sides

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Jun 24, 2020

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – buttery mashed potatoes with roasted garlic. An easy side dish that goes with any meal!

I love mashed potatoes. I love mashed potatoes of all kinds. I even love those little cups of mashed potato flakes that you add water to and microwave. Are those even real potatoes? Who knows.

These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are my favorite though. (Okay, these or my Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes. I can’t choose between them.)

They are easy enough to do on a weeknight but fancy enough for a dinner party or a holiday meal.

I have every single ingredient in my pantry or fridge at all times and I’m sure you do too! It’s just potatoes, garlic, butter, and milk! But they’re so flavorful and just perfect.

…

Spicy Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Jun 23, 2020

Spicy Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts – fresh brussels sprouts tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce and roasted until crispy and delicious.

I am happy to report that my children ate brussels sprouts (and liked them!) for the first time ever.

Roasted brussels sprouts are just the best. They get a little crispy on the outside but stay tender on the inside. And for these Spicy Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts, they’re tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce before being roasted so they are super flavorful.

These roasted brussels sprouts are easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for a dinner party or holiday meal!

…

Broccoli Salad

Jun 12, 2020

Broccoli Salad – my favorite summer side dish! Fresh broccoli, red onion, raisins, bacon, and sunflower seeds in a sweet and tangy dressing.

Originally posted April 4, 2010. Updated June 12, 2020.

Broccoli salad is my alltime favorite summer side dish. I love the classic version I’m sharing today and I love my lightened up Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad.

Even the broccoli haters in my life love this salad. There are so many different textures and flavors and it all gets tossed with a cole slaw-ish dressing. It’s the perfect side for all your summer burgers and hot dogs and barbecue everything.

…

Green Beans Almondine

Jun 11, 2020

Green Beans Almondine – fresh green beans tossed with buttery toasted almonds and lemon juice. A quick, simple, and delicious side dish.

This is my current favorite side dish. I’ve made it approximately 16 times in the last month.

It’s so simple but so delicious. Just fresh green beans quickly boiled and then tossed with almonds toasted in butter and fresh lemon juice.

It’s easy enough for a simple weeknight dinner but delicious enough to impress guests or serve for Thanksgiving!

…

Baked Potato Salad

Jun 09, 2020

Baked Potato Salad – everything you love about baked potatoes in a potato salad! Potatoes tossed in sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives. Perfect for summer barbecues!

This post originally published July 22, 2011. Updated on June 9, 2020

This is my alltime favorite potato salad recipe. It’s also currently the only potato salad recipe on this site.

“Why, Amanda, is this the only potato salad on your site?”

You guys, I’m so bad at boiling potatoes for potato salad. They either end up undercooked or so mushy that they practically turn to mashed potatoes.

This Baked Potato Salad is my answer to that problem because the potatoes are baked instead of boiled. And then they’re diced up and tossed with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and a sour cream dressing.

…

Roasted Broccolini

May 20, 2020

Roasted Broccolini – simple roasted broccolini is the perfect side dish! Just broccolini, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

We moved about a month ago (from Austin-ish to Dallas-ish) and the first thing I did when we moved was search for a produce delivery box from a local farm.

So now every Friday I sit by my office window and wait for the delivery lady and then I spend 30 minutes laying out all the produce for the perfect picture. It’s my favorite day of the week.

We got this broccolini in last week’s box and it’s not something I usually buy but it’s something that I love when I do buy it. Definitely one of my favorite vegetables.

It makes the perfect side dish when you roast it with just olive oil, salt, and pepper. Quick, easy, and delicious!

…

Fritos Corn Salad

Mar 03, 2020

Fritos Corn Salad – crisp corn, bell pepper, cheese, and Chili Cheese Fritos in a creamy dressing. The perfect no cook, super easy summer side dish for all your barbecues!

Hi, is everyone dreaming of summer food?!

I have had my windows open every day for the last week or so. It’s 70 degrees which means it’s shorts and flipflops weather in central Texas! I am ready to get my summer pass to the pool, buy a bunch of new floaties, and spend every day in the sun.

I also can’t wait to grill everything and make pasta salads and no bake cheesecakes and all the yummy food that I associate with summer.

Today I have one of my alltime favorite summer side dishes. I know we have talked at length about my love of Fritos corn chips so this should come as no surprise. (If you love Fritos as much as I do, try my Tex Mex Sloppy Joes with Fritos on top!)

It takes just a few minutes to put together and it is always a hit. Take it to barbecues, potlucks, serve it as a side for dinner. I promise everyone will love it.

No, it’s definitely not low calorie. It’s fine.

…

Farro Salad with Cranberries, Feta, and Pecans

Oct 21, 2019

Farro Salad with Cranberries, Feta, and Pecans – a great holiday side dish recipe! Farro tossed with dried cranberries, feta cheese, and pecans in a light lemony dressing.

Okay, I know it’s a little early to be thinking about Thanksgiving but I can’t help it. It was freezing last week in Texas and it got me all excited for the holidays and now we’re talking about Thanksgiving side dishes.

If you want an easy, make ahead side dish option, this farro salad is perfect. The cranberries and pecans make it feel holiday-ish but it’s nice and light and healthy!

Or, if you want to just make a batch for your lunches for the week, perfect for that too. Throw some grilled chicken on top to complete the meal!

…

Cole Slaw Pasta Salad

Jul 15, 2019

Cole Slaw Pasta Salad – two delicious side dishes in one! Pasta, cole slaw mix, red onion, and sliced cucumber in a creamy sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect for barbecues and potlucks!

Hi guys! We’re still doing summer food, right?

I keep getting emails about back to school shopping, my kid’s school is sending me vaccination reminders, and Bath and Body Works put their fall candles out.

Did I order 7 Sweater Weather candles? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with us acting like fall is right around the corner. We still have months of summer!

My kids are OBSESSED with this Cole Slaw Pasta Salad. The first time I made it I was worried there were too many veggies plus, you know, raw onion isn’t something kids usually like, but they loved it. I sent my mom a video of my younger 2 literally trying to steal bites out of the mixing bowl.

…

Pineapple Baked Beans

Jun 27, 2019

Pineapple Baked Beans – a favorite side dish for barbecues! Beans with bacon, crushed pineapple, and brown sugar are baked until the sauce is thick and delicious.

Hi guys! Can you believe June is almost over? Summer is flying by and I’m not happy about it. I just want it to stay summer forever!

Like, I’m already signing kids up for fall sports and getting back to school emails and ugh, I’m not ready to be thinking about fall.

But we still have a lot of summer left and I have a great barbecue side dish for you today. If you love bacon and pineapple and baked beans, you are going to love these!

…

Root Beer Baked Beans

May 06, 2019

Root Beer Baked Beans – the best barbecue side dish! Beans with bacon, root beer, and barbecue sauce are baked until the sauce is thick and delicious.

Originally published June 2, 2014. Updated May 6, 2019.

You guys.

It almost feels like summer has arrived in Texas.

People have finally stopped asking if I’m cold in my Jeep. (I have a heater, y’all. And a boyfriend that makes me take his truck if it’s too cold. I’m fine.)

I mean, it’s still raining buckets 5 days a week but it’s finally warm enough for sundresses and sandals.

And I’m so ready for lake days and the waterpark and snow cones.

…

Balela Salad (Trader Joe’s Copycat)

Sep 18, 2017

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Rubbermaid®.

Balela Salad – Trader Joe’s copycat recipe! Middle Eastern bean salad with veggies, fresh herbs, and a light citrus dressing. So easy, so delicious, and perfect for meal prep!

Happy Monday, guys! Let’s start this week healthy.

Because tomorrow I’ve got a cinnamon apple monkey bread and we are going to indulge.

ANYWAY.

How was the weekend?

Mine was pretty boring. I’m not even sure that I left the house.

The highlight was me freaking out for over an hour last night because I lost the memory card that had SIX RECIPES still on it. I had put it in the pocket of my sweatpants and then I started working on some yoga stuff and put it on my nightstand so that I wouldn’t lose it.

And yep, went looking for it not long after and it was GONE.

Found it in my running shoes an hour later.

Still don’t know how it happened but hey, I found it and now we have this Balela Salad to talk about.

…

Carrot Apple Salad

Aug 28, 2017

Carrot Apple Salad is the perfect quick, healthy side dish! It’s a kid favorite and so easy to put together. Thinly sliced carrots and apples with raisins in a creamy sweet and tangy dressing.

You guuuuys.

It’s finally the first day of school around here!

Y’all know I love summer but man, this was a long one. This was the first summer in years that we didn’t take several roadtrips so it was just me and 3 boys.

All summer.

In central Texas. Where from the hours of 9 am to 7 pm, it’s too hot to play outside most days.

ANYWAY.

So now we’re transitioning to school and soccer and football and whatever else the boys plan on getting into. I’m anticipating a very busy fall.

…

Green Bean Casserole Phyllo Bites

Nov 18, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiveThanksBeFull #CollectiveBias

Anyone doing a Friendsgiving this weekend?

This is the first year I’m doing one! We live in a military community so normally I’d just invite all our friends over on Thanksgiving since everyone’s away from their family around here but my kids are going with their dad for the big day so I don’t plan on cooking at all on Thanksgiving.

At all.

So we’re doing a Friendsgiving with some friends this weekend. Pretty excited about it. It’s low pressure, fun, and everyone’s pitching in so no one feels like they’re cooking all day.

…

Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad

Nov 14, 2016

Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad – a lightened up version of the classic! Broccoli, crumbled bacon, almonds, red onion, and dried cranberries in a creamy, tangy dressing. Perfect side dish for a summer party or a holiday dinner!

Heeeey guys, happy Monday! Fresh week! I feel like we all need a fresh start, huh?

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK?! I cannot. How did this happen?

I haven’t planned a thing! I have a turkey in my freezer though so I know that’s happening, at least. And I’ll make the dressing that my family always makes because that’s my favorite.

And I’m sure there will be pie. There’s always pie.

Another thing I also always make is broccoli salad. But first, that bowl!

…