Easy Potato Casserole

Tired of mashed potatoes or French fries? Try this quick and easy potato casserole as a side dish. Full of cheesy flavor and so easy to make! Your family won't believe you made it!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 lbs hash brown potatoes (I used the frozen variety and thawed them first)
• 1/2 lb of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper (as desired)

How to Make It:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients and mix well.
• Butter or spray a large casserole dish.
• Pour mixture into casserole dish, cover loosely with foil and bake for an hour.
• Uncover and bake until top is golden brown; about 20-25 minutes.

This dish reheats well either in the microwave or oven.

Recipe from Food.com

Sauteed Kale

Not only is kale delicious, it has so many health benefits! It has more Vitamin C than an orange, a great source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), the omega-3 fatty acid that's essential for brain health, reduces Type 2 diabetes risk and boosts heart health as well,  has 133 percent of a person's daily vitamin A requirement and has more calcium than a container of milk!!!! Do you really need more reasons to eat more kale?????

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 1/2 lbs young kale; stems and leaves chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
• salt & pepper
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

How to Make It:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored.
• Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Recipe from Foodnetwork.com

Spinach and Parmesan Orzo

This creamy orzo dish is a wonderful side or light main dish, and it's sure to be a hit with the entire family!

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
• Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted, about 1 minute. Add orzo and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately.

 source: damndelicious.net

Mamma Bracco's Spinach with Potatoes

This amazing recipe was passed down to me by my wonderful mother. Sadly, Mama Bracco passed away on January 29, 2013, but so many of her delicious recipes live on through me ... and I'm definitely passing them down to my children! Lots of garlic, milk and potatoes make this spinach dish a great side for so many meat, pork, chicken and fish dishes!! Go on ... try it!!!!

Ingredients Needed (for 4 servings):

• 2 pkgs frozen, chopped spinach (prepared according to package directions and drained well)
• 3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp whole wheat unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano cheese
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and broken up into chunks
• 1 good pinch of salt (I eyeball it, but I'd say it's roughly 1 tsp)
• freshly-ground pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

• Heat oil and butter in a fairly large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir immediately, being very careful NOT to burn the garlic! I stir it for maybe 10-15 seconds.

• Add the breadcrumbs and spinach and stir well.
• Pour in the milk and 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano cheese. Stir. Cook over medium heat until most of the milk is reduced. It should have a creamy, not watery, consistency.

• Add chunks of potatoes, salt and pepper. Stir well. Don't use too much salt! Rather, add about 1 teaspoon of salt and then add more, if necessary, after you have tasted it. Remember ... you can always ADD salt, but you can't REMOVE it!!!!

• Let cook over medium to low heat until all of the milk has been incorporated; about 10-15 minutes. Again, the end result should be CREAMY, not WATERY!! Stir frequently! You don't want the spinach to stick or, worse yet, burn.

Recipe from Immacolata "Mama" Bracco

Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts, as with broccoli, contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. They are also a source of indol-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. They taste great, too, and this recipe is a great way to bring out their delicious flavor!

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core

• 4 ounces pancetta, 1/4-inch-diced

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp syrupy balsamic vinegar

How to Make Them:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet pan, including some of the loose leaves, which get crispy when they're roasted.
• Add the pancetta, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with your hands and spread out in a single layer.

• Roast the Brussels sprouts for 20 to 30 minutes, until they're tender and nicely browned, and the pancetta is cooked.
• Toss once during roasting.
• Remove from the oven and drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar and toss again.
• Taste for seasoning and serve hot!

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa/Food Network

Orangey Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If you're looking for a delicious, different side dish, you'll surely love this one.  It's light and fluffy with a citrus twist.  I've made it for my family and friends and there were never any leftovers. You can adjust the amount of orange to your liking.

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into large chunks ~ or cleaned and wrapped whole in aluminum foil
• 1/4 cup milk (or buttermilk), slightly warmed
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)

How to Make It:

• Steam potatoes in a large, covered pan fitted with a steamer basket until they are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes ~ or bake at 400 degrees F for 60 minutes.
• If baking, remove skin and place potatoes in a large bowl.
• In a large bowl, mash potatoes with milk and orange juice.
• Stir in the zest, salt and nutmeg.
• Top with butter, if desired.

Roasted Potatoes & Squash

This is a delicious side dish made with sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes and a butternut or acorn squash.  A wonderful alternative to the ordinary potato side dish that will surely be a hit.

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 large butternut or acorn squash
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper
• rosemary

How to Make It:

• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes.  Peel and cube the butternut or acorn squash. Set aside.
• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan.  Add enough salted water to cover the potatoes.
• Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
• Spread the potatoes and squash of choice in a single layer on a large, non-stick baking sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, black pepper and rosemary.
• Roast the potatoes until browned and crisp; about 25 minutes.