How do you add flare to your menu, sides dishes of course. I love adorning my holiday table with a beautiful roasted turkey or a fillet of salmon, but side dishes is where it's at. When creating your menu consider what will compliment your main entree but also what will add a special touch to your table, and have your guest coming back for more. Adding brightly colored fruits and vegetables adds nutritional value and eye appeal.
One of my popular vegetable recipes is my roasted asparagus. Wash, trim and pat dry your asparagus. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and season with salt and pepper. A friend of mine likes to add chopped garlic as well, this adds wonderful flavor. Roast until asparagus is fork tender but not soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a side of hollandaise sauce.
Stuffed mushrooms anyone?
After cleaning a removing the stems turn mushrooms upside down on the rack of your broiler pan. Drizzle or brush tops with oil and broil for about 4 minutes, just until they start to soften. remove and heat your oven to 350 degree F , fill with your desired stuffing and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. You can stuff mushrooms with just about anything. The ones pictured are stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, onions, the mushroom stems, cream, and bread crumbs. Try flavor combinations that you would enjoy.
How about something for the kids, maybe pizza stuffed 'shrooms! Combine bread crumbs, cheese, chopped pepperoni and sausage for a yummy after school snack or as a side to dinner tonight.
Bacon wrapped Lil' Smokies
Place bacon on a cookie sheet and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in your oven just until bacon renders some of it's fat. You want the bacon to be only partially cooked, so you can wrap it around sausages. Once wrapped place a toothpick to secure bacon and place in your preheated oven (350 degrees) and roast until bacon is cooked through, about 15 -20 minutes.
Oh that looks delicious!
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