Homemade Squash Casserole

I'm posting the full recipe for this but I halved it when I made it because I had a sneaky feeling that my people were not going to be as on board with this as I was. I LOVED it, I mean I love squash casserole so no surprise. Everyone else, not so much. But they don't love casseroles like this so...their opinions just don't count. This recipe was adapted from Chef in Training.

3 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups chicken broth
10 cups sliced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4oz cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 1/2 cups crushed ritz crackers
4 tbsp butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan.  In a large pot bring the water, chopped onion and chicken broth to a boil. Add the squash and bring to boil with the squash. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the squash and onions. In a large bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder and egg. Stir well. Carefully stir in the squash. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Pour into the greased baking dish.  Top with the crushed ritz crackers. Cut the butter into small slices and place over the top of the crackers. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Garlic Herb Roasted Carrots, Green Beans and Potatoes

Does anyone else struggle with good sides? I feel like I'm constantly making the same things over and over. I'm sure my family would disagree with this assessment. I made these a few weeks ago with Pork Tenderloin and it was a great side! This recipe was adapted from Cooking Classy.

5-6 red potatoes (cubed into bite size pieces)
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup fresh green beans (trimmed)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400. Toss the potatoes, carrots and green beans together. Stir in the olive oil, dried basil, dried thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

Crunchy Roasted Broccoli

I'm always looking for a new but simple way to fix vegetables. This was a great way new way to make broccoli and the crunch just added a little something extra.

4 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 cup panko crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Heat oven to 400.  Lightly grease as sheet pan. Put the broccoli in a ziplock bag and add the melted butter. Coat the broccoli with butter then add the panko and garlic salt. Shake until the broccoli is coated. Remove to the sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

Grilled Garlic Green Beans

Any recipe that I just have to quickly throw together and put on the grill is a total win for me! These green beans on the grill turned out so well. They were the perfect side dish to some chicken we grilled.

1lb fresh green beans (cleaned and snapped)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
salt and pepper

Toss the green beans with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Wrap in a foil packet and grill for 6 minutes. Flip and grill for another 6 minutes. Remove and serve.

Grilled Corn with Basil Butter

There is nothing better than good corn in the summertime! I love glamming up corn with something fancy and this basil butter gave it such great flavor and was very easy to make! This recipe is from adapted from Let's Dish.

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic (minced)
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
6 ears of corn (husked and washed)
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix together the butter, salt, pepper, garlic and basil. Place back in the refrigerator until ready to use. Rub the corn with the vegetable oil and place on the grill. Grill for 10-12 minutes, rotating often. Remove from grill and rub with basil butter. 

Greek Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad was really easy to put together and has made for a great lunch! It keeps for several days which is a plus but I thought it would also make a great addition to any summer cookout or picnic! This recipe is adapted from Wholefully. 

1 1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup quinoa
1 cucumber (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
3 roma tomatoes (diced)
3/4 cup kalamata olives (chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Stir the broth and quinoa together and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat to low, cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Toss the cucumber, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes and kalamata olives with the quinoa. In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, lemon juice, dried parsley, dried dill, salt and pepper. Pour over the quinoa and toss. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hours before serving.

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms and Green Beans

I had to laugh when I made these, I was really excited about them then my oldest walked in the kitchen and saw them and said "oh I thought you were making green beans like Susu (my mom) not these kind of green beans".  Maybe one day I will blog  my mom's green bean recipe, if I ever actually measure it all out and don't just throw it all in the pot eyeing it.  Despite my son's less than excited reaction to these green beans, they were actually very tasty and easy to make! This recipe is adapted from Kate Moving Forward.

2 cup mushrooms (halved)
2 cups fresh green beans
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400. Wash and cut mushrooms and green beans. Place in a medium size bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic, black pepper and salt. Spread on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Roasted Italian Vegetables

I love roasted vegetables, they are so easy to throw together and pretty hard to screw up. These vegetables turned out fabulous and will be going into the rotation for sure. This recipe is adapted from The Mediterranean Dish.

1 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms (cleaned and trimmed)
2 cups baby potatoes (rinsed and scrubbed)
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
2 zucchini (sliced and cut in half)
4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 425. Lightly grease a baking sheet.  Toss the vegetables together then coat with olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove and serve. 

Baked Garlic Green Beans

 

I love a good and easy side dish and this was exactly that! They reminded me of these garlic green beans we used to get at this wonderful Chinese restaurant back in our hometown.  This recipe is from My Kitchen Craze. 

1 lbs fresh green beans 

4 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350.  Place the green beans in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour onto a baking sheet in one even layer, not letting the beans overlap.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and toss. Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove and serve.

Company Green Beans

These green beans are the perfect side dish for the holidays. They are so simple and yet have so much flavor! It's an easy way to impress your guests.  This recipe was passed to me from a friend.

5 cans green beans
8 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 350. Drain green beans and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Crumble the bacon over the top of the green beans. Whisk together the butter, soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic powder. Pour over the top of the green beans. Bake for 40 minutes.

Broccoli Cheddar Gratin

The moment I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to try it.  I love any kind of broccoli casserole or broccoli cheddar dish and this did not disappoint. It would make a great side dish with the upcoming holidays! This recipe was adapted from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen.

8 cups steamed broccoli florets
8 tbsp butter
1 small onion (chopped)
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups whole milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs


Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 dish. In a saucepan melt 6 tbsp butter. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture then whisk. Stir in the garlic salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add in the milk while whisking constantly. The sauce should begin to boil then lower the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes or until it thickens up. Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese until it has melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the steamed broccoli and stir well then pour into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheddar. Mix together the panko bread crumbs and 2 tbsp melted butter then sprinkle over the top of the dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Broccoli Salad

I love broccoli salad but I knew that no one else in my family would eat it so I made it for a cookout with friends. It was completely gone by the end of the night! There are tons of different broccoli salad recipes but this is my favorite way to make it.

Salad
5 cups chopped broccoli
3/4 cup chopped red onion
8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 cup grated colby jack cheese

Dressing
1 cup real mayonnaise
4 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp white vinegar

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set to the side. In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. 

Corn Pudding

Well I took an unintentional blogging break. Vacation combined with a toddler who hasn't slept through the night in a month just had me too exhausted to think straight. But I'm back and hopefully I can keep up for a while. At least until our big trip in August! This recipe was adapted from Basil and Bubbly.

2 cups fresh shucked corn (with cobs saved)
4 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 tbsp melted butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 dish and set to the side.  Over the a measuring cup run the back of your knife up and down the cob to milk it then fill the rest of the 1 cup with whole milk.  In a bowl combine the corn, flour, sugar and salt.  In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Fold the two mixtures together then pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is cooked through.
 

Sauteed Bacon and Onion Green Beans

Bacon makes everything better, right?  This fresh green bean recipe is a simple 4 ingredient recipe that makes a great side dish to any meal!

1 lb fresh green beans (washed and trimmed)
1/2 onion (diced)
3 slices bacon (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
salt and pepper

Saute the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add the onion and continue to saute until the bacon begins to crisp up and the onions are soft. Stir in the green beans and garlic.  Cover and let cook, stirring every 3-4 minutes until the green beans are cooked through. 

Parmesan Ranch Corn

I'm always looking for creative but easy sides to add to dinner. I was looking through my many pinterest pins and saw that I had saved this one not too long ago and decided to give it a shot! It was SO simple and yet very flavorful. This recipe is from Six Sisters Stuff.

3 cups fresh or frozen corn
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

 Boil the corn for 2-3 minutes. Drain then turn the heat down to medium low and mix with butter. When the butter is melted add in the parmesan cheese, ranch mix, salt and pepper. Stir until it is combined and the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and serve.

Sauteed Bacon Brussels Sprouts

I love Brussels Sprouts. Love them. But the rest of my family isn't so down.  I made this as a copy cat to some of my favorites at a local restaurant and while I thought these were fantastic my guys still weren't so sure.  They ate most of their helpings despite eyeing each other. Anyways, I think they are great and maybe they will come around eventually.

1 lb brussels sprouts
4 strips bacon
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic (minced)

Dice up the bacon.  Remove the stems from the brussels sprouts.  In a pan fry the bacon, remove the bacon and set to the side.  Toss the brussels sprouts in olive oil.  Add to the hot pan with the bacon grease and saute until they begin to become tender..  Stir back in the bacon and add the garlic. Toss for 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

Creamy Corn on the Cob

We love corn on the cob especially in the summer when we can get awesome fresh corn! This is hands down one of the most delicious and easy ways to make corn!

4-6 ears of corn (shucked)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick of butter

Bring water to a boil in a pot then add butter and milk. Place the corn in the pot and let boil until it is cooked through. Remove corn and serve.

Broccoli Cheddar Mashed Potato Bake

I love mashed potatoes. I love broccoli. I love cheddar. I love them all together.  I make this a lot using left over mashed potatoes and it's delicious!!!

3 cups warm mashed potatoes
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350.  Steam the broccoli until it's just tender. Stir together the mashed potatoes, broccoli and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

I love broccoli casserole.  When I saw this recipe I was totally intrigued by this version from Neighborfood.  I adapted it slightly to our taste.  It was so cheesy and delicious.

4 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 sleeve ritz crackers (crushed)
2 tbsp butter

Toss the broccoli in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread out on a pan and roast for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.  While the broccoli is roasting melt the better in a medium sauce plan. Whisk in the flour and let cook for 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer.  When the mixture begins to thicken remove from heat and stir in cheddar. Place the broccoli in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Pour the cheddar sauce over the broccoli.  Sprinkle with the crackers then thinly slice the butter and layer on top of the crackers. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Tomato Corn and Cheddar Pie

This recipe is awesome.  It's like everything I love about summer. All together. In a delicious pie crust. This recipe is slightly adapted from Clock Work Lemon.

2 pie crusts (store bought or homemade)
1 3/4 pounds tomatoes (sliced)
1 1/2 cup fresh corn (cut off the cob)
3 tbsp chives (chopped)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 400. Whisk together the lemon juice and mayonnaise. Place the pie crust in a pie plate. Put down half of the tomatoes in the pie crust then layer with half of the corn, half of the chives, half the salt, half of the pepper and half of the cheese. Top with the remaining tomatoes, corn, chives, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with the lemon mayonnaise then top with the remaining cheese. Top with second pie crust and crimp the edges. Cut four vents into the top of the crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and let the pie sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it.