side dish

Creamy Dilled Red Potato Salad

This easy potato salad skips the mustard, egg, and celery to keep things super simple with a sauce of mayo and sour cream (or healthy Greek yogurt) over slightly smashed baby red potatoes to create a super creamy potato salad that’s brightened up with a dose of fresh dill ready to eat any day of the year.

“This is my new favorite potato salad” he declared as he scooped another forkful straight from the mixing bowl and into his already munching mouth.

I gotta admit, I was somewhat shocked by my husband’s declaration.

“But what about my Mom’s Classic Very Best Potato Salad?” I retorted. ‘It’s a total classic! It’s always been our favorite! And it’s one of the most popular recipes on the blog!” And by the way, had he totally forgotten about my German Potato Salad and my Loaded Baked Potato Salad, too?

If I had to guess the reason he loves this potato salad so much, it’s because it’s so perfectly creamy without the extra crunches of celery or pickles, so it’s a more similar bite to his favorite baked potato with just a bit of onion to add a little heat and dill to add that fresh factor. But even better, it’s so simple to make.

It’s creamy. It’s dreamy. And it’s delicious.

continue to the recipe… about Creamy Dilled Red Potato Salad

Killer Garlic Fries with Rosemary

This copycat recipe of the famous Gordon-Biersch garlic fries couldn’t be easier to make at home, and because they can be baked in the oven or the air fryer, they’re a healthier version, too.

This recipe is brought to you by Alexia Foods

At first I didn’t even see them. I could just smell them. The punch to my olfactory sense with their intoxicating aroma literally had me twisting in my seat, cranking my head like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, searching for where that heavenly scent was coming from.

Ahhh, garlic. And loads of it. It was like the perfume of the food Gods.

This was many years ago at an L.A. Lakers game, and someone a row behind me and a few seats down was busy digging into what I soon discovered as the famous Gordon-Biersch garlic fries.

I’d never even heard of Gordon-Biersch before, but that certainly didn’t stop me from seeking out the concession stand where my husband and I joyfully purchased a few frosty beverages and our first batch of garlic fries that what would later become our Laker-game-going ritual.

But the best part of this story is that you don’t need to wait ’til game day to make this copycat recipe for Gordon-Biersch garlic fries at home. And even better, I’ve made them healthier by skipping the deep fat fryer and added even more flavor with a hint of fresh, herby rosemary, because that’s just the way I do.

continue to the recipe… about Killer Garlic Fries with Rosemary

Easy Broccoli with Feta Cheese

Everyone knows broccoli is healthy for your body and is a superfood powerhouse that’s high in fiber too. While it’s delicious served raw and steamed, my favorite way to eat it these days is roasted in the skillet.

Most often when I choose a recipe to feature here from a cookbook I love, I tend to skew toward the main dishes or maybe a dessert. But lately, I’ve been hearing my sister’s voice in my head, replaying her request to add more easy side dishes to my recipe list. Sides that aren’t complicated to make, or that call for too many unusual ingredients.

Just really good, simple food that compliments a variety of mains to pair it with.

So when I received the new cookbook A Couple Cooks Pretty Simple Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Make You Fall in Love with Real Food from my friends Sonja and Alex Overhiser, I found myself totally torn between several of the recipes within, and even took to Instagram stories to ask which you’d like to see between a simple broccoli side dish or Turmeric Cauliflower tacos.continue to the recipe… about Easy Broccoli with Feta Cheese

Easy Creamed Swiss Chard with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Healthy swiss chard gets the comfort food treatment thanks to a light but creamy sauce topped with crispy garlic panko breadcrumbs that make a recipe so good it’ll give creamed spinach a run for it’s “most-loved side dish” title.

This post is brought to you by McCormick

Swiss chard is one of those wallflower vegetables, sitting in the bleachers at the high school dance while watching the likes of spinach and kale bust their moves with all the hottest admirers.

But just like any wallflower, there comes a time for even the humblest of vegetables to burst out of the shadows and shine all on its own.

And that’s why I declare here and now, it’s high time that swiss chard get it’s dance in the spotlight, and there’s no better place to do so than at the head of the Thanksgiving table.

Growing up I don’t think I ever even had a bite of swiss chard. But like my latent admiration of Brussels sprouts, I’m more than happy to say those days are gone and this super easy, healthy-ish dish is going on my turkey table to balance out my splurging on my mom’s sage-flavored stuffing. I may not have room for my now-famous herb butter turkey! This year may be the year of Thanksgiving sides.

Bring on the turkey side dish disco ball, ’cause we’re gettin’ down tonight.continue to the recipe… about Easy Creamed Swiss Chard with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Butter and the tang of buttermilk with blue cheese give these 5 ingredient mashed potatoes a rich flavor that pairs perfectly with chicken, beef or pork.

It’s okay to admit it. We all know it’s true. The best part of dinner, especially when it’s a holiday dinner, is the side dishes. And when the side dishes are rocked with flavor, the main dish can just scooch on over to the sidelines. Unless you’re slathering a turkey with hot and spicy sauce (like I did), because then we’ve got a match!

When you’re operating in the multiple side dish zone (which seems to be the theme of nearly each and every Thanksgiving table) it’s a good idea to keep those recipes simple. Complicated, overwrought 182 ingredient recipes just aren’t what the frazzled home-cooking-hostess needs when guests will be sampling a bite of this and a dig into that and complicates the beauty in simplicity that our palates crave when loading our buffet plate into a mound of food that would serve a family of four.

Simple you say? Let’s go with it. But don’t make it boring. Let’s add 2 different ingredients to the basic mashers to make them smashers. Yes, I did say that.

What Do You Put In Mashed Potatoes

These decadent 5-ingredient mashed potatoes start off with your basic russet or Yukon Gold potato that has a dryer, lighter texture when mashed. Save the waxy white or red potatoes when your tater needs to hold up to the blanketing of mayo (or yikes! Miracle Whip) and mustard link in my favorite potato salad,

My mashed potato 5-ingredient mashed list is:

Yukon gold potatoes for the creamiest blend, cut into quarters for quicker cooking
Buttermilk, to give the potatoes a bright tang (you could use cream, half and half, or milk instead)
Real butter. Always real butter.
Freshly crumbled blue cheese. Please, please, please, crumble your own fresh blue cheese rather than buying the pre-packaged crumbles. There’s a difference you most certainly will taste.
Chives or really thin sliced green onion, just for a bit of garnish

When boiling the potatoes, always salt the water so the potatoes are flavored as they cook. My husband always reminds me to add the salt after the water has come to a boil so the salt doesn’t pit the bottoms of the pans. And, I always quarter my potatoes before cooking so they cook faster, usually in about 10-15 minutes or until fork-tender.

How to Get Smooth and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

After making this recipe, I learned a few new potato tricks from Aimee’s post on Secrets to the Best Mashed Potatoes. I’ll definitely be incorporating secret #1 into my next batch. You definitely need her tips in your mashed potato arsenal.

Most home cooks use a hand blender to cream their potatoes, but if you blend for too long, your potatoes will turn to glue. Instead, do like the pros do for restaurant-style super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes without any lumps, use one of these kitchen gadgets instead:

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

3.92 from 12 votes

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Butter and the tang of buttermilk with blue cheese give these mashed potatoes a rich flavor that pairs perfectly with chicken, beef or pork.

Servings 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

2 1/12 pounds russet potatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
2/3 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons butter
4 ounces blue cheese crumbled, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chives plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Peel potatoes and rinse under cold water. Cut each potato into quarters and place in 4-quart saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt; then reduce heat to low boil. Cook until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with fork, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat buttermilk and butter together in small saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted and mixture is hot but not boiling.
Drain potatoes, return to pot and warm over low heat 1-2 minutes for the moisture to evaporate. Use ricer, potato masher or food mill to mash potatoes. Stir in buttermilk and milk mixture 1/3 cup at time until potatoes are consistency you prefer. Stir in crumbled blue cheese and chives and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with additional blue cheese and chives.

More Recipes to Serve Alongside Mashed Potatoes

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Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini

It takes just three ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and about five minutes to create this zucchini side dish that easily slides into just about any main meal menu plan.

So you’ve answered the question of what the heck you’re going to fix for dinner tonight. Congratulations! Hey, it’s not easy to come up with a dinner plan that pleases everyone’s likes, dislikes, and food craving fancies. But you did it!

Next comes part 2 of the dinner-time equation, the one that is typically a stumper. “So…what should we have with it?”

This question seems to be the one that can lead most home cooks down the rabbit hole only to pop back up with the same rotation of the same side dishes they fix over and over and over again. That’s why, moving forward, my goal here at the FC blog HQ is to provide you with more ideas of simple, sides that appeal to the whole gang at the table, have a healthy bent, and are neutral enough to go with just about anything.

So let’s get started with a super simple side dish I grew up on that right now in August is totally in season now, but can also be made just as easily in February: 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini. continue to the recipe… about Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini

Lighter Penne alla Vodka Recipe

This classic and oh so easy American-Italian penne pasta recipe got a nip and a tuck with a lightened up ingredient that cuts the calorie count but keeps it creamy, making it a dish you’ll have no regrets from asking for seconds as a main meal or a tasty side dish.

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

If you’re a first-timer to the world of this popular, creamy tomato sauced dish, just know you will not get drunk on it. You won’t even find a little buzz.

It seems like this is always the first question people wonder about this dish once they hear it’s name. But no, so if you’re looking for a boozy buzz, you’ll want to consume a killer dirty martini or three on the side because the alcohol is all cooked out, but the flavor it creates remains.

I call penne alla vodka the gateway tomato pasta sauce for those who aren’t big tomato fans. It’s definitely a converter. And here’s why.continue to the recipe… about Lighter Penne alla Vodka Recipe

How to Make Classic Macaroni Salad

Nothing says summertime eating like a serving of the best, classic, old-fashioned, creamy macaroni salad with eggs and crisp vegetables dressed in a simple and creamy but still light mayonnaise dressing for any picnic, potluck, or barbecue.

Sometimes you just don’t mess around with the classics. While some might look at this macaroni salad recipe and think it’s too simple (where’s the twist? what makes it special? shouldn’t it be harder than this?) that’s exactly why it’s a time-proven favorite.

While I’ve always been a fan of potato salad (my mom’s potato salad recipe is THE BEST!) it’s taken me years to come around to macaroni salad. The reason being is that every time I tried one, it was never a good one. They were either too dry, too plain, or too heavily loaded with a goopy, flavorless mayo dressing that coated the macaroni like oil on a dipstick and likely came from a pre-packaged box from the deli counter—yes! That stuff usually comes from a box!

There’s nothing worse than that acrid taste of fake mayo macaroni salad. You know. You’ve been there.

But, this old-fashioned macaroni salad is everything those others were not. First off, it’s homemade—toss the box! It’s simple but well-seasoned. It’s dressed just right with a tangy but light mayo dressing. And the pasta is neither clumpy nor starchy, but smooth and satisfying with every bite.

I really do love this salad but I’m going to defer to my husband on this one, who as a self-proclaimed macaroni salad connoisseur did attest, “Honey, this is still the best macaroni salad I’ve had. Ever.”continue to the recipe… about How to Make Classic Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Proscuitto

This easy, tangy pasta salad mixes traditional macaroni salad with Mediterranean flavors to create a new family favorite potluck salad.

Common etiquette rules that if you’re invited to a friendly BBQ, you offer to bring something to add to the pot.

So when I ask the big question, I often hear, “Sure that would be great. How about a side dish?”

Many hosts think they’re doing you a favor by offering the wide berth of side dish options. But this simple phrase can throw some self-respecting cooks into a triple gainer upside down axel with a spin.

Bringing a “little something” to a barbecue or potluck shouldn’t be that hard, but the vast spectrum of “side dish” gets some of us sideways.

But it doesn’t have to be like that at all…continue to the recipe… about Macaroni Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Proscuitto

Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms With or Without Soba Noodles

Hearty soba noodles are tossed with stir-fried broccoli and shiitake mushrooms and ponzu sauce for an easy, healthy, and delicious dish that pairs well with any protein.

I tend to get into the trap of not always sharing our tried and true dishes. The ones we eat over, and over, and over again.

Why not? I’m not sure.

I guess I think they’re mundane. Too boring. Not enough Pow! Bam! Wow!

When in reality, we’re all searching for ways to make our lives easier, and that should start with our favorite foodie eats.continue to the recipe… about Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms With or Without Soba Noodles

Easy Lemon Orzo Faux Risotto

Say it ain’t faux! Yes it is! Faux ri-soh-tto to be exact.

I’m a big believer in real stuff. Real butter. Check. Real friends. They’re the only kind. Real flowers instead of fake? Always.

So why go faux with risotto?

1. In my humble cooking opinion, using orzo makes this recipe a whole lot less temperamental to cook. Traditional risotto takes a lot of hand holding—and constant stirring—to ensure success. Orzo is a bit more forgiving.

2. This orzo is organic AND whole wheat — healthy carbs rejoice!

3. I make it often because it cooks up in just 30 minutes and can be served as a main dish, or served as a side. It’s flexible like that. And one of my pantry staples.

Here’s why…

continue to the recipe… about Easy Lemon Orzo Faux Risotto

Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

Move over quinoa, there’s a new grain in town.

Well, now, wait a minute. Farro is far from new with its roots running deep, deep, deep (pun intended) and this ancient grain is making major waves in the foodie scene.

The 90’s were all about couscous (which I still adore), the 00’s saw the wave of wild and unusual rices, and who can’t open a cookbook / food blog / food magazine for the past few years without seeing the glories of quinoa being extolled from the high heavens. But do you farro? If not, you should.

Farro is one of those wonder grains that to a lot of us mainstream eaters in the U.S., seems a bit outlandish and even exotic. But is it? If you consider the grain of choice that ancient Egyptian kings dined on as exotic, then yes, exotic it is. I mean, they were KINGS! But that hardly makes this grain unapproachable or intimidating. In fact, farro might be the easiest grain of all to cook and it’s versatility will have quinoa looking hard and fast in the rear view mirror, just waiting for farro to take over it’s first place run in the superfood popularity polls.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

The Best BBQ Baked Beans and 5 More Baked Beans to Love

Just the thought of this recipe for BBQ Baked Beans makes the top of my mouth hurt. Because willpower and baking beans simply do not mix.

This is my mom’s baked beans recipe and with it comes a flood of summer memories. Of coming home after a full, hot day swimming, swimming, swimming and diving and flipping and flirting at the pool. Then finally home to the coolness of the air conditioned house where my mom often had these babies on the stove, percolating their way towards dinner.

It took just one step through the door and me and my swimsuit soaked shorts were making a beeline for the stove. There was always a wooden spoon sitting to the side, laced with the dried sauce from my mom’s stirring of the baked beans. One lick and that set off the need for more.

continue to the recipe… about The Best BBQ Baked Beans and 5 More Baked Beans to Love

Sweet Carrots with Tarragon and My Easter Inspired Faves

Glazing. Usually reserved for doughnuts, bone-in hams and the special technique my husband uses to make old and tired 1980’s honey oak cabinets magically transform into bright and white brand spakin’ new kitchen cubpoards. He’s a staining magician, that guy.

But today ‘da glaze is saved for ‘da carrots. Ta-’da.

It’s time for Easter eats and you probably have all of your main dish ingredients scribbled on the back of an envelope ready to push into the dark corners of your purse so that when you get to the store you get to frantically dig for the dang piece of paper. That’s just one of the reasons I use this shopping list app, so I don’t go stark raving maniac in the vegetable aisle.

Carrots are the quintessential Easter side dish addition. You can thank Peter and Bugs for that one. But, let’s get real. They’re expected, trite and too often B-O-R-I-N-G.

Not this time folks.

A simple—aka light—glaze of honey and butter sweetens up the orange little jewels. Tarragon and orange zest gives them the ying and yang of earthy licorice and fresh citrus in each bite. Kosher salt, just like with everything else, brings out all of the flavors and melds them together.

It’s a simple recipe. And for any entertaining cook, that’s the recipe for deliciousness.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Carrots with Tarragon and My Easter Inspired Faves

Easy Parmesan Buttered Noodles

We’re not yet two weeks into 2014, so I think that technically I can squeeze in one more ode to 2013, right?

2013 was a great year, a fabulous year in fact. It was filled with amazing opportunities and new relationships that came my way thanks to this sweet lil’ blog o’ mine. Sing that 3 times fast to the Axl’s Sweet Child O’ Mine and you’ll feel my vibe.

While I’ve already declared my word for 2014, with 365 days to cover there’s certainly room for one more. And most likely a few others too. That’s why I’m adding this one to the hat: Simplify.

One thing I heard over and over from friends and family in 2013 was this: “I was going to call you, but you’re SO BUSY,” or “I was going to ask you to go/stay/play but you’re SO BUSY.”

Was I really THAT busy? TOO busy for my family and friends?

continue to the recipe… about Easy Parmesan Buttered Noodles

Baked Potato Salad and a Canyon Cookout

This restaurant favorite gets a home-style makeover for a crowd in my Baked Potato Salad with bacon and cheese.

Sometimes you just have to break out of the norm. Make a break from Groundhog day and do something a little different, change things up and give them a little twist.

Like 99.95% of every single person I know, I can get into a rut. A funk. A little too much of doing things the same way just because that’s the way I do it.

Last week I was totally uninspired. I had just returned home after a week of visiting my sister where I had dutifully assigned deadlines to my calendar and outlined my to-do list with tasks at hand. And yet I could not for the life of me not get up the gumption or enthusiasm to tackle them and cross those pesky running agenda items that kept racing through my mind off of the quickly becoming redundant list. I moved from one task to the next, never fully realizing my goals. I needed a change up in the old routine, and with several out of town trips looming on the horizon, I had to get a new ‘tude quick.

continue to the recipe… about Baked Potato Salad and a Canyon Cookout

Fontina Polenta and Easy Marinara

It sounded like a freight train running into our house. And I thought my dog was dying.

We’ve had a winter that has piled the snow higher in our neighborhood than nearly any other along the benches of the mountains where we live.

This winter has put a toll on the snow shovels, the snow tires and nearly everyone’s patience.

With each snowfall the load on our roof gets deeper. And heavier. And with a nearly flat rooftop the snow has nowhere to go. it just. stays. put.

Until it warms up. And then the avalanches begin. And that’s when my dog loses it.

continue to the recipe… about Fontina Polenta and Easy Marinara

Friday Faves and Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

With turkey-lurkey day right around the corner everyone is scouting out side dishes to dress up the white bird.

Traditional green bean casserole surely holds a soft spot in my heart and I can never turn up my nose at creamy, onion topped green beans. Of course I have to add mushrooms, but that’s a different recipe.

My recipe for Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans is one of those dishes that is so easy to make but looks all fancy, like it BELONGS on the Thanksgiving dinner table menu rubbing wings with the golden bird and touching edges with mashers and gravy. I never did get the whole church and state edict of segregating food from one another on the dinner plate. We’re not in 3rd grade anymore people. I like starting off with individual tastes for sure, but by the end of the meal each dish is happily represented with a bit of turkey, a touch of mash and gravy, some cranberry and a bean or two and don’t forget the stuffing, artfully stacked on my soft, butter Parker House roll for the complete, one-bite, t-day taster.

0 from 0 votes

Pancetta and Hazelnut Green Beans

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
½ pound pancetta diced
3 tablespoons butter divided
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon shallots sliced into thin rings
1 pound fresh green beans trimmed
¼ cup Marsala wine or chicken stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to same skillet. Once butter melts, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently and scraping the pancetta remnants from the bottom of the skillet. Add shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add green beans, lower heat to medium, cover with lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add Marsala wine and additional tablespoon of butter, cooked pancetta and salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes or until beans are tender but not soft. Serve topped with toasted hazelnuts.

While all of this turkey talk is fun, we all know it’s just the pre-game warm-up for the Superbowl of holidays: Christmas. Smudge has even taken awares, letting me know that she thinks Christmas is probably the most popular holiday. I wonder how she figured that out? Obviously not from the ads pimping holiday sales before Halloween or the fact that we’ve had a Christmas tree up in our living room since mid-October. She’s a smart cookie, planting seeds for her holiday list just in case someone is listening or watching or might assume it just really isn’t a big deal.

The new Holiday issue of FoodieCrush is going to be a big, big deal too.

From hipsters to Hannukah, this next issue has food bloggers sharing…

Easy yet lush cocktail and entertaining tips…

Their cookie decorating secrets…

Delectable desserts…
And even a special podcast from two of our favorite holiday homefries.

You know you can’t wait. Neither can I! Check out last year’s Holiday Issue for tons of great food blogging ideas, recipes and behind the scenes interviews with some of your favorite food bloggers.

But until then, my Friday Faves…

1. Even the tumult of Hurricane Sandy and 11 days of power can’t keep a good food blogger down. See what Shelly can whip up with a generator, good neighbors and scammed internet connections.

2. And more food bloggers are helping the best way they know how: through food of course. Barb and Jenn have taken the initiative to turn the tide from despair into hope. Support them by checking out the participants of Food Bloggers Support for Sandy and follow the hashtag #FBS4Sandy on Twitter and donating to national relief efforts.

3. I am coveting this Instagram-imaged calendar by one of my favorite Instagrammers, Alice, who will be donating 25% of proceeds to hurricane relief. If you aren’t inspired by her photos I’m not sure we can be friends.

4. Which leads us to Instagram lurking. How much do we love that we can now stalk our favorite Instagrammers photos and interchanging header on our computers?

5. This week’s new favorite food blog. I could stare at it all day long.

6. Behind the scenes of Cooking Light’s 25th Anniversary issue.

7. Maria and I are working on something new for the holidays that we can’t wait to share in the next few weeks but until then, here’s Nicki’s sweet story that’s one of the reasons we’re creating it.

8. It’s always been the style of my birthday cake so I’m totally digging following Lora and Anuradha’s #bundamonth baking challenge.

9. Will we finally have private Pinterest boards?

10. And my favorite Tweet of the week: “Put your own mask on first. Plane safety = life mantra.” via @andkathleen

Also, I’m in this little Pinterest contest and so if you haven’t yet, pin this little ditty for me would ‘ya? ‘Preciate it.

Make sure to subscribe to FoodieCrush for sneak peeks and the first reveal of the Holiday issue. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram too.

Friday Faves and Maple Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

For so many, this week cannot get over soon enough.

The focus has certainly been on the weather fiasco that has swept away homes and memories along the upper East Coast. With so many people who will be digging out from under Sandy’s destruction for some time ahead, it’s hard for those of us distanced from the front line to know exactly how to help. But there is a way to help, by simply going online and donating to relief efforts. And don’t forget about the animals, they’re in need too.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and Maple Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Friday Faves and Smokey Corn with Bacon

The farmer’s markets in my neck of the woods are at their peak, harvesting all sorts of goodies and selling out to long lines of anxious customers waiting with baited breath to succumb to their favorite fall flavors.

Last week I made the voyage to the Wednesday Park City Farmer’s Market—’cause I can do that now that I work for myself—with my friend Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks. It is exactly the type of market I absolutely love: Plenty of local vendors showcasing the very best in food that Utah has to offer with the emphasis on fresh farmed goods while keeping the homemade good vendors at respectable ratio.

Kelley led the charge sharing all of her favorite vendors and pointing out the good ones: “This guy has THE BEST peaches and nectarines in the state”—to the shysters: “He says he’s selling you sorrel, and its a premium price, but its mostly mixed greens.” Buyer beware.

As we strolled past freshly canned jams, fresh pacific seafood (in Utah? YES!) and loads of tomatoes, we came across “the best corn ever.” Needless to say I loaded my canvas bag with a half dozen ears for my corn obsessed husband. And Kelley was right, it was sweet, tender and delish and I instantly had a plan for the dinner table.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and Smokey Corn with Bacon

10 Great Corn Recipes plus Grilled Corn and Pasilla Pepper Salad

Corn. It’s the new black.

It’s on every corner (ehem, gas station farmer’s market) it comes with color blocking in its DNA (alternating white and yellow kernals) and it looks good on just about everyone.

It used to be that one had to wait anxiously for harvest season to roll around before noshing on the sweetest corn in town. Now that new corn genes have been developed, its a rare day in the sun when cooks have to make do with sub par kernals of sunshine. Have you had enough with the trite phrases already?

In preparing to make this recipe, I did the usual routine of filling my pasta stock pot with water and dumped my farmer’s market cobs into the pool, husks and all, with the intention of soaking them for 30 minutes to add a little extra moisture for roasting.

Five hours later I realized I had become completely distracted—I’m not going to admit or lay blame to anything that may or may not have been being surfed on the internet— and quickly pulled my soggy cobs to safety.continue to the recipe… about 10 Great Corn Recipes plus Grilled Corn and Pasilla Pepper Salad

Greek Lemon Pasta Salad Plus 5 Great Sides

Ah, Friday. Thank you for finally showing up on my doorstep.

It’s been a week of surprises and quick moves that have called for backbone, agility and patience. Some of the news has been trying for my family and some has given me drive and inspiration. For myself, things are a-changing and I’m totally ready for it. My dance card is filling up. But more on that soon enough.

Lately I’ve had a hankering for pasta. What’s my deal with carbo loading? I’ve been dreaming of salty plus crunchy the little pasta bowl in my head. Feta = salt. Kalamata olives = salt. I think I have it covered.continue to the recipe… about Greek Lemon Pasta Salad Plus 5 Great Sides

Yummy Yam Souffle

Smudge: “Mama, if you’re in a cooking contest, like the Iron Chef on T.V., this is what you should make because you would win.”

Win? With yams? Let’s just say that if I do ever get called into active Iron Chef duty, and the Chairman’s chiseled jaw exclaims that the surprise ingredient is “YAMS!” I will dom. in. ate. And then I’ll eat.

This is her FAVORITE recipe. And it will be the recipe that when she’s thirteen and her friends say, “YAAAAAMS, ooo grrrrrooosss” she will heartily agree and then slink away to the fridge and secretly steal tastes from the leftovers in the fridge at midnight. Atta girl. Just like Mama.

I couldn’t let the Thanksgiving holiday get past me without bringing out this recipe to share. It’s a recipe I cook each Thanksgiving along with my Green Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms and this year’s addition of Pumpkin Soup in shot glasses for a lighter, and festive, appetizer.continue to the recipe… about Yummy Yam Souffle

Green Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms Plus 5 Simple Thanksgiving Sides

The stories are what I remember the most.

Everyone gathered around my Grandma Mary Jane’s dining table set with her best crystal and china—that I now have. The ambrosia salad that she’d make just for me. Helping my Aunt Jill make the relish tray and sneaking the squeeze cheese minus the celery.

But the best part of Thanksgiving was my Grandma M.J. retelling the same stories each year, with the same style and wit as if it was the first. Her memories of when my mom and and her siblings were young. No matter how many times we’d heard the story, the entire table would wait anxiously, grinning from ear to ear, and roar in laughter at the punch line.

No one could tell a story like Grandma MJ. Except for Uncle Tom, whose laugh was positively booming and infectious, and whose motto is, “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.”

Ah, words to live by.

Lucky for you, I’ve started—just barely—to move out of my ambrosia salad phase.continue to the recipe… about Green Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms Plus 5 Simple Thanksgiving Sides

Zucchini and Dill Pasta Salad

By the looks of so many of my favorite foodie blogs, everyone is searching—and providing—amazing zucchini recipes this week. And with the plethora of veggie madness these plants provide, I say the more recipes the better.

So in an attempt to utilize my excessive zucchini jungle (how does one squash manage to explode into a super-hero size veggie in 24 hours anyway?) I’m discovering as many recipes as possible to incorporate/mask/hide/add zucchini into.

And this is one of my new favorites. It’s a a chameleon of a recipe: serve as a meatless option for a vegetarian main dish or toss in some grilled chicken or canned white tuna for even more extra added protein.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

0 from 0 votes

Zucchini and Dill Pasta Salad

This quick fresh pasta salad is great for summer nights on the patio.

Ingredients

Lemony Zucchini and Bean Pasta Salad
adapted from Donna Hay
Serves 4 as main course 8-10 as a side dish
1 lb. orecchiette pasta penne or farfalle would would work as well
3 medium size zucchini diced into 1/4" pieces
1 15 oz. can organic garbanzo beans drained (I like Westbrae brand)
1/2 lb fresh green beans trimmed and chopped into 1" pieces
1/4 cup fruity olive oil the best you can afford
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon zest from one lemon
1 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp cracked fresh pepper
1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
1 cup or 10 oz package queso fresco cheese crumbled (you can also use any dry, white cheese such as feta)

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Drain, rinse and set aside in a large bowl.
Blanche the green beans in a saucepan of simmering water for 1 minute. Remove and rinse with cold water, add to pasta. Add zucchini, garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper and dill to pasta and beans and toss well to combine. Top with crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese. Refrigerate for one hour for flavors to marry. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

And for those of you with the need to fill your ever-growing zucchini fantasies beyond zucchini bread or recipes of the stuffed squash variety, check out the tasty veggie vittles below.

Expanding on Adrianna’s ever-growing list of veggies-turned-into-fries, A Cozy Kitchen‘s Zucchini Fries are crunchy on the outside, creamy in the middle and by baking instead of frying, prep is way easier than trudging out your once-a-year-oily-mess of a Fry Daddy. Oh, and did we mention she serves them with Garlic Aioli and Sriracha Mayo? Helloooo breath mints! In the best way of course.

Nothing makes zucchini more palatable—and kid-pleasing—than mixing it up with some hazelnut-ty Nutella goodness from A Spicy Perspective. Sommer’s Zucchini Nutella Swirl Muffins look especially drool-worthy, and since she’s done the testing for us, there’s no need to tweak this recipe. Trust the process or you’ll be making it 4 times over like Sommer did.

In 101 Cookbooks‘ savory version of traditional cheesecake, Heidi suggests using a box grater or microplane for best zuch texture (best to avoid the potential for zucchini mush) and if so inclined you could drain the ricotta for an even lighter and fluffier Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake. If that were possible. Delicious!

I was intrigued by the roasted walnuts in this dish, a nut I hadn’t thought to pair with zucchini. Dishing the Divine keeps Zucchini with Walnuts a quick and light side dish thanks to an assortment of fresh herbs. But be sure to heed Paula’s sage advice and don’t let the zuchs get too browned when cooking or you’ll be eating a zucchini pureé.

Still in need some inspiration? Head over to Kalyn’s for her top 20 zucchini recipe list

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

Avocado and Tomato Salad Plus 5 Fresh and Simple Avocado Salads

After an amazingly late summer start thanks to one of the rainiest springs we’ve had in a long time, my harvest is finally coming on. So being the responsible gardener that I am, I’m now surfing the web for new ways to use the bounty I’ve spent hundreds of dollars watering, fertilizing and now plucking from their green, lush vines.

Is it all worth it?

Once I bite into the juicy, warm nectar that has become a home-grown cherry tomato, my response without hesitation is “hell yes.”

At this time of year I find it easy to veer toward the tomato recipes that are more caprese-style, studded with basil and balsamic vinegar. But today I’m going off the grid and putting my balsamic in the back seat.

Inspired by an avocado and onion salad my husband and I came to crave from a favorite Cuban restaurant (and that I always asked for tomatoes to be added to), I’ve embellished their inspiration and made it my own with creamy avocados, onion, homegrown tomatoes and lick-loving licoricey-tarragon—just ’cause I’m an herb-loving kind of girl. Sometimes the salad gets more tomatoes, sometimes more avocado, just depends on what I have on hand. Today, it’s pretty lycopene loaded thanks to my heirloom cherry ‘mater harvest.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4 from 5 votes

Avocado, Onion and Tomato Salad

This simple tomato salad is an easy side dish for any dinner or makes a great lunch.

Ingredients

1 large tomato sliced in thick slices
1/2 avocado sliced
2 slices red onion I prefer mine nearly shaved
6 cherry tomatoes halved
sprig of fresh tarragon
1 T fruity olive oil the best you can afford
1/2 tsp champagne vinegar

Instructions

Put tomatoes, avocado and sliced onion on a small plate, sprinkle with tarragon leaves and dress with the olive oil and vinegar. Add kosher or sea salt and some pepper to taste. The olive oil is really the key and main flavor so add more to taste and make sure its good and fruity to complement the freshness of the other ingredients.

My husband gave grilled avos a try, but didn’t have much success. But I’m inspired to give it another go thanks to Bree’s layering of lots of fresh herbs with spicy arugula, creamy mozzarella and grilled peaches in Bree’s Baked Bree‘s unique Grilled Peach and Avocado Salad. Looks divinely fresh and simple.

Cathy gives a fresh and simple nod to asian flavors, What Would Cathy Eat‘s Soba Noodle Salad with Avocado and Mango marries the sweet notes of mango with the tartness of rice vinegar and sesame oil to create a mellow fusion of delicious.

With just a few simple ingredients Lena for Coconut and Vanilla has created a completely decadent and deceptively simple Couscous and Avocado Salad recipe studded with mint, honey and the delicious crunch of pine nuts. (o ja! recipes are given in both English and German)

And now off to Mexico we go with Cate’s World Kitchen and her healthy, spiced up Black Bean, Quinoa and Avocado Salad, tossed with a freshly homemade tomatillo salsa. She makes it easy to eat right thanks to all the flavor.

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