Delicious Sides

After a long day at the office, I love to relax by cooking. There's something therapeutic about methodical chopping-- call me crazy, but I think it's true. A lot of folks focus on the main dish and rely on a bagged salad for your side. Lately I've tried some delicious combos to compliment the main dish, and I'd like to share them with you! These are all super easy, and would be great for your next get together, or just a quiet dinner at home.

Roasted Potatoes and Lemon with Dill

(Photo & recipe from Real Simple)

Ingredients: 

New Potatoes

Lemon

Olive Oil, 2 tbsp

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dill, chopped, 2 tbsp

Directions:

Chop the potatoes into quarters and slice the lemon thin. Toss these in a bowl with the olive oil, salt/pepper, and fresh dill. After coating thoroughly, lay out on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing once, for about 25-35 minutes. 

The other side that I've been obsessed with lately is Kale with White Beans. I had a bunch of kale and knew I wanted to use it as a side- so I just mixed it with what we had on hand. Fantastic result! It's so so so easy and incredibly delicious. I love the crunch of kale paired with the smooth texture of the white beans.

Photo from Sweet Savory Planet

Ingredients:
Kale

White Beans, one can drained

Garlic, 2 tbsp

Olive oil, to coat skillet

 

Directions:

This is a recipe you can do in your sleep!  Heat olive oil in a skillet to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add kale and white beans. Toss the beans and kale together, being careful not to smoosh (technical term) the beans. If the kale isn't getting soft, cover the pan with a lid to enlist the help of steam.

Do you have any go-to side dishes that are fun and interesting? I'd love to get some new ones in my repitoire.

*disclaimer: the photo of the kale recipe are from another blog. I'm horrible at taking pictures of food, and I wanted to picture to reflect a dish that you'd be interested in making.

Warm Meals for Cold Nights

Winter dinners are the best! There's nothing like something warm bubbling in a slow cooker, or the wonderful smells that come from roasting veggies. My favorite roasting treat is red onions (sliced thick) and sweet potatoes. Toss those two in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary...and hold on. Your kitchen is about to be filled with the most wonderful smells!

Last night I made Mr. SE the recipe below from my latest issue of Real Simple. He was in the garage working away on our media center (more to come), so I decided to treat him to something special. This dish received an A+ from both of us. The best part is that I'm eating the leftovers for lunch today!

*We used boneless butterflied pork chops, which I cut in half to make 4 servings
*Added 2tbsp apple cider vinegar to the pan while the pork chops were cooking
*Used collards instead of kale- my Georgia boy loves them!
*I added red onions and sweet potatoes to the roasted squash

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds)—peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves (used dried rosemary instead)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 bone-in pork chops (each 1 inch thick; about 2 pounds total) (we used boneless)
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch kale, thick ribs removed and leaves roughly chopped (about 14 cups) (we used collards)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the sage, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. When the squash has cooked for 20 minutes, heat 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the pork to the baking sheet with the squash and roast until the pork is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the kale, ¼ cup water, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing the kale and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the kale is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with the pork and squash.

Side note: We ate dinner while watching Part 2 of the Beverly Hills Housewives reunion. Are you Team Kyle or Team Camille?