Ingredients:

6 large russet potatoes
6 large sweet potatoes
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat BBQ.  Sharpen your knife.  Make a series of even cuts across the potatoes almost all the way through.  Place each potato in aluminum foil large enough to wrap potato.

Mix together garlic and olive oil and brush generously over russet potatoes.  Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over sweet potatoes.  Season both sets of potatoes with salt & pepper to taste.  Fold the sides of foil to completely cover potatoes.

Cook over hot BBQ turning occasionally for 1 hour.  When ready to serve pinch ends of each potato to open the fans.

Many moms have told me they use this technique to get kids to eat potatoes.  I say whatever it takes.  You can always add cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese or whatever you love on your potatoes.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 lb. all purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 celery root, peeled and cubed
1/2 c. 1% milk
1 tsp. unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes and celery root in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch.  Add a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain, reserving 1 c. of the cooking liquid.  Puree with a hand masher or in the manner in which you are accustomed.  Beat in the milk and butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If the mixture is dry, add the reserved cooking liquid, a few tablespoons at a time.

Introduce this to your nightly table and see what reactions you get from your family.  Enjoy!

xo–me

I discovered this recipe in a yard sale find this summer.  I attend a festival in the community adjacent to my hometown called the “Ox Roast”.  They have lots of delicious food, some entertainment and a large flea market/yard sale area.  (I have yet to find the answer to “do they really roast an ox?”  So if you happen to be one of my readers from my hometown, please email me and share the answer!)  I have only gone a few times in my adult life but each visit I find many treasures.  This year I found a set of recipe pamphlets from the 50′s and 60′s that were published by the Metropolitan Life Insurance company of New York.  Most of the recipes scare me like liver loaf and baked lima beans (ha) but there were many in the dessert section that I am anxious to try.

This recipe reminded me of my mommie’s baked corn so I tried it.  It was less of a souffle and more of a casserole dish.  I really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:

2 c. corn
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 pint scalded milk
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat eggs. Add milk, fat, corn and seasonings.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Set dish in pan of hot water.  Bake until firm, about 1 hour.

For those wondering, fat is the butter.  That’s what it was called in the days of the Beaver, and sock hops.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

3 c. carrots, peeled and sliced
10 oz. can cream of celery soup
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.  Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water.  Cook over medium heat until crisp and tender.  Drain.  Combine carrots, soup, and cheese in a casserole dish lightly sprayed with vegetable spray.  Mix bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over carrot mixture.  Bake for 20 to 25.

Now honestly, who wouldn’t love a carrot smothered in these extras?  Enjoy!

xo–me

This is another in my list of red dishes for your red, white and blue table.  This salad I have never been able to taste because of the peppers and my allergies.  However, those I love and trust have said it’s outstanding and worthy of sharing with you here.

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers
1 head radicchio, separated into leaves
4 cooked whole beets, cut into matchstick shape
12 radishes, sliced
4 scallions, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. vinaigrette

Core and seed bell peppers and cut into rounds.  Arrange the radicchio in a large salad bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and drizzle with vinaigrette.  Serve with crusty bread.

I also like to chop this salad and serve on crostini as an hors d’oeuvres.  You could start your festivities this weekend with this as the welcome dish to your arriving guests.  Am sitting here wondering where my invite is?

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced and pushed out into rings
14 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 green chile, seeded and diced
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Put tomatoes and onions in a large serving bowl and mix well. Stir in beans.  Mix chile, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, and lime juice together in a measuring cup and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly.  You can either serve immediately or cover and place in refrigerator.

It looks lovely in a bright white bowl on your navy blue table.  See,  I am a dork.  Enjoy!

xo–me

This week I thought I would share some side dishes, salads and, like yesterday, beverages.  Today I am going to share a recipe for a really delicious salad.  It completes just about any main dish but I also love it on it’s own.  It’s easy to make, full of nutrients and flavor.

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

Trim the beans, but leave them whole.  Cook for 4 minutes in salted boiling water.  Drain well, refresh under cold running water, and drain again.  Put into a mixing bowl and add the onion, garlic and cheese.  Set aside.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and tarragon in a screw-top jar.  Screw on lid and shake well.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Remove the beans from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.  Give them a quick stir and transfer to your serving bowl.

Toast the nuts in a dry skillet fro 2 minutes.  Sprinkle the toasted nuts over the beans to garnish before serving.

Put this salad in a bright red or blue bowl this weekend and it will surely be a gorgeous addition to your table.

xo–me

Ingredients:

4 corn cobs, with husks
4 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Peel back the husks (do not remove) and remove the silk.  Rub butter on corn on all sides, coating well.  Roll cob in garlic (I usually use more than 1 clove because I love garlic but occasionally my guests have said it’s too much!).  Fold the husks back around the kernels and secure them in place with string if needed.  Cook the cobs over medium hot heat for 30 minutes, turning frequently.  Serve with more garlic butter if you dare!

Many look at corn on the cob as a compliment to your main dish.  In my house, it is the main dish!  Enjoy.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 pineapple
3 Tbsp. dark rum
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the BBQ.  Using a sharp knife, cut off the crown of the pineapple, then cut the fruit into slightly less than one inch slices.  Cut away the peel from each slice and flick out the eyes with the tip of the knife.  Stamp out the cores with an apple corer or small cookie cutter.

Mix the rum, sugar, ginger and butter together in a measuring cup, or bowl with a spout, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  Brush the rings with the rum mixture.

Cook the pineapple over hot coals for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Serve immediately with remaining rum mixture.

Heaven!  I love to put one of these slices on top a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  It’s really that good.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
10 oz. dried bite size pasta of choice
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. pesto
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. shredded fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the broiler.  Put the whole bell peppers on a cookie sheet and place under the hot broiler, turning frequently, for 15 minutes or until charred all over.  Remove with tongs and place in a bowl.  Cover with crumpled paper towels and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta, return to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, pesto, and garlic in a bowl, whisking well to mix.  Drain the pasta, add to the pesto mixture while still hot and toss well.  Set aside.

When the bell peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off skins and cut open to remove seeds.  Chop flesh coarsely and add to the pasta with the basil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss well.  Enjoy!

This is a great dish served warm or cool.  I will also chill the pasta and add the peppers when warm to make a nice hot and cold burst of flavor.

xo–me