By Stan

September 4, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

I go back and forth. Sometime I really put in a little extra effort on the sides (usually when I go with simply prepared main dish).

Roasted brocoli with garlic same for brussel sprouts (yum) both go well with simple pan seared pork or chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Maybe add a bit of Old Bay or something like that.

Most of the time however I am a lazy cook and just make frozen plate filler.

By lk

September 5, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

I sometimes like the side dishes best of all. On most weekdays I go for tried and true - easy but good. I second Stan on roasting vegetables. It brings out the flavor and is hands off. I roast green beans, broccoli, fennel, asparagus - just about any vegetable tastes good. My general process is to put a sheet pan in the oven with the non-stick Reynolds wrap on it and leave it while the oven heats to 500. By the time I get the vegetables cleaned, trimmed, tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt etc. the pan is searing hot. Put the veg on the pan and turn the heat to 350. The heat of the pan sears the outside of the veg and gives it good carmelization. Depending on the veg leave in the oven for 15 to 30 min.

A good easy way to have brussel sprouts is to trim them, cut them in half and par boil them. Then drain and put in a pan with a bit of olive oil and diced pancetta. Cook -making sure to leave them alone so the cut sides will get carmelized. When finished toss in some walnut pieces and warm - you’re good to go.

By momtoAlex&Max

September 5, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this

I will be following the responses closely. While I usually can think of a main dish pretty easily, I struggle like crazy to come up with side dishes. I doesn’t help that neither my husband nor kids will eat simple things like steamed veggies. Ugh.

By lh

September 5, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

I tend to focus on one recipe a night, but will do simple things to jazz up side dishes.

I’ll roast asparagus, then drizzle it with balsamic vinegar, or toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme and roast that. Add parmesan cheese and/or roasted garlic to mashed potatoes. I also use some sour cream in mashed potatoes rather than just milk. I’ll wrap a couple of cloves in foil & roast them in the toaster oven while dinner cooks. If we’re grilling we’ll grill veggies (squash & eggplant are good) at the same time, just coat them with oil & some seasonings first. If I do baked sweet potatoes I add cinnamon & nutmeg when they are served.

By JJ

September 5, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

I need some good side suggestions too. I am trying to eliminate rice and pasta as side dishes.

Our normal dinner is a meat, veggie, and salad, along with a LARGE glass of milk!!!

But I need side suggestions. I love roasted veggies too.

By Stan

September 5, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

lk…I never thought about green beans roasted. I gotta try that, also great idea of pre-heating the pan.

The roasted cauliflower sounds really good too.

JJ, it’s funny because I’m trying to convince my wife that rice/pasta is not really of the devil and get her to let me add it (esp rice) back into our regular foods.

When y’all roast veggies, has anyone every tried roasting frozen veg? Fresh is not always so fresh or trust worthy and I don’t have time to get to a farmer’s market.

Thanks

By Jo The Kitchen Goddess

September 5, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

Oh, gosh, JJ & Momto…, I have a simple solution. Just Google “side dish recipes” & see what comes up. That’s how I’ve gotten some of my best cooking & baking ideas (such as my pierogi casserole, for example. Good luck!)

By Becky

September 5, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

For my rice, I usually mix in a can of brocoli cheese soup, milk, onions & garlic, then I bake it in the oven..I servce this with chicken, salad & garlic bread..After, I boil my corn on the cob, I mix butter with a cajun season, salt & pepper, then use that as a spread..

I’ll have to try some of the suggestions here, they sound wonderful..

By N-GA

September 5, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

If I’m putting a lot of time & effort into the entree, then I try to put as much time & effort in the side dishes.

Some examples: asparagus with saffron aioli, potato & bacon tarte with gruyere cheese, crab Remick, mushroom risotto…you get the picture. BTW, a well-paired wine really pulls it all together!

By Becky

September 5, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

N-GA, is the potato & bacon tarte your own creation? As long as it doesn’t have mushrooms in it, I would love to try it..

I also do a hashbrown casserole, roasted eggplant..I will take something from a recipe & change it or add to it..Whatever I cook, it most all the time has onions & garlic in it..

By EveningEdge guy

September 5, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

To JJ amd MomTo and others:

Your questions have the Evening Edge staff thinking about how to better serve information about side dishes. Here’s my question for the room: If we organized our side dishes into simple pages where you could browse, would it be most helpful to have lists of side dishes to accompany a particular cuisine or food type? (Like if we had simple sides for Chicken, Seafood, Asian, etc.)

Your suggestions just might become a new addition to the Web site.

And for starters, our recipe database has a category for side dishes. And from this list, you can narrow the search by clicking on a cuisine type.

Another way is to search a food type (like green beans, to use a lame example). And then when the recipe results come up, click on the word “side dish” to narrow that search to get side dishes that include that as a main ingredient.

—Brian O’Shea from Evening Edge

By ATLmom

September 5, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Brian - I love the idea of side dishes searchable by cuisine type. When I’m planning the family meals, I normally decide on an entree, then come up with an easy side or two. I have a few great side dish recipes, but I’d like more.

By Becky

September 5, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

Brian, that would be great..That’s a big problem for me, as to what to serve with a main entree..

By N-GA

September 5, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

Becky,

I adapted the recipe from a French cookbook years ago. It goes something like this (I apologize for not giving measurements, but I just do it by memory).

Slice potatoes approximately 1/8” thick (NOT thinner, but slightly thicker is OK!), and hold in cold water to prevent discoloring. A mandoline works best. Be sure to pat the sliced potatoes dry with a paper towel before using them.

Using a glass 9” pie pan and 1 pound of quality bacon, standard thickness, take a strip of bacon and locate the narrow end in the center of the pie pan. Stretch the strip outward until it drapes over the edge by 3 inches or so. Take another bacon strip and again start at the center of the pan next to the previous strip and do the same thing, continuing with additional strips until the entire pan is covered.

Now layer the potato slices on the bottom of the pan. Grate gruyere cheese over that layer, then alternate the potatoes with the cheese. No salt is necessary because there is plenty in the cheese & bacon. Cracked black pepper works well, though. Continue until the layers create a slight mound, similar to an overstuffed apple pie. The last layer should be cheese.

Then take the bacon that is draped beyond the edge of the pie pan and pull it back toward the center of the pan over the top of the last layer. Don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake on a cookie sheet (to prevent bacon grease from dripping into your oven) at 350 degrees until a toothpick easily penetrates the potatoes and comes out clean (typically 45 minutes).

Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool. Wait at least 20 minutes to allow the cheese to set up. Then cut into narrow wedges and serve.

You will be amazed at the result! It is also a terrific dish to bring to a dinner party. It travels well, and it looks fantastic!

By Becky

September 5, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

Thanks N-GA..I will try this within the next couple of weeks..

By jg

September 5, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

My Mom’s faithfuls were tater tots - macaroni and cheese with velveeta - rice-a-roni - and beets….

just needed to share that!

By No garlic, no mo

September 5, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

Is there something wrong with me? I used to cook with garlic all the time and loved it. The past year or so, I’ve developed an aversion to it in all but marinara sauces. What is up with that?

By Stan

September 5, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Brian, As an IT guy, any extra ways to refine a search is welcomed by me. Sides are always a bit of an after thought for me, unless I read a suggestion here or see something on TV that sounds intresting.

Stan

By EveningEdge guy

September 5, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this

JG: Macaroni and tater tots are important food groups, to be sure.

Your post sent me looking for John Kessler’s tribute to Tater Tots, which is still online.

By FCM

September 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Briane/Jeanne,

Sides are always a challenge. Especially if I come in from work and there is only an hour/hour and a half to do dinner, homework, showers and bed for the kids. I know the secrets of the crockpot and cassarole. What to do when you don’t want to spend all weekend cooking. You don’t want salad everynight, or cassaroles/roasts?

I think a set of sides that pair well to make a complete meal, with little check boxes so I could plan my weekly meals on the weekend….at the risk of seeming totally lazy, being able to print a grocery list would be great too!

Just a thought.