Balsamic Green Beans

This is a simple, tasty side dish.

 

Try to use French style green beans for best results, but any fresh green bean should work.

 

 

Balsamic Green Beans (recipe source) 

 

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 lb fresh green beans

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (I grated my own)

 

Preheat oven to 450F.

 

Wash mushrooms and let drain (or spin dry in salad spinner). Trim ends off beans and cut beans in half so you have bite-sized pieces.

Put cut beans and mushrooms into a Ziploc bag or plastic bowl. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over, then squeeze bag or stir so all the beans and mushrooms are lightly coated with the mixture. Arrange on large cookie sheet, spreading them out well so beans and mushrooms are not crowded. Roast 20-30 minutes, starting to check for doneness after 20 minutes. Cook until beans are tender-crisp, mushrooms are cooked, and all liquid on the pan from mushrooms has evaporated. Season beans to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper, then sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan. Serve hot.

 

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

This is a great side dish that could easily be made into a main dish by adding chicken.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

1/3 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed

1/4 c. margarine, melted

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 small onion, chopped

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Pour crackers into a bowl and add the melted margarine; stir until combined. Stir the broccoli, onion, cheese, rice, mushroom soup, and milk together and place in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs.

Bake until bubbly and brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Hubby told me a long time ago that he really liked Brussel sprouts. Of course, he hadn't had them since he was little but wanted to try them again. I hadn't had them since I was young too, but I didn't really remember thinking they were that great.

I decided to give them a try so a while ago I steamed some and added cheese. The results? Not that great. Some were bitter and they were just OK.

Well, I started seeing and hearing about roasted Brussel sprouts. I read lots of recipes online and I decided to give them another try. The results? AMAZING!!!

These are SO good! I've made them many times now and they just keep getting better. Most of the recipes I read said to roast them for about 40 minutes. I've found that is too long...they burn. 25 minutes works great for me.

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Fresh brussel sprouts

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut off the ends of the Brussel sprouts and slice them in half. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with salt & pepper. Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until tender.

Swiss Medley (veggie casserole)

This casserole is a tradition in my family. It's the perfect side dish that's different from your typical dishes.

I made this for Thanksgiving and the HUGE casserole dish was just about cleared out. My brother said he only eats this at holidays, but I think it's great any time of the year!!

Swiss Medley

1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen California veggie blend (broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower), thawed

1 cup sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

French fried onions

Combine all ingredients except for the onions. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with onions and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Tips:

• I use sliced swiss cheese and tear into small pieces.
• I steam the veggies first and then combine with the other ingredients. This make the casserole more smooth with the cooked down broccoli & cauliflower.