Category: Vegetable Dishes


Oct
2018

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

categories: Tip Of The Day, Vegetable Dishes
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This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!
This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!

Fall is upon us, and winter squash is everywhere! Grocery stores, gardens, and farmer’s markets are proudly displaying these “winter” vegetables, including the humble, yet versatile spaghetti squash!

Do you enjoy spaghetti squash?  It has an interesting history, which can be read here. It is known for being low carb and low calorie. Spaghetti squash is often used as a substitute for pasta in various dishes. One of my favorite ways to use spaghetti squash is in Spaghetti Squash Italiano… yum!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

It’s actually very easy to cook spaghetti squash. The most common way to prepare it is to bake (or roast) it in an oven until tender, then pull the spaghetti like strands away from the peel once done. The first thing you will need to do is cut the spaghetti squash in half, from top to bottom (lengthwise) with a very sharp knife. Since the squash is very firm before baking, you will need to be extremely careful when cutting!

Once the squash has been cut into halves, scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh inside using a spoon. You can discard the seeds, or roast them (similar to pumpkin seeds). If you’d like to roast the seeds, check out my blog post showing how to do that HERE.

Spaghetti squash is cut in half lengthwise to remove seeds.

Seeds and pulp are removed from the spaghetti squash.

Once the spaghetti squash has been cleaned out, place them cut side DOWN, in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour enough water in the dish to just cover the bottom of the pan.  The water will help to create steam, which will help cook and tenderize the squash!

Time To Bake The Spaghetti Squash

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.  Place the covered baking dish in a preheated 400° oven.  You will need to bake it between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

De-seeded spaghetti squash halves are placed cut side down in baking pan with water.

Baking dish with spaghetti squash is covered with foil before baking.

Check the squash to test for tenderness after about 30 minutes. You will know the spaghetti squash is done baking if you can EASILY pierce the skin through to the flesh with a fork. If it is still a bit firm, cover, place it back into the oven and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so.

When done cooking, the spaghetti squash can easily be pierced with a fork.

After The Squash Has Finished Baking

Once done, remove the spaghetti squash from the oven. Turn each of the squash halves over. Using a fork, gently pull the squash strands from side to side. The “noodles” should pull away from the peel. Make sure to pull across the width (not top to bottom) of the squash… that way the “noodle strands” will be a bit longer.

A fork can be used to shred cooked spaghetti squash into strands resembling spaghetti noodles.

Pull all the spaghetti squash out from the outer shells. When done, the “shells” will look like this! The empty shells can also be used to serve the spaghetti squash! Simply place the “noodles” back into empty shell after seasoning with desired toppings.

All of the spaghetti squash strands have been removed from the squash shells.

And there you have it! You just found out how to cook spaghetti squash! You will end up with several cups of it, to use however you wish! Cooked spaghetti squash will also keep for 4-5 days, if refrigerated in an airtight container!

What Can I Do With Cooked Spaghetti Squash?

Spaghetti squash can be eaten hot, drizzled with olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper, and other flavors. You can add garlic powder, Parmesan cheese or your favorite spices for additional flavor. You can also use spaghetti squash strands as a substitute for pasta noodles in various recipes! There’s really no limit to how you can use this wonderful vegetable!

Spaghetti squash strands are in bowl, and are ready to eat or use in other recipes!

Spaghetti squash is really very easy to cook! You can substitute it for pasta and really help cut down on calories, if you’re trying to watch what you eat!  I hope you will consider trying this easy vegetable recipe.

Interested In Other Vegetable Side Dishes?

Be sure to check out my Recipe Index (at top of blog) for ALL my recipes. I have lots of delicious veggie recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-in-the-oven-178036

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!
Category: Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spaghetti squash
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 33 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash , 2-3 pounds
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Carefully cut spaghetti squash in half, from top to bottom (lengthwise).  Once squash has been halved, scoop out seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.  You can discard the seeds, or roast them (similar to pumpkin seeds).

  2. Once cleaned out, place squash halves cut side DOWN in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour just enough water in dish to cover the bottom.  The water will help to create steam, which will help cook and tenderize the squash! Cover dish with aluminum foil.  Place on medium shelf in a preheated 400° oven.  Bake squash between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the size. 

  3. Check the squash for tenderness after about 30 minutes. You will know the squash is done baking if you can EASILY pierce the skin through to the flesh with a fork.  If it is still a bit firm, cover with foil, and put back into oven. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until tender.

  4. Once done, remove from oven. Turn each of the squash halves over. Using a fork, gently pull the squash strands from side to side to make the "noodles". The "noodles" should pull away from the peel. Make sure to pull across the width (not top to bottom) of the squash... that way the "noodle strands" will be a bit longer.

  5. Cooked spaghetti squash will keep for several days, if refrigerated in an airtight container! Spaghetti squash can be eaten hot, drizzled with olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and other spices. Spaghetti squash strands can be used as a substitute for pasta noodles in various recipes! ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you want to bake a WHOLE, uncut spaghetti squash, place in dish with water. Cover with foil. Roast for about an HOUR or more at 400°. Test for doneness. Once done, cut in half, then scoop out seeds before pulling spaghetti squash strands.

Nutrition Facts
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 33
% Daily Value*
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 115mg3%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!


Sep
2018

Garden Vegetable Chowder

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Easy to make, thick and creamy Garden Vegetable Chowder, with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, celery, and carrots will fill and warm you up, any time of year!
Easy to make, thick and creamy Garden Vegetable Chowder, with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, celery, and carrots will fill and warm you up, any time of year!

Do you have an overabundance of garden veggies or a produce drawer (filled with veggies) in your refrigerator begging for mercy? If so, then do I have a SOUP for YOU! I found it in one of my old Taste of Home magazines from July 1998 (yes… I kept them ALL from years of subscriptions!)..

Well, it’s actually a thick, wonderful vegetable chowder that is filled with a LOT of veggies… such as carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, and celery. The best part besides using all those yummy vegetables? Trust me – this chowder is EASY to make!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Do I Make Garden Vegetable Chowder?

Sauté chopped onions and green bell peppers in butter. While they are cooking, prep the remaining veggies.

Cooking onions and peppers in butter for chowder.

The vegetables in this chowder besides the onions and bell peppers are carrots, red potatoes, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower. These additional veggies are all cut into bite sized pieces. Add veggies, water, chicken bouillon, and salt and pepper to onion/bell pepper mixture in pan.

Bring this mixture to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat. Cover the pan, and simmer the soup for 20 minutes.

Carrots, potatoes, celery, broccoli and cauliflower used to make vegetable chowder.

Vegetables for chowder cooked in chicken broth.

Make a slurry (used to thicken soup) by whisking together milk and flour until all lumps have disappeared. Once soup has cooked for 20 minutes, stir the slurry into the soup.

Making a slurry to add to soup to thicken it into chowder.

Adding flour slurry to soup to thicken it for vegetable chowder.

Once the flour slurry has been added, stir to combine, then bring the soup to a boil. Cook soup for 2 minutes. The liquid will thicken as it cooks.

After slurry is added to vegetable soup, it cooks until the broth thickens.

The vegetable chowder has thickened considerably in pan.

Time For Some Cheese!

Add parsley and grated cheddar cheese to vegetable chowder. Stir and cook on medium low heat until soup is heated through and all cheese has melted.

Grated cheddar cheese is added to vegetable chowder.

Cheese is mixed into the vegetable chowder until it has melted.

Serve The Garden Vegetable Chowder

Ladle hot, thick vegetable chowder into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl of soup with additional parsley, if desired. Serve it immediately, and enjoy a hot bowl of veggie chowder!

Bowl of garden vegetable chowder, garnished with dried parsley.

Garden vegetable chowder is ready to eat!

I really hope you enjoy this thick, creamy and DELICIOUS garden vegetable chowder! It’s so easy to make, and I think you will really LOVE it! What a delicious way to get your kids (or spouses or friends) to eat their veggies!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soup recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: Taste of Home Magazine, July 1998 edition.

5 from 1 vote
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Garden Vegetable Chowder
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Easy to make, thick and creamy Garden Vegetable Chowder, with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, celery, onions, bell peppers and carrots will fill and warm you up, any time of year!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegetable chowder
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 356 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup onion ,chopped
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper ,chopped
  • 1 cup (EACH) potato/celery/broccoli/cauliflower/carrots ,chopped, sliced or florets
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cubes chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 Tablespoon parsley
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese ,grated
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Sauté chopped onions and green bell peppers in butter in bottom of soup pot. While they are cooking, prep the remaining veggies, by slicing, chopping or cutting them into florets.

  2. Add veggies, water, chicken bouillon, and salt and pepper to onion/bell pepper mixture. Bring this mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat. Cover pan, and simmer soup for 20 minutes.

  3. Make a slurry (used to thicken soup) by whisking together milk and flour until all lumps have disappeared. Once soup has cooked for 20 minutes, stir the slurry into the soup.  Once the flour slurry has been added, stir to combine, then bring the soup to a boil. Cook soup for 2 minutes. The liquid will thicken as it cooks.

  4. Add parsley and grated cheddar cheese to vegetable chowder. Stir and cook on medium low heat until soup is heated through and all cheese has melted. Ladle hot, thick vegetable chowder into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl of soup with additional parsley, if desired. Serve... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Garden Vegetable Chowder
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6) of total)
Calories 356 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 775mg34%
Potassium 554mg16%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 4580IU92%
Vitamin C 39.8mg48%
Calcium 408mg41%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy to make, thick and creamy Garden Vegetable Chowder, with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, celery, and carrots will fill and warm you up, any time of year!


Aug
2018

Oven Roasted Beets

categories: Vegetable Dishes
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It’s easy to make perfect oven roasted beets, with only 2 ingredients! Easy to bake, with little mess, and you’ll have perfectly cooked beets for eating, using in salads, or other dishes!
It's easy to make perfect oven roasted beets, with only 2 ingredients! Easy to bake, with little mess, and you'll have perfectly cooked beets for salads, etc.!

Growing up, I loathed beets (and that’s putting it mildly!). I did NOT enjoy the taste at all, and would “shudder” when I would see them in a salad buffet line, or taunting me in the canned vegetable section of the grocery store as a young married woman. Yeah… beets and I go way back! Ha Ha!

If you can even believe it., as an adult I even GREW beets in my little backyard garden (just to learn how to grow them by TRYING). Go figure! I gave them away to neighbors, because, you know… BEETS. Sigh.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

BUT… many years have come and gone, and I started to want to give them a try again (call me crazy). I found a recipe for a salad that had beets in it that I really wanted to make, so I bit the bullet, and bought some humble beets at our local grocery store.

The rest is history! I actually, truly liked them! It’s a Christmas miracle – my taste buds changed! So now I want to show you how easy it is to make oven roasted beets!

How To Make Oven Roasted Beets

 

Raw beets, fresh from the store!

Preheat your oven to 375° F. Before roasting the beets, scrub them well in water. Trim off most of the stem and leaves. Pat dry.

Beets are rinsed and trimmed before oven roasting.

Lightly coat each beet with olive oil. I used a pastry brush for this, but you can also just use your hands, if you don’t have a pastry brush. Some people recommend wearing gloves to cook beets (so you don’t end up with semi-stained red fingers), but you don’t have to!

Raw beet is lightly brushed with oil before oven roasting.

Wrap each beet well, in aluminum foil. Seal foil well. Place the wrapped beets on a cookie sheet.

Beets are individually wrapped in foil before oven roasting.

Time To Roast The Beets

Bake beets in a preheated 375° F. oven, until they are cooked through (approximately 45 to 65 minutes, depending on the size of the beets). This is what they looked like, straight from the oven after roasting (see below).

Oven roasted beets, hot from the oven.

Once you take the beets out of oven, open the foil. Let beets cool for 10 minutes, then peel them. The peel should come off easily. If you’re not wearing gloves, simply use a couple paper towels wadded up to gently rub the skins off.

Skin is removed from oven roasted beets by rubbing with paper towels.

Slice The Oven Roasted Beets Once Peeled

Once the peel is off, cut each of the oven roasted beets into 1/4″ slices. I LOVE the designs inside each one, nice spirals of color!

Once cooled, oven roasted beets are sliced thinly before serving.

They are ready to eat, as is (possibly with a touch of salt and pepper), or you can cut them into chunks for salads, or other recipes. I’ve even used them in fruit smoothies for extra nutrients!

That’s it! See how easy it is to make oven roasted beets? I hope you will consider trying this method. I really do think they taste much better than store bought canned beets. Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More Veggie Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of vegetable recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/bobby-flays-roasted-beets-for-recipes-370885

0 from 0 votes
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Oven Roasted Beets
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
It's easy to make perfect oven roasted beets, with only 2 ingredients! Easy to bake, with little mess, and you'll have perfectly cooked beets for salads, etc.!
Category: Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: oven roasted beets
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 57 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 medium sized beets
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375° F. Before roasting the beets, scrub them well in water. Trim off most of the stems and leaves, leaving an inch or so to hold. Pat dry.

  2. Lightly coat each beet with olive oil. I used a pastry brush for this, but you can also just use your hands, if you don't have a pastry brush. Some people recommend wearing gloves to cook beets (so you don't end up with semi-stained red fingers), but you don't have to!

  3. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Seal foil well. Place beets on cookie sheet. Bake beets in a preheated 375° F. oven, until they are cooked through (approximately 45 to 65 minutes, depending on the size of the beets). Once done and out of oven, open foil. Let beets cool for 10 minutes, then peel. The peel should come off easily. If not wearing gloves, use paper towels wadded up to rub the skins off. Once peel is off, cut beets into 1/4" wide slices. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Oven Roasted Beets
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 57 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Sodium 48mg2%
Potassium 199mg6%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Vitamin A 20IU0%
Vitamin C 3.1mg4%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make perfect oven roasted beets, with only 2 ingredients! Easy to bake, with little mess, and you'll have perfectly cooked beets for salads, etc.!


Jul
2018

Summer Squash Bacon Sauté

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Summer Squash Bacon Sauté is a simple veggie side dish with green and yellow zucchini, crisp bacon, carrot, onions, garlic and cheese, and takes only minutes to make!
Summer Squash Bacon Sauté is a simple side dish with green and yellow zucchini, crisp bacon, carrot, onions, garlic and cheese, and takes only minutes to make!

We have a small raised bed garden in our backyard.  I love to grow green and yellow zucchini (since they multiply like crazy). It’s always fun to pick beautiful summer squash and then use them to create something fresh and delicious in our kitchen!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Do You Enjoy Recipes Using Zucchini?

I’ve posted several recipes on this blog using our fresh garden zucchini, including Summer Vegetable Tian, Zucchini Relish, Chili Mac with Summer Squash, Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries,  Cucumber and Zucchini Carpaccio Salad, and Curried Zucchini Soup.

Collage of recipes on blog using summer squash (zucchini).

All are wonderful ways to use up any over abundance of zucchini you grow, are given by a neighbor with a garden, or what you buy at the store!

I decided to play around with a couple of the zucchini (yellow and green) and some bacon in the kitchen (cooking NOT juggling!), and a few other ingredients, and came up with this simple, delicious veggie side dish! I served it with pan-seared Creole salmon and rice, and it was delicious!

Yellow and green summer squash (zucchini) are used for veggie side dish

How To Make The Summer Squash Bacon Sauté

To make this Summer Squash Bacon Sauté, I began by cutting two strips of thick bacon into strips (using kitchen scissors), and placed the pieces in a skillet with some thin slices of red onion. You will not need to spray the skillet, because the bacon will provide it’s own “oil” as it cooks.

Bacon pieces and red onion slices sauté in skillet

Sauté on medium heat until bacon is crisp and the fat (bacon grease) is rendered into skillet.

Bacon is cooked until crispy and some fat is rendered.

Add The Veggies

Add green and yellow zucchini (cut into bite sized chunks), and carrot to skillet. Season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper (to your taste). Stir and cook in the bacon “drippings” for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, until zucchini is slightly browned, and is tender-crisp (NOT soggy!).

Summer squash and carrots are added to bacon sauté.

Add minced garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute, stirring often. The reason to put the garlic in at the last minute is so that it does not burn (which makes the garlic taste bitter- no one wants THAT!).

Minced garlic is added to sauteéd summer squash.

Sprinkle grated sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the veggies. Do NOT stir. Turn off heat. Place a skillet lid over top of skillet for about a minute (this will melt the cheese).

Grated cheddar cheese is added to the top of the summer squash.

Time To Eat The Summer Squash Bacon Sauté

Remove skillet lid, and you will see the cheese has melted.  Use a spatula and transfer veggies to individual serving plates. Serve hot… and enjoy this delicious vegetable dish!

Cheddar cheese melts to top of the summer squash bacon sauté.

I love to try new veggie dishes… I mean, doesn’t EVERYONE get tired of boring, plain vegetables at one time or another? This one tasted GREAT (a bit of bacon makes EVERYTHING better, right?). I hope you will consider trying this summer squash bacon sauté- the quantity can be easily doubled or tripled!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back again soon. Don’t forget to check out ALL of my recipes, which are in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Summer Squash Bacon Sauté
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Summer Squash Bacon Sauté is a simple side dish with green and yellow zucchini, crisp bacon, carrot, onions, garlic and cheese, and takes only minutes to make!
Category: Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: summer squash bacon saute
Servings: 3 servings
Calories Per Serving: 157 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1/4 cup red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1½ green zucchinis (medium sized)
  • 1/2 yellow zucchini (or crookneck squash) (medium sized)
  • 1 carrot (medium sized)
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 pinch salt/pepper (to taste)
  • 3 Tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut bacon into thin slices (with knife or kitchen scissors). Thinly slice red onion. Cut zucchini in bite sized chunks. Peel carrot and cut into chunks. Set aside.

  2. Place bacon pieces in skillet with thin slices of red onion. You don't need to spray skillet, because the bacon will provide it's own "oil" as it cooks. Sauté on medium heat until bacon is crisp and fat (bacon grease) is rendered into skillet.

  3. Add green and yellow zucchini (cut into bite sized chunks), and carrot to skillet. Season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper (to taste). Stir and cook in the bacon "drippings" for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is slightly browned, and tender-crisp (NOT soggy!). Add minced garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute, stirring often. The reason to put the garlic in at the last minute is so that it does not burn (which makes the garlic taste bitter- no one wants THAT!).

  4. Sprinkle grated sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the veggies. Do NOT stir. Turn off heat. Place a skillet lid over top of skillet for about a minute (this will melt the cheese). Remove skillet lid, and you will see the cheese has melted.  Use a spatula and transfer veggies to individual serving plates. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Summer Squash Bacon Sauté
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
Calories 157 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 25mg8%
Sodium 226mg10%
Potassium 469mg13%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 3810IU76%
Vitamin C 25.2mg31%
Calcium 135mg14%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Summer Squash Bacon Sauté is a simple side dish with green and yellow zucchini, crisp bacon, carrot, onions, garlic and cheese, and takes only minutes to make!


Jun
2018

Au Gratin Potatoes

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Au Gratin Potatoes are a comforting classic side dish, with thinly sliced potatoes covered in a homemade cheese sauce, then baked until golden brown and bubbly!
Au Gratin Potatoes are a comforting classic side dish, with thinly sliced potatoes covered in a homemade cheese sauce, then baked until golden brown and bubbly!

Do you like Potatoes au Gratin? Pretty fancy sounding French name for potatoes and cheese, right? My husband found a simple translation online for  “au gratin” which said that it simply means “cooked with a cover of cheese and bread crumbs mixed with butter”.

Well, I do not speak French, but I do know that I love this “comfort food” side dish! That description of au gratin fits this recipe perfectly! How can you go wrong with baked russet potatoes smothered in cheese sauce, and covered with a buttery bread crumb topping?

I found an old recipe recently that I had written down on an index card many years ago, made a few slight changes to the original, then made them for dinner. It is fairly straight forward to make, and was very delicious!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Here’s How To Make Au Gratin Potatoes:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium low heat.  Stir in flour. Continue stirring; the mixture will clump up a bit (as seen in photo). Continue cooking for one minute, stirring often (this helps cook the “floury” taste out of it).

Cooking butter and flour to make a thickener for cheese sauce

Stir the milk, salt and pepper into butter mixture. Continue to cook on medium heat until mixture thickens considerably.  Add sharp cheddar cheese; stir until cheese has fully melted, and sauce is quite thick.

Cheddar cheese is added to thickened au gratin sauce

Peel, then slice potatoes into 1/8″ round slices.  If you have a mandoline, use that to get very thin slices (1/8″ is best!).  I have a mandoline, but used a knife to slice the potatoes to show how thin the potato slices should be (when using a knife try hard to get them 1/4″ or thinner), in case you don’t have one.

If the potatoes slices are too thick, it will take much longer to cook them until tender! The thinner the slices are, the better!

Potatoes are sliced very thin for au gratin dish
Place the sliced potatoes to the cheese sauce in pan. Stir well, to completely cover potatoes with cheese sauce.

Potato slices are added to au gratin cheese sauce in pan

Spray a 2 quart sized baking dish with non-stick spray (bottom and sides).  Add the cheesy potatoes to the dish, and evenly spread to disperse. Set aside.

Potatoes and cheese sauce layered into baking dish

Create the buttery crumb topping by mixing together melted butter and soft breadcrumbs.

Buttery crumb topping is mixed for top of au gratin potato dish

Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over the entire surface of the au gratin potatoes.

Buttered bread crumbs top potatoes in dish

Bake potatoes in a preheated 400 degree oven for 60 minutes (covered with foil). Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until surface of potatoes is golden brown and cheese sauce is bubbly around the edges of dish.

Potatoes au gratin are baked until golden brown on top

When done baking, remove dish to a wire rack.  The cheese should be bubbling around the edges, and the potatoes should be fully cooked through and tender. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, serve, and enjoy these au gratin potatoes!

Au gratin potatoes are served as a side dish with meat and vegetables

We enjoyed the potatoes, served with grilled vegetables and my REALLY GOOD meatloaf. This meal was a tried and true meat and potatoes dinner, to be sure! Hope you will consider making this delicious side dish to compliment YOUR favorite meal!

Looking For More POTATO Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few recipes featuring potatoes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a wonderful day… God Bless You!

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Original Recipe Source: unknown (written down many years ago on 3×5 card-no author noted)

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Au Gratin Potatoes
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
Au Gratin Potatoes are a comforting classic side dish, with thinly sliced potatoes covered in a homemade cheese sauce, then baked until golden brown and bubbly!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: au gratin potatoes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 283 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 medium potatoes (or 4 large), peeled, thinly sliced into 1/4" rounds
For Cheese Sauce (total approx. 2½ cups)
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt , plus more to taste (if desired)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
For Bread Crumb Topping:
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium low heat.  Stir in flour. Continue stirring; the mixture will clump up a bit. Continue cooking for one minute, stirring often (this helps cook the "floury" taste out of it). Stir the milk, salt and pepper into butter mixture. Continue to cook on medium heat until mixture thickens considerably.  Add sharp cheddar cheese; stir until cheese has fully melted, and sauce is quite thick.

  2. Peel, then slice potatoes into 1/8" round slices.  If you have a mandoline, use that to get very thin slices.  If using a knife to slice potatoes, slice them as thin as possible (no more than 1/4" thin). If the potatoes slices are too thick, it will take much longer to cook them until tender! The thinner the slices are, the better!

  3. Add potatoes to the cheese sauce in pan. Stir well, to completely cover potatoes. Spray a 2 quart sized baking dish with non-stick spray (bottom and sides).  Add potatoes to the dish, and evenly spread to disperse. Set aside.

  4. Make the buttery crumb topping by mixing together melted butter and soft breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over the entire surface of the au gratin potatoes.

  5. Bake potatoes in a preheated 400 degree oven for 60 minutes (covered with foil). Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until surface of potatoes is golden brown and cheese sauce is bubbly around the edges of dish. Remove from oven, season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Au Gratin Potatoes
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 283 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 515mg22%
Potassium 136mg4%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 730IU15%
Calcium 342mg34%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Au Gratin Potatoes are a comforting classic side dish, with thinly sliced potatoes covered in a homemade cheese sauce, then baked until golden brown and bubbly!


Jun
2018

Easy Grilled Corn On The Cob

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Grilled corn on the cob (on the BBQ) is easy to make, delicious, and a great way to keep a kitchen cool on hot days, by cooking outside!Grilled corn on the cob (on the BBQ) is super easy to make, delicious, and is a great way to keep your kitchen cool during hot summer days, by cooking outside!
Do you enjoy corn on the cob?  We LOVE corn on the cob!  Each summer, I try to pick up fresh corn at the grocery store or farmer’s market whenever I can. 

For most of our married life I simply boiled the corn with a teensy tiny bit of sugar in the water. That’s the way I used to cook corn on the cob most of the time.

But in the past couple years I’ve realized just how absolutely delicious grilled corn on the cob can be.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Easy Grilled Corn On The Cob

Getting our BBQ heated up for grilled corn on the cob

There are several methods for grilling corn… we’ve grilled it with the husks still on, after soaking it in water (to prevent burning). That is delicious, and “steams” the corn inside the husk.

Another way to grill corn is the method I’m sharing today. This method is perfect if you just want to get corn on the grill, then onto the table, but don’t want to soak the corn in water.

Here’s The Method We Use For Grilled Corn On The Cob

Soooo… always start with FRESH corn. Corn on the cob is the best when it is at its peak locally during the Summer months.

Whether you get fresh corn from your own garden, a grocery store, farmer’s market, or a friend who is feeling generous with their harvest, it doesn’t matter. Just get yourself some fresh yummy ears of corn!

Fresh picked corn, ready to cook!
For this method used for grilled corn on the cob, you will need to completely remove the corn husks and as much of the corn “silk” as possible before starting. Rinse, then dry off corn.

Cleaning corn silk and husk off corn in order to grill

Lightly brush each ear of corn you are using with a very mild tasting cooking oil (I used vegetable oil). Make sure to brush the oil on all sides.

Corn is lightly brushed with oil before grilling

Time To Grill The Corn On The Cob!

Preheat your charcoal BBQ grill until the coals are ready (hot, hot, hot) or a gas grill has reached a high temperature. 

We grilled the corn this time on our beloved Weber charcoal grill with some yummy looking baby back ribs. Now THAT’S gonna be a good dinner!

Corn is placed on hot BBQ grill to cook

Cook the corn for 2-3 minutes on the hot grill, then rotate each ear of corn a quarter turn. It should be “barely charred” or have light brown grill marks on it.

See how the ears of corn are starting to have a slight “char” on the kernels? That is GOOD.

Corn is rotated on grill a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes

Keep rotating the ears of corn a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes.  If the coals are hot enough, the total time to cook the grilled corn on the cob is usually about 10 minutes.

Be careful to not let the kernels burn too much, but a good char on each piece of corn is wonderful!

Grilled corn on the cob is almost done!

When Is The Corn Done?

Once the corn has been grilled on all sides (after about 10-11 minutes), the corn should be done! 

Transfer the grilled corn on the cob to a serving plate, add butter, season to taste with salt and pepper, and dig in!

Go ahead and chomp away on this summertime treat – it’s really delicious! We love the slight smoky taste the corn has after being grilled.

How Else Can I Use Grilled Corn?

Another way to use grilled corn on the cob is to let it cool, then slice off the kernels from the cob.

The grilled corn kernels taste wonderful when added to a Southwestern-style salad like Black Bean Corn & Tomato Salad w/ Avocado Cilantro Dressing, soup or a taco salad. A great smoky grilled corn flavor will be instantly added to that dish!

Grilled corn on the cob is done and slathered with butter

There are so many different ways to cook corn on the cob… this is one simple method that we enjoy using. It’s nice to cook a piece of meat AND the corn on the grill at the same time!

Sure hope you will consider trying it this EASY way! If you enjoy dishes with fresh corn, may I also suggest my recipes for Grilled Unshucked Corn On the Cob and Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Peppers and Onions?

Thanks for stopping by today. I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Easy Grilled Corn On The Cob
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Grilled corn on the cob (on the BBQ) is super easy to make, delicious, and is a great way to keep your kitchen cool during hot summer days, by cooking outside!
Category: Side Dishes, Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled corn on the cob
Servings: 2 servings
Calories Per Serving: 155 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 ears fresh corn on the cob
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil (or light tasting oil)
  • 1 teaspoon butter (or more, to taste)
  • 1 pinch salt (or more, to taste)
  • 1 pinch black pepper (or more, to taste)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Completely remove the corn husks and as much of the corn "silk" as possible before starting. Rinse, and dry off corn.

  2. Lightly brush each ear of corn you are using with a very mild tasting cooking oil (I used vegetable oil). Make sure to brush the oil on all sides.

  3. Preheat your BBQ grill until you have very hot coals or a high temperature reading. When hot, place corn ears on grill. After 2-3 minutes cooking the corn on the hot grill, rotate each ear a quarter turn. Keep rotating the ears of corn a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes. If the coals are hot enough, the total time to cook the ears of corn is usually about 10-11 minutes. Be careful to not let the kernels burn too much, but a good char is wonderful!

  4. When corn is grilled on all sides (after about 10-11 minutes), the corn should be done!  Transfer the grilled corn on the cob to a serving plate, add butter, season to taste with salt and pepper, and dig in! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Easy Grilled Corn On The Cob
Amount Per Serving (1 ear of corn)
Calories 155 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 31mg1%
Potassium 243mg7%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 230IU5%
Vitamin C 6.1mg7%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Grilled corn on the cob (on the BBQ) is super easy to make, delicious, and is a great way to keep your kitchen cool during hot summer days, by cooking outside!

 


Mar
2018

Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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You’ll love this easy, delicious, homemade broccoli au gratin rice pilaf side dish (a Rice a Roni copycat), with rice, orzo pasta, broccoli and cheese! It’s a wonderful accompaniment for beef, chicken, pork OR seafood!
You'll love this easy, delicious Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf (a Rice a Roni copycat), with rice, orzo pasta, broccoli and cheese!

I prepared this simple recipe for broccoli au gratin rice pilaf recently as a side dish for our salmon dinner.  What a delicious treat!  This filling recipe is basically a copycat version of the popular Rice-a Roni boxed Broccoli au Gratin mix, but guess what?

This pilaf is just as easy to make from scratch, and is full of homemade flavors and fresh ingredients!  It doesn’t take much time or effort at all to make, and really tastes GOOD! Here’s how to make broccoli au gratin rice pilaf (4 generous servings):

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom OF The Page

Brown The Rice And Orzo Pasta

Start by heating olive oil on medium heat in large skillet. Add the orzo pasta and white rice to skillet. Stir mixture often (to prevent burning) and cook until the orzo turns a nice golden brown, as you can see in the photo below. This will only take a few minutes.

Rice and orzo for pilaf cooking in skillet

Cook The Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf

The next simple step is to add vegetable broth to the pilaf mixture in skillet. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to Low.

Cover the skillet (or pan), and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until almost all of the broth has been absorbed.  At that point, add finely chopped broccoli. (I used frozen broccoli, which I thawed and chopped finely, before beginning).

Vegetable broth and broccoli added to rice pilaf in skillet

Stir broccoli into the pilaf; cook mixture for another 3 minutes. Remove the skillet (or pan) from direct heat; add in the shredded cheddar cheese, butter, and season with salt and pepper (to taste). Stir until cheese and butter have melted and blended in completely. Put a lid on the pan, keep covered, and let the pilaf rest for 4-5 minutes.

Pilaf with broccoli, cheese and butter in skillet

Serve The Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf!

When ready, remove lid from pan, fluff the broccoli rice pilaf with a fork, and dish this yummy food up straight from the pan, OR place it in a pretty serving bowl to dress it up a bit!

Your family will really enjoy this tasty side dish, and you can smile, knowing you were able to get a yummy, healthy veggie into them!

Broccoli au gratin rice pilaf in white bowl

Broccoli and rice pilaf in close up photo

Here is the finished broccoli rice pilaf on my husband’s plate, with Orange and Rosemary Glazed Salmon on the side.  Seafood, broccoli rice pilaf, all present and accounted for on the ol’ dinner plate, for the win!

Broccoli au gratin rice pilaf on plate with salmon fillet

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I appreciate it, and really hope you will consider trying this recipe for Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf. It’s truly easy to make, and tastes wonderful! You might also enjoy my recipe for Easy Homemade Rice Pilaf (a delicious, “plain” version). Have a great day, and may the work of your hands bring great joy to God, others, and YOU!

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: Debi, at  https://lifecurrentsblog.com/homemade-rice-a-roni/

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Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Resting Time
5 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 
You'll love this easy, delicious Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf (a Rice a Roni copycat), with rice, orzo pasta, broccoli and cheese!
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli au gratin rice pilaf
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 305 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/2 cup white long grain rice
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup broccoli , finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
  • 1 pinch salt , to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Begin by heating olive oil in large skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Add orzo and white rice to skillet;  stir, to cover orzo and rice well with the oil. Stir mixture often (to prevent burning) and cook until the orzo turns a nice golden brown. This will only take a few minutes.

  2. The next step is to add vegetable broth to the pilaf mixture in skillet. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to Low. Cover the skillet (or pan), and cook between 10-15 minutes, until ALMOST all of the broth has been absorbed (mine took 12 minutes, so keep an eye on it).  At that point, add chopped broccoli.  Stir broccoli into the pilaf; cook mixture for 3 more minutes.

  3. Remove skillet (or pan) from direct heat; add the shredded cheddar cheese, butter, salt and pepper.  Stir until cheese and butter have melted and blended in completely. Put a lid on the pan, keep covered, and let the pilaf rest for 4-5 minutes, then remove lid, and fluff pilaf with a fork. Transfer to a serving bowl, if desired, and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 305 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 627mg27%
Potassium 154mg4%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 710IU14%
Vitamin C 20.3mg25%
Calcium 123mg12%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy, delicious Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Pilaf (a Rice a Roni copycat), with rice, orzo pasta, broccoli and cheese!


Mar
2018

Easy Sautéed Mushrooms

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Enjoy these easy to make, delicious sautéed mushrooms, with wine and butter, as a garnish for grilled steak or chicken, or as a simple side dish!Enjoy these easy to make, delicious sautèed mushrooms, with wine and butter, as a garnish for grilled steak or chicken, or as a simple side dish!

One of my favorite ways to top a grilled steak or piece of chicken is with this side dish recipe for EASY Sautéed Mushrooms! Made easily in a few minutes, they’re also wonderful served simply as an accompaniment to a variety of other dishes.

It only takes a few ingredients to make this tasty dish!  There are many varieties of mushrooms, but the personal favorites I use most often are baby portabellas or plain button mushrooms, both commonly found at most grocery stores.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Sautéed Mushrooms

Here’s how to whip up a batch of these mushrooms, lickety-split (photos are for a total of 2 servings)!

In a medium sized skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter.  Add cleaned, thinly sliced mushrooms to skillet.  Sautè 3-4 minutes on medium heat, stirring often, until mushrooms begin to soften and turn light brown.

Raw mushrooms cooking in melted butter in silver skillet

Add 1/4 cup dry white wine to skillet, and continue cooking.

Mushrooms and wine cooking in metal skillet with a wooden spoon

Once liquid has cooked away and mushrooms are fully cooked, season lightly with garlic powder.  Stir. Season with salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

Cooked mushrooms in a metal skillet

Time to Enjoy Some Easy Sautéed Mushrooms

When ready to serve, place the cooked mushrooms onto serving plate, or directly onto cooked steak (or chicken).  Lightly garnish with parsley flakes, then serve.

Sautèed mushrooms on a white serving plate

That’s it!  See how EASY it is to add these delicious tasting sautéed mushrooms to your meal? Hope you will enjoy this simple side dish. The recipe can be easily doubled, etc. for larger quantities.  Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More VEGGIE SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a good variety of veggie side dish recipes you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Easy Sautéed Mushrooms
Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 

Enjoy these easy to make, delicious sautéed mushrooms, as a garnish for grilled steak or chicken, or as a simple side dish!

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sauteed mushrooms
Servings: 2 servings
Calories Per Serving: 101 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 12 button mushrooms , thinly sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch salt and pepper , to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes , for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a medium skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter.  Add cleaned, thinly sliced mushrooms to skillet.  Cook 3-4 minutes on medium heat, stirring often, until mushrooms begin to soften and turn light brown.

  2. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine to skillet, and continue cooking. Once liquid has cooked away and mushrooms are fully cooked, season lightly with garlic powder.  Stir. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

  3. Place cooked mushrooms onto serving plate, or directly onto cooked steak (or chicken).  Lightly garnish with parsley flakes.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Sautéed Mushrooms
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 101 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 57mg2%
Potassium 402mg11%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 2.6mg3%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy these easy to make, delicious sautéed mushrooms, with wine and butter, as a garnish for grilled steak or chicken, or as a simple side dish!


Feb
2018

Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies are bursting with color and flavor, and are a simple, delicious way to serve fresh vegetables with your meals.  Even kids will like this simple side dish!You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.

The recipe for Asian style stir fried veggies couldn’t be simpler, but the results are sure yummy! I came up with a simple sauce years and years ago, and enjoy using it occasionally to enhance mixed fresh stir-fried vegetables! Here’s how to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Stir Fry Veggies

Clean veggies, dry and then prep them, by cutting them into bite sized slices or chunks.  This time, I used broccoli, yellow squash, green zucchini, red and orange bell peppers, brown onion, baby carrots, and mushrooms.

Truthfully, any combination of vegetables you have available will work well (I’ve also added bok choy, green peppers, fresh asparagus or green beans, at times). Set aside.

Chopped Stir Fry Veggies on red cutting mat

Make The Asian Style Sauce

Mix Asian-style sauce in a small cup or bowl.  I simply used a fork to mix the ingredients (water, soy sauce, ground ginger and cornstarch) together. Set aside.

Stir Fry Veggie Sauce

Stir Fry The Veggies

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking).  Add the vegetables all at once (except for minced garlic).

Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are cooked (about 5-6 minutes). They should be crisp-tender when done. Add the minced garlic, and stir, to prevent burning. Cook an additional minute.

Chopped Vegetables in skillet cooking

Add Sauce To The Stir Fried Veggies

Give the sauce a final stir, then pour the Asian sauce into skillet, and stir to combine. The sauce will begin to thicken almost immediately. Continue to stir. If the sauce becomes too thick, add just a touch of water to skillet and stir until all veggies are coated with sauce, and are heated through.

Pouring Asian sauce into veggies in skillet

Once the Asian style stir fry veggies are heated through, and covered with sauce, they are ready to serve. For this meal, I served them as a side dish, along with a piece of pan-seared salmon and steamed rice. YUM!

Chopped veggies stir frying with sauce

That’s it! I really hope you will consider making these Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies.  They add a LOT of color and wonderful flavor to any meal!  It’s a great way to get more vegetables onto the plate, and they really do taste great (hint, hint).

Hope you have an absolutely WONDERFUL day, and remember… be KIND to those you encounter throughout your day.  You never know what others are going through… why not be their bright beacon of hope for that day! God Bless You!

Looking For More VEGETABLE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of veggie recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

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Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.
Category: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: stir fry veggies
Servings: 2 large servings
Calories Per Serving: 221 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Veggies (Use any combo or quantity you wish... this is what I used):
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 Zucchini , I used 1/2 green and 1/2 yellow), sliced
  • 6-8 Mushrooms , sliced
  • 1/4 medium Brown onion , sliced
  • 1 cup Bell peppers , I used red and orange, sliced
  • 8 Baby Carrots , I used 8-10, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 cup Broccoli florets
  • 1 tsp Minced garlic
For Asian Style Sauce:
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch , I used a heaping teaspoon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Clean veggies, dry them, then prep them, by cutting them into bite sized slices or chunks. Set aside.
  2. Mix Asian-style sauce in a small cup or bowl. I simply used a fork to mix the ingredients (water, soy sauce, ground ginger and cornstarch) together. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking). Add the vegetables all at once (except for minced garlic). Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are cooked (about 5-6 minutes). They should be crisp-tender when done. Add the minced garlic, and stir to prevent burning. Cook an additional minute.
  4. Give the sauce a final stir, then pour it into skillet, and stir to combine. The sauce will begin to thicken almost immediately. Continue to stir. If sauce becomes too thick, add just a little bit more water to skillet and stir until all veggies are coated with sauce, and are heated through. Remove skillet from heat, serve, and enjoy!.
Nutrition Facts
Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 221 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Sodium 1071mg47%
Potassium 900mg26%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 8330IU167%
Vitamin C 157mg190%
Calcium 55mg6%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.


Jan
2018

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

categories: Appetizers, From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these “fries” will be a big hit!Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious family-friendly way to get kids (and adults) to EAT THEIR VEGGIES!  Baked (not fried) to a crispy finish, and served with a cool, seasoned dipping sauce on the side, these “fries” won’t last long, as a side dish or an appetizer!

The zucchini are crispy on the outside, and have lots of flavor with the simple coating, and the PLUS is that they are BAKED, not FRIED. They are really very easy to prepare, and it’s a great way to get more veggies into the food rotation!

It’s easy to get these veggies into everyone, in a fun way (especially if the kids like French fries)!  Zucchini fries are delicious baked and eaten without any accompaniments, but I like to dip them in a tasty sauce (or ranch dressing).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Making The Sauce/Dip For Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

This time I made up a quick and simple Mexican-spiced dip/sauce (with some of my favorite spices), to serve on the side. I made the sauce by combining non-fat plain Greek yogurt with a Tablespoon of mayonnaise. I then added cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika, and mixed until blended.

The dipping sauce has good Southwestern flavor, but is not too spicy, by the way! Make ahead, cover,  and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ingredients for dipping sauce for Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries.

How To Cut Zucchini For Zucchini Fries

I used a green zucchini and a yellow zucchini to make the fries. After slicing the ends off, they were cut like this:

  • #1 Cut each in half in the middle.
  • #2 Cut each half in half lengthwise.
  • #3 Cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide).

Zucchini is sliced into wedges to make Baked Parmesan zucchini fries.

In a small bowl, place two eggs. Lightly beat the eggs until they are fully combined. In a separate bowl, place Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning, and stir until combined.

Beaten eggs, and panko bread crumbs are needed to coat zucchini fries before baking.

Prepping Zucchini Fries For Baking

Dip the zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake off excess egg back into bowl, and then dip and roll in Panko mixture to coat all sides.

Zucchini fries are coated with panko breadcrumbs before baking.

Place each coated piece of zucchini on a baking sheet which has been lined with aluminum foil, covered with non-stick spray. Repeat until all “fries” have been coated.  Make sure to keep wedges separated on foil.

Parmesan zucchini fries are placed in single layer onto baking sheet to bake.

Cooking The Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray or lightly drizzle with olive oil.  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, flipping zucchini fries over,  half way through the cooking time. When done, the zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are golden brown and crispy after baking.

Time To Eat!

Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired). They taste the very best when served hot, crispy, and fresh!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are served with dipping sauce.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries on red platter, with dipping sauce.

Serve, and enjoy this yummy finger food side dish (or appetizer!).  Recipe is easily doubled for a larger crowd… as written, the recipe makes 32 “fries”. Hope you enjoy these zucchini fries – we sure did!

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious appetizer recipes you might enjoy, including:

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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Zucchini Fries Recipe Source: Trish, at https://www.momontimeout.com/baked-parmesan-zucchini-fries-recipe/

0 from 0 votes
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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
22 mins
Total Time
32 mins
 
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!
Category: Side Dish / Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked Parmesan zucchini fries
Servings: 32 fries
Calories Per Serving: 18 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 zucchini (medium sized- I used 1 green and 1 yellow)
  • 2 eggs , beaten lightly
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
For Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (can substitute sour cream)
  • 1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon EACH of spices (chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and paprika)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To Make Dipping Sauce:
  1. Mix Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika in small bowl until blended. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make Zucchini Fries:
  1. Cut both ends off each zucchini (discard). Cut each zucchini in half across the middle, then cut each half in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide). You should have 32 wedges.
  2. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs until combined. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix Panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning until combined.
  4. Dip zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake excess egg back into bowl, then dip and roll zucchini slice in Panko mixture to coat all sides. Place each coated piece of zucchini on baking sheet lined with foil, and sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. Repeat until all "fries" have been coated. Keep wedges separated. Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray, or lightly drizzle with olive oil.
  5. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, turning zucchini slices over, half way through cooking time. When done, zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned. Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired).
Nutrition Facts
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Amount Per Serving (4 wedges)
Calories 18
% Daily Value*
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 45mg2%
Potassium 42mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 55IU1%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!