side dishes – Cremona's Kitchen

Orzo Pasta Salad

May 14, 2021 No Comments

Every morning, I let Pancake out our back patio door so she can go to the bathroom, chase the turkeys, and otherwise run around the pastures before she decides to make her way back to the house. The last couple of mornings I have followed Pancake out the door, stood on the patio, and soaked up the morning sun. Guys, it is starting to smell like summer.

Summer in Minnesota is a thing. After months and months of snows (sometimes even creeping into May), once the weather starts to hit the mid 60’s, it is as if all Minnesotans collectively sigh a deep breath of relief. Winter is behind us. We open our windows. We plan meet ups around happy hours for patio bars/restaurants. Lake parks are filled with people running, biking, laying, playing. It is hard to imagine not seeing the sidewalks, parks, and downtowns not packed with people enjoying our Minnesota summer to the fullest. All plans seem to revolve around being outside as much as possible. If the sun is up, we are outside.

And with summer comes summer cookouts. I have never been one for consistent meal planning. Whatever is in the fridge, I will toss together. But in the summer, my lack of meal planning becomes even more narrow, and I happily delegate a portion my cooking duties. Now, the extent of my meal planning is, “what should Matt grill out for us tonight?” I am just in charge of the side dishes.

This is a fabulous side dish. Hand to God, every time I make this side dish for guests, someone asks me for the recipe. And every time I say, yeah, I should really write it up and put it on my blog so it is easier to share. Well guests, I finally have!

Ingredients

Box of Orzo
Can of Corn, drained (feel free to sub out-I only add it about half the time)
1-2 cups black olives, sliced
1 red/orange/yello bell pepper, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup red onion, diced
1 package of pearl fresh mozzarella (or get a big ball and cut into cubes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 handfuls of cilantro, shredded

Dressing

1 Tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
6 Tablespoon lime juice
5 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

Cook orzo per box instructions. Yah know, boil water. Add salt so it’s as salty as the dead sea. Toss in the orzo. Take out when soft to taste. Let the orzo cool (or run cold water over it-that may be a not chef like. but I don’t always have the time or patience to wait)
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Whisk til well mixed.
Combine all ingredients for main dish in a large bowl. Only add the orzo once it is cooled (or you’ll get gooey cheese). Mix well so that the olive oil is mixed throughout.
Toss in the dressing and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Source: My friend Rachel

recipes, side dishes

Spinach Feta Salad

April 19, 2020 No Comments

I first started cooking real meals when I was in law school. I was sick of living on cereal and chips and salsa, and I wanted to get healthy. But it meant I had to cook for one. I had recently moved from La Crosse to the Twin Cities to go to law school, and I didn’t know anyone. So I lived alone.

Cooking for one is not always easy. You end up making too much or making an entire meal seems like such a hassle when it is just you. I would end up making a main dish, with nothing else. So while that prosciutto-wrapped, goat-cheese stuffed chicken may have been delicious, and took a TON of work, I still hadn’t cooked myself a full meal. I still didn’t feel like a real adult who cooked herself a real dinner.

But after I discovered how to cook spinach (yes, I had to learn how to cook spinach. Because I literally knew how do to nothing in the kitchen), I would add this little side dish to my dinner most nights. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, it tastes fresh and healthy, and it compliments a host of main dishes. And now this is probably the dish I’ve made the most since I started my “lindsay learns to cook” endeavor.

Ingredients

Spinach
Red Onion/Scallots, diced
Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Feta Cheese
Garlic, minced
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Toss a glug of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) in a deep skillet over medium heat.
Add in garlic and onion and cook until onions are soft.
Take a couple of handfuls of spinach and place into the skillet. Stir the spinach as it slowly wilts. Once the spinach is almost fully wilted, add in tomatoes so the tomatoes get warm, but not mushy.
Remove from heat. Plate the spinach mixture. Then add in feta cheese on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!

side dishes

Mediterranean Bean Salad

April 13, 2020 2 Comments

Is it just me or is it hard to come up with a complete meal? The main dish with compatible side dishes that make you feel like you are a real adult. This side dish is honestly perfect with so many sides: steak, chicken, beef, tofu, eggplant. It’ll hang with the best of them. I am so glad I added this side dish to my rotation.

Ingredients

I can black beans, drained and washed
1 can chick peas, drained and washed
1 cucumber, cubed
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup green olives, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/.4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine in large bowl black beans, chick peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and olives.
In separate bowl, combine garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Drizzle dressing over veggie/bean mixture. Add in mint.
Enjoy!

Source: Suburban Soapbox

recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Pesto White Beans with Grilled Zucchini

October 14, 2019 No Comments

We spent Sunday afternoon decluttering our basement. We’ve lived in our house for over 8 years now and have accumulated s o m u c h s t u f f. My closet is full of buckets and buckets of clothes I’ve been keeping just in case they fit again, in case I need it for a costume, in case it comes into style. I am certain Matt has every spare screw that ever came with any kit. After a couple hours of tossing items in either the donate or garage piles, we called it quits and headed back upstairs to where the clutter is a bit more manageable.

The fall cleaning inspired me to clean out the pantry. In the back as a lone can of white beans tucked away–likely bought for chili that I never ended up making. There were two zucchinis on their last legs and a jar of unopened pesto from who knows when. And that is how this pesto white beans with grilled zucchini came to life.

We ate it as a meal, but it would be a great appetizer or side dish. It’s a fun interplay between heavy foods (beans and cheese) with lighter foods (pesto and zucchini). Toast some crusty bread and layer the bean/zucch/cheese mixture on top. It would be the perfect dish to bring to a late fall cookout or to eat in front of a fire. It’s got just the right level of flare without feeling pretentious. Which is what I am always looking for in a meal 🙂

recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Citrus Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

September 15, 2019 No Comments

Today was one of those days where I saw my reflection in the mirror, and I thought, “ugh, I am that chubby girl.” And that’s because I am. No, I am not fishing for compliments. It’s true. I am chubby. Yes, I did recently have a baby, but this chubbiness cannot be blamed on Eloise. It’s because I’ve been eating subpar and not working out as much I’d like. See, before we went to Texas, I was kicking ass. I was eating healthy. Working out. Drinking all the water. And then vacation happen. And then I got back and I was busy. Work. Babies. House. Errands. Yeah, I know. You can make all the excuses you want. Clearly I wasn’t making my health a priority.

Ok, well that is the great thing about priorities. They can change. So healthy eating is back on the docket. I spent the weekend digging into new recipes to try. To revitalize my motivation to eat healthy, work out, get my spirit back into the better myself vibe. It was time to get out of my funk.

Because I have three little eyes watching me. Taking notes. Learning from my habits and internalizing them and possibly even making these habits their own. So if not for myself, then for them.

sure, it’s hard to work out when you have these two adorable boys who always jump on you. guys, this is the life.

And that is how this beet salad came to life. I am not about to just eat rabbit food. That is not going to get me excited about eating healthy. But of course, healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland. I just had to remind myself of that. So I went outside the typical “green” salad and landed on beets. There is something about beets that make me feel like I am being healthy and trendy at the same time. This recipe is unbelievably easy, with no dressing because the ingredients themselves have more than enough flavors.

recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Spinach Applesauce

April 11, 2019 No Comments

I swear, my toddlers either eat everything in sight or they live on air. There is no middle ground. So on the days they eat, I try to load them up with as many vegetables as I can. We’ve been lucky. The boys generally like vegetables. Broccoli is one of their favorite foods. They usually like trying new foods and don’t have fits about texture or taste. Still, we have our days. The boys only want to eat donuts and cereal (they are their mother’s sons). No matter what healthy food we offer, they claim they aren’t hungry. Sometimes we need to be a bit more clever with getting vegetables in the boys’ diet.

Earlier this week was one of those days. Since we have a new baby, people have been stopping by to spend time with Eloise. Along with the people come treats: donuts, cookies, birthday cake and pie. Thanks to the sugar snacks, the boys started to refuse to eat dinner. If the food wasn’t 90% sugar, the boys weren’t interested.

Typically, if the boys refuse to eat dinner, I don’t care. If they are hungry, they will eat what we prepared. We don’t offer alternative meals. Either they eat what is on the plate or they don’t eat at all. I never clear their plates from the dinner table until both boys are sleep in bed so it is easy to direct the boys back to the table if they ask for food.

But this time, the reason the boys weren’t eating wasn’t because they weren’t hungry. They were full of sugar and no nutritional food. I was determined to get something healthy in them.

I recalled seeing a post on Instagram that would be perfect solution. If we put down a bowl of applesauce in front of them, there’s a good chance they’ll ask for seconds. So I used that to my advantage. I tossed a handful of spinach in the applesauce and blended until it was smooth(ish). The plain applesauce immediately was way more fun. It was green. It was a little more chunky (because I didn’t pull out the nice food processor). It was something new and different. The boys devoured the applesauce and got a full serving of spinach. An easy way to get more veggies in their diets without any fight.

recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Panzanella Salad

October 9, 2018 No Comments

Last weekend was my sister-in-law’s wedding. I first met Matt’s sister Nicole when she was a high schooler. She was this perky, outgoing girl who immediately made you feel at ease. It was as if you had known her your whole life. Because that is quintessentially Nicole. She lives her life with her heart on her sleeve. Sharing intimate stories. Gushing love. Always being completely honest. So if something is on her mind, she’ll let you know. She’s always all in or all out. It’s something I’ve always admired about her.

and then the little frog turned into Ben 😉

She was the first sibling of Matt’s and mine to get married. So the wedding weekend was a bit surreal. How can she be getting married? She is the little sister. But she looked beautiful. The wedding was beautiful. The family time was beautiful. There’s nothing like a wedding to make you feel grateful for family.

Matt and I were in the wedding party so we got to walk down the aisle together, which was pretty fun. The two of us hadn’t been in a wedding party together since our own wedding. Not having to worry about anything except being where we are suppose to was a great change in pace. Our little boys were in the wedding too. They wore little dress pants with suspenders and bow ties. And they were too adorable. Despite complete breakdowns and tantrums at the rehearsal dinner, both boys walked perfectly down the aisle and were quiet the entire wedding ceremony (and we are Catholic so we are talking an hour and a half mass). After the mass, the boys went off with my parents while Matt and I jumped on the party bus for photos.

Matt insisted on finding his own bouquet and snagged a lovely bundle of sticks.

Of course, the wedding was a full on traditional Italian wedding. Guests were greeted at the reception by a table of shots. Each guest is to take a shots to toast the new couple for good luck. Traditionally, those shots are taken with the bridal party, but I have no idea how those Italians do that and don’t get completely bombed. Here, there were bartenders that just handed them out so we didn’t have to worry about spending the entire reception slurring our words (because I swear, I smell liquor and suddenly I am completely incapable of articulating a clear sentence). Our meal included antipasto, a pasta plate followed by a meat plate. The late night snack was a nacho bar (oh man, for Matt’s and my second wedding, we are totally stealing this). The dessert table was full of almond cookies, biscottis, and canolis. Yeah, in case it isn’t obvious, food is an important piece of the celebration.

And a panzanella salad is one of my favorite Italian salads. It is one of the few salads that Matt loves because a good quarter of the salad is garlic, butter toasted bread. He calls it “the bread salad” and its one of the few salads where Matt gets seconds. The combination of the toasted bread with cucumbers and tomatoes tastes like summer. It’s a quick and easy recipe with just simple, real ingredients. Real Italian cooking at its finest. So for your next celebration, if you want to toss in a little Italian tradition, try adding this bread salad.

recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Fresh Salad Dressing

January 18, 2017 2 Comments

Well, I had another baby! On December 15, 2016, little Maxwell decided he wasn’t going to wait another second and was born. And even though he was born on his due date, I was anything but prepared. See, JR was 12 days late. Yes, 12 days. While I certainly was not rooting for another almost two week late baby, I had convinced myself that Max would not be showing up anytime near the 15th. Perhaps sometime in the 20’s–like Christmas. But surely not on his due date. So when my water broke at 9:40 p.m. on December 14th, I immediately panicked (our house was a complete mess. I had lost my phone. I hadn’t done laundry in weeks.) But after a mere two and a half hours of labor, Maxwell was born. It was perfect.

little Maxwell Watson Cremona on his birthday. About 4 hours old here.

Of course, now that Max is here, I should be in the “lose the baby weight” phase. But there was Christmas. Then New Years. And donuts are freaking delicious. Plus, who is going to eat all those Junior Mints?! And while I am technically down to my pre-Max weight (note: not pre-baby), my belly is squishy. It would be nice to be back to my law school size. Since it’s the beginning of the year, I can jump on the “new year new you” bandwagon. My social media has been swarmed with Whole30 posts so it is a constant reminder that I too need to be more aware of what I am eating if I want to see results.

That’s where this salad comes in. It’s healthy and quick to make. Plus, you can toss in as many vegetables you’d like, add chicken, salmon, etc., and make the salad more filling (and more of an entree v. side dish). But, regardless of what ingredients you put in the salad, it is truly the salad dressing that holds it all together. My friend Mel shared her dressing recipe with me, and now it is my go-to dressing. Ok, it is the only salad dressing I use these days. It’s light but full of flavor. And I can eat a salad and still feel healthy that it isn’t covered in a creamy, fattening dressing.

recipes, side dishes

Loaded Potato Skins

March 21, 2013 No Comments

Whenever my parents came to visit me in college, the first thing we would do is go out to eat. As a freshman, I always wanted to go to the same place–Friday’s–so we could eat loaded potato skins. After reaching the freshman 15, my choice of appetizers had to change, and I haven’t had restaurant potato skins since.

My love of the saltiness hasn’t died. And with my lack of desire to ever make side dishes aside, this weekend I decided to try to recreate an old college favorite. I am proud to say I only ate two potatoes–letting Matt devour the rest of the plate. The two were just enough nostalgia for my taste buds. Although, I suddenly had the urge to play some good old fashion beer pong…

appetizers, recipes, side dishes, vegetarian

Olive Pesto

February 24, 2013 No Comments

Matt is a big snacker. This snacking habit has only been encouraged by my particular “house rules” when it comes to dishes in the wood shop. No glass, no fiestaware, and no silverware near the power tools. So Matt made his own wood bowls that he fills with chips (that later become full of wood chips. somehow that doesn’t deter him from eating his potato chips).

Periodically, I like to surprise Matt with new dips for his chip addiction. Last week was Matt’s half-birthday so I decided to try this olive pesto. I know, I know. Who celebrates half-birthdays? But it all started several years ago when Matt went out to his friends for a couple beers. It just so happened to be his actual half-birthday. Somehow, the guys started saying it was Matt’s actual birthday and despite the reality that bartenders look at your ID–the bartenders bought it. He had a night of free drinks, dancing on the bar, and running around ringing the birthday bell. Ever since, we celebrate Matt’s half-birthday. Complete with a half-cake and special dips.

This olive pesto was a fun twist on the traditional pesto that I love so much. It was quick and easy to make, and it would probably taste delicious mixed with pasta.