch style beans.

Cook The Pinto Beans

Place the dried pinto beans in a large saucepan (or Dutch oven). Add water to the pan, and make sure to cover the beans fully, by at least two inches. Bring the water to a full boil, and continue boiling for 2 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat, and cover the pan. Let the beans sit and soak for 1 hour, then drain the beans. **SEE NOTES SECTION IN PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR ALTERNATE METHOD**

Pinto beans soak in water before cooking them.

Prepare The Sauce For The Ranch Style Beans

In large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, and cook them for 9-10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook (stirring constantly), for 1 minute (don’t let the garlic burn).

Onion and garlic are cooked to add to sauce for the ranch style beans.

Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, water and spices (paprika, cumin, chili powder, and oregano) to the skillet. Stir, to fully combine the ingredients. Transfer this mixture to a blender or food processor (You may have to do this in batches). Process well, until the sauce mixture is smooth.

The sauce for the ranch beans is cooked in large skillet.

A blender is used to liquify the sauce for the beans.

Bring 3-4 cups of water (or beef broth) to a boil in separate pan. Once the liquid is boiling, remove the pan from the heat. Set this aside.

Add Prepared Beans To The Sauce

Add the prepared pinto beans to the hot, pureed tomato mixture. Stir well, to combine. It is important to make sure everything is very hot,  before adding it to the prepared canning jars.

Prepared pinto beans are added to the sauce.

Filling The Canning Jars

Fill the hot pint jars 3/4 of the way full.  Add salt and pepper to each jar.  Next, add boiling water (or beef broth) to each jar, being sure to leave a 1″ headspace in each jar.

Make sure to remove the air bubbles from each jar by inserting a plastic utensil into each one, and then adjust the headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel, and then put on flat lids and screw bands. Tighten screw bands to fingertip tightness.

Sterilized, hot canning jars are ready for the beans to be added.

Time To Can Ranch Style Beans!

Process the jars in a prepared pressure canner. If you are using a weighted gauge canner, process pint jars at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes.  If you are using a dial gauge canner, process pint jars at 11 pounds pressure.  Quart sized jars should be processed for 85 minutes.

The gauge on the pressure canner is at 10 pounds pressure.

Once the ranch style beans are done, and have safely been removed from canner (following manufacturer instructions!), let the jars cool on a dish towel. When the jars of ranch style beans have completely cooled, wipe them clean and label the jars. Check to make sure each jar has sealed properly. Store the jars in your pantry (to use at a later date) as a quick “grab and go” side dish!

After the canning process is over, the jars of ranch style beans cool on a dish towel.

I love canning during the cold Winter months when I’m inside a lot, due to cold weather, snow or rain. It feels wonderful to have my pantry stocked and ready for the rest of the year. Hope you will consider trying this recipe for ranch style beans.

Looking For More CANNING Recipes?

You can find all of my canning recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Hope you will check them out! A few canning recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://www.sbcanning.com/2013/10/canning-ranch-style-beans.html

5 from 2 votes
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How To Can Ranch Style Beans
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
 

Ranch style beans are a perfect "grab and go" side dish for chicken, hamburger, hot dogs, etc. Learn how to make and can them for long term storage!

Category: Canning
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ranch style beans
Servings: 5 pints
Calories Per Serving: 418 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound dried pinto beans (16 ounces)
  • 3-4 Tablespoons chili powder (I used 3)
  • 6 cloves garlic , finely minced
  • 1 brown onion , diced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes (can substitute 2 medium, peeled/diced tomatoes)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 cup water
To Add To Jars:
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3-4 cups boiling water (or beef broth)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Prepare jars, lids, pressure canner, according to manufacturer instructions. Put dried pinto beans in a large saucepan (or Dutch oven). Add water to pan, making sure to cover beans fully by two inches. Bring to a full boil; continue boiling for 2 minutes. Take pan off heat, cover, and let beans sit (and soak) for 1 hour, then drain beans.
  2. In large skillet, heat oil on medium. When oil is hot, add chopped onions; cook for 9-10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute (don't let garlic burn).
  3. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, water, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor (may have to do this in batches). Process until mixture is smooth.
  4. Bring 3-4 cups of water (or beef broth) to a boil in separate pan. Once boiling, remove from heat.
  5. Add prepared pinto beans to hot, pureed tomato mixture. Stir to combine. (Make sure mixture is hot before adding to prepared jars.
  6. Fill hot pint jars 3/4 of the way full. Add salt and pepper to each jar. Add boiling water (or beef broth) to each jar, being sure to leave 1" headspace. Remove air bubbles, then adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe jar rims clean, then put on flat lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.
  7. Processing: If using weighted gauge canner, process pints at 10# pressure for 75 minutes. If using dial gauge canner, process at 11# pressure. Quart jars must be processed for 85 minutes.
  8. Once beans are done, and jars have been removed from canner (following manufacturer instructions), let jars cool on a dish towel. Once completely cooled, label jars; store in pantry.
Recipe Notes

Alternate Method For Beans: Sort and rinse beans. Soak in water overnight. Drain. Place beans in LARGE saucepan. Cover with cold water (water must be two inches above beans). Bring beans to a LOW BOIL and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Drain. Proceed with remainder of recipe.

Nutrition Facts
How To Can Ranch Style Beans
Amount Per Serving (1 pint jar of beans)
Calories 418 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Sodium 996mg43%
Potassium 2282mg65%
Carbohydrates 79g26%
Fiber 19g79%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 2915IU58%
Vitamin C 27.1mg33%
Calcium 167mg17%
Iron 8.5mg47%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Ranch style beans are a perfect "grab and go" side dish for chicken, hamburger, hot dogs, etc. Learn how to make and can them for long term storage!

 

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Nov
2016

Crispy Homemade French Fries

categories: Appetizers, Side Dishes
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Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!
I LOVE french fries, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because Crispy Homemade French Fries are easy to make and delicious, and a curse, because they are easy to make and delicious! See my dilemma? Uh Huh.

I tried a recipe for beer battered fish last year, and ended up making some homemade french fries (chips) to serve on the side. Boy, oh boy… they were delicious, and actually very easy to make.  Crispy on the outside… soft on the inside. Thought I’d share it with you.

By the way… do you know the history of how french fries came to be? There’s an interesting article on Wikipedia that is full of interesting facts you might enjoy reading.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Here’s How To Make Delicious Homemade French Fries:

Peel, rinse, and then cut the potatoes, by slicing them lengthwise into 1 inch slices. Cut each slice into finger thickness sized strips. Dry the potatoes as much as you can by patting them dry with paper towels.

Potatoes are cut into sticks before frying

Heat oil in large skillet or stock pot until it reaches 350 degrees. I used my electric skillet, which has a temperature gauge on it. (No electric skillet? Try using a meat or candy thermometer to get the accurate temperature).

Cooking Homemade French Fries

To ensure you get a good “fry” on the potatoes, make sure the oil is heated to 350 degrees.  Carefully add cut, dried potatoes into the hot oil. Let them cook for about 8 minutes, turning to cook on both sides.

French fries are cooked in oil for the first fry.

Remove the french fries from the hot oil. Use a slotted spatula or slotted spoon to help remove them, letting excess hot oil drip back into the skillet.

Homemade french fries are removed from hot oil with slotted spoon.

Place hot potatoes onto a baking pan or a wire rack with paper towels underneath, to drain the oil off of them (without the paper towels sticking to the fries). Then let the fries rest on paper towels for just a minute while you reheat oil back to temp.

Homemade french fries are placed on paper towels to drain after first frying.

Cook The Homemade French Fries A SECOND Time!

Heat the oil back to 350 degrees. Once oil is at temperature again, carefully add the fries for a second cooking (this is what gives them a crispy texture on the outside). Cook for 3-4 additional minutes, until crispy and hot! Remove chips and drain on paper towels once again.

Crispy Homemade French Fries are fried a second time.

Season to taste with salt (or seasoning salt). Serve and enjoy your crispy homemade french fries!

Homemade french fries are lightly seasoned with salt, then served.

It’s really easy to make delicious and crispy homemade french fries in the comfort of your own kitchen. The key is cooking them twice and the temperature of the oil being ACCURATE and hot enough. If I can do it, so can YOU.  Hope you have a great day, and please pass the ketchup to dip my fries in, okay?

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a good variety of side dishes you might enjoy, including:

 

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a FANTASTIC day!

Author's signature

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Crispy Homemade French Fries
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
11 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade french fries
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 216 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 large russet potatoes
  • Vegetable oil (enough for 2 inches depth in skillet)
  • Salt (or seasoning salt), to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Peel, rinse, then cut potatoes, by slicing potatoes lengthwise into 1 inch slices, then cutting each slice into finger thickness sized strips. Dry the potatoes as much as you can by patting them dry with paper towels. The drier the potato strips, the less oil splatters you should have.
  2. Heat oil (enough to cover skillet with 2 inches of oil) in large skillet or stock pot until it reaches 350 degrees. Use a thermometer (meat or candy) to gauge temperature. I used my electric skillet, which has a temperature gauge on it. Carefully place cut, dried potatoes into hot oil. Let them cook for about 8 minutes, turning to cook on both sides. Remove potatoes from hot oil (I used a slotted spatula to help remove them). Place hot potatoes onto a baking pan or a wire rack with paper towels underneath, to drain the oil off of them).
  3. Let them rest for just a minute while you reheat oil temperature back to 350 degrees.
  4. Carefully add the chips for a second "fry". Cook for 3-4 additional minutes, until crispy and hot! Carefully remove fries from hot oil with a slotted spatula or spoon and drain on paper towels.
  5. Season to taste with salt (or seasoning salt). Serve hot, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Homemade French Fries
Amount Per Serving (1 -1/4 of total)
Calories 216 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Sodium 7mg0%
Potassium 666mg19%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 2g8%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin C 9.1mg11%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!

 

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Aug
2016

Lemony Chickpea Salad

categories: Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Lemony Chickpea Salad is a quick (5 minute), easy and healthy side dish, featuring chickpeas (garbanzo beans), in a light lemon, olive oil, and garlic dressing.Lemony Chickpea Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

I collect cookbooks, and love adding new ones to my collection. Recently I was fortunate enough to buy a couple cookbooks with gift cards I received for Christmas. While checking out my new “Cooking Light” cookbook, I found a super quick and light recipe for Lemony Chickpea Salad. The lemony chickpea salad looked good, so I decided to give it a try!

NOTE: Did you know chickpeas are from the legume family, and are a great source of healthy protein, dietary fiber, and contain numerous vitamins and minerals? You can learn more about this nutritious legume here.

Less than 5 minutes later I had this simple, yet great tasting, healthy side dish! The recipe for lemony chickpea salad is healthy, easy to make, and DELICIOUS!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

Here’s How Simple It Is To Make Lemony Chickpea Salad

First, rinse and drain a can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). That’s about the hardest thing you will need to do to make this side salad!

Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) draining in colander

Ready To Serve Lemony Chickpea Salad

Place the rinsed, drained chickpeas in a serving bowl. Add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir to fully combine the chickpeas with the light lemon dressing and the herbs and spices.

Chickpeas mixed with lemon juice, olive oil and parsley in bowl

That’s it! See? I told you this healthy side salad was EASY!! Garnish the lemony chickpea salad with a lemon slice and a fresh sprig of parsley, if desired.  Serve salad at room temperature, for best taste!

Lemony chickpea salad with parsley and lemon garnish in white bowl

Have a fantastic day!  I am choosing today to be thankful for the many blessings in my life, those seen and unseen, mercifully provided by the God I love with all my heart.

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy salad recipes to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: The cookbook “Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals”, published by Oxmoor House, Inc., 2010, page 62.

0 from 0 votes
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Lemony Chickpea Salad
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Lemony Chickpea Salad is a quick (5 minute), easy and healthy side dish, featuring chickpeas (garbanzo beans), in a light lemon, olive oil, and garlic dressing.
Category: Salad/Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemony chickpea salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 153 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley , chopped
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Place drained chickpeas into small serving bowl.
  2. Add lemon juice, olive oil, chopped parsley, minced garlic and crushed red pepper.
  3. Stir very well, to fully combine ingredients.
  4. Serve at room temperature. (If you are making this ahead of time, cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator half an hour before serving, to allow olive oil in recipe to liquefy again!).
  5. Enjoy this light and healthy side salad.
Recipe Notes

Recipe makes approx. 4 (1/2 cup) servings, but is EASILY doubled.

Nutrition Facts
Lemony Chickpea Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 153
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Lemony Chickpea Salad is a quick (5 minute), easy and healthy side dish, featuring chickpeas (garbanzo beans), in a light lemon, olive oil, and garlic dressing.

 

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Jul
2016

Summer Vegetable Tian

categories: From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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There are a lot of fantastic Summer veggies coming into season right now. This Summer Vegetable Tian is a GREAT way to simply & creatively serve fresh veggies to those you love!Summer Vegetable Tian is a delicious and colorful baked vegetable side dish, layered with zucchini, yellow squash, potato, tomato, herbs and Italian cheese.
The recipe serves 6, and is very inexpensive to make (especially if you have a backyard garden like me, and are bursting with harvested zucchini, onions, yellow squash and tomatoes about this time of year)!

If you have ONE onion, ONE zucchini, ONE yellow squash, ONE potato, and ONE tomato, then you have almost everything you will need to make this great side dish!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make A Summer Vegetable Tian

Here’s how you make this beautiful, delicious summer vegetable tian:  Start by sautéing the diced onions and minced garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Note: I added garlic during the last minute of cooking, so it wouldn’t burn or become bitter.

Cooking onions and garlic for vegetable tian

Spread softened butter on the bottom and sides of a baking dish (again… playing with your food).

Baking dish for vegetable tian is coated with softened butter

Spread the cooked onions and garlic on the bottom of the dish.

Cooked onions and garlic are added to baking dish

Now It’s Time To Arrange The Veggies!

Alternating veggies, stack the sliced vegetables in the dish vertically until it is filled. (You will notice there won’t be as many tomato slices as everything else- no worries, just add them in.  Have fun playing with your food!  Season the veggies generously with salt and pepper, then add dried thyme.

Layered summer vegetables for tian are placed into baking dish.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and place the pan in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake veggies for 30 minutes, then take the foil off the dish, cover the top of the veggies with the shredded Parmesan cheese, then continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.

This is what they looked like when I removed the foil. (oops-forgot to take a picture after adding shredded cheese to the top after this!)

Partially baked summer vegetable tian with Italian seasoning.

Time To Eat The Summer Vegetable Tian!

When done, the Parmesan cheese will be melted and light brown in color, and the veggies will be cooked through.  Remove baking dish from oven, and serve while hot!  I found it easiest to remove a “serving sized section” of veggies using a spatula to keep them together in a compact, colorful line.

Summer vegetable tian with melted cheese is fully baked.

On the plate, and ready to eat! I served this summer vegetable tian dish with Baked Dover Sole Rollatini, but it would be a great side dish for a variety of main courses!

Summer vegetable tian is served as a delicious side dish

I don’t think you can EVER go wrong with fresh vegetables on the table! The alternating colors displayed so beautifully made it a very appetizing looking dish. The vegetables tasted wonderful, too, so I will definitely be making this again! Have a blessed day!

Looking For More VEGGIE Recipes?

You can find all of my veggie dishes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of vegetable dishes I think you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source:  http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/08/summer-vegetable-tian/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Summer Vegetable Tian
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Summer Vegetable Tian is a delicious and colorful baked vegetable side dish, layered with zucchini, yellow squash, potato, tomato, herbs and Italian cheese.
Category: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: summer vegetable tian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 144 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sized brown onion , diced
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sized zucchini , thinly sliced
  • 1 medium sized yellow squash , thinly sliced
  • 1 medium potato , thinly sliced
  • 1 medium tomato , thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  • 1 cup shredded Italian Cheese (I used shredded Parmesan)
  • Non-stick spray (or softened butter), for pan. I used butter!
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400º F. While oven is preheating, dice the onion (finely) and mince the 2 cloves of garlic. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat. Add onions; sauté them for 4-5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add garlic the last minute of cooking, so as not to burn it. Set aside.
  2. THINLY slice zucchini, yellow squash, potato and tomato. It is best if these vegetables are all about the same circumference around, for uniformity.
  3. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray or coat bottom and sides of pan with softened butter (I used butter!). Place the cooked onions and garlic on the bottom of pan, spreading evenly.
  4. Evenly stack the thinly sliced vegetables vertically in dish (alternating veggies) to form a long line of colorful veggies in the pan. When one row is done, start another row, until all veggies have been distributed. (Think of this as playing with your food!)
  5. Once vegetables are arranged in dish, season them liberally with salt and pepper, then add thyme.
  6. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil; Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Take the foil off the dish, cover the tops of the veggies with shredded Parmesan cheese, then continue cooking (uncovered) for an additional 15-20 minutes (until the cheese turns light brown).
  7. Remove pan from oven, and serve! Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

I found it is easiest to serve the veggies by lifting a "section" out of the baking dish with a long spatula. That keeps the veggies together in a compact, colorful line.

Nutrition Facts
Summer Vegetable Tian
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 268mg12%
Potassium 415mg12%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 445IU9%
Vitamin C 17.9mg22%
Calcium 211mg21%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Summer Vegetable Tian is a delicious and colorful baked vegetable side dish, layered with zucchini, yellow squash, potato, tomato, herbs and Italian cheese.

 

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Jun
2016

Potato Salad

categories: Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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You’re gonna love this simple, old-fashioned potato salad! It is easy to make, and will be a big hit at your next family BBQ or picnic! You're gonna love this simple, old-fashioned potato salad! It's easy to make, and will be a big hit at your next family BBQ or picnic!

I’ve been making this classic recipe for yummy, old-fashioned Potato Salad for over 30 years now! We have it for BBQ’s, potlucks and picnics, and my family and friends always end up wanting more (including “to go” containers for our grown sons)!

When I was growing up, I didn’t like potato salad. My Mom (who is a fantastic cook) made hers with LOTS of sweet pickle relish, red onions and mustard, and I just didn’t enjoy it (sorry, Mom)!

How I Got This Recipe

Well, many years ago, a friend of mine named Judy made potato salad for a baby shower I was the guest of honor at, and I LOVED it!

I asked her what her “secret” was. She told me she used Claussen Dill Pickles, because they are refrigerated and have the “best” crunch factor! Who knew?

Well, trust me… I don’t owe my allegiance to any particular pickle company, BUT… I gotta tell ya, she was on to something.  I went home and began experimenting with my own version of potato salad (including those DILL pickles).

Eventually I came up with a winner recipe, and have been making potato salad this way ever since! After making this salad hundreds of times over the past 30 years, I finally decided to post it on my blog. Here’s how to make it.

How To Make Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Boil the Russet potatoes (with the skin on), until they are fork-tender. You will need to do this in a LARGE saucepan.

Hint: See my note section in the printable recipe for a time-saver to cook hard-boiled eggs for the recipe in the same pan with the potatoes.

Drain the cooked potatoes, slightly cool, then peel and cube. Place potato cubes in a large enough bowl to mix up the potato salad.

Potatoes cut into cube shapes for potato salad.

Slice the green onions, chop Claussen pickles, and chop up 2 of the 3 hard-boiled eggs. Add these ingredients to the potato chunks in the bowl.

Potatoes, pickles, boiled egg, green onions in bowl for potato salad.

In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, a small bit of prepared yellow mustard, several Tablespoons of the pickle juice (straight from the jar!), and a bit of salt and pepper.

This will be the dressing for the potato salad. Pretty easy to make, right?

Potato salad dressing is mixed together in metal bowl.
Mix The Potato Salad

Pour “dressing” mixture over potatoes. Stir gently to fully combine all ingredients. If necessary, add additional mayonnaise.

The amount of mayonnaise needed will vary, depending on the quantity and size of the potatoes used for this potato salad. You can always add more after stirring, if necessary.

You don’t want the potato salad dry.  You definitely do not want it swimming in mayo, either!

Salad dressing poured over potato salad, then mixed together.

Once the potato salad is completely combined, taste it to see if you need a bit more salt and/or pepper, and season to taste.

When you have it seasoned just the way you like it, transfer the potato salad into a large serving bowl.

Potato salad in white serving bowl.

Garnish The Potato Salad 

I use this contraption to thinly slice a hard-boiled egg for garnishing the salad (optional). This device sure makes it easy to cut a hard boiled egg into beautiful, even slices!

Hard boiled egg in slicer for potato salad garnish.
It thinly slices the egg for me, without making a mess!  If you do not have something like this, carefully cut thin slices with a very sharp knife!

Hand holding a sliced hard boiled egg for topping the potato salad.

Garnish, Refrigerate, Then Serve!

Place the egg slices on top of potato salad. Garnish with a few more green onion slices (the green part) OR chopped parsley. Sprinkle the top with paprika, and that’s it!

Cover the potato salad with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours before serving, for best flavor (and chill factor!).

Potato Salad in white bowl, with sliced egg garnish.

That’s how I make this classic homemade potato salad. It really is quite inexpensive to prepare, and is always enjoyed at family get togethers.

For me, it’s always a hoot to see just how much of this potato salad our two grown sons can pile on their plates! Ha Ha. I say “Have a little hamburger with that potato salad!”

Hope you will find time this summer to give this great potato salad recipe a try! We absolutely LOVE it!

Looking for Other Salad Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of salad recipes to choose from, including:

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Potato Salad
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
You're gonna love this simple, old-fashioned potato salad! It is easy to make, and will be a big hit at your next family BBQ or picnic!
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: potato salad
Servings: 10 servings
Calories Per Serving: 120 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Potato Salad:
  • 5 large "baker" sized russet potatoes (or 8-9 small potatoes)
  • 2 green onions , sliced (green and white parts)
  • 4 Claussen dill pickle spears (or 1 LARGE Claussen whole dill), chopped
  • 3 hard boiled eggs (chop 2 of them, reserve 1 for garnish, if desired)
For Potato Salad "Dressing":
  • 5 HEAPING Tablespoons mayonnaise (really big heapings-start with this-add more if necessary)
  • 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 3 Tablespoons pickle juice (straight from the jar!)
  • Salt and black pepper , to taste
For Garnish:
  • Use 1 reserved hard-boiled egg , thinly sliced
  • Additional sliced green onions (green part) OR chopped fresh parsley
  • Paprika (to lightly sprinkle on top of salad)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Boil potatoes (with skin on) until fork tender (time will vary depending on size of potatoes). It will typically take between 35 and 50 minutes. If done, you should be able to insert a knife blade into the potato with no problem. When done, drain, and peel potatoes. Once cool, cut potatoes into chunks and place into large bowl.
  2. Slice green onions and chop dill pickle spears. Add to potatoes. Chop 2 of the 3 hard boiled eggs, and add to potatoes.
  3. Mix up "dressing" for salad in a separate bowl, by mixing mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, and salt and pepper (start with 1/2 teaspoon salt/pepper).
  4. Pour the "dressing" over the potato mixture. Stir gently to fully combine ingredients. If more "moisture" is needed, add more mayonnaise and continue stirring until fully coated. (amount of "dressing" and additional mayo will vary, due to amount and size of potatoes used).
  5. Taste test. Add more salt/pepper, if needed. (I usually end up adding a bit more salt).
  6. Place potato salad into serving bowl. Garnish top with thin slices of hard-boiled egg, then add additional sliced green onion (the green part) OR chopped fresh parsley. Lightly sprinkle with paprika.
  7. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours (for BEST flavor and "chill" factor); Serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

To save time, I boil the eggs in the same saucepan while I cook the potatoes! Usually takes them about 23 minutes when added to boiling water with all the potatoes. I take eggs out when done, and finish cooking potatoes! (one less pan!)

Nutrition Facts
Potato Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 120 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 339mg15%
Potassium 475mg14%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 6.5mg8%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna love this simple, old-fashioned potato salad! It is easy to make, and will be a big hit at your next family BBQ or picnic!

 

 

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May
2016

Skillet Zucchini, Mushrooms And Peppers With Parmesan

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Skillet Zucchini is a delicious veggie side dish, with sautéed mushrooms, red bell pepper, and onions, topped with Parmesan cheese to serve.Skillet Zucchini is a delicious veggie side dish, with sautéed mushrooms, red bell pepper, and onions, topped with Parmesan cheese to serve.
You know how Moms always say “EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!”?  Well… I AM a Mom, and I still have to tell myself this all the time! I’m always looking for new ways to make veggies more appealing!  So here’s a quick & tasty side dish for Skillet Zucchini, Mushrooms and Peppers With Parmesan.

Sometimes it’s nice to get out of the “vegetable rut” and cook a new combination of veggies for taste and color of the dish, for a change! Here’s how easy it is to make this side dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Skillet Zucchini

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in skillet. Add chopped red onion and sliced mushrooms; sauté on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until mushrooms have softened, and are cooked through.

Mushrooms and red onions cooking in a large skillet.

Add sliced zucchini and red pepper to the skillet. I kept the mushrooms in the skillet, but moved them to the side while cooking zucchini. Continue cooking and and stirring this skillet zucchini mixture for 4-5 minutes until zucchini is cooked through (but not too soft).

Sliced zucchini and red peppers are added to the mushrooms in the skillet.

Time For Some Seasoning

Add minced garlic to the veggies, and cook for an additional minute, stirring often. Be careful to NOT let the garlic burn. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and oregano to taste.

Minced garlic, and spices are added to the skillet zucchini.

Serve The Skillet Zucchini

When done, pour the sautéed vegetables into a serving bowl. Finely grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top of the vegetables while they are still hot, so it melts.

Finely grated Parmesan cheese is sprinkled over the skillet zucchini before serving.

Serve this simple skillet zucchini dish while it is still hot… and enjoy! It’s a nice combination of vegetables, and the colors make it more tempting to want to dig in! I enjoyed creating and eating this vegetable dish, and the recipe can be EASILY doubled.

Sometimes it’s more fun to have a mixture of colorful, tasty veggies than to just have a lump of broccoli on the plate. Amen! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More VEGGIE Recipes?

You can find all of my vegetable dishes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of them, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

5 from 1 vote
PRINT
Skillet Zucchini, Mushrooms And Peppers With Parmesan
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 

Skillet Zucchini is a delicious veggie side dish, with sautéed mushrooms, red bell pepper, and onions, topped with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Category: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: skillet zucchini
Servings: 3 servings
Calories Per Serving: 65 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup red onions (chopped)
  • 1 large green zucchini (or 2 medium sized), sliced
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper (sliced or chopped)
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • Salt and Pepper , to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Fresh Parmesan cheese (finely grated- amount is your choice!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in skillet. Sauté sliced mushrooms and red onion on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
  2. Move mushrooms to side of skillet; add sliced zucchini and red bell pepper. Cook zucchini, etc. for 4-5 minutes, or until zucchini has softened slightly , but is not "soggy". Add minced garlic to pan. Stir to combine. Cook for additional minute, stirring often. Do not let garlic burn.
  3. Season with salt, pepper and oregano, to taste. Remove mixture to serving dish. Immediately grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top of the hot veggies. Serve... and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Skillet Zucchini, Mushrooms And Peppers With Parmesan
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 65 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 72mg3%
Potassium 364mg10%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 980IU20%
Vitamin C 46.6mg56%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Skillet Zucchini is a delicious veggie side dish, with sautéed mushrooms, red bell pepper, and onions, topped with Parmesan cheese to serve. / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

 

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