Turkish Shepherd Salad, by Diane

This was AMAZING and I cannot believe how simple it was to make! I found this recipe from Zestful Kitchen and although I could not find the urfa pepper it was awesome without it. I made it for some Greek hummus bowls, but wound up eating it on it's own because it was that good! I also think this would be good with chicken. YUM!

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 english cucumber, diced

red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved

1 anaheim pepper, diced (I omitted this)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped mint

2 tbsp chopped dill

1.5 tsp sumac

1 tsp urfa pepper (can sub aleppo pepper)

1/2 cup cubed feta cheese

3 tbsp EVOO

1 lemon, juiced

kosher salt

Directions:

Mix all and combine, adjust to taste. 

Pineapple Pickled Onion Salsa, by Diane

I had some leftover pulled pork from an event this weekend and decided to make lettuce cup tacos, and wanted to make a quick salsa to go with it. This wound up being so good I kept eating it plain with a spoon! It was super quick to make. Yum!

Ingredients:

Tomato (I used plum and grape here), small diced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Diced pickled onions (I do a quick pickle by slicing them and placing them into a jar covered with white vinegar, shake twice daily and ready after 1 day but can leave for longer!)

1 handful chopped cilantro

1 lime squeezed

1 small can crushed pineapple, liquid removed

1/2 jalepeño, seeds removed and diced small

Salt, pepper

Directions: Mix well, adjust to taste, enjoy!

 

Asparagus Caprese Salad, by Diane

 

I was clearing out the fridge and whipped this creation up, it was so good and I think it would be a great summer salad or side dish. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, roasted with EVOO salt and pepper, diced

1 container grape tomatoes, quartered

1 small container mozzarella balls, quartered

1 small pack basil, leaves minced

1/4 cup turkey pepperoni, quartered

Balsamic and EVOO (I had meyer lemon EVOO which worked great)

Coarse salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Directions: 

Mix all and adjust to taste.

Crockpot Green Beans with Ham, by Diane

I'm obsessed with this type of green bean at BBQ joints as a side dish, and a friend recently told me she makes them easily in the crockpot with a ham bone. I couldn't find a ham bone so I used ham chips (preseasoned cuts of fatty ham) and diced ham. These were so easy and came out really good, but I would eliminate the ham chips next time as it was WAY too salty and there was no seasoning in here. 

Ingredients:

2 large unsalted cans (38 oz) of cut green beans, drained (reserve 1 cup)

1 pack of ham chips or 1 pack diced ham or bacon 

1 sweet onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours, stirring gently every hour or so. Discard ham chips if using.

Fresh Cabbage Kimchi, by Diane

 

I took a cooking class in Seoul, South Korea and we learned to make four types of kimchi. This was a new type for me and I was obsessed with the flavor!! Unlike fermented kimchi, it has more crunch and is tossed with just a bit of sesame oil for an unreal flavor. If you leave it in the fridge at a few days-1 week it begins to get those gut healthy probiotics from fermentation too. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 large napa cabbage

7 stalks scallions, green parts only, sliced into 1/3's

1/4 large white onion, sliced into slivers

4 cloves garlic, minced

Coarse salt

Water

3 tbsp gochujaru (Korean red chili powder- you cannot sub regular chili powder or flakes here!)

1 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tbsp preserved shrimps

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp crushed sesame seeds (or 1 tbsp whole sesame seeds)

1 tbsp sesame oil (use high quality if possible)

Directions:

1. Cut the cabbage in two parts separating the leafy from the stem for each leaf. For the leafy green parts, cut into bite size pieces and set in one large bowl. For the white stems, slice into bite size pieces at a diagonal (instead of straight down, cut diagonally out to expose more of the stem to marinate), set in another bowl. 

2. For the stems, add 1/2 tbsp coarse salt and 1 tbsp water, mix well with your hands and let sit 15 min. For the leaves, add 1/2 tbsp coarse salt, mix well with your hands and let sit 15 min. 

3. While the cabbage sits, mix the seasoning ingredients together (green onion, white onion, gochujaru, fish sauce, shrimps, sugar and garlic) in a small bowl and cover in the fridge.

4. Rinse each bowl of cabbage well with running water, drain, and repeat 2-3 times to get all the salt water off. Then combine the cabbage in a strainer and let sit for one hour.

5. After the hour is up, combine cabbage and seasoning in a large bowl and mix well with your hands (do not touch your eyes or use kitchen safe gloves). Add sesame oil and sesame seeds and mix gently, coating each piece.

6. Kimchi is ready to eat, or it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Drug Eggs, by Diane

I've tried to make ramen eggs before in two other posts, but this was a slight variation on them from @alexawhatsfordinner and I thought I'd give it a go for a creative protein snack. These are called drug eggs because they are supposedly addictive, but for me they were just okay. The recipe called for the liquid to cover the eggs, and it didn't so I added more water and it's possible that was the issue because I definitely wanted them to have more flavor. 

On the plus side, I finally figured out how to make the perfect jammy eggs from this recipe so that was a win I'll take!!

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp gochugaru or red chili flakes

1 tbsp sesame seeds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, finely diced

1 spicy red pepper or habenero, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Soft boil the eggs by bringing a large pot of water to boil then gently lowering each egg into the pot. Cook for 6-7 minutes for jammy yolks and carefully transfer to an ice bath to cool completely before peeling the eggs.

2. Combine all remaining ingredients except eggs, then add eggs and make sure they are fully covered. 

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Serve with marinade if desired.

 

Butter (or ghee) and Garlic Mushrooms, by Cheryl

For some reason I had a family size container of baby bella mushrooms that I had to use. I needed a quick and easy recipe in order to use them all. This recipe is so simple and SO delicious! If I had a shallot I would have chopped some of that up and put it in there. It was a hit with 3/4 of us so I'd say that's a win! It was a perfect side. Yum!

Ingredients:

Baby bella mushrooms

A few tbsps butter or ghee, salted

Parsley 

Minced garlic, a few tbsp

Directions:

1) Melt the butter in a pan. Add garlic and parsley. 

2) Next, add the mushrooms. Flip over to cover them with the sauce. Cook on low medium heat for a little bit on each side. 

3) Dust a little parsley on top when finished cooking. 

Millie Peartree's Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Casserole, by Diane

 

This year the family decided to try something new for green bean casserole, a much loved staple in our home that we use from the back of the French's fried onion box. The OG. I saw a video on instagram where a chef from NYT Cooking tried 13 of the best green bean casserole recipes and ranked them, and his reaction plus the comments section made me pick this one.

This was such an enormous hit we are all still talking about it!! This is one of the best things I've ever made, and for as complex as it tastes it really wasn't that much harder to cook than regular green bean casserole. It was also amazing leftover. We had a ham at our thanksgiving and it was great diced up in here too! All of us forgot mushrooms were in here or cajun seasoning, it somehow all blends together into an umami-rich dish!

The only change I would make which was in a lot of the comments is there is an abundance of sauce- so next time I would halve the sauce or double the veggies (the sauce could make a shoe taste delicious so I'd pick the latter!).

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

2.5 lbs haricots verts or French green beans, trimmed into 1 inch pieces

1 lb hen of the woods mushrooms (we got a wild mushroom mix with cremini, oyster, etc) cut into bite size pieces

2 large shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp EVOO

Salt and Pepper

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp AP Flour

1 quart heavy cream or half and half (we did half heavy cream and half whole milk and were super glad with this combo)

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, chicken bouilion base

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 3/4 cups shredded or grated parmesan

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 cups fried onions

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400. Coat a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. On a baking sheet combine green beans, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, EVOO, salt, pepper, and 3 tbsp of water. Roast for 45 minutes or until beans are soft.

3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter then add the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden in color, whisking constantly.

4. Add heavy cream and whisk until it starts to thicken, about 6-8 minutes (ours took longer). Add seasonings and 1 1/2 cups parmesan, continuing to whisk constantly. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Add the roasted veggies to the mix and combine. Pour into the baking dish.

6. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup parmesan, bread crumbs and fried onions. Spread evenly over the top of the casserole.

7. Set the broiler to high, broil until brown and bubbly (don't walk away!), about 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.

Challah Stuffing, by Diane

I have made this stuffing for every major holiday for years, and only now thought to post it! It's famous in our family gatherings, and it couldn't be easier. 

Ingredients:

2 loaves challah

1 lb italian sausage (we have made it without sausage too, it just really amps up the savoriness!)

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp poultry seasoning

2 large boxes (32 oz each) chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Slice the challah thinly and leave overnight to dry without the slices touching. If in a pinch, you can place them under the broiler to dry out just watch them carefully!

2. Rip the challah into small chunks and set aside.

3. In a large pot, cook the sausage until browned and set aside, reserving some of the liquid in the pan.

4. Add the celery and onion to the sausage drippings, along with the butter. Cook until the veggies are softened.

5. Add in poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. For the seasoning, you want it to be extra salty as it bakes out a bit in the oven so oversalt here.

6. Remove from heat and add in the sausage, challah, and one box of broth to start. Mix well and adjust for seasonings and wetness. For the moisture, you want it to be pretty wet so it cooks out in the oven, but no extra liquid in the bottom of the pot. This may require another 1/2 of the second box- we have never used both boxes entirely. This is also a good time to do a final salt check.

7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes uncovered until the stuffing is set and the liquid is cooked in. Serve warm- but it's also amazing cold or reheated the next few days if it makes it that long!

Heirloom and Beet Whipped Goat Cheese Salad, by Diane

 

I saw this whipped goat cheese bottom on a veggie platter I ordered in Denver and I was so inspired to come home and figure out what I could do with it. Enter this- my afternoon snack alllll last week. It is so good with fresh summer tomatoes and basil, yum!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp goat cheese

1 tbsp EVOO

fresh herbs (I used oregano and basil)

1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup marinated beets, cut into bite size pieces

Balsamic vinegar (I have a blackberry ginger one that goes great on this!)

Optional- fresh basil for garnish

Directions:

1. Make the whipped feta either in a food processor or by hand by whipping together feta, oil, and herbs. Spread on the bottom of the bowl.

2. Top with tomatoes and beets and a drizzle of balsamic!

Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, by Diane

 

I saw this recipe by Plant You on ig, and thought I'd give them a try since we all know I love my air fryer. These were super easy, but my biggest complaint was the cooking instructions. You are supposed to cook them at 450 for 15 minutes and then flip and cook for another 10. My air fryer only goes to 400 and I did 10 minutes before I noticed one side was burning so I flipped them, and 5 minutes later they were almost all char. So I would definitely make them again but with a new cooking time, which I'll write below. I served them with her roasted red pepper sauce, which was also a good pairing- I added nutritional yeast to this and that made it way better!

Ingredients:

2 lbs brussels sprouts, ends cut off

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Steam the brussels sprouts for 8 min.

2. Flatten the sprouts with the bottom of a cup to smash, and lay in an even layer in a greased air fryer. 

3. Drizzle each side with oil, and sprinkle tops with seasonings. Cook at 400 for 5 minutes.

4. Flip the sprouts, season the other side, and cook at 400 for another 5-10 minutes until crispy. 

For the sauce: Blend 3/4 cup soaked cashews (soak for 30 min), 1 clove garlic, 1/2 roasted red pepper, 1/4 cup almond milk, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp nutritional yeast until smooth.

Yummy Potatoes, by Cheryl

I don't even know what to title these, but they are gooooood! Over Labor Day weekend we visited our friends Dave and Carla. Dave is always coming up with these great recipes on the spot. This is one that he made for us as a side to our dinner. And they were so good that I made them soon after coming home! I never thought I would like this since I'm not the biggest fan of mustard, but the flavors work so well together! I love these potatoes! Yum!

Ingredients:

1lb small red or white potatoes

2-3 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (the one with the seeds)

1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar

a handful of chopped parsley

1 shallot, diced

Directions:

1) Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Place the potatoes in until tender (not mushy).

2) Meanwhile, put all of the other ingredients in a bowl and mix together. 

3) Drain the potatoes and cut them in half, or quarters depending on how large they are. 

4) Place potatoes in bowl and mix together until covered. 

Chinese Marinated Ramen Eggs, by Diane

 

I made these for a healthy snack this week as a fun twist on hard boiled eggs. I LOVE these eggs in ramen, they are my favorite part! I overcooked these by a minute, and wished they would have been more jammy, but know what to do for next time! They had a cool flavor and I was happy overall with how they turned out- yum! Marinade recipe by see_jay91 on instagram, egg recipe by justonecookbook.com

Ingredients:

12 eggs

2 star anise pods

1 scallion, green and white parts, cut into 1/3rds

4 inches ginger, sliced into thick coins

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

1/2 cup shao xing wine

2 tbsp rock sugar

1/3 cup chinese soy sauce

1/4 cup chinese dark soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, toast the star anise pods until fragrant. Add scallion and ginger, toast lightly for 2 min.

2. Add in stock, water, wine, and sugar and stir to combine, bring to a simmer.

3. Add in soy sauces, stir to combine.

4. Chill marinade in the fridge until completely cooled.

5. To make the eggs, bring a large pot of water plus 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vinegar to a rolling boil. Add in eggs with a slotted spoon straight from the fridge. Set a timer for 7 minutes at the time of the addition of the first egg and cook until that ends.

6. Remove the eggs directly into an ice bath for 15 min, then peel.

7. Add the peeled eggs to the marinade, cover the top of the liquid with a paper towel, and cover with lid. Let sit for 24 hours minimum. 

Flower Child Sweet Potatoes, by Diane

These sweet potatoes are my favorite side at a local restaurant called Flower Child. They are red chili glazed, but not spicy. They melt in your mouth!! I was lucky enough to find their recipe posted online, and decided to make these stat! So easy, healthy, and definitely will be on rotation in the future. Yum!

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

2.5 lbs sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted, at room temperature

1/2 cup sesame vinaigrette

1 cup kale, shredded

handful toasted sesame seeds

For the vinaigrette:

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp sriracha 

1/3 cup tamari

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup grapeseed oil (I used coconut oil)

Directions:

1. For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients except the oils and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Slowly incorporate both oils, bit by bit, with the blender until smooth and emulsified.

2. Warm the vinaigrette in a large sautee pan until simmering. Add the room temp sweet potatoes, kale, and sesame seeds.

3. Toss to incorporate until liquid is gone and remove from heat.

Harvest Casserole, by Cheryl

Another great recipe Whole30 recipe from Paleo Running Momma! This is a delicious side dish that tastes like Thanksgiving with each bite! And you get your healthy dose of veggies as well! I made this for my mom who is doing a Whole 30 round and she loved it too. Yum!

Ingredients:

3 cups butternut squash cut into 1in. pieces

1 lb brussel sprouts cut in half or quarters

Olive oil

sea salt and pepper

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 links chicken apple sausage, cut into coin shapes

2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

2 tsp fresh sage, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp fresh parsley, minced

2 cups cauliflower rice

1 apple, finely diced

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries (I cut up dates)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

fresh herbs for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425. Place squash on one baking sheet and brussel sprouts on another. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 25 minutes, stirring the brussel sprouts halfway through. 

2) Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Cook until onions are translucent, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken sausage and fresh herbs and cook until sausage has slightly browned. 

3) Add in the cauliflower rice, pecans, apples, and cinnamon, and stir and cook until apples have softened. 

4) Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and combine the two mixtures together. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh herbs as a garnish if desired. 

Rojak, by Diane

 

This was the side dish of our Indonesian lunch, and so so good! Rojak is one of my most favorite Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. It is a really unique combo of jicama, green mango, pineapple, and cucumber (this version had apple too) in a really flavorful sauce that is sweet and savory. The crunch of the veggies with the sweet savory sauce and peanut top is really addictive and extra refreshing in the summertime! I had no idea it was so easy to make, so this will be on repeat all summer as a light meal or fun snack! Recipe from my friend's Indonesian Street Food cookbook!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed

1 medium green apple, peeled and cubed

1 green mango, peeled and cubed

3/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed

2 kirby cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp paste

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

1 fresh fresno chili

3 tbsp palm sugar (or sub dark brown)

1/2 cup skinned roasted ground peanuts

Directions:

1. Add all the fruits and veggies to a bowl and toss. Set aside. 

2. Start to make the sauce by placing the shrimp paste in a square of foil, folding inward to make a smaller square. Flatten the square with the palm of your hand. Roast this packet directly over gas flame for 1.5 minutes on each side until the paste begins to smoke and takes on a slightly burnt flavor. Open the packet and let cool.

3. Add soy sauce-sugar, plus the cooled shrimp paste, into a bowl and whisk until mixed.

4. Combine the sauce and fruits, top with peanuts and serve cold. Don't wait longer than 20 minutes to serve or else it becomes less crunchy!

Crispy Smashed Potatoes, by Cheryl

I can't believe how easy these are to make. And how delicious. And how crispy! This may be my new go to instead of roasted potatoes. We loved them, the kids loved them, we all loved them. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bag small potatoes (golf ball size or smaller)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2) Preheat oven to 400.

3) Place on baking tray and smash with bottom of pan or potato masher. The thinner they are the crispier they'll be. The thicker they are the fluffier inside they'll be - both good! 

4) Leave on tray to let the steam out. 

5) Drizzle with olive oil and top with salt and pepper. 

6) Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

7) Serve hot. You can sprinkle with parsley. We served them with sour cream. 

Matzo Stuffing, by Diane

This is a recipe I have made for years, and never thought to put it on the blog. This weekend for Passover we made it again, and it occurred to me that I should post it. This is easy and very quick, and it’s always everyone’s favorite. 

Ingredients:

1 box matzo, in crumbles

1/2 stick salted butter

1 onion, diced

6-8 stalks celery, diced

Salt and pepper

1 tsp poultry seasoning

2-3 cups chicken broth 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add in veggies and seasoning and cook until the veggies soften. 

3. Remove from heat and add in matzo and 2 cups broth. Stir well. 

4. You want the matzo to be fully moistened and wet, but all the liquid is absorbed. If you need more liquid add the remaining cup of broth in parts. 

5. You want the stuffing to be overly salty and seasoned before baking, as it will lose flavor in the oven. 

6. Bake for 30 minutes in a 9x13 pan or until stuffing is moist and fluffy. If the top browns before the liquid cooks out, cover the stuffing with foil. 

Korean Potato Salad, by Diane

 

This week in cooking through the countries was Korea- and luckily I had a pal to share all the food with!! We each made a few banchan (or small dishes) ahead of the main meal. This was the first one- it was really good! Quite easy to make and really filling, I think this could be a lunch on its own! Recipe https://seonkyounglongest.com/korean-potato-salad/ 

Ingredients:

2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into large chunks

1/2 Kirby cucumber, diced small

1/2 cup carrots, julienned and chopped

2 tbsp red onion, diced 

1/2 cup imitation crab, diced

4 hard boiled eggs, diced 

1/2 cup kewpie mayo

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook potatoes until fork tender.

2. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on the diced cucumbers and let sit for 10 min to sweat, then rinse and squeeze excess water from them. Set aside.

3. Drain potatoes and mash slightly while still hot. 

4. Add all remaining ingredients and combine well, adjust seasonings if needed.

5. Refrigerate for 30 min before eating.

Cauliflower Garlic Fried Rice, by Diane

 

I made this as a side dish to go with my Gyoza Dumpling Meatballs, it came together in a few minutes while the meatballs were in the oven. Pretty good as a side or on its own!

Ingredients:

2 bags cauliflower rice w mixed veggies

4 eggs, whisked

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 tbsp coconut oil

3 green onions, sliced

3 tbsp coconut aminos 

1 tbsp sesame oil

Salt and white pepper

Onion powder

Directions:

1. Preheat a pan to medium heat, add in coconut oil. When hot, add garlic and shallot slices and fry for 1 minute until crispy. Remove from pan.

2. Add sesame oil in, then pour in eggs. Allow to set for a minute, sprinkle on spices. Break up with the back of a wooden spoon.

3. Add in the cauliflower, green onions, and garlic/shallots. Mix well and add in seasonings to taste.