This recipe for Oyster Cornbread Dressing has been in my family for generations. There’s a reason for that – it’s damn good. The oysters do not taste fishy, they just give the stuffing umami which takes it over the top.
Sides
Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Butter Sauce
A long time ago, when Trader Joe’s was close to me, I tried a sample of their Roasted Vegetables in Balsamic Butter Sauce with a dollop of creme fraiche. I loved it. Ever since then, when I would visit the store, I would always get a few bags to put in my freezer. But, you know, sometimes you’re at the store, not Trader Joe’s, and you really want those vegetables with no time to go and get them. That’s when you get the stuff you need and make your own. Now, I’m going to share with you my take on these wonderful roasted vegetables with balsamic butter sauce.
Asian Beef Meatballs with Spicy Cucumber Salad
Sometimes, it’s nice to have something that is a little lighter fare. This Asain dish, Asian Meatballs with Spicy Cucumber Salad really hits the spot flavorwise. It’s very simple and quick to make, so you can make this for a weeknight dinner – I don’t know about having leftovers, this will probably get all eaten up! If you don’t like spicy food, you can leave the chili out of the cucumber salad.
We make this healthy by including wheatgerm in the meatballs, and we bake the balls in the oven instead of frying or sauteing them.
Colcannon with Bacon and White Cheddar
Colcannon with bacon and cheddar, is my take on the traditional Irish dish that can be served as a side or stand on its own. Thrifty, filling, and delicious.
Blue Cheese Risotto with Roast Beef
I made this a few years ago and forgot about it. It languished in my recipe box for many years, until as I was going through it to see what I could remove, I came across it and thought I should try it again.
It’s delicious. But be warned – if you don’t like blue cheese, you won’t like this. If you don’t like red wine, you won’t like this either. This is not a traditional risotto, it is very assertive and needs to be served with well-marinated beef. I think broccoli goes very well with this and steams quite quickly while the roast rests. Serve with a nice red wine and Sour Cherry Jellies for dessert.
You all have to forgive my surfer platter. Under the roast, it says “Seas & Greetings” – I just couldn’t resist it for the holidays a few years ago, and it has served me well.
Beans in the Instant Pot
Beans in the Instant Pot
I couldn’t help myself. Everyone I knew had one of these new Instant Pots, and everyone was going on about how wonderful they were. Even my therapist had one! So, I looked up to see exactly what it was, and when I realized it was in fact an enhanced pressure cooker, I got kind of scared.
What’s for Dinner, Mom?
My mother was getting the cheese out of the refrigerator while the pressure cooker was happily bubbling on the stove. I walked in to ask my mother if I could have a glass of whatever (probably milk), when suddenly, there was a loud explosion, a red flash, and as we looked up, there was red spaghetti all over the kitchen walls. If my mother had been by the pot, she probably would have been seriously injured if not killed. I swear we picked spaghetti off that kitchen wall for days. It was kind of fun… but, that’s how you get a phobia about pressure cookers.
Times, They Are a Changin’
Despite being deathly afraid of the contraptions, I realized that technology must have made them safer. After all, if we could send a man to the moon in nothing more than a glorified tin can, then why couldn’t we have beans in an instant pot, and not perish. I got a little mini pot just so I could play around and get used to it. The 6 quart, I was thinking about getting is large, but it’s only two of us, and this little guy, just over a quart, makes more than enough for us.
Because I don’t have to heat up a lot of other pots or dirty a lot of dishes, I really appreciate this little pot. Just put this one on sauté, add the vegetables, sauté them, then add the beans, liquid, cover, and I’m good to go. Everything everyone said about how great these pressure cookers are was right. They are wonderful. But, we’re here to talk about Beans in the Instant Pot, so let’s do that.
Same-Day Fried Rice
Can you use freshly cooked rice on the same day to make fried rice? No, you can’t. But, if you use this same-day fried rice method, you can cure your craving any day. You will be surprised at how easy this is.
Hasselback Potatoes in the Microwave
Hasselback Potatoes in the Microwave
So I was hunting around Big Oven one night, getting hungry and trying to find something interesting to make with our dinner. It had to be visually appealing, and it had to go in the microwave, because a) I didn’t want to heat up the house, b) I was hungry! When I saw a picture of these, I was intrigued, and even though all recipes said to use the oven, I figured the microwave would work just fine. I was right, it did.
Potato and Leek Casserole
Recipes in this Post
When I went to the local farmer’s market, they had some lovely leeks and beets available. I bought both. I made pickled beets with the beets, and then struggled with what to do with the leeks. Usually, I make a Quiche, but I really didn’t like the idea of turning my oven on twice, once to pre-bake the shell, and then to bake the Quiche itself. Now that I have my mandoline, I have had so much fun, and I thought to combine potatoes and leeks together in a casserole.
I also had a lovely pork loin in my refrigerator, and leeks and pork go together so nicely. A bottle of white wine was waiting to make it a perfect meal.
Microwave Artichoke or Instant Pot with Herb Sauce
One of the reasons artichokes are not that popular is they take a long time to cook on the stovetop. Well, there are easier ways. In this recipe, I offer two ways to have artichokes on the table quickly, either microwave artichokes or if you have one use the Instant Pot.