Tag Archives: side dish

Whiskey Glazed Carrots.

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Jey| 4 Comments

While I enjoy a good glass or three of wine, the Husby?  Well, he’s a whiskey man.  Scotch, bourbon, you name it, he’s all about it.  I’d even started planning a whiskey themed party for him before we learned we’d be out of town for his birthday.  So when this Whiskey Glazed Carrots recipe landed in my inbox for this week’s Thanksgiving Sides swap, I already knew it would be a hit.  The recipe comes from our lovely host herself, Sarah of A Taste of Home Cooking.  I’ve gotten to know Sarah a little bit outside of the board and I was really excited to finally have been swapped one of her recipes.

These carrots were great.  The Husby came home after work and asked me if I had bathed in whiskey.  I cut back on the butter and sugar (even after Sarah mentioned that she had already done the same) since carrots are naturally sweet.  And the whiskey aftertaste was “like Heaven,” according to the Husby.  I very much enjoyed it as well.  They’re definitely in contention for a spot on the Thanksgiving table.

Whiskey Glazed Carrots – adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking

  • 2 Tbsp. Butter, divided
  • 1 Lb. Carrots, peeled and sliced into discs (I used a bag of carrot “chips”)
  • 1/2 Cup Whiskey
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Fresh Chives, chopped, for garnish

Place a large skillet over high heat and melt the butter.  Add the carrots and cook 2-5 minutes, until they start to brown slightly.

Slowly pour in the whiskey and allow it to evaporate for 30 seconds.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 Tbsp. butter.  When butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir to coat.  Allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the glaze thickens and the carrots cook through.  Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with chives before serving.

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Asian Potato Salad.

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Jey| 1 Comment

It’s that time of year when summer parties are in abundance.  One thing you can be certain of is that some sort of potato salad will be in attendance at the festivities, so it was only fitting that this month’s Daring Cooks challenge was potato salad.

Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

Because potato salad is so prevalent at summer picnics and barbeques, I knew that I wanted to make something different from your typical mayo-laden, calorie dense variety.  And different it was.

This potato salad packed an Asian flavored punch directly to my tastebuds and was a welcome addition to our table.  The original recipe calls for sweet potatoes, which I think would make a great salad even better.  So try this unique spin on your average potato salad at your next summer party!  You won’t be disappointed.

Asian Potato Salad – adapted from Food and Wine

*This recipe makes a large bowlful of potato salad.  If you are having/attending a smaller event, I recommend halving the recipe, reducing the soy sauce to 1/4 Cup.

  • 10 Russet Potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Cup plus 4 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
  • 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce (I always use low sodium)
  • 2 Tbsp. Ginger, minced
  • 4 Tbsp. Seasoned Rice Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 2 8 oz Cans Water Chestnuts, sliced
  • 1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped, green parts only
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then turn off heat, cover and allow to sit for 6 minutes.  Pierce potatoes with a fork to check for doneness.  They should be soft, yet still remain firm.  Drain potatoes into a colander and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of toasted sesame oil in a medium saucepan.  Once hot, add garlic, soy sauce and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes, until very fragrant.  Remove from heat and whisk in dijon mustard, seasoned rice vinegar and sugar.  Transfer sauce to a bowl, add the water chestnuts and green onion and set aside for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining toasted sesame oil and greek yogurt to the water chestnut mixture, season with salt and pepper and mix well.  Fold in the potatoes.

This salad can be refrigerated overnight, but is best served warm or at room temperature.

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Recipe Swap: Garlic Parmesan Orzo.

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Jey| 2 Comments

The theme for this week’s recipe swap was Side Dish.  Nestie Moviegirl03 sent me this lovely dish.  Thanks, Jenna!

I typically don’t make pasta as a side dish, so I served it alongside a basic baked chicken and a nice green salad.  I halved the original recipe and reduced the butter quite a bit.  I also added extra garlic and upped the veggie factor by eliminating the parsley and adding fresh chopped spinach.

All in all, I liked this dish.  It took less than 25 minutes to prepare, and most of that time was spent boiling the water and cooking the pasta.  I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers as a main for lunch this weekend!

Oh, and here’s the link to the roundup of last week’s Pasta Swap recipes!

Garlic Parmesan Orzo – adapted from All Recipes

  • 1 Cup Uncooked Orzo Pasta
  • 1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Cups Spinach, chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. Milk
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add garlic.  Saute until tender, about 4 minutes, then add the spinach and cook, 1 minute.

Add the orzo, parmesan and milk and season with salt and pepper.  Stir until parmesan has melted and and everything has heated through.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Coins With Pancetta and Chives.

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Jey| 8 Comments

A different take on your average potato skins, these versatile little bites are great as an appetizer for a cocktail party or as a side to your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Roasted Sweet Potato Coins with Pancetta and Chives – a The Jey of Cooking original (although I’m sure I’m not the first to execute this idea)

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes
  • 6 Clementines, juiced (or other citrus juice equivalent to about 1 cup)
  • 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 2 Slices Pancetta
  • 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Sour Cream
  • 4-5 Chives, snipped

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut sweet potatoes into thick rounds.  Toss with clementine juice and brown sugar.

Transfer potato coins to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for one hour, flipping once halfway through.

Meanwhile, cook the pancetta over medium low heat until cooked.  Crumble and set aside.

Remove potatoes from oven and let cool 5 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter.

Put sour cream into a piping bag with a decorative tip (or a plastic baggie with a corner snipped.  Pipe onto coins and top with pancetta and chives.

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