Sunday, September 18, 2011

9-18-2011 Side Dish Ideas for Rosh Hashanah

For some reason, I always have trouble thinking of side dishes. I find it important that every component of the meal taste good together, and that none of the flavors are too overpowering. There also has to be a balance of flavors, for example if one side dish is very tasty, I might aim to make the other side dishes blander.

Simple is simple, and always enjoyed, you can never go wrong serving roasted potatoes and steamed green beans.

Usually I will serve one green vegetable, one starch such as a potato, and many times I'll include something sweet like a kugel.

Here are some side dish ideas:

Squash Tomato Gratin
 
I love this recipe, it is a good one to make in advance and reheat.
 
2 T. margarine
1 T. olive oil
3 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 medium Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 C. Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a medium size baking dish or pyrex with non stick spray.

In a large pan, heat the margarine and oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook until translucent. Add the squash and garlic, and cook covered with a lid 5-6 minutes until squash is tender. Stirring every so often.

Add the tomatoes. Recover and cook 15 minutes. Season will salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes uncovered, until top is crisp and golden.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Potato Medley- serves 4-6

Adding sweet potatoes to my normal roasted potatoes recipe makes a nice change. I find the sweet potatoes addictive.

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into cubes
1 large potato or 2 small potato, scrubbed and cut into cubes
2 T. olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place sweet potatoes and potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and toss together to evenly coat. Roast for 40 minutes, until center is tender and outside is nicely browned.
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Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms
These go with anything, and they are delish!

3 Portobello mushrooms, sliced into strips
1-2 T. olive oil
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove, garlic
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. salt, or to taste
1/4 t. pepper, or to taste

In a large skillet, pour in the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and turn heat onto medium. Add the onion and sautee 2-4 minutes, until starting to soften, add the garlic, and cook another 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper. Lower heat and cook for 7-12 minutes, until the mushrooms are completely cooked.
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Pumpkin Pie in a Graham Cracker Crust

It is so easy to whip this up, and it goes well with any other side dishes. It is like a dessert. Whenever I serve this, my friends go nuts.

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin Puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 C. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 C. soy milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl using a whisk, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, salt, eggs, and soy milk until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for another 40-50 minutes until when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 2 hours and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Corn Flake Topped Carrot Kugel

Here is another sweet dish for you, the original recipe is from Kosher by Design Short on Time. Don't tell your guest there is baby food in the recipe, they will never know.

4 (4 ounce) jars baby food carrots
3/4 C. (1 1/2 sticks) Margarine, divided
1 C. sugar
1 C. flour
3  eggs
1/4 C. soy milk
1/4 C. brown sugar
2 C. corn flakes, whole


Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch round or square baking pan with non stick spray set aside.

Melt 1/2 cup stick of margarine

Mix baby food carrots, melted margarine, sugar, flour , eggs, and soy mild until smooth

Pour all the mixed ingredients in pan

In a medium pot over medium heat melt the brown sugar with the 4 remaining tablespoons of margarine.
When the mixture is melted and smooth remove from heat and mix in the corn flakes.

With a wooden spoon toss to coat all the corn flakes evenly over the top of the kugel

Bake uncovered for 1 hour serve warm

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Asparagus- 2 ways

To make roasted asparagus, trim off the tough ends, toss with olive oil, and kosher salt and pepper. Place in oven preheated to 400 degrees on a baking sheet for 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the stalks.
 
Boiled Asparagus:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Using kitchen twine tie the asparagus into a bunch. Lower asparagus bunch into the boiling water, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove bunch with tongs and immediately place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from the ice water once they have cooled. Untie kitchen twine.

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Zesty Green Beans
1 large bunch green beans or haricot verts, trimmed
1 T. salted margarine, such as Smart Balance or Earth Balance
1/2 t. Mrs. Dash original blend
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt, or to taste
1/4 t. pepper

In a small bowl mix together the Mrs. Dash, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Steam the green beans in a pot with a lid and an inch of water, to your liking. Pour out the water, and add the margarine to the pot. Toss the green beans with the margarine. Sprinkle on the spice mixtures.
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I hope I have given you some ideas for side dishes.

Have a good night!
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