Sometimes I feel I get into a side dish rut and end up making the same ones over and over. The ones I tend to gravitate to are quick, easy and well-received. But I’ve tried some new ones lately from a stash of my Mom’s recipes that have quickly become new favorites and hopefully go-to recipes.
The first is a delicious honey glazed carrot recipe. My youngest loves carrots so I try to fix them once a week. The honey gives them a bit of sweetness but not too sweet. My Mom uses golden raisins rather than black ones. She says the black ones look like bugs! I actually think the golden ones look prettier. This is especially delicious with turkey and perfect on a Thanksgiving table. It’s a nice splash of color on the table.
Honey Kissed Carrots
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced in ½ inch pieces
1 ¼ cups water
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
Cook carrots in water; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender.
Add remaining ingredients and cook uncovered over medium heat until carrots are glazed, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves: 4
I absolutely love peas and was excited to find peas amandine in her collection. As your main dish is finishing up, you can prepare this on the stove top. It’s great served with a pork roast or roasted chicken.
Peas Amandine
1 (16 ounce) package frozen peas
¼ cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Cook peas according to package directions; drain. Set aside and keep warm.
In a skillet sauté almonds in butter until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon; add to peas. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms and onion until tender; add to peas. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 servings.
Garlic is one of my favorite ingredients. Must be the Italian in me! This is a nice side dish for a grilled chicken or fish entrée. It’s light and perfect for a summer meal.
Garlicky Zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups zucchini, sliced in ¼ inch slices
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add zucchini and minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, stir and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Pearl onions are probably my absolute favorite vegetable. They are sweet, unique and have a great texture without the overpowering taste of yellow onions. One of my quick, go-to frozen vegetables is peas and pearl onions. This is a recipe I developed when I found a package of frozen pearl onions in the back of my freezer. I love it with steak.
Sweet and Salty Pearl Onions
1 package frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet cook onions in melted butter 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown over medium heat. Stir in balsamic vinegar and honey, cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
While I’ve made serving suggestions for these dishes, the possibilities are really endless. Serve them with what you like. They would be perfect any night of the week, on a holiday table or buffet.