A Side of Delicious!

In winter, coming up with a variety of side dishes can pose a dilemma to cooks who are tired of potatoes and rice. These side dish recipes were winners in What’s Cooking in the Bluegrass recipe contest in November, 1988.

Joseph P. Straley of Lexington created this dish especially for the Picnic with the Pops. Actually it’s a lasagna recipe with squash substituting for the noodles, he said.

Philharmonic Pops casserole

3 large yellow squash (about 3 pounds)
1 large onion
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper powder
1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
1⁄2 pound Monterey Jack cheese
1⁄2 pound mozzarella cheese
1⁄2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Fresh snipped chives
Slice squash into 1⁄2-inch rounds and parboil in slightly salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain. Chop onions into 1⁄2-inch pieces and saute in cooking oil in a large frying pan, until slightly translucent. Add red pepper powder and curry powder and saute 1 minute until the oil begins to color. Don’t burn the spices. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and oregano and simmer 5 minutes. Slice cheeses into sticks. Assemble squash, cheese, sauce and grated Parmesan in layers in a casserole dish, repeating the layers until you run out. Bake until the cheese melts. Serve with chives and extra Parmesan cheese as toppings.

Wanda Crump of Paris created this dish after a trip to South Carolina with the Bourbon County Homemakers Club where she sampled this dish in a restaurant. “I could never find the recipe, so I made my own,” she said. It is named for her daughter Margaret.

Celery Margaret

3 cups diced cooked celery
1 1⁄2 cups diced cooked carrots
1⁄4 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1 can cream of celery soup
1⁄4 cup milk
3⁄4 cup New York extra sharp cheese, grated
1⁄2 cup buttered bread crumbs
Clean celery, carrots and onions. Dice in food processor. Cook in 1 cup of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain. Spray a 1- quart casserole dish with a vegetable spray. Combine soup and milk and add vegetables. Pour into casserole dish, top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake in a 350-degree oven about 20 minutes until hot, and cheese is melted.

Peggy Kelley of Harlan County was served this dish at the home of a relative in Louisiana. “On returning home, I wrote her for the recipe. She replied with the ingredients, but said she really didn’t have a recipe. I have added a little, and it’s been a good one for me,” Kelley said.

New Orleans broccoli-rice casserole

3⁄4 cup chopped onion
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 bunch fresh broccoli, chopped, or 2 packages frozen chopped broccoli
2 sticks margarine
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 8-ounce jar processed cheese spread
4 to 6 cups cooked rice
Stir-fry onions, peppers and broccoli in margarine until tender. Add soup and the processed cheese spread. Stir in rice.

Mildred Lee-Rogers of Jackson submitted this recipe for garlic grits.

Garlic grits

4 1⁄2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant grits
1 stick margarine
1 roll garlic cheese
2 eggs
Milk
Bring water and salt to a boil and add grits, stirring constantly in order to prevent lumps. Cook until thick. Add margarine and cheese. Mix well. Beat eggs in measuring cup and add enough milk to beaten eggs to make 1 cup. Stir into grits mixture. Remove from heat and pour into casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Sprinkle paprika on top. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

Jeanne McDaniel of Lancaster made this hearty salad to serve her three sons and husband.

Hearty summer salad

8 ounces cooked macaroni
1 cup diced ham
1 cup Cheddar cheese, diced
1 9-ounce can brick-oven baked beans, drained
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1⁄2 cup green pepper, diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 onion, sliced and separated
Dressing:
3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon dill weed
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Toss first eight ingredients together in a large bowl. Make dressing and combine with salad. Garnish with tomato wedges. Makes 8 servings.

Louise Kelley of Irvine said this cajun soup recipe is similar to one her mother used to prepare. “I took a notion one cold winter day to made corn soup. We always have a big garden, and I had corn in the freezer. I made up my own recipe, and I’ve been cooking it ever since," Mrs. Kelley said.

Cajun corn soup

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons green onions, finely chopped with tops
1 teaspoon celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄16 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1⁄2 cups fresh corn (about 3 ears), or 1 can of cream style
3 cups low fat milk
Paprika
Melt butter or margarine over low heat in a 1 1⁄2-quart saucepan. Saute garlic, green onion and celery for about 2 minutes. Blend in flour, salt and peppers. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Add corn. Cook over medium heat just until corn is heated. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken. Reduce heat; boil slowly for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with a dash of paprika.

Amy Cole of West Liberty was a sophomore at Morgan County High School when her home economics teacher, Royetta Stamper, asked students to submit a recipe for the Herald-Leader contest.

Fiesta salad toss

4 cups lettuce, shredded
1 1⁄2 cups jicama or cucumber, peeled and cut in strips
1 cup tomato wedges
1 4-ounce can sliced green or red chilies
1 1⁄2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch original milk salad dressing mix
2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon taco sauce
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1 cup tortilla chips, whole
Line salad bowl with the lettuce; fill center with jicama, tomato, chilies and cheese. Chill. Whisk together the salad dressing mix, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder and taco sauce; chill. Just before serving, toss salad with crushed chips and 1 cup or more dressing. Garnish with avocado and whole chips. Makes 4 to 6 servings.