I don't know about you, but I absolutely adore the lovely rice you get on the side at a Mexican restaurant. Tex Mex is the name of the game. After much trial and error I think I've finally recreated a recipe that's really close to what you'll find in a local restaurant. This rice pairs perfectly with any sort of Mexican dish and is super simple and cheap to put together. It's … [Read more...]
Roasted Broccoli with Golden Raisins and Peanuts
Broccoli Raisin Salad. Quite possibly my favorite "cold vegetable" salad. When thinking about trying a new way to fix broccoli, I kept going back to my favorite cold version of broccoli raisin salad. But it didn't sound right as I thought about it. Maybe it's the chili weather, or mourning the loss of summer (yes, I am in mourning. Not a winter person here.), or all the … [Read more...]
Balsamic Tomatoes with Feta and Fresh Herbs
This could be my most favorite flavor combination from this summer. From the bold balsamic to the tangy feta to the sweet basil and the perfect taste of vine ripened tomatoes. It's so raw. And fresh. And delicious! A few weeks ago (before the squirrels took over), I made this recipe with the striped tigerella tomatoes...a new variety for me this year, thanks to my friend … [Read more...]
Oven Roasted Garlic Green Beans
If vegetables could taste like candy, these might be the Reese's of all cooked vegetables. The oven roasting gives the green beans a bit of a caramelized flavor...and the boldness and sweetness from the roasted garlic...and it's almost like they are candied vegetables. Almost. (Even though that's a ridiculous claim, you have to try them and decide for yourself.) This … [Read more...]
Mediterranean Quinoa
It's we're on a bit of a quinoa roll these days! I have a number of recipes on One Dish Dinners using quinoa (with another coming next week!), Lisa shared her Cilantro-Lime Quinoa last week and we've made a number of different quinoa recipes here on $5 Dinners! If you haven't heard of quinoa (keen-wa), it's a gluten free grain from Peru that is gaining popularity quickly … [Read more...]
Fried Green Tomatoes
Sliced, dipped, dredged and fried tomatoes equal a plateful of delights as the showcase of veggie night. It’s an annual treat. I make fried green tomatoes maybe twice a summer. Veggie plate night, of course being a frugal way to feed our hodgepodge. And fried green tomatoes, of course being a way to liven things up a bit. I explained to the children that fried green … [Read more...]
Caesar Romaine Wedge Salad
So I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out what to do with this week's Grow. Eat. $ave. post about lettuce. I feel like I've been eating or talking about salads for weeks. (See Strawberry Spinach Salad, Asian Spinach Salad with Mandarins, plus I've been making lots of the salad dressings that are in my Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook over the past 2 months!) But I … [Read more...]
Corn Salad
Are you hot yet? In these dog days of summer, I have been experimenting with fresh recipes for hot summer nights. I have been loving vegetable salad recipes that feature summer produce in a new way. This is one of my favorite summer side dishes. It is a change from the classic corn on the cob and is a great make ahead dish to bring on a … [Read more...]
Twice Baked-Grilled Potatoes
Here's a new concept for you. Twice baked 'taters. Except you bake. Then grill. (Instead of bake twice.) And when I baked mine, I did so in the slow cooker...out on the porch (a trick I learned from Lynn when I was pregnant with Tyler...I couldn't stand the smell of cooking food, so I'd put the slow cooker out on the porch to cook and I didn't have to smell it and … [Read more...]
Baked Zucchini Sticks
I do believe I have a new favorite snack. And I do believe that the boys have a new favorite snack! And what perfect timing...it's about to be high season for zucchinis...when the farmers will practically be giving them away at the markets. Next time I pick up one of the monster zucchinis for $1, I'll be sure to grab two...so I can make a couple batches of these … [Read more...]