Easy Side Dish

you will love this southern potato salad.

September 14, 2021 by Becky Spoon

Just looking at this picture you can see all the deliciousness that is in the Southern Potato Salad. Just because that potato salad is a side dish doesn’t mean it can’t be the star of your meal or the best side dish ever. When I was growing up there was never a family reunion, picnic or BBQ that we didn’t have potato salad.

Mom made delicious potato salad. It was basic and I’ve just worked on this recipe forever, tweaking it along the way. For example, I add a little Old Bay. Unlike the jar of pimento that is traditional in Potato Salad, I made this recipe with the addition of red bell pepper and green bell pepper.

Are you familiar with Old Bay? It is so versatile and can be used in so many different Southern recipes. https://amzn.to/3AcFnql

Here’s some tips to making this potato salad:

As soon as you’re able to handle the potatoes, peel the potatoes. If you leave skin on, that’s ok.
Add the potatoes to a bowl, chop into medium size chunks and douse with a good amount of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss a little and let them sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the vinegar. You don’t want enough for the vinegar to stand in the bowl, just enough that will be absorbed.

you will love this southern potato salad.

I served this with my pulled pork sandwich the other day. It’s the absolute best side dish for bbq!

here’s the recipe for the pulled pork sandwich ! love these! best texas pulled pork sandwich.

Southern Potato salad

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Servings: 6 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

7-8 whole Youkan Gold Potatoes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
4 hard boiled eggs, diced
1/4-1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1-2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp dill relish (depends on your preference)
1 tsp sweet relish
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped or a pinch of dried dill
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Old Bay (optional)
pinch of cayenne (optional)
pinch of smoked paprika
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
quality mayonnaise like Hellman's or Dukes
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Add the potatoes whole, skin on to a pot of salted water. Cook until fork tender. When done, drain and place the potatoes in a large bowl that you can easily mix your ingredients. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, yet still warm, remove the skin. If you leave some of the skin on that's fine.
Dice your eggs and add to your potatoes that you have allowed to sit with the vinegar and a little salt and pepper. Add your onions, bell peppers, celery and your dill and sweet relish. Add your seasonings, your mustard, and start with a little mayonnaise at a time until you reach the creaminess you desire. Check for salt and pepper.
Place your potato salad in a serving dish and sprinkle with a little smoked paprika. Chill until ready to serve.

Best Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

October 29, 2019 by Becky Spoon

I made these Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes as a side dish for my Beer Can Cornish Hen because I though how good they’d bee to sop up all those yummy juices from the sauce on the hens and I was right. The hens had a beautiful spice rub that made an even more beautiful sauce and the gruyere cheese I used in this dish just all went together so well. Here’s the link for my Beer Can Cornish Hen that you have to try! https://the2spoons.com/so-yummy-simple-beer-can-cornish-hen/.

I used gruyere which alway works well because it melts beautifully. You can use cheddar or another good melting cheese of your choice. These are really simple. I cook my potatoes first to the point of “almost done”. I drain them and add them to some sautéed onions, Then I butter a baking dish and stack the potatoes a few at a time. When all the potatoes are in the dish, I pour the sauce over and add just a little more cheese to the top. I then bake them until browned and bubbly.

Best Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

What’s the difference between Scalloped Potatoes and Au Gratin Potatoes? Here’s a little explanation for you: “Au gratin, by definition, means “covered with breadcrumbs or cheese and then baked until brown,” while scalloped potatoes refers to tubers that have been baked in a creamy sauce and covered with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs. The big difference between the two, then, is the cheese component.” Here’s the link for this reference: http://www.leaf.tv/articles/the-difference-between-potatoes-au-gratin-and-scalloped-potatoes/.

Here’s the delicious recipe! Enjoy!

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

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Servings: 6 servings

Course: easy side dish, Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes, medium sliced I used a mandolin and used the largest slice
chicken stock for cooking the potatoes
salt
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup cooking broth from the potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 fresh sage leaf (optional)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3 oz gruyere cheese

Method

Slice the potatoes in a medium sliced round. I used a mandolin set on the largest cut. Place the potatoes in a sauce pan and cover with chicken stock. Season with a little salt. Bring to a boil and cook about 6 or 7 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a bowl with a slotted spoon reserving the cooking liquid.
While the potatoes are cooking add the butter and olive oil to a skillet and add the sliced onions. Cook until the onions are a beginning to brown. Remove them and add them to the bowl with the potatoes reserving the oil in your skillet. Gently distribute or combine the potatoes and onions, being careful to not break up the potato slices. If you break some, no worries, but you do want to keep them whole if possible.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter the dish and start stacking the potatoes in the dish until all have been used. Use a dish that will just hold those potatoes, not too big.
To make the sauce: In the butter and olive oil skillet that you cooked the onions and reserved, heat and add 2 tablespoons flour and cook for a minute or so until it starts to brown a lilttle. Add the 1 1/2 cup of the cooking broth and whisk to prevent lumps. When the sauce has thickened, add the heavy cream and all of the cheese except just a small portion that you'll add to the top before baking. Cook until heated throgh. Check for salt and pepper and adjusst. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and bake until golden brown. If you want a little extra browning, place them under the broiler for just a few minutes watching closely until your desired browness. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. They can be brought to room temperature and re-heated later.

Beer Can Cornish Hen
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Wonderful Mushroom Stuffed Summer Squash

July 5, 2019 by Becky Spoon

This recipe for Mushroom Stuffed Summer Squash is the perfect solution for all that summer squash you have in your garden or that’s available in the grocery store. I didn’t grow squash this year, but I’m telling you, when I do, I am always looking for recipes to use the abundance I have. There’s different varieties of summer squash and this recipe would work with any of them. Here’s a link with the different varieties: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/different-summer-squashes-to-grow.htm

The other day I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with some squash a friend had given us. I remembered my stuffed mushrooms recipe and decided that filling tweaked a little would be the perfect stuffing for this squash and I was right! If you later want to try the stuffed mushrooms, here’s that link: https://the2spoons.com/youll-love-these-stuffed-mushrooms/

Wonderful Mushroom Stuffed Summer Squash

I actually served this the other day with my . I thought it’d make a nice side dish for my Sunday Pot Roast, but this would be a great side dish for almost any meal or even the main course!! With the mushrooms it would be a hearty meal on its own! Here’s the Sunday Pot Roast recipe if you don’t already have: https://the2spoons.com/the-best-instant-pot-sunday-pot-roast/.

Hope you try this!! Remember, it makes a great no meat meal! It shines and does not have to be a side dish!

Mushroom Stuffed Summer Squash

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings: 6

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

10-12 Button or Baby Bella mushrooms, thickly sliced or chopped
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tops of the mushrooms
1/2 Cup Finely chopped green onions
1/2 Cup Finely chopped red bell peppers
1/2 Cup Coarse bread crumbs ( I used Panko)
1/2 Cup Parmigiana -reggiano cheese or other Parmesan cheese
1/4 Cup Finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1/2 Cup Chicken stock
1/4 Cup Dry white wine, optional
4-6 summwr squash, can be yellow or zucchini, par boiled with the inside scraped out after par boiling

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Par boil the squash in boiling water a couple of minutes. Remove from the water, drain and when cool enough to handle, cut in half and scrape the inside of the squash into a bowl. Including the stems, thinly slice or chop the mushrooms.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions and cook until wilted, about one minute. Stir in the red peppers and chopped or sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender and they begin to slightly brown and carmalize. Remove and cool, then add to the scraper put squash and combine.
Toss the bread crumbs and grated cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, add to the sautéed vegetables until thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of each squash that has been halved with the filling.
Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, grease a 12 X 18 inch low sided baking pan. Add the stock, wine, if using, and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley to the pan. If you like drizzle the top of the squash with olive oil. Bake until the squash are cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Serve on a warmed platter. Pour the pan juices into a small pan and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Boil until lightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the juices over the squash.

Sunday Pot Roast — Mushroom Stuffed Summer Squash

Fresh from the Garden, Delicious Summer Squash with Peppers and Onions

June 20, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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When you grow summer squash there is an abundance when you start harvesting and you’re trying to figure out what to do with all this squash! This is my quick go to!

Easy, yet delicious! Just a few ingredients and you have a side dish for any main course!

Fresh from the Garden, Delicious Summer Squash with Peppers and Onions

I actually made this with my Chicken and Dumplings the other day! It was the perfect side dish for the dumplings. Here’s my Chicken and Dumplings recipe which you have to try! https://the2spoons.com/chicken-and-dumplings-the-perfect-comfort-food/.

My Mom would boil squash, drain it, then mash it with a potato masher. Then she would add butter, salt and pepper. It was delicious! So simple, yet so delicious. I still make it that way. You know, it’s just one of those things you ate growing up and you just crave it sometime!

I didn’t grow squash this year. A friend of ours gave us this squash. There are a couple of different summer squash. Here’s a list for future growing: https://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-to-8-varieties-of-summer-squash-220740

Fresh from the Garden, Delicious Summer Squash with Peppers and Onions

Ok, back to cooking squash! And my recipe! I really shouldn’t call this a recipe because it’s so simple!

Summer Squash with Peppers and Onions

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3-4 Yellow she merry squash or Zucchini, or Combination of the two, diced
1 Green bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
sal and pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet to medium high. I like to use non stick skillet. add the onions and peppers and cook until they begin to soften. Add the squash, increase the heat if you need to so your ingredients will start to brown, turning as the bottom browns. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until good n brown and the squash is tender!

Yummy Rice Pilaf! Perfect Side Dish

May 31, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Pan-Fried Cod in Tomato Basil Sauce with Rice Pilaf

Well, I failed to get a photo with just the rice pilaf! I made this dish to go with my Pan Fried Cod with Tomato Basil Sauce and it was absolutely the perfect side dish! The rice absorbed all the flavors of the sauce, exactly what I wanted it to do! Delicious! Here’s my Pan-Fried Cod with Tomato Basil Sauce for you to try if you want. https://the2spoons.com/pan-fried-cod-in-tomato-basil-sauce/ It was really delicious with this rice pilaf.

The color of this pilaf is because of Sazon Goya Con Azafran. https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/sazon-goya-with-azafran. It Has Mexican Saffron in it which makes the golden color. I honestly didn’t think about the color before adding it, but it made a great visual accompaniment to my dish aside from the great flavors it added.

Next time you don’t want to make potatoes or pasta but want to add a starch element to your meal, remember rice pilaf! It’s great. Here’s my recipe!

Rice Pilaf

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Cup Basmati or long grain rice
2 Cups Water
1 packet Sazon Goya Con Azafran seasoning from a box of 1.41 oz
2 green onions, sliced on an angle
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 red pepper (yellow or green or a combinations of) diced
1 tbsp canola oil

Method

Add the oil to a non stick pan and add the rice. When the rice begins to start browning just a little add the green onion, garlic and peppers. Sauté for a few minutes while the rice continues to brown a little being careful not to burn. Add the water and the Sazon Goya seasoning packet and stir. Bring back to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer, cover and allow to cook until the water has absorbed, about 20 minutes. When done, fluff with a fork.

Oh, so good! Simple Fried Zucchini

April 19, 2019 by Becky Spoon

I love this Fried Zucchini. It is tossed in some beaten eggs, then breaded in panko and parmesan. What is there not to love? These are a perfect side dish, appetizer or just a snack dipping into your favorite dressing like your favorite ranch or blue cheese. Yes!

Oh, so good! Simple Fried Zucchini

Whether you serve this dish as a side dish or as an appetizer, I think the perfect dressing to use is a Ranch Dressing, and honestly, I think you can’t beat the Hidden Valley Ranch with the packages. I keep that dressing in my refrigerator for foods like this. There are some great recipes out there for homemade ranch dressing, but who needs to when all your seasonings are in a packet! https://www.hiddenvalley.com

I served these alongside my Eggplant Rollatini. I think this was the perfect side dish for that recipe. It would be great with my red sauced lasagna too! https://the2spoons.com/beef-and-italian-sausage-lasagna/

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Fried Zucchini

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Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Appetizer, easy side dish, vegetable, Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Olive oil for frying
1 3/4 cups freshly grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips

Method

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
Stir 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, the panko, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs in another medium bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip the zucchini in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the zucchini in the panko mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the zucchini strips on a baking sheet.
When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the zucchini sticks until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to paper towels and drain.
Arrange the fried zucchini on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.