Old Fashion Cheesy Potato Casserole

Super delicious cheese potato casserole. This is the recipe everyone must have. It is that good. Ultra tasty. Everyday simple but company good. A great side dish for BBQ, ham or almost anything else.

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Homemade Refried Beans

A wonderful side dish for any Mexican meal with great taste that is so easy and healthy. What could be better? No disgusting cans of pasty beans for you.

I have always loved refried beans but only some the restaurant versions not those cans. Then the idea of lard just does something to my arteries. Plus the term "refried" has put my Gringo tail off. So now I know that  frijoles refritos really means "well-fried beans", not "refried beans". "Fry" has nothing to do with it.

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Grilled BBQ Zucchini

Quick, Easy and Tasty. A healthy easy side for that weeknight grilling. We all want to increase our veggie intake and a quick grill side is always in demand.

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Hasselback Potatoes

A wonderful looking baked potato with Parmesan seasoned crispy crust which goes well with a fancier meal. This looks like a very special side dish, but is actually easy to make. It's time to fancy up those potatoes.

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Oven Baked Parmesan French Fries

This homemade Oven Baked Parmesan Fries would be a deliciously easy addition to your next meal. An easy to follow recipe that anyone will love.

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Sauteed Green Beans and Tomatoes

A delicious vegetable side dish that is as simple as it is healthy. Combine tomatoes with green beans and some other good stuff and you have a health green bean dish that will kick that green bean casserole with the canned soup permanently off the table.

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How to Make Potato Chips

Homemade potato chips. How does that sound? Make your own crunchy goodness in just a few easy steps. Come along and let me guide you with pictures.

You only need  a couple of potatoes, some oil and a little salt to have everybody thinking you are a kitchen wizard.


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Honey Glazed Grilled Carrots

 A tasty grilled veggie to compliment almost any grilled meal. A little char with honey sweetness.

Start with larger whole carrots. Scrub well, peal if you want, brush with oil then grill over medium heat and finally brush with a honey coating and finish grilling. Very yummy.

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How to Cook Corn on the Cob - Three Easy Methods

It's corn on the cob season. Here are three easy ways to enjoy this great side dish. Grilled corn on the cob, microwave corn on the cob or oven roasted corn on the cob... your choice.

As an Iowan, I claim genetic superiority in all things corn. You will love all three methods. I have published all of these before but this is your Spring reminder.

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Parmesan Garlic Baked Potatoes

Meet your new favorite side dish. A crispy parmesan crusted potato half infused with garlic and butter. This is SO EASY, it's an "everyday" recipe but it well also be your go to recipe for company. Skill level 2/10, just don't cut yourself with the knife.

Start with some butter, seasoning and parmesan in a glass baking pan. Scrub up some potatoes, cut in half and place cut side down on the parmesan. Bake and allow to cool in the dish for a few minutes to firm up a crust and you are good to go.

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Grilled Whole Baked Potatoes without Foil

A great grilled sided for the summer and it is simple, simple, simple. Only a few secrets to getting that whole baked potato grilled to perfection and it does not involve aluminum foil.

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Hash Brown Potatoes - Easy Peasy

We love hash browns. Not good for us but we love them. But people seem not to be able to make a decent has brown.

Tips for a really good hash brown.

1. Use a nonstick pan
2. Use enough oil
3. The potatoes MUST be dry (see pictures below)
4. And last, KEEP YOU HANDS OFF

That is all you need to know.


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Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

It's a fashionable chip. It has it all... First, it is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes seem to be the new health food rage. Everyone seems to love them. Second, they are low fat and somewhat good for you. Last, they are microwave easy and very tasty.

Sweet potatoes seem to be "on fire". Many restaurants have added sweet potato fries to their menus. And more and more articles and recipes are appearing. So I jumped in and went for it. The results are quite nice. A different taste and perfect for you sweet potato fans.

I did microwave chips from russet potatoes a few weeks ago and a comment from Chris at Nibble Me This suggested sweet potatoes. Well, I went on vacation shortly after that and forgot about it. However, just in casual reading, I ran into two articles on microwave sweet potato chips. It had to be.

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Easiest Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

Here are the secrets to the best oven French fry ever. Tasty, crispy, healthy and did I say easy. Now you can do it too.

All the blogs have oven baked french fries. So I'll jump in too. But I don't want to be flipping half way through. I what relatively simple prep and simpler cooking. But I want crispy and tasty too. I'm so picky...

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Guacamole - Fresh and Simple

Make it yourself in only a few minutes for your friends and family. An easy spicy guacamole recipe using fresh ingredients that is bound to impress.

I had not been a big fan of guacamole. I have found most versions bland with nothing special to recommend its consumption. Salsa presented better taste and spiciness. I continued to try it occasionally and finally ran into spicier versions - a great improvement. I now love "guac".
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Healthy Microwave Potato Chips

An amazingly simple, tasty and crispy chip. You just slice a potato up and microwave it. What could be easier? You control the oil and salt. Make it a "healthy potato chip" if you want. Make just a few or make a lot. Flavor them up or just a little salt. And lastly, cheap to make.

I stumbled on this somewhere and had some serious doubts as did my wife. But it works great. I have read so many versions, I can't give an inspired by credit. There are many variations. The cooking times recommended varied from 4 minutes to 10 minutes. Some cooked on high then flipped the chips and continued to cook on 50%. One even stepped it down a few more times. Some soaked the chips and some didn't. You get the idea...
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Easiest Corn on the Cob

DON'T SHUCK THAT CORN...There is no easier method, just toss them in an oven. Microwave or regular oven... either will do. No husking the corn. Just toss them in.  It's just a matter of seating the timer.

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Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

Dress up those green beans. Roasting always brings out the taste of veggies. Add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and you have some easy side dish heaven.

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Crispy... Tasty... Simple... Some of my favorite words. My type of recipe. An easy potato side dish that will become one of your all time favorites.

The basic idea is to boil some smaller potatoes in salt water until soft. About 30 minutes. Smash them on a oiled pan, top with oil, salt, pepper and anything else you want. Then bake them at a relatively high temp until browning  and crunchy. About 20 minutes. Your basic 2/10 skill level.

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Easy Roasted Red Potatoes

You want guaranteed results... you want reliable... you want one of the easiest recipes EVER. This is it. And as a bonus, you get great taste and a dish to go with any meal including that special holiday spread. Scrub, cut, shake and bake. This is a 1/10 on the skill level but a 10/10 on the useful scale.

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