Category Archives: Side Dishes

Recipe: Artichoke and Sweet Pea Gratin

I found this recipe in Food Network’s Magazine {January/February 2012} and thought it sounded delish. I tweaked it just a bit and now I think I’ve found a new family favorite!

What makes this side dish an even bigger hit is the fact that the it uses pantry ingredients and things I always have on hand! Win!

You’ll be seeing this on my meal rotation regularly.

:: Artichoke & Sweet Pea Gratin

1 Tbsp {organic} butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 cups {organic} milk
1 can artichoke hearts (in water/not oil)
2 cups frozen peas
Parmesan cheese

Whisk butter and flour together in an oven proof skillet {I used my cast iron skillet} over medium high heat for about one minute (the flour should bubble and start to get dry). Add the milk and whisk until boiling.

Add the artichokes (I chopped mine into quarters first) and frozen peas (do not thaw). Bring to a simmer. Then, top with parmesan cheese (I just grated it right over the top with my microplane so I didn’t measure – just enough to cover the whole dish like a light dusting of snow. :)

Pop it into the oven on broil. Broil for just a few minutes. When the cheese bubbles and browns it is ready!

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Recipe: Yellow Rice with Vegetables aka Lazy Mama’s Mexican Rice

Image Credit: Gourmet Memoirs

I have a few dishes that are go to dishes.  They are side dishes I make without even thinking about it.  Certain sides just “go” with certain main dishes, you know?

This recipe is one of those for me.  When I make Mexican food: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc, I always make yellow rice with vegetables.  It is an easy lazy mama’s take on Mexican Rice.

I once had the real thing, homemade by a real Mexican Mama.  It was fantastic!  But, I cannot replicate it no matter how hard I try.  This is my take on it- simplified.  And, what ya’ know… my family goes bonkers for it!  They can’t get enough.

Another bonus…you’ll get a serving of veggies in your kiddos.  This is music to your ears if you have kids who are picky about their vegetables!

:: Yellow Rice with Vegetables

2 bags of Mahatma Yellow Rice
1/2 bag of mixed veggies (I use Cascadian Farms mixed veg that has peas, carrots, and corn in it).

Boil the water according to the package on the rice (follow their measurements) along with 1 Tbsp butter. Once the water is boiling add the frozen vegetables…right out of the freezer. Allow the water to come back to a boil (this is important because the frozen vegetables will bring the temperature down).

Once the water is boiling again, add the rice to the pot. Place the lid on the pot and turn the temperature down to simmer and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes – until rice reaches the doneness that you desire.

Delicious with all things Mexican! (:

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Holiday Meal for Under $40

Do you have a big meal planned for your family this week?  Are you in charge of feeding extended family or does your family do a potluck type meal?   Do you cook all the food or just bring a dish?

Regardless of whether you need to pick up all the food or just the ingredients for one special dish, Walmart has you covered.

I recently went shopping for the ingredients for a big holiday meal -honey spiral sliced ham, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and spaghetti squash au gratin. All the ingredients to cook this meal cost me just

Here’s the breakdown:

Sam’s Choice Honey Spiral Sliced Ham $15.50
Asparagus $3.50
10 pounds of potatoes $3
Garlic (24.3 cents per ounce) $.50
Butter $2.50
Great Value Cheddar Cheese $2.32
Half Gallon Great Value Organic Milk $3.36
Spaghetti Squash ($1.18 per pound) $2.19
Chicken Stock $2
Great Value Sour Cream $2.48

Total cost for meal (plus extra ingredients for future meals): $37.35

If you are looking for an easy meat to cook your family, this ham is it!  There are two to choose from – Honey Glazed or Brown Sugar Glazed Ham.  The are both excellent! (I’ve tried the both! LOL).  They couldn’t be simpler – they are already pre-sliced…spiral sliced.  You heat the glaze in a sauce pan and then coat the ham and cook it (it is precooked, you are basically heating it) in your oven based on its weight.  It is absolutely delicious and beautiful!

And, this year I’m trying a new recipe:

:: Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

1 medium spaghetti squash
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced (optional)

Cut the spaghetti squash and remove the seeds. Place in covered dish with 1/4 inch of water and microwave for 10 to 12 minutes. In a medium sized skillet on medium heat, add the butter and onion. Cook until slightly brown in color. Salt and pepper to taste

Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl. Combine the squash, onions, sour cream, and half of the cheese together and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a buttered dish and top with remaining cheese.

Place in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Disclosure: I received compensation for this post. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.

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Easy Risotto

Image Credit: Super Mama Fitness

The first time I had risotto it was at a fancy restaurant while on a mini vacation with my husband for our anniversary several years ago.  I really liked it and at the time I didn’t think much about trying to make my own because I had heard how difficult it was.

Fast forward several years and I began to get a little more adventurous with my cooking and I started looking for more challenging dishes to try.  I found a recipe for risotto and gave it a whirl.  My poor husband was a big help and actually ended up cooking the other dishes while I slaved over the stove, sweating like a pig, babysitting the risotto.  And, after all that work…we didn’t really enjoy it.  It was just -eh.

So, when I saw this recipe for Easy Risotto I had to give it another go.  It was super easy and my husband and I both thought that this risotto was actually much tastier too!  I’ve since made it several more times and even served it to others.  It gets rave reviews.

So, if you’ve been too scared to attempt risotto, give this one a shot:

:: Easy Risotto

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice (yes, it has to be this type)
3 1/2 cups of chicken broth (plus more if needed)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
*optional chopped fresh parsley if you desire for color

Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until transparent and softened. Add in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes to toast up the rice a bit.

Add half of the broth (1 3/4 cups) and simmer, stirring once, until absorbed (about 8 to 10 minutes). Then, add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring once, until the rice is tender and creamy.

if the rice isn’t tender and cooked through add a small amount of broth and allow it to cook out until it is the desired texture.

Stir in the Parmesan and the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and serve. If you want color, add the parsley.

*Delish with a simple dish of grilled chicken and a green salad or vegetable.

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Broccoli Salad

One of my favorite summer salads is broccoli salad.  It is tangy, sweet, and savory… delicious!    I know some people see Labor Day as the close of summer, but the way the weather is feelin’ around here I don’t think it is going to be totally gone any time soon!  I imagine we’ll have it at least another time or two before summer is completely gone.

:: Broccoli Salad

2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 cup cheese (grated)
1/3 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup sweet onion
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar

Mix vinegar, sugar, and mayo.  Mix all other ingredients separately in a large bowl.  Pour mayo/vinegar mixture over the broccoli mixture.  Allow to chill for flavors to meld – at least an hour.

Disclosure: I was compensated by Nakano for my time on this post.

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Fried Summer {Yellow} Squash

Fried squash is like a sign that it is summer time in my opinion.  A summer can’t go by that we don’t make it for dinner at least a few times!  Summer wouldn’t be worth this horrible heat if it weren’t for the delicious home grown tomatoes and fresh yellow squash!

This technique for coating and frying yellow squash came from my mama and it couldn’t be any easier!  My husband loves this dish and I know your family will too.  Give it a shot while the yellow squash are still available!

:: Fried Summer {Yellow} Squash

2 or 3 yellow squash, washed and cut into round slices.
1 egg
3 or 4 Tbsp flour (plus extra)
coconut oil (or your favorite oil for frying)
sea salt

Scramble the egg in a bowl with a lid.   Add the squash and the flour.  Place the lid on the bowl and give it a good shake so that the egg and flour will coat all the squash.  Remove the lid.  If the squash doesn’t have a good coating of flour (it still looks gooey from the egg)  add a sprinkle more of flour and replace the lid and shake.  Once all the squash has a good coating it is ready for frying.

Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet.  Once the oil is hot dump all the squash into the pan.  Fry and flip until all the squash are done and have a golden brown coating.  Sprinkle with salt and serve.  Mmmmm.

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Roasted Potatoes

Easy Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Potatoes are a family favorite at my house.  To be totally honest…we love potatoes just about anyway you can make them, but mashed and roasted are at the top of our list.  Roasted potatoes are really easy to make and are actually a pretty healthy way of making potatoes since you are using a healthy oil – olive oil – in moderation.

You can use any potatoes you have on hand, but red and golden potatoes are really delicious this way.  Here’s my go-to recipe!

:: Roasted Potatoes

As many potatoes as your family will eat, peeled and cut into chunks
olive oil
Mesquite or BBQ seasoning (I use McCormick’s)
sea salt

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Put chunks of sweet potato into a bowl with about a Tbsp of olive oil (more or less) and toss to coat. Once all the potatoes have a nice coat of olive oil, spread them out on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with mesquite or BBQ seasoning and sea salt. Bake for about 20 minutes.

*Photo credit: Cookin Canuk

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Everyday Meals with Lawry’s – A Give Away -Closed!

Lawry's2

Congrats to Mandi for winning the prize pack!!

I have had an exciting opportunity with Lawry’s to produce a three course “Everyday meal” with flair using some of Lawry’s products.  I had 5 other team members that have helped me with this competition.  Janel, of A Mom’s Take helped me come up with the salad course, while our other team members came up with recipes for a main dish and a side dish.

Here’s our menu:

Lawry’s Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Tricia, Once a Month Mom & Debbi, Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
Zucchini Fries
Julie, Dinner with Julie & Kelsey, The Naptime Chef
Strawberry and Balsamic Herb Salad
Janel, A Mom’s Take & me, Wholesome Mommy!

After brainstorming lots of ideas for our salad course we finally decided on Janel’s Strawberry Balsamic Salad.  I suggested we use candied pecans to give the salad a gourmet zing (without much work, I might add)!

Here’s Janel’s Recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Salad:

:: Strawberries and Balsamic Herb Salad

Strawberries (I like organic since they are on the dirty dozen list)
Salad greens (Janel made her’s with spinach and Green lead but you can use whatever salad greens are your favorite)
Lawry’s Balsamic Herb Marinade
Grated cheese – such as fresh Parmesan
Candied Pecans (see recipe below)

Wash and chop or tear your salad greens. (I like to let my lettuce bathe in ice water while I prepare the other ingredients, then I take it for a spin in the salad spinner to get all the water out. It makes the greens crispy).

Wash and slice your strawberries (as many as you want in your salad) and then drizzle with Lawry’s Balsamic Herb marinade and toss to coat. Grind fresh pepper over the berries.

Toss the salad greens, strawberries, and candied pecans together and then top with freshly grated parmesan. Then serve!

:: Candied Pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Line baking sheet with parchment. Combine butter and brown sugar in skillet and bring to a boil. Add pecans and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly (or until pecans are browned).

Spoon mixture onto parchment in a single layer to prevent sticking together. Cool for 10 min. Store for up to 2 days.

Janel and her son taste tested the completed salad, go check out her blog here to see what the final decision was!

Want to Win Some Lawry’s Products of Your Own?

Lawry's giveaway

1 lucky Wholesome Mommmy reader will win a kit with the ingredients seen here (the same ones we received to create these recipes)!

Here’s what you need to do to enter (each is worth one entry – please comment a separate time for each entry to be counted):

  • Visit the other blog’s links in this post and leave a comment on their blog post, then come back and let me know which one you visited (each blog is worth an entry – up to 5 entries!)
  • Follow @WholesomeMommy on Twitter and tweet this give away “ Win a kit of Lawry’s products to make an awesome dinner for your fam here: http://tinyurl.com/3lqyhva @WholesomeMommy .com #Lawrys
  • Subscribe to Wholesome Mommy in a reader or through your email!

This give away ends August 19th at 11:59 EST.  The winner will be chosen via random.org and will be notified by email and announced on this blog.

I was compensated for my time developing this recipe and writing this post.  I also received some product to use as part of this post.  As always all opinions are my own.

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Sweet Cooked Carrots

Image Credit: Lulu's Recipe Box

Carrots have been a favorite of Judah’s since his first taste.  I think it is the sweet  flavor – he definitely has his father’s sweet tooth! I make them pretty often because it is a veggie I know he will eat without hesitation.  He is even happy to eat them leftover for lunch the following day or two.

They are very simple and pair well with many dishes!

:: Sweet Cooked Carrots

1 lb. bag of baby carrots
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar (depending on your taste)
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients into a saucepan and cover with a lid. Heat over high heat until the water boils. Then, turn it down to low and allow to cook until carrots are done all the way through (not crunchy).

If the carrots aren’t done but the liquid is cooking nearly out, add a little more water. When the carrots are done add a tbsp of butter and serve!

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Homemade Salad Dressings

It is summer and that means salads abound!  I love a delicious, crunchy salad using both some of the fresh produce from my mom’s garden and treasures I find from the local farmer’s markets that Judah and I have had fun browsing.

What makes a bowl of  local gorgeous produce even tastier? A fresh salad dressing whipped up from scratch!  It is way better than anything you can buy in a bottle and most the time you’ll have all the ingredients laying around in your fridge or pantry!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Image Credit: Sheffield Family Blog

:: Zesty Mustard Vinaigrette

{Fabulous on a chopped salad with everything but the kitchen sink!}

3 Tbsp Holland House Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the vinegar and mustard.Slowly drizzle the olive oil, whisking constantly. Whisk in the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

:: Warm Bacon Dressing

{To die for on a spinach salad with button mushrooms}

5 slices of bacon
1 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup Holland House Red Wine Vinegar
1 to 2 Tbsp honey mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from grease and allow to drain on a paper towel – but reserve 2 Tbsp of the fat for the dressing. Heat the grease over medium-high heat and add the shallots. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, desired amount of the mustard, and salt and pepper scrapping up the brown bits. Allow to simmer 2 minutes then remove from heat. Pour over the salad {chop the bacon – I use my kitchen scissors – and add to salad} and serve warm!

I am a Mizkan Blogger Advocate. Mizkan provided me with compensation for my time on this post.  All the opinions here are my own.

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