Sides

sausage mushroom stuffing

Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing

Quick post today – mainly because there’s not a lot to say about this easy sausage and mushroom stuffing …and also (if we’re being honest with ourselves) because stuffing just isn’t that exciting to photograph. If you’re a traditionalist, carry on. But if you’re open to the possibility that stuffing doesn’t have to be dry with little flavor then stick around.

sausage mushroom stuffing

We’re on the home stretch before Christmas. There were moments I thought we’d never make it, but here we are. We’ve had an exceptionally busy season, but I wouldn’t trade one second of it.

This past weekend we wrapped up the hosted events in our house with a birthday party for Jesus. We got together with a few friends (you may remember them from our Memorial Day Weekend beach trip with the best fish tacos or from the Christmas in July party with chocolate chip peanut butter cups), and had just what it sounds like: a birthday party for Jesus. We had pizza and birthday cake, and the kids sang happy birthday to Jesus. It was such a sweet time with these friends that we’ve come to love so much. We’ve gone from three to five kids with another on the way, and it is so fun to see their friendships developing. And since I’m not bombarding you with too many pictures of sausage and mushroom stuffing, here is one of these sweet kiddos blowing out the candles on the birthday cake for Jesus.

Now back to business. I’m wrapping up my self-dubbed “Christmas Series” with an unconventional dish: sausage and mushroom stuffing.

What is your family like? Are you traditionalists that want everything exactly as it’s always been, or are you open to updates on old favorites? Please be the latter. I’m sure if I thought long enough on it, I could probably come up with a dish that I just can’t condone making any way other than the way it’s always been.  Stuffing is not one of those dishes. There are gobs of stuffing recipes that go away from the norm – some of which I’m sure include mushrooms and sausage – but few of them contain six ingredients or less.

You heard me.

Six. Ingredients.

This is another great prep-ahead recipe that can be assembled the day before, then cooked before the meal. Simply wait to add the broth until you’re ready to cook.

sausage mushroom stuffing

Whether you plan to make this sausage and mushroom stuffing, Aunt Peggy’s cranberry apple casserole or bring a stunning cake stand of treats, I hope you all have the merriest Christmas.

Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 package herb seasoned classic stuffing (I use Pepperidge Farm – 14 oz)
1 shallot – minced
2 stalks celery – minced
1 lb mushrooms – chopped
1 lb mild Italian sausage
4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a skillet cook the sausage, making sure to crumble as it cooks. Remove the sausage to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside (leaving the fat in the pan).
  3. To the pan, add the shallot, celery and mushrooms and cook until softened – about 7-10 minutes.
  4. Combine the cooked sausage, veggies and stuffing in a large bowl and stir to combine.
  5. Pour into a 9×13 baking dish and set aside until ready to cook.
  6. When ready to cook, pour the chicken broth evenly over the stuffing mix.
  7. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking an additional 10-15 minutes, or until browned on top.
  8. Enjoy!
cranberry apple casserole

Aunt Peggy’s Cranberry Apple Casserole

With Thanksgiving behind us, the Christmas season is in full swing in our house. Today I’m starting a four-part Christmas series, and I hope you’ll join us as we work our way through some of my favorite recipes for this time of year. Up first is my Great Aunt Peggy’s Cranberry Apple Casserole.

cranberry apple casserole

First, let me introduce you to my Aunt Peggy. Aunt Peggy was my mom’s aunt (grandmother’s sister), and she lived in small-town North Carolina about 45 minutes from our house. When my grandmother passed away my freshman year of high school, Peggy became like a surrogate grandmother. The bond wasn’t quite the same because there’s just no replacing Mima, but having her made the loss more bearable. We didn’t see her as much as my grandmother, but we always made a special trip to visit with her on Christmas Eve. Peggy also passed away about five years ago, and I miss those trips and visits.

cranberry apple casserole

Fast forward to today. I was reading through an old church cookbook Peggy gave to my mom years ago, and came across this recipe. I remember the first Christmas Eve I went to her house when she was making it. I was in high school, and she had the apple/cranberry/sugar mixture in the casserole dish and was finishing up with the topping. We (my mom, sister and I) immediately got her recipe and made it for several years after. For no real reason we just stopped making it, I guess because we would have other recipes to try out. Once I came back across her recipe, I knew I wanted to bring it to the blog to share with all of you.

cranberry apple casserole

You know the church cookbooks I’m talking about. The ladies of the church submit their recipes and it’s all compiled into a little bound book. The recipes involve lots of margarine, canned soup, sugar and any other processed food you know isn’t good for you, but it’s grandma’s recipe so OF COURSE I’M EATING IT. You may not know this about me (though I’m sure it won’t be a surprise), but I love reading cookbooks for fun. Like cover to cover. I’ve never actually read through a church cookbook like this, so when I saw it out on my mom’s counter I decided to check it out. Mainly because I wanted a laugh at how absurd some old recipes can be.

cranberry apple casserole

Back to the cranberry apple casserole. Guys, I have to admit. It’s a stretch to call this a casserole. I would categorize it under a crisp or somewhere else in the dessert category, but Peggy called it a casserole, so that makes it a side dish mmmmkay? The reality here, though, is that this is perfect as dessert with whipped cream or ice cream on top, but it also makes for a really really good breakfast…not that I’ve done that, but – ya know – I’m just thinking it could…okay, fiiine, I make this with hopes that I have leftovers for days, so I can have this for breakfast. Apples, cranberries and oatmeal make it a 100% justifiable morning meal.

cranberry apple casserole

This cranberry apple casserole is perfect for your Christmas table. In my not-so-surprising fashion, I’m going to list the reasons why:

  1. I mean LOOK AT HER. She’s gorgeous, and that red is perfect for the season.
  2. This can be made a day in advance and just reheated before serving.
  3. It can be served hot or room temp. If you have a bunch of dishes to make for the big day, do this first. Once it’s done you can just leave it until mealtime.
  4. It’s reallllllly good with vanilla ice cream on top.
  5. ^^that is worth mentioning again.
  6. The leftovers last for days.

There you have it. I hope you’ll add this into your Christmas menu along with any other recipes that make you nostalgic for the past. Here is Peggy’s recipe as written. If you want to double the topping, I won’t be mad about it.

cranberry apple casserole

Cranberry Apple Casserole

Ingredients:

2 large (or 3-4 small/medium) sweet apples* – unpeeled and chopped
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 ¼ c sugar
1 stick butter – melted
½ c chopped pecans
½ c brown sugar (light or dark is fine)
¾ c quick-cooking oatmeal
1/3 c flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Mix the chopped apples, cranberries and sugar and pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
  3. Combine the melted butter, chopped pecans, brown sugar, oatmeal and flour, and spread evenly over the cranberry apple mixture.
  4. Cook uncovered in the oven for one hour, or until the apples are soft and the mixture is bubbly.
  5. Enjoy!

*I generally use Fuji, Honeycrisp or Gala apples

summer squash casserole

Summer Squash Casserole

If I could have it my way, we would live in a constant state of summer vegetables at their peak with our gardens overflowing with Mother Nature’s bounty (minus the thick, hot air you can practically cut with a knife). Our – errr, my grandfather’s – garden is at the peak of production right about now, and I’m seriously loving it. Tomatoes, okra, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, zucchini, squash…oh the squash.

Laura + yellow summa squash 4eva (hearts)

summer squash casserole

Remember my grandfather? I’m pretty sure there’s nothing he can’t do…long career in business, carpenter and expert farmer. He has a huge garden every summer and we get the direct benefits of it. AKA, we get to pick a peck pretty much whenever we want, and it sometimes makes its way to my little blog.

We love summer squash all kinds of ways, but TBH I’ve never been much of a squash casserole girl. What do you think of when you think of squash casserole? If you said “mush,” then you’re right. Gross, bleh and meh are also acceptable answers. You know why that is? Because nearly all squash casserole recipes call for you to cook the squash before it goes into the casserole. This makes it super runny and generally unpleasant.

summer squash casserole

Enter my method: let the squash sit in a little salt to pull out some of the liquid, then put it straight into the casserole dish and bake. The result is a squash casserole that has actual, fresh vegetable, “I’m doing myself a healthy favor” bite with real texture that is the total opposite of the baby food version you’ve been eating all these years.

summer squash casserole

I took the “casserole” part of this dish in two different directions, so (bonus!) you’re actually getting two different squash casserole recipes today. The squash prep is the same, but one involves an egg/milk mixture and the other involves a butter/flour/milk mixture. Think about the two main ways you would go about making macaroni and cheese, and that’s similar to what we have here.

Let’s talk through when you might make one over the other…

When to make it the eggy way:

  • When you need to be getting other work done while the squash is sitting in salt
  • If you prefer the mac and cheese version that has the eggy consistency with cheese on top
  • If you’re serving right away

When to make it the milk way:

  • When you have time to make the sauce while the squash is sitting in salt
  • If you prefer the cheesy sauce version of mac and cheese
  • If you’re going to a pot-luck where the dish can cool a little and firm up a bit before serving

We’re up to our eyeballs in summer squash, so we’ve made this casserole multiple times. We really like both ways, hence why I feel compelled to give you both recipes. Enjoy!

summer squash casserole

Method 1 (Pictures are of this method)

Ingredients:

8 c yellow squash – diced (about 3 large or 5 small)
1 tsp salt
2 eggs – beaten
2 c milk
1.5 c shredded grueyere cheese (or Swiss)
½ tsp pepper
½ c panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Dice the squash, mix with the salt and allow to sit in a colander for 20 minutes.
  3. After 20 or so minutes, juj the colander around to let the liquid drain out. Place into a casserole dish prepared with cooking spray.
  4. Combine the eggs, milk and pepper. Pour the mixture over the squash.
  5. Spread the cheese over the squash, and top with the panko.
  6. Bake for one hour, or until the liquid is set. Broil for the last few minutes so the panko turns a deep golden brown.

Method 2

Ingredients:

8 c yellow squash – diced (about 3 large or 5 small)
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1.5 cups milk
½ tsp pepper
1.5 cups shredded grueyere cheese (or Swiss)
½ c panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Dice the squash, mix with the salt and allow it to sit in a colander for 20 minutes.
  3. After 20 or so minutes, juj the colander around to let the liquid drain out. Place into a casserole dish prepared with cooking spray.
  4. Melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and whisk continually until a smooth mixture forms. Bring to a low simmer and whisk in the milk.
  5. Bring the mixture just to bubbling and whisk continuously for another minute to let it thicken. Once thickened, stir in the cheese and peper.
  6. Pour the cheese sauce over the squash in the casserole dish and top with the panko.
  7. Bake for 45 minutes and broil for the last few minutes to finish off the breadcrumbs.
  8. Allow to sit for a few minutes for the sauce to firm up.
fiesta summer salad

Fiesta Summer Salad

Fiesta Summer Salad: AKA tomato, black bean, corn, onion, cilantro, avocado, lime salad. Whew. That mouthful in itself is enough for me to give this an obnoxious name like Fiesta Summer Salad. We’re going there, guys, hand in hand.

The truth is, you guys, I really don’t know what this is exactly. It’s a side “salad,” a dip, a topper of anything Mexican-inspired – tacos, nachos, burritos, etc. The one thing I am 100% certain of, though, is that this is the freshest salad/dip/topper ev-er.

fiesta summer salad

Remember those fish tacos from a couple of weeks ago? This is what we make with those. It doesn’t stop there, though. This fiesta summer salad is the perfect side for anytime you grill meat and other veggies because 1) it’s a side and 2) it can also be a salsa-like topping for the meat.

fiesta summer salad

It’s best to make everything minus the avocado ahead of time to let all of the flavors get cozy, then just dice up the avocado just before you’re ready to serve. Easy peasy!

My favorite part about this fiesta summer salad is that, while it’s not only vegan, it has no oil or salt. You heard me. No oil or salt. We’re working with all plant-based ingredients today. While you can salt this just before eating, I honestly don’t think it needs it…neither does Andy, who notoriously likes to salt his food. If you’re going to do it, though, just wait until you’re ready to serve – otherwise the salt will bring out the juices and make this much runnier than it should be.

fiesta summer salad

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can black beans – drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can yellow corn – drained and rinsed
4-5 vine ripe tomatoes
1 red onion
1 large handful cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
1 avocado

Directions:

  1. Dice the tomatoes and onion, and mince the cilantro.
  2. Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Cover and store in the fridge for at least an hour, if not longer.
  3. When ready to serve, peel and dice the avocado then stir into the salad.
  4. Enjoy!
quinoa tabbouleh

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Quinoa tabbouleh quinoa tabbouleh quinoa tabbouleh – yay!!

quinoa tabbouleh

I can’t believe I’m just now sharing this recipe with you. Friends, do you ever go through phases with your food? As in, you make the same thing on a weekly basis for 1235 weeks in a row, then stop for no apparent reason? Then after a little break you remake the thing you made for 1235 weeks in a row and remember that it is one of your favorite things and it is always so fresh and on point, so you resume with the never ending cycle? This is that food for me.

quinoa tabboulehquinoa tabbouleh

What we have here is essentially a salad without leafy greens. Unless you count fresh herbs as leafy greens? I don’t know – whatever – it’s up to you. We’ve got nutty quinoa mixed with bright tomatoes and cucumbers that give you that healthy veggie glow vibe, and then everyone gets cozy with a whole lotta parsley and a zippy lemon dressing. You guys, that cucumber crunch, tho. I wouldn’t be the least bit mad if you replaced the tomatoes with another cucumber because while they’re a really pretty pop of color (I mean, LOOK at those babies…just gorgeous) and nutrition they don’t add a really necessary flavor. Someone do that and report back, please.

quinoa tabbouleh

Another thing I want to mention is that we’re thiiiiiis close to having this vegan. I don’t know about you, but I’m in the camp that insists on cooking my quinoa in chicken broth. I’ve literally never ever cooked it any other way, so I guess I’m just an oldie set firmly in her comfort zone. I promise I will get on the sometimes vegan train soon because this would be the easiest swap possible (veggie broth or water for the chicken broth), but I just haven’t done it yet. Someone also do that and report back, please!

I had taken a little break from making this quinoa tabbouleh, but its revival couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m on a mission to do more lunches from home – remember when I talked about how awesome our cafeteria is at work? As awesome as it is, it is still much more affordable and healthy to eat from home, so brown-bagging it is. Enter this quinoa tabbouleh. I’ll make it on Sunday during naptime –> shocker <– and then portion it out for us to have for lunches during the week. Paired with whatever protein we have from the night before, along with our veggie bags, we have a perfect lunch.

quinoa tabbouleh

On another note, you guys, this is your new best friend when it comes to bringing sides for cookouts and parties. Some groups are more into these types of healthy sides than others, but no worry – as we’ve already established, any leftovers are great for days to come. Is it bad that I secretly wish that people won’t eat this dish when I bring it to a function, just so that I can have more to take home? That rarely happens, though, because by now errrryone knows it is de-lish.

quinoa tabbouleh

Go ahead and volunteer to bring this quinoa tabbouleh to your Memorial Day cookout (like oh my gosh how is it already almost Memorial Day), and be the star side-bringer we all know you are. And then just be prepared to make this every week forever and ever.

quinoa tabbouleh

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make this vegan)
2 English cucumbers (also called hothouse cucumber)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

  1. Cook the quinoa in the chicken broth according to the package directions. Once done move it to a large bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.
  2. While the quinoa cooks and cools, slice the tomatoes in half and dice the cucumbers. Remove the parsley stems and chop the leaves. Combine the salt and lemon juice in a small bowl then gradually whisk in the olive oil to emulsify.
  3. Once the quinoa is cooled stir in cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and the lemon dressing.
  4. Enjoy!
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