Side dishes

Black beans

Serves 6

  • 1 cup black beans
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 onion, small
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 Tbsp epazote
  • 1 chipotle adobados
  • salt
  • pepper

Simmer 3 to 4 hours. Remove bay leaf and chile.

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Boston baked beans

Serves 8

  • 2 cups dried beans
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 pound salt pork
  • 2 tsp dry mustard
  • 5 Tbsp dark brown sugar or maple syrup
  • 4 Tbsp molasses
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp Mapeline

Wash beans and soak overnight. Add salt, stir and drain, reserving the liquid. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Put the beans in the pot. Blend the mustard, brown sugar, molasses, and Mapeline with the reserved bean liquid and pour over the beans. Cut several gashes in the salt pork and place on top of the beans. Cover and bake for about 6 hours, adding water as needed. Uncover for the final hour of cooking so the pork will become brown and crisp. Taste and correct seasoning. (May add 1 medium chopped onion before cooking.)

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Brandied wild rice, corn bread, and walnut stuffing

Enough for a 15-20 pound turkey, 16 servings

  • Cornbread
  • 2 cups cornmeal (1/2 coarse [“polenta”] and 1/2 fine)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup oil (can use olive oil)
  • Stuffing
  • 4 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 1/2 cups celery, diced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage, minced
  • 8 ounces wild rice
  • 1 pound walnuts
  • 2 tsp liquid smoke flavoring
  • 2 cups low fat chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • salt

Cook the 8 ounces of wild rice according to package instructions.

Make the double batch corn bread: mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in a second. Combine the two, then pour into a greased 9X13 inch pan and bake at 400°F 20–25 minutes until lightly browned and done. Let cool, then break into chunks (no more than an inch or two large). I use a mix of polenta and regular corn meal to give the stuffing more texture. (Can used 8 cups dry cornbread or two packages mix instead.)

Sauté onions, garlic, and celery in olive oil 8–10 minutes until golden. Add mushrooms, parsley, and sage and sauté, stirring occasionally, 8–10 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients including the crumbled cornbread. Salt to taste. Then either stuff bird or bake covered in hot oven (325 to 400°F).

Entire recipe contains 7931 calories, 431g fat, 264g protein, 770g carbohydrate, 84g fiber, 7.8g sodium. I often cut the recipe in half, in which case you bake the cornbread in an 8X8 pan.

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Bread stuffing with sausage, walnuts and apricots

Serves 16

  • 1 1/2 pounds bulk breakfast sausage
  • 12 Tbsp butter
  • 4 ribs celery, chopped fine
  • 2 medium onions, chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 3 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 3 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh marjoram, minced
  • 3 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 2 cups dried apricots, thinly sliced
  • 3 pounds white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and dried
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper

Cook sausage in skillet over medium heat, breaking it up into smaller pieces, until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and discard the fat. Drain sausage on paper towels.

Melt the butter in the empty skillet. Add the celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the herbs and cook an additional minute.

Combine everything in a large bowl. Place in oiled 15 by 10 inch baking dish.

Cook, covered with foil, 45 minutes in a 350°F oven, then remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

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Brussels sprouts with mustard seed

Serves 12

  • 2 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 Tbsp mustard seed
  • 1/4 cup coarse mustard
  • 1 tsp salt

Trim and crosscut base of brussels sprouts. Cook in large pan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well.

Just before serving, stir butter and mustard seed in heavy large skillet over medium heat until butter browns lightly. The mustard seeds will start “popping” like popcorn. Blend in mustard and brussels sprouts. Add salt. Stir until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 47 calories, 5g fat, 1g protein, 1g carbohydrate.

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Candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows

Serves 12

  • 8 Tbsp butter
  • 5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 cups mini marshmallows

Melt butter in large pot. Add brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water, stir to combine, then add the sweet potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook at a simmer, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are tender (about 30 minutes). Remove the lid and boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce has reduced to a glaze, about 7 to 10 minutes. Place mixture into 13 by 9 inch dish, and spread the marshmallows over the top. Bake until marshmallows are golden on top (about 5 minutes in a 450°F oven, more like 10-15 minutes in a 350°F oven).

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Maple-roast parsnips

Serves 8

  • 2 1/4 pounds parsnips
  • 2-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Peel the parsnips, then halve or quarter lengthwise, depending on their size (if one end is very narrow, cut it off and don’t halve or quarter the narrow part.) Place in roasting pan, pour oil over, and turn the parsnips until they are coated. Pour over the maple syrup, then roast in a 400°F oven 35 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

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Mushrooms with dill

Serves 6

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1 pound mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • salt
  • pepper

Sauté mushrooms, add other ingredients.

Per serving: 209 calories, 21g fat, 3g protein, 5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 100 mg sodium.

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Rory’s Mexican rice

Serves 6

  • 1 cup rice
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 green pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke flavoring

Fry rice in fat until opaque and lightly golden. Add rest except water, bouillon, and smoke flavoring; fry until liquid is evaporated. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, then simmer covered 20 minutes.

Per serving: 161 calories, 5g fat, 3g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 370mg sodium.

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Sharon’s Sweet & Sour Green Salad

  • 2 types of green/red lettuce, torn into bite size pieces (~ 1/2 head each)
  • 2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1/4-1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (broil carefully ahead of time in the oven)
  • 1 cup chopped celery

Mix all above and toss with salad dressing. For salad dressing: 2 Tbsp sugar (I use powdered); 2 Tbsp vinegar; 1/4 cup oil (I use olive); 1/2 tsp salt; 1 Tbsp parsley; dash red pepper and black pepper.

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Southern fried cabbage

Serves 6

  • 3 slices bacon
  • 3 Tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 pinch sugar

Dice onion, core and slice cabbage. Cut bacon into small pieces and saute in large pot until nearly done. Drain bacon fat, add oil, salt, pepper and onion. Sauté until onion is softened. Add remaining ingredients, and cook until cabbage wilted and tender (about 5 minutes). Serve with hot sauce.

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Woodland port wine sauce

Serves 6

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
  • 3/4 cup beef broth
  • 1 1/4 cups port wine
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • salt and pepper to taste

If using shiitakes, soak them in the port wine overnight to hydrate. Take out of port, and slice into thin strips, discarding the stems.

Mix cornstarch and water.

Heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the garlic and shallots. Cook until the shallots are softened, about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushrooms. Cook until they are limp, about 2 minutes (the shiitakes will not go limp), continuing to stir often. Add the beef broth and port wine. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered until the mixture is reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter 1/2 Tbsp at a time until all has been used. Salt and pepper to taste. Great with prime rib.

Per serving: 177 calories, 8g fat, 3g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 170mg sodium.

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Yorkshire pudding

Serves 12

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2/3 tsp salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 6 tsp oil (from the roast)

As the roast cooks, make the batter. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk until foamy. Beat in the milk and salt. Gradually add the flour, beating to make a smooth batter. Let the batter rest as the roast finishes cooking.

Raise oven temperature to 450°F. For oil, use drippings from roasting pan. Place 1/2 tsp in each muffin tin. Place muffin pan in oven for 2 minutes until oil is smoky. Remove pan, pour 3 Tbsp batter into each cup. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 83 calories, 4g fat, 3g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 140mg sodium.

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