Category: Side Dishes

Breakfast Tomatoes

We have tomatoes in abundance right now. They are not the prettiest tomatoes, but they sure are delicious! We have enjoyed tomato slices with everything, grilled tomatoes, tomato pies, tomatoes on burgers and of course the best way of all, a juicy tomato sandwich!

Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that have been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

While searching for new ways to serve them up I ran across the recipe for Breakfast Tomatoes. Becoming a huge fan of poached eggs while in Louisiana back in November, I was excited to try this recipe. Baked ten minutes the egg was still runny like a poached egg. Bake longer to cook your egg through.

I have a feeling these breakfast tomatoes will be on our breakfast menu all summer.

Breakfast Tomatoes
 
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Ingredients
  • Tomatoes
  • One egg for each tomato
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan (or grated cheese of your choice)
  • chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Slice ¼-inch from the stem end of tomato. Hollow out the tomatoes by removing the core with a knife then carefully scoop out the ribs and seeds using a spoon. Leave the walls of the tomato intact as best you can.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on prepared pan. Bake tomato for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove tomato from oven. Crack each egg into a small bowl and then slide the egg into the hollowed out tomato. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Return to oven and bake until egg is cooked to your preference, approximately 10 minutes if you want to keep the yellow runny.
  5. Remove from oven. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions and serve immediately.

 

Slow Cooker Ranch Mushrooms

Slow-Cooker-Mushrooms

Calling all mushroom lovers, have I got a recipe for you! With just three ingredients and a few hours and you will be amazed! We all love a simple recipe. I know those that do not care for cooking, but have to on occasion, are always looking for an easy recipe. However, those of us that enjoy being in the kitchen can appreciate an easy recipe too!

I have always eaten mushrooms, even as a kid. Lately, I have wanted them in and on everything it seems. Maybe this recipe has a little to do with that. Not only is this recipe just three simple ingredients, but it’s made in the slow cooker to boot!

Since finding this recipe on thechunkychef.com I have been making them and keeping them in the refrigerator. Once they are cold, I can remove the fat that has come to the top and warm up the amount I want. They are great on their own, as a side to almost anything, but I have also enjoyed them sliced and in omelets as well.

 

Slow Cooker Ranch Mushrooms
 
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Serves: 4
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. fresh whole button mushrooms
  • ½ c. butter
  • 1 pkt. dry Ranch dressing mix
  • 1 to 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley, optional, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Clean mushrooms thoroughly with a damp paper towel and place in a slow cooker.
  2. Melt better and whisk in dry dressing mix. Pour mixture over mushrooms and toss to coat.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours.
  4. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutritional Information: 1g. Net Carbs; 16g Fat; 3g Protein; 153 Calories

 

Lightened-Up Cowboy Beans

Lightened-Up Cowboy Beans

 

Cowboy Beans is a recipe that I posted back in September of 2015.  They have been a favorite of Not Just Sunday Dinner readers for a while now, and one of my all-time favorites.  As mentioned then, I was raised on beans and cornbread.  Not one of my favorite meals when I was growing up.  In fact, there were a few meals I dreaded and beans and cornbread was one of them.  Funny how things you hated as a kid can turn out to be one of your favorite things.

I have changed up the recipe, ever so slightly, to lighten it up just a bit.  It’s still every bit as delicious as before.  This recipe makes a big pot of beans!  As noted on the recipe, I did not measure the finished product to see exactly how many cups where in the pot.  When I sat down to figure the points I just guessed at 10 servings, there may actually be more servings than 10, which could lower the points value even more.  However, using 10 servings as my guide this recipe has 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per serving.

Lightened-Up Cowboy Beans
 
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Ingredients
  • 6 pieces Canadian bacon
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 lg. onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced (or jalapeno)
  • ½ lb. Mexican chorizo sausage
  • 5 (15.5-oz.) cans pinto beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
  • 1 (10-oz.) can Rotel
  • 1 (12-oz.) bottle of light amber beer
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1½ tsp. dry oregano
  • Chicken broth, as needed
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to grill to 325°F.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until done. Remove from pan to a paper-towel lined dish and set aside. When cool to the touch, dice the bacon.
  3. Remove the chorizo from it's casing. Add to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned through. Remove the sausage to another paper-towel lined dish and set aside.
  4. Add the garlic, onion, and serrano chiles (or jalapeños) to the Dutch oven. Cook for a few minutes, or until the onions start to soften but watch closely so that you do not burn the garlic.
  5. Add the bacon, sausage, pinto beans, tomatoes, beer, cumin, and oregano; stir to combine. If the mixture seems a little dry, add chicken broth 1 cup at a time.
  6. Cover and place the Dutch oven on the grill or in the oven. Bake the beans for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. These beans are traditionally soupy, but if they seem too soupy, remove the lid during the last 15 minutes of cooking. If the seem dry, stir in a little chicken broth. Stir in the cilantro during the last 15 minutes of cooking and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
This make a big pot of beans. I did not measure the cooked pot of beans to see how many cups it makes. However, when I figured the points I used 10 servings. Each serving = 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points.

 

Southern Baked Squash

Southern-Baked-Squash

 

Wow, what a weekend! It was an extremely busy around our house and quite frankly, I’m getting too old for this! First of all, we helped Savannah move out. She sent photos Sunday afternoon; it looks like she and her roommates have organized and decorated their little house beautifully!

After that hot and heavy job, we had a sick puppy that had to go to the vet, I was busy doing laundry and helping Greg pack for South America, and Wesley’s team had a scrimmage game. I need this week to rest!

Today I’m sharing a wonderful recipe from my cousin, Nancy. She makes this incredible baked squash. It has the flavor or fried squash without the mess of frying! Don’t expect it to be crisp like fried squash, but the flavor is spot on. This recipe is an old one, passed down to Nancy by my Aunt Euly.

On a sad note, my Uncle Manuard died last week. Uncle Manuard married my mama’s oldest sister, Aunt Ruby. Uncle Manuard owned and operated a garage and Aunt Ruby raised chickens. They both loved their nieces and nephews. When we would visit them when I was a child, Uncle Manuard would always take me to the vending machines in the garage for a Dr. Pepper and Barbeque chips. Just goes to show that you don’t have to do fancy things for kids to make good memories. He will be missed, but I’m thankful he is with Aunt Ruby once again!

 

Southern Baked Squash
 
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Ingredients
  • Small baby yellow squash, washed and cut in half lengthwise
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Melted buter, amount depends on the number of squash
  • Cornmeal, amount depends on the number of squash
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Pour cornmeal in a rimmed baking dish and set aside.
  3. Place cut squash in a large bowl and sprinkle with enough water to dampen them.
  4. Remove the squash from the bowl a few at a time. Roll in cornmeal and place on the prepared pan, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with melted butter. Repeat until all of the squash are coated with cornmeal.
  5. Bake at 400°F until golden brown. Serve warm.

 

Crispy Onion Rings

 

onion-rings

Independence day will be celebrated a little differently this year at the Melton house. Instead of the typical grilling we are planning a fish fry. Greg and Wes went deep sea fishing in Florida recently, and we have grouper, snapper, and wahoo in the freezer.

We seldom fry because I don’t like the splattering mess that it creates. However, Greg will set up the fryer outside, and we will be in business. With delicious Vidalia onions in season, I plan to cut up a few so that we can have these terrific Crispy Onion Rings too!

The coating is light, crispy, and fabulous. Savannah even said these onion rings were better than The Varsity, and I must agree! They fry up very fast and can be kept warm in a 200° F oven.

 

Crispy Onion Rings
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
  • 2 to 3 large Vidalia onions, cut crosswise into ½-inch rings
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, more for sprinkling
  • 3 to 4 c. club soda, chilled
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 c. all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ c. cornstarch
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the cornstarch, baking powder, and 2 tsp. kosher salt. Whisk in 3 cups club soda until the batter is smooth. Add more club soda, about 1 tbsp. at a time, until the mixture is the consistency of thin pancake batter. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 380°F. Dip 8 onion rings in the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Fry the onion rings in the hot oil over high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining onion rings and batter and serve hot or warm.