eatatallies.com» Vegetables/Side Dishes

Asian Noodle Salad

Allie — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 08:23:00 +0000

You may have noticed the limited selection of Pasta dishes on this site. That is because I don’t like pasta much. In order for me to enjoy a pasta dish, it must be truly fabulous. After hearing my sis rave about this Asian Noodle Salad multiple times, as well as another friend post it on facebook a couple of times, I decided I must give it a try. I am so glad I did! This recipe is a keeper. It is light and refreshing and an absolute perfect compliment to a hot summer day. Serve it up as a side or toss in some grilled chicken to make it a main dish.

Asian Noodle Salad
Dressing:

1 cup of rice vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons sesame oil

5 cloves of garlic, finely minced

4 teaspoons soy sauce

4 teaspoons sugar

Salad:

1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 cup basil leaves, chopped

4 green onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

2 cups of shredded carrots

1 cup of toasted peanuts

1 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked

Combine all dressing ingredients thoroughly.

Let sit to allow the flavors to combine while you prepare the salad.

Prepare all the vegetables, set aside.

Once the spaghetti has cooked, rinse with cold water and drain.

When the noodles are completely cool, add the vegetables and peanuts.

Whisk the dressing thoroughly then pour over the noodles and vegetables.

Toss until well combined and serve.

Enjoy!

source: adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Steakhouse Potatoes

Allie — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:43:00 +0000

I have noticed that I am lacking in my vegetable posts. So in an effort to keep all the vegetable lovers out there happy, I am dedicating this post to you. Now I don’t want to hear any complaints about the lack of nutritional value in this dish. Potatoes are a vegetable, the fact that they are covered in heavy cream, half and half, and cheese, does not take away from the fact that potatoes are indeed a vegetable. These steakhouse potatoes are a delicious vegetable dish, you really should try them for yourselves :)

Steakhouse Potatoes

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, finely ground

1 small jalapeño

2 leeks

4 cups cheddar cheese, grated

5 lbs. Russet potatoes

Heat cream and half-and-half in large sauce pot on medium high heat to simmer.

Add salt and black pepper.

Finely dice the jalapeño.

Cut off ends of leeks, clean them and dice only the bottom 3 inches.

When cream is hot, reduce heat to low.

Add cheddar cheese and blend in thoroughly.

Remove from heat.

Peel potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch-thick circles.

Combine potatoes and cream mixture.

Add jalapeños and leeks, mix well.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Place potato mixture in dish and evenly distribute the potatoes.

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in 350°F oven for one hour.

Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes to brown top.

Enjoy!

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Cavatappi Pasta Salad

Allie — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:39:00 +0000

Everything about my third child has been a surprise. The pregnancy was a surprise. I had a two year old and a 7 month old at the time I found out, I was not planning on a third baby yet. The gender was a surprise. I thought for sure I was going to have another girl but nope another boy it was. The birth was a surprise. I went in to the doctor for some rib pain a month prior to my due date and was told I was dilated to a 6 and needed to deliver. What?!!? The homecoming was a surprise. I expected a healthy baby and a routine homecoming. Instead Drew was born with a condition called transient tachypnea (fluid in the lungs) and had to be transported after his birth to the NICU at Sutter Memorial Hospital.
It was heart wrenching having my newborn baby be taken away by ambulance to another hospital while I had to stay overnight where I had delivered him. The next morning I was discharged and went to be with my sweet boy at the NICU across town.  That was where he stayed and I spent most of my time for the next 6 days.
Hospital food is not my favorite so for the first couple of days my meals consisted of a pack of Peanut M&Ms from the vending machine and a bottle of water. Definitely not the ideal diet for a postpartum mother.  Luckily I soon discovered Selland’s, a fabulous little deli just down the street from the hospital. Everything at Selland’s was amazing! However over the course of the week, I became particularly fond of their Cavatappi Pasta Salad. It was just the comfort food I needed to survive that week of Drew in the NICU.
Now that two years have gone by since Drew was born, he is still that child who continues to surprise me. What will he break today?  jump off of today? spill all over the floor? drop in the toilet? climb on? draw on? put in the washing machine? throw across the room? toss over the balcony? shove inside the vacuum hose? hide in the trash can? That child keeps me busy!  He keeps me on my toes! But somehow even with all the surprises and the craziness of three little ones, I found a moment to remember that pasta salad and attempt to recreate it at home…

Cavatappi Pasta Salad

1 lb Cavatappi Pasta

2 Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Packets

2 Cups Buttermilk

2 Cups Mayonnaise

½ – 1 ounce Chopped Fresh Dill

1 pint Grape Seed Tomatoes, whole

8 oz. crumbled Feta

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 head of celery, chopped

Baby Spinach

Cook pasta in boiling water until tender.

While pasta is cooking, mix both Buttermilk Ranch Dressing packets with buttermilk and mayonnaise.

Stir chopped fresh dill into dressing and set aside.

When pasta is tender, drain

and then mix in half of the dill dressing mixture (reserve and refrigerate other half for later),

celery,

green onions,

feta cheese,

and tomatoes.

Cover and refrigerate pasta for up to 24 hours.

Just before serving, pour in the rest of the dressing

and stir.

Then add several handfuls of fresh baby spinach

and gently toss.

Enjoy!

inspired by Selland’s Market-Cafe

** I will be sending this over to the Side Dish Show Down**

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Italian Garlic Bread

Allie — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:04:00 +0000

A lot of times the best dinners are the easy ones. Pasta, salad, bread, done. This Italian Garlic Bread is a great compliment to even the most basic dinners. I am sending this in for the June Side Dish Showdown.

Italian Garlic Bread

~printer friendly version~

1 loaf sourdough bread, halved lengthwise (I used Ciabatta this time)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to Broil.

Melt butter is a microwave safe dish.

Add all other ingredients.

Stir to combine.

Spoon melted butter mixture evenly over bread.

Sprinkle with an additional tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.

Place bread under broiler until lightly browned.

Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

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Green Chile Cheese Squares

Allie — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:56:00 +0000

I have never been a blog follower or even much of a blog reader until I began writing one myself. Since starting my own blog and becoming a member of Foodblogs and Foodbuzz, I am now receiving daily emails with the latest food blog posts and updates. I love getting these emails. I love discovering new food blogs to peruse and new recipes to try. I have even begun to “follow” some of them. One of the blogs that I have particularly enjoyed is Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice written by Reeni. I am sending these Green Chile Cheese Squares her way for her Side Dish Showdown.

Green Chile Cheese Squares
~printer friendly version~

6 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce (optional)

3 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, with juice

1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack

1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, add the eggs, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper sauce (if using). Mix together well.

Add the chiles and both cheeses to a large bowl.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the cheese mixture and stir well.

Pat the mixture down into the prepared baking dish.

Bake until the center is firm, about 45 minutes.

Allow to cool, then cut into small squares

and serve.

source: adapted from Paula Deen

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Oven Roasted Broccoli

Allie — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:26:00 +0000

One of the best things about college is the friendships you make. There are six girls that I went to college with that I still get together with every year. It is amazing how we have changed and yet stayed the same through all these years. When we get together we still do the same stuff we did back in school. We shop, we eat, we go to the movies, and of course we stay up way too late talking in our jammies. Though much of what we do is the same, our conversations are different now than they were years ago. We spend a lot of time reminiscing but we also talk current stuff. We talk babies and kids and husbands and jobs and yes, even share recipes with each other. Wow! It almost sounds like we are adults! We’re not. We are still a bunch of college kids who just happen to be stuck in these 30 something bodies who happen to have husbands and kids and jobs ;) Anyways, this recipe was shared with me by my friend Jen while we were pretending to be adults over breakfast on our latest Girls Weekend in San Diego. It is a much needed change from the traditional steamed broccoli and will definitely be a new staple in my house.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

~printer friendly version~

1 pound broccoli crowns, rinsed and trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash the broccoli and cut the florets into bite size pieces.

Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan.

Place into the oven for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Add the toasted panko to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine.

Return the mixture to the pan. .

Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Have you ever seen broccoli look this good?

Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Good Eats

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Smoked Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

Allie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:25:00 +0000

I don’t know what the weather is like where you live but here in ”Sunny California” it is cold, windy and wet. It’s almost noon and I still can’t bring myself to get out of my jammies. I did shower this morning but I just wanted back into my cozies (is that a word?) afterward. If I had it my way, I would lay around and cozy up with a good book today. However, I have these three little people with lots of needs and wants following me around all day which makes the whole couch-book thing not work out very well.

A day like today calls for some comfort food. A good, classic, comfort food, the kind that just makes everything better. Today is the perfect day for some homemade mac and cheese. Now, this isn’t your basic mac and cheese recipe. This one actually uses a smoked cheddar which definitely adds a noticeable delicious difference. Rumor has it that this recipe came from Flemings, my very favorite restaurant. I did change the smoked cheddar cheese ratio but other than that, it just might be close to their original version. So here you go, I promise this will make you feel better…

Smoked Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

SERVES 8 -10

1 lb pasta (cavatappi or curly)

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup onion, 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy cream

3 cups half-and-half

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper (ground)

1/2 lb smoked cheddar cheese

1/2 lb cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ to 1 teaspoon (depending on desired spiciness) dried chipotle powder

3/4 cup panko

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grate smoked cheddar and cheddar cheese.

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta and cook for 8 – 9 minutes

Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Pasta should be slightly firm. Toss drained pasta in oil and reserve.

Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 4 – 5 minute.

Add flour and cook 1 – 2 minute but do not brown.

Add cream, half and half, kosher salt and white pepper.

Bring pot to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thick, about 5 – 6 minute

Blend cheese into sauce

Stir in the cooked pasta.

Pour pasta and sauce into a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Reserve.

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add oil and chipotle chili powder. Heat for 30 seconds, until pan starts to smoke.

Remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over the pasta and bake for 15 – 20 minute until golden.

Cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Flemings Steakhouse

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Butterscotch and Black Pepper Baby Carrots

Allie — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:32:00 +0000

I am always trying to get my kids to eat their vegetables. This recipe was my latest attempt. I wish I could tell you that it was a success but my effort was met with wrinkled noses and closed mouths. After eating a few of these carrots myself, I was actually quite happy that my kids didn’t eat theirs… more for me! These are the easiest and best tasting cooked carrots. Try them for yourself and if you’re lucky your kids may even eat them too!

Butterscotch and Black Pepper Baby Carrots

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise

Freshly ground black pepper

Cut the carrots in half lengthwise.

In a medium skillet, place the butter, sugar, and salt.

Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until smooth.

Add the carrots and toss to coat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the carrots are tender and glazed.

Top with freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen originally from The Deen Brothers (Y’all, pg. 37)

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Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

Allie — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:41:00 +0000

I am not a fan of “low-fat” food so when I came across the book The Fat Fallacy years ago I was quick to purchase it. There is just something about reading a good book that affirms what you already believe, kind of like a nice little pat on the back. In The Fat Fallacy, Will Clower discusses America’s craze with chemical ridden low-fat and fat-free foods and then compares it with a different way of eating that he witnessed while on a trip to France. The book was a great read and really helped me to better understand what was actually in a lot of processed foods. Besides being extremely informative, the book also has some great recipes using all natural and yes, full-fat ingredients. This is where this delicious asparagus recipe originated from and I have never cooked it another way since.

Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

Asparagus

Butter

Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash the asparagus and then snap off the ends. To ensure that you only get the tender tops, bend the asparagus and find the natural breaking point.

Set them in a baking pan lined with foil.

Top with some thin pats of butter.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese GENEROUSLY over the top and then sprinkle them over with salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (careful not to overbake) then broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Source: The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower

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Sauteed Corn

Allie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Although I do love cooking, I do not like chopping onions nor do I like touching cloves of garlic. The very thought of chopping onions makes my eyes tear and burn. And as for the garlic, well it makes my hands smell for a very long time. So much that if I touch it, I can’t sleep that night because the very smell of my hands keeps me awake. Strange. I know.

Because of these chopping touching aversions of mine, I am a huge fan of the Trader Joes chopped fresh onions. They are only $1.99 for 12 ounces, equivalent to about 1 1/2 onions chopped, definitely worth it in my book. I also love their garlic cubes sold in the freezer section. Each cube is equivalent to 1 clove of garlic minced. Both of these are food staples in my house.

On a recent trip to Trader Joes, I noticed a new “must have” convenient food as I was walking through the produce section, a container of fresh chopped onions, garlic, and shallots. Three ingredients I love to use, already chopped and mixed together, a definite score! I couldn’t tell you the price. I didn’t even look. The time and tears and stinky hands that I saved don’t even care. What I can tell you is that I used my new little find to make a yummy sauteed corn to serve with dinner that night. Now ingredients aren’t exact in this recipe so adjust according to your taste and the number of mouths you are feeding.

Sauteed Corn

Fresh or Frozen Corn

Butter

Trader Joes Chopped Onions, Garlic and Shallots

Fresh Chives, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Saute the onions, garlic and shallots in butter until lightly browned.

Add the corn, chopped fresh chives, salt and pepper.

Continue to saute until the corn is heated through, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

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