Vegetable Sides

Asparagus

I finally found a way to cook asparagus which I like!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Parmesan-Asparagus/Detail.aspx

Baked Cauliflower

Here is a winning recipe for cauliflower.  BOTH kids actually ate this and had seconds and then thirds!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Whole-Cauliflower/Detail.aspx
Beet Salad
If you have to eat beets, this is the only way to eat them...
http://www.ezhealthydiet.com/beet-recipe.html


Carmelized Turnips

I am not a big turnip fan.  With our CSA we always get them though--and I usually end up mixing them in with our mashed potatoes.  Well, I found this recipe and tried it out.  It is a sweetened twist to turnips.  And--witch sweet-toothed children, they devoured them!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramelized-Turnips/Detail.aspx

Onion Rings

Homemade and baked--oh so healthy and yummy!

2-3 large onions


1/2 C milk

1/2 C flour

2 C Italian bread crumbs

1. Slice your onions into rings.

2. Pour your flour out onto a plate and dredge each ring in the flour one at a time. Place the rings on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

3. Slide the cookie sheet in your freezer for about 15 minutes.

4. Dredge each onion ring in the milk.

5.Dredge each onion ring in the bread crumbs.

6. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. You want your rings to lay flat on the sheet, so you may need to use 2 cookies sheets depending on how big your onions are.



Pumpkin Casserole

This is YUMMY! I compare this to sweet potato casserole. A great side dish for Thanksgiving!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Casserole/Detail.aspx

Sesame Parmesan Zucchini
Quick and easy to make, this is delicious!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sesame-Parmesan-Zucchini/Detail.aspx

Sweet Potato & Banana Casserole
I know this sounds weird, but this is SOOOOO YUMMY! A must for every Thanksgiving!

4 medium sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 bananas, mashed

Topping

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

Preparation:
Cook potatoes in small amount of water until tender. Mash and beat. Add 4 tablespoons butter and brown sugar. If the mixture is dry, add either a little cream of orange juice to moisten.

Pour 1/2 of the sweet potato mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Cover with mashed bananas and then top with rest of sweet potato mixture.

For topping, cut butter into sugar,flour, oats and cinnamon mixture. Cover top of sweet potatoes with topping & pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Succotash
A nice simple succotash with summer veggies. You can make it without the bacon and just saute the veggies in a little olive oil. It also works just fine without the lima beans.

5 slices bacon
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
2 cups corn
1/4 lb. frozen baby lima beans
1 tomato, chopped
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
Salt & Pepper

Cook bacon slices in skillet until crispy. Remove bacon to paper towel, but leave drippings in skillet. Cook red pepper and garlic in skillet over medium-low heat until tender (3-5 minutes). Add zucchini, corn, and lima beans and cook about 3 minutes longer. Add tomato, and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Crumble the bacon into skillet and add the basil, salt, and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Twice Baked PotatoesThis is an all-time favorite with so many variations. The idea is you cook a potato and then scoop out its insides—yummy them up—put them back in the potato and cook again. I never make them the same way. Here is the basic idea.

4 baking potatoes
1/8 – ¼ cup of butter (depending on how buttery you like them)
¼ - ½ cup of milk (can also use sour cream, ranch dressing or yogurt)
1 cup of shredded cheese (pick your favorite kind!)
1 garlic clove minced
1 small onion (or 1/8 – ¼ cup of fresh chives)
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Bake your potatoes either via oven or microwave. Then microwave garlic and onion for 1 – 2 minutes in olive oil. Cut potatoes in half lenghthwise. Scoop out the insides leaving a shell. Add garlic, onion, butter to potatoes and beat (this makes your filling light and fluffy!). Add milk slowly until you achieve the desired consistency of your potato filling. Add cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Scoop the filling in the potato shells. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

You can also add broccoli and/or bacon to the filling!

These freeze great. After filling the shells, wrap tightly in saran wrap and freeze up to 3 months. Then bake at 400 for 40 minutes.