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Red beans and rice

Red beans and rice by John Spottiswood

I've adapted this recipe from a number that I have used in the past. You can deviate from this and it is still delicious! Normally, I serve this with a jerk marinated chicken or pork, but it also goes well with grilled fish, steak and many other treats. If you serve it with something that isn't spicy, try adding some of the spices…

47 votes
77575 views
Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil

Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a simple, tasty side dish to add to your menu. I've adapted it from Marcella Hazan's recipes for other vegetables. It tastes GREAT with Brussel Sprouts. Broccoli is good too.

25 votes
63857 views
Basmati Rice with Herbs

Basmati Rice with Herbs by Nancy Miyasaki

This is an excellent, flavorful side dish that goes really well with fish, shrimp, or chicken. It's like a mild version of a Briyani...easy to make and full of healthy ingredients. I thought the Parmesan cheese was weird addition, but the flavor blends nicely and it isn't over powering. Enjoy!

11 votes
19424 views
Brussels

Brussels by John Spottiswood

No not the country famous for Beer, Diamonds and Waffles, but a rather a tested method to make anyone eat Brussel Sprouts. Serve as a side to steak, chicken piccata, or just over steamed rice. Provided and tested by my good friend Brian Bedrosian.

11 votes
5049 views
Easy Pan Fried Tomatoes

Easy Pan Fried Tomatoes by Nancy Miyasaki

This recipe is incredibly easy and really tasty. We're healthy eaters, so frying tomatoes isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But you have got to taste these. Amazing! Disclosure: we used fresh tomatoes from our garden that were really flavorful. You may not get the same results with less flavorful tomatoes. We served with…

11 votes
21639 views
Potatoes With Parsley and Garlic - Pommes Parsillade

Potatoes With Parsley and Garlic - Pommes Parsillade by John Spottiswood

These are the fantastic potatoes you've probably had in a french bistro...the ones that weren't pommes frites (french fries). They are best served immediately when the crisp exterior contrasts so nicely with the warm, soft interior. We served these with a lentils and sausage recipe that I will post shortly. The combination was…

10 votes
4696 views
Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham

Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham by John Spottiswood

This is one of our family staples. It is healthy and delicious! Two of our kids say it is their favorite dish. We've adapted it from Marcella Hazan. It's easy to throw together and great the next day too.

10 votes
38970 views
Green Beans with Basil and Tomato

Green Beans with Basil and Tomato by John Spottiswood

This is an attractive and tasty side dish. The butter, basil and tomato adds a nice flavor boost to the green beans. I've made them with garlic salt and regular kosher salt, both are delicious. If you want to spice it up, add more black pepper or substitute crushed red pepper for the black pepper.

9 votes
7519 views
Rice with Lentils - Khichdi Jamai Ji

Rice with Lentils - Khichdi Jamai Ji by John Spottiswood

Khichdi is a mixture of dal and rice that is cooked together so that the flavors blend together. Various lentils can be used, such as split moong dal with or without skin, whole brown lentils (mosoor) or mooth lentils. It can be made with or without the addition of any number of vegetables. The proportion of rice to lentils also…

8 votes
8710 views
Lemon & Garlic Green Beans

Lemon & Garlic Green Beans by John Spottiswood

It is rare to have a side dish which everyone keeps reaching for instead of the main dish. That's especially true if its a fairly simple green vegetable side. But these green beans were truly that good. We used packaged, thin french cut green beans from Trader Joes. They are tender and tasty on their own, but I've never had them taste…

8 votes
33840 views
Asparagus and Shitake Mushrooms

Asparagus and Shitake Mushrooms by John Spottiswood

Quickly sauteed asparagus and shitake mushrooms with fresh ginger makes a really spectacular dish. This has a light, Asian flavor that would go well with fish or poultry as well as beef (which we served it alongside). This could easily be cooked in a wok if you have one handy, though a large saute pan will work equally well. We…

8 votes
3441 views
Homemade Refried Beans

Homemade Refried Beans by John Spottiswood

I'm ashamed to say that though I LOVE refried beans, this is the first time I've ever made them myself. It's just so easy to buy them in a can, or at a mexican restaurant, that I haven't bothered. But this recipe is simple and it is definitely worth the effort in my mind. I figure my kids are the true test, since they aren't that…

7 votes
8467 views
Simple Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Simple Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomatoes by John Spottiswood

This is one of those simple recipes that are almost embarrassing to put on this website. But this was really tasty and healthy, and our kids devoured it. I have everything being prepared in parallel, so the whole dish takes less than 25 minutes start to finish. If you're tight on time, this is a winner!

6 votes
8092 views
Homemade Swedish Pancakes

Homemade Swedish Pancakes by Nancy Miyasaki

I love swedish pancakes and have made them for a few years from a mix I bought at Trader Joes. I was out of the mix a few weeks ago, so I tried making them from scratch. It turned out to be incredibly simple and the kids love these as much if not more as the pre-packaged mix. It's also quite a bit cheaper and means one less box I…

5 votes
10950 views
Pasta with Sauteed Vegetables, Olive Oil & Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Sauteed Vegetables, Olive Oil & Tomato Sauce by John Spottiswood

Simple and truly delicious. If you like tasty, fresh, and healthy food, this is likely to become a staple for you.

5 votes
26750 views