• a dressing like no other

    Are you a stuffing or dressing person?  Are you a cornbread or bread dressing person?   We are cornbread people here.  Well I am here to tell you I have another option for all my die hard cornbread dressing friends.  Trust me it is AMAZING! An apple a day… The old saying goes “an apple a day will keep the Dr away”.  This delicious side may not keep the Dr away but it will make you feel VERY good.  If you would have asked me a month ago if I would put apple in my dressing I would have said NO WAY, but it has changed. Our sweet friend Andrea said she wanted…

  • what happens when a skillet and spinach meet…

    The Sis-in-Law is queen of good and easy sides and she did not disappoint with her latest creation.  They came over not too long ago for dinner and she offered to make the side.  I was thrilled as I was busy with the rib roast and twice baked potatoes, and I knew it would be super yummy and I was right. Super simple but so good When she came walking in she had a bag of spinach and that was it.   All sorts of options ran though my head.  We were going to steam it, microwave eat, eat it raw, but never did I think about a quick sauté.…

  • a perfect late summer quinoa

    Quinoa is for sure one of my favorite sides.  I love it on its own, with chicken or fish, or mixed into a salad.  One of my latest creations is this Cilantro Lime Quinoa and I am OBSESSED with it!! A side for ANYTHING & ANYTIME!  I love sides that can be used for multiple meals.  For this quinoa I love it it beside some grilled chicken, but the next day I eat it cold for lunch with come chopped avocado & pico de gallo in it.   Yes you read that right, I eat it cold. One of my favorite ways to have quinoa is cold or in a…

  • turning everyone into a sprout lover

    OK, I know not everyone loves Brussels Sprouts, but I think I can change their minds with these sprouts.  They are tender, crispy and loaded with tons of flavor that will make everyone love them. Just a little crisp The beauty of these brussels sprouts is that they have just a bit of crunch and it is from baking them…no frying involved.  I don’t know why but I just love a little crunch on my side dish. To make these just the right amount of crispy…it is all about the panko bread crumbs.  I have always been a fan of these super crunchy breadcrumbs but using them with brussels sprouts…

  • A must make summer side

    The Holiday weekend is almost here and I am busy thinking about all the yummies I am going to fix.  One dish I know for sure is this Mexican Street Corn Salad.  It is a perfect side for this Holiday weekend. It is so much more than corn Ok, obviously corn is a HUGE part of this dish but that is not all there is to it.  There is also lime, cheese, herbs, chili powder, sour cream…and a few more things.   Let me tell you it all comes together to create a delicious corn salad, that you can serve warm or chilled, that everyone is sure to LOVE!! It…

  • a new pesto love

    Are you a pesto fan?  I am for sure…I love pesto anyway, anyhow.  Especially when it is changed up a bit. Arugula for the change-up I am a big fan of basil.  I love using it in my red sauce for pasta or for a simple bruschetta, but for pesto I prefer arugula.  It adds a bit of peppery bite to the pesto without it being overpowering.  I also love the color.  It is not too dark, and not too light…it is the perfect green.  Now I know this is not the traditional option, but then again when do I keep things traditional?  And if you want to be traditional…

  • cheesy bread goodness

    For me, one of the best parts of eating Italian food out is the bread.  My favorite is the crusty bread, slathered in butter with mealy cheese everywhere.   There is one small local Italian restaurant that inspired this bread that makes everything homemade.  Their pasta is homemade, their sauce is homemade, their desserts are homemade and their bread is homemade. It’s all about the butter… Butter is what makes this bread so, so good.  I use real unsalted butter (I typically only have unsalted butter in my refrigerator), not the fake stuff but real butter.  To make it easy to spread I melt the butter.  The melted butter seeps…

  • Bacon + Jam = AMAZING

    Bacon & Jam together at last…yes you read that right today is all about Bacon Jam.  For those of you who have not had the distinct pleasure of enjoying this wonderful jam then you are going to be in for the treat of your life (ok at least this week, ok maybe today) but is really is so yummy!! I first came across bacon turned into jam at a local hamburger place.  They were putting it on their burgers instead of slices of bacon.  Now I was a little nervous when I ordered by first bacon jam burger…but all that went away after my first delicious bite.  The jam brings…

  • get up & smell the bacon

    Spring Break is here and that means it is time to relax, have fun and EAT…& I say lets eat some bacon!! There is just something so indulgent about bacon that makes you feel like your doing something a little naughty…and trust me this sweet & spicy version is a keeper for sure!!   In my house plain bacon is special… but this version takes it to a whole new level. The trick to this bacon is baking it…do you normally bake it?  I started baking mine a while ago…not only does it make perfectly crisp, but still tender & it is so much LESS messy.  There is no bacon grease spattering…