Side dishes – Page 2 – The Funky Oven

Sauteed spinach and leeks

Side dishes

1 leek – cleaned and chopped just the white parts

4 slices bacon

1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper

11 ounce package of fresh spinach

Cut the bacon into very small 1/2 inch pieces. Fry the bacon until done. Drain the back and discard the grease.

Leave the bacon out of the pan. On medium heat, add the butter and leek. Saute for about 2-3 minutes. When wilted, add the spinach. Turn constantly and cook about 5-10 minutes or until all of the spinach is wilted. Add the crispy bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Jalapeño popper potatoes

jalapeno, Side dishes

Jalapenos are a little tricky. Some are super spicy and some are mild/sweet. The ones I used for this were definitely mild. Cooking them prior will help decrease their heat. If I felt that my peppers were really spicy I would definitely not use 6. Also please keep in mind that the cream cheese definitely decreases the spice level significantly.

3 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

6 slices of bacon

1 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4-6 jalapeños, seeded and diced – see above notes

4 ounces cream cheese

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

1 cup half and half or milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dice the bacon into very small pieces. In a saucepan, cook the bacon until done. Remove the bacon from the pan. Using 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, cook the onion, garlic and jalapeño about 5 minutes of until tender.

Add the cream cheese, bacon, and milk/half and half. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts. Add the salt and Colby jack and continue to stir. Remove from the heat.

Place the diced potatoes into a prepared and buttered 9×13 baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce on top. Cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove and sprinkle the top with Panko. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

Baked mushroom barley

Dinner, Side dishes

I have always enjoyed side dishes that are low maintenance so I can put my time into other things. This dish is filling enough to also be a vegetarian main dish.

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound sliced mushrooms

1 cup pearled barley

2 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the barley and cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and thyme. Bring to a boil. Cover and place the dutch oven into the preheated oven. Cook 60-70 minutes without peeking or stirring.

When you first open the dutch oven all of the mushrooms will be on top. Stir and top with parsley.

Pimento cheese potatoes

jalapeno, Side dishes

This came out perfect. The flavors in the pimento cheese are simple the perfect way to make au gratin potatoes. It also cuts down on the time needed to make a dish like this. Pimento cheese is easily found in the deli section of the grocery store. Of course, you could make your own also. I would definitely adjust the salt based ion the type of pimento cheese you buy. You can also make it perfectly well without the jalapenos. This amount made enough for 2-3 generous side dishes.

2 russet baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 jalapeno peppers sliced

1.5 cups pimento cheese

1 cup half and half

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8×8 baking dish. Begin by layering the 1/2 of the potatoes, all of the jalapeno, the 1/2 of the cheese.

Make another layer that is the same – the remaining potatoes and then the remaining cheese.

Pour the half and half over the whole thing. Cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil cover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Black eyed peas

Garden creations, jalapeno, Side dishes, Soup

Being from Missouri, we never…. NEVER ate black eyed peas. Now that I live in Texas they are a staple. It has taken me several years to get a spice variety I like. Now that I have it down, I could easily eat these every day. I based my recipe off the Paula Dean variation. It is warm, comforting, and just a little flavor with still allowing the peas to shine. We even grow the peas, jalapeno, onion, and okra right in our backyard. How easy is that?

This is a true “dump and go’ type recipe. It cooks for 2 hours, which can seem a bit long, but there is little that needs to be done to it once it is in the pot. It just needs a few stirs here and there.

This recipe does not work well using dried black eyed peas because of cooking time. They require much longer cooking, and I personally do not like the way they taste as much. It is a lot better to buy fresh peas or even the frozen type that can be found near frozen vegetables at the grocery store.

These black eyes peas are really a meal in itself. Serve them with cornbread and they are perfect. My husband and I like them with BBQ chicken and cornbread. For extra luck, add a side of cabbage.

2-3 cups black eyes peas – fresh or frozen

6 slices of bacon

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 handful frozen okra slices or 2-3 pods fresh okra sliced

6-8 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon guajillo chili powder

Cook the bacon in a dutch oven. Drain the grease and replace the bacon in the pan.

Add all of the ingredients. Cover. Simmer on medium or low for 2 hours. Stir every 30-45 minutes. Add more water if needed.

Rosemary roasted potatoes and chickpeas

Side dishes

This is a wonderful fall side dish. It bakes in the oven for about an hour and feeds 4-6 servings. It has been a personal favorite of mine for years. Sometimes I also add roughly chopped or pearl onions. Sometimes I also add carrots. What I like most are the tiny crunchy chickpeas that add texture to the dish.

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, whole and peeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

crushed red pepper – optional

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the potatoes, whole garlic, and chickpeas into a 9×13 baking dish. Mix the olive oil, sugar, and spices in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the potatoes and stir to mix. Bake for 45-60 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.

Savory leek and shallot brown rice

Side dishes

Even if you do not like brown rice, you will likely enjoy this dish. We ate it with grilled chicken. It was easy, fast, and very tasty.

1 shallot, sliced

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 cup brown rice uncooked

1 leek (white part only), sliced

1 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons butter

1 Knorr extra large chicken bouillon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup water

Cook the brown rice according to the package directions.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the leeks, celery, and shallots. Sauté for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Add the peas. Cook 3-5 minutes. Add the brown rice. Add 1/2 cup water and black pepper. Cover and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until just warm. Stir often.

Cottage cheese dill dip

Side dishes

1 large container cottage cheese

1 tablespoon dill

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes

Place all into a blender or food processor. Pulse until a smooth creamy consistency. Let sit at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before eating.

This dip is very good on vegetables as well as crackers and tortilla chips. It is a great lower calorie alternative to the typical mayonnaise and sour cream dips.

Homemade rice a roni

Side dishes

This makes enough rice to feed a crowd. It is very good and tastes better than the boxed mix.
1/3 cup orzo pasta

1 cup long grain rice

2 tablespoons butter

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 3/4 cups water

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the rice and orzo. Stir constantly until browned.

Add in the seasonings and water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 20 minutes or until all moisture is absorbed.

Broccoli and bacon pasta salad

Side dishes

6 slices bacon – sliced small and cooked

2 cups broccoli – cleaned and trimmed small

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

4 green onions – cleaned and sliced thin

2 teaspoons dry yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup champagne vinaigrette or similar

8 ounces elbow macaroni

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta fully with cold water.

Slice the bacon into small pieces. Cook in skillet until crisp. Drain well.

Prepare the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, vinaigrette, salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

In a large bowl, combine the green onions, cheese, raw broccoli, bacon, and cold pasta. Toss with dressing until fully coated. Allow salad to sit in refrigerator at least 1-3 hours before eating. Add additional dressing if salad becomes dry while waiting.

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