Flavor on the Side
Choosing the main dish for dinner is the easy part of meal
preparation. It’s coming up with side dishes that’s
the hardest. Here are several side dish recipes that appeared
in What’s Cooking in the Bluegrass in 1989.
Festive potatoes
3 pounds potatoes
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1⁄2 cup chopped, fresh parsley
1 (2 ounces) jar diced pimentos, drained
Peel and cut enough potatoes into 1⁄4-inch slices to
measure 8 cups. Combine potato slices, onion and salt in
large Dutch oven. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cover.
Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt
butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stirring
until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually
add milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until
mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in 3⁄4 teaspoon
salt and the next 3 ingredients. Spoon potato mixture into
a lightly greased 12-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish. Pour sauce
over potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
-- Phyllis Buchanan, Lexington
Pralined sweet potatoes and apples
1 large can sweet potatoes
5 medium-size tart apples, washed
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
Drain sweet potatoes. Core and peel
apples and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Squeeze lemon
over apples to keep them from turning brown. In small saucepan,
melt butter. Mix in brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans.
Pour this mixture, sweet potatoes and apples into mixing
bowl and stir. Place this mixture in casserole dish sprayed
with vegetable spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30
minutes. Makes 8 servings.
-- Erin Hardwick, Lancaster
Skillet peas
1 stick butter or margarine
1 medium onion
1 medium green pepper
1 clove garlic
1 can mushroom soup
1 medium can mushrooms
2 small jars sliced pimento
2 packages frozen cooked peas, drained
1 cup American cheese, grated
Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in margarine. Add
soup, mushrooms, pimento, peas and cheese. Heat thoroughly
on medium heat. Makes 12 servings.
-- Betty M. Blakemore, Richmond
Asparagus casserole
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 stick butter or margarine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 1⁄2 -inch chunk processed cheese spread, cubed
36 butter crackers, separated
3 tall cans asparagus, drained
Combine first three ingredients in saucepan until cheese
and butter are melted. Add 24 butter crackers, crushed.
Place asparagus in casserole dish. Pour cheese and soup
mixture over the asparagus. Crush 12 butter crackers and
sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at
350 degrees. Serves 8.
-- Vicki Bowers, Lexington
California casserole
1⁄4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
4 cups cooked rice
2 cups sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
3 4-ounce cans green chilies, drained, halved, leave in
seeds
2 cups grated sharp cheese
Saute onions in butter in large skillet until golden. Remove
from heat, stir in rice, sour cream, cottage cheese, salt
and pepper. Toss lightly to mix. Layer half of rice mixture
in bottom of 12-by-8-by-2-inch greased baking dish. Top
with halved green chilies, then top with remaining rice
mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake uncovered 25
minutes at 325 degrees. Serves 8 to 12.
-- JoAnn Jones, Frankfort
Cauliflower cheese casserole
1 1⁄2 pounds cauliflower
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1⁄2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Jack cheese
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
Separate cauliflower into flowerettes.
Drop into boiling salted water. Cook 5 minutes or until
tender crisp. Drain. Arrange in a shallow, 2-quart, well-
buttered baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon margarine in frying
pan. Add red and green pepper and garlic. Saute for 1 1⁄2
minutes. Sprinkle over cauliflower. Mix cornstarch into
milk. Add 2 tablespoons margarine to frying pan. Stir in
milk and cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring until thickened.
Add salt, pepper and cheese. Stir until cheese is blended
in. Pour over vegetables. Mix bread crumbs and melted margarine.
Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25
minutes. Or cover and refrigerate; bake for 35 minutes,
if chilled.
-- Dorothy C. Austin, Danville
Corn casserole
1 can (15 ounces) drained whole-kernel corn
1 can (15 ounces) cream-style corn
2 eggs, beaten
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper
1 stick butter
1 pint sour cream
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onion and green pepper in butter. Fold corn into
beaten eggs. Add Jiffy mix to egg mixture, then add onion
and green pepper. Put in a well- greased 9-by-12-inch dish.
Spread with sour cream and cheese and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
-- Janet McClanahan, Georgetown
Hot fruit casserole
1 can (16 ounces) unsweetened pineapple cubes
1 can (16 ounces) pears
1 can (16 ounces) peaches
1 can (16 ounces) apricots
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 ounces butter
3 tablespoons flour
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup dry sherry wine
Drain juice from all fruits and cut into bite-size pieces.
Toss apples with lemon juice and mix fruits together. Spray
a 2-quart glass baking dish with vegetable spray and pour
in fruits. Melt butter and turn off heat. Add sugar, flour
and sherry. Mix and pour over fruit. Cover and refrigerate.
Let sit at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours. Bake in preheated
350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serves
6 to 8.
-- Hazel Dickerson, Lexington
Cheese and zucchini patties
1 1⁄2 cups grated zucchini, drained
3⁄4 cup cracker crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1⁄2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1⁄2 cup chopped onion, optional
Mix zucchini with other ingredients and shape into patties.
Brown in a little oil over medium heat.
-- Barbara Deskins, Pikeville
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