Recipe: Candied Sweet Potatoes

As we approach Thanksgiving, I've decided to showcase some of my absolute FAVORITE vegetarian side dishes. Since I don't eat turkey, I live on sides during the holidays... and I wouldn't have it any other way! Side dishes are the BEST, so I'll be posting one recipe a week until Thanksgiving to give ideas to my fellow vegetarians (or anyone with taste buds, really). 

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods on earth. I absolutely love them plain. They make a fantastic dinner all on their own. That said, during the fall, I LOVE jazzing them up a bit by using the canned kind (come on - it seems like a treat even if it isn't!) and adding lots of yummy toppings. This dish makes the perfect accompaniment to a Thanksgiving feast, or it works well for a dessert.

Ingredients Needed:
1 15 Ounce Can Yams (Drained)
1 Teaspoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Water
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
Handful (Vegetarian) Marshmallows (Whole Foods has gelatin free marshmallows)

The Recipe:
*Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
1. Melt butter in a skillet.
2. Add water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Heat two minutes - until bubbly
4. Add yams to a baking dish. 5. Spoon sauce from skillet over the top.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. 7. Add marshmallows to the top. 8. Bake for another 5 (or so) minutes - until marshmallows brown on top
9. ENJOY!

Recipe: Creamy Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes

As we approach Thanksgiving, I've decided to showcase some of my absolute FAVORITE vegetarian side dishes. Since I don't eat turkey, I live on sides during the holidays... and I wouldn't have it any other way! Side dishes are the BEST, so I'll be posting one recipe a week until Thanksgiving to give ideas to my fellow vegetarians (or anyone with taste buds, really). 

Everyone loves mashed potatoes, right? Not exactly. I actually used to hate them. I'm THAT weirdo. However, after several years, I decided to try them again... and I made up a recipe that includes one of my favorite things: cream cheese. Yep. These bad boys are ooey and gooey and creamy and delicious!

Ingredients Needed:
6-8 Yukon Potatoes
6 Tablespoons of Butter
8 Ounces of Cream Cheese (Garlic/Chive flavored works best!)
1/2 Cup of Milk
1 Tablespoon Onion Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper

The Recipe:
*Some people prefer to peel their potatoes first. If you like them that way, do it. I just like the texture of the skin.
1. Cut potatoes into cubes (the smaller they are, the quicker they cook!)
2. Boil in a large saucepan until tender (poke with a fork to check). This is usually about 30 minutes for me.
3. Drain the water from the potatoes in a strainer.
4. Add potatoes back to large saucepan.
5. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher
6. Add the butter, and mix it well into the potatoes until it melts.
7. Add in cream cheese, and stir it well.
8. Add milk, and stir it all up well.
9. Add onion salt and pepper.
10. ENJOY!

**I like sautéing onions and garlic until they are tender and mixing them in to the potatoes as well for an extra kick. I promise - it's delicious!

Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

As we approach Thanksgiving, I've decided to showcase some of my absolute FAVORITE vegetarian side dishes. Since I don't eat turkey, I live on sides during the holidays... and I wouldn't have it any other way! Side dishes are the BEST, so I'll be posting one recipe a week until Thanksgiving to give ideas to my fellow vegetarians (or anyone with taste buds, really). 

Love green beans? Me too! This recipe is my favorite EVER for green bean casseroles, and I've been putting it together since I stirred it with my hands as a little kid. (Thanks, Mom, for letting me do that... I still enjoy it, actually - sshhh!)

Ingredients Needed:
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Cans of Cut Green Beans (drained)
1 1/3 Cups French Fried Onions
Salt and Pepper to Taste

The Recipe:
*Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
1. Combine soup, milk, and pepper in a casserole dish.
2. Stir until well mixed.
3. Add green beans.
4. Add 2/3 cup of the French fried onions.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
6. Stir well.
7. Add remaining 2/3 cup French fried onions to the top.
8. Bake for another 5 minutes until onions are golden.
9. ENJOY!

Recipe: Macaroni & Cheese (With Onions & Garlic)

As we approach Thanksgiving, I've decided to showcase some of my absolute FAVORITE vegetarian side dishes. Since I don't eat turkey, I live on sides during the holidays... and I wouldn't have it any other way! Side dishes are the BEST, so I'll be posting one recipe a week until Thanksgiving to give ideas to my fellow vegetarians (or anyone with taste buds, really). 

This recipe is a favorite of mine. No, it's not healthy. I won't even lie about that. But this is THE BEST COMFORT FOOD you will EVER find!

Ingredients Needed:
Medium Pasta Shells
Penne Pasta
1/2 of an Onion (your favorite kind)
2 Cloves of Garlic
4 Tablespoons of Butter
2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
1 Cup of Milk (I use almond milk, but cow's milk works great too)
1/2 Block of Velveeta Cheese
2 Cups Shredded Cheese (any kind - I like to mix several different kinds in)
Salt/Pepper to taste

The Recipe:
1. Cook pasta (both types together) to your preference. I like it just softer than al denté.
2. While the pasta is cooking, dice your onion and garlic into small pieces.
3. Add vegetable oil and onions to frying pan, and sauté them on medium heat for about five minutes.
4. Add the garlic to the onions and continue cooking over low heat for another two to three minutes.
5. Remove onions and garlic from heat.
6. Strain pasta.
7. Add butter, milk, and Velveeta cheese to the saucepan to create a creamy sauce.
8. Add the pasta back into the saucepan with the sauce, and stir it up.
9. Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the saucepan.
10. Add the shredded cheese gradually, stirring as you go.
11. ENJOY!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It's my go-to mac & cheese recipe when I have people over since it's such a crowd pleaser! Let me know what you think if you decide to try it!

Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Soup

If you love Panera's broccoli and cheese soup, you'll love this one. It's a bit heartier (and full of even more veggies), but it's got the same great taste! 

Okay, so the name of this recipe is misleading. It should really be called "broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, onion, beer, and cheese soup"... but that is too much of a mouthful, so I condensed it. Just know that all of those wonderful things are inside this delicious concoction. You WILL want a mouthful of it!

Check out the pictures first, and then find the ingredients and recipe written below! ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 bottle of beer (I use Blue Moon)
• 2 cups fresh broccoli
• 2 cups fresh cauliflower
• 2 cups fresh baby carrots
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and peper (to taste)

Recipe

1. Sautée the onion in 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
2. Cook 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/4 cup flour over medium heat for three minutes. Stir constantly with a wire whisk constantly. 
3. Add the half and half.
4. Add the chicken broth. 
5. Add the bottle of beer. 
6. Simmer for 20 minutes.
7. While the soup is simmering, grate the cheddar cheese so it's ready to go.
8. Add the onion, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. 
9. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes.
10. Add nutmeg.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
12. Purée in a blender until smooth.*
13. Return to saucepan on stove.
14. Add grated cheddar cheese. Stir it until it melts. 

*I take out several broccoli florets at this step and add them back in after the rest is blended so there are still some chunks of broccoli in the soup. I do this for Dan because he prefers it, but you don't have to. You could also leave some of each veggie out if you prefer.

ENJOY!