Irish Baked Potato

I’m sure I’ve mentioned already that we LOVE corned beef and cabbage around here! I make it every St Patrick’s Day and serve it with potatoes on the side. Yesterday, I thought I’d throw it all together and see what happened. It made for a yummy, stick to your ribs supper that is the perfect way to use up any leftover corned beef! If you have any…

Just bake some nice big potatoes until they are tender.

Sauté some chopped cabbage in butter with some sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper. Throw in some shredded corned beef and heat through.

Mash up your potato, add plenty of butter and top with your cabbage, onion, corned beef mixture.

It is really good with a really cold dark Guinness stout!!!

Pesto Pasta with Veggies & Sausage

This isn’t really as recipe as much as it is a suggestion…

It’s a quick and easy supper and the perfect way to use up those veggies from your garden or the farmer’s market!

Wash and cut up and fresh veggies you have and/or like. (green beans, mushrooms, squash, peppers, onions, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, peas…)

Cook up some pasta (any shape will do). I threw my green beans in with the pasta to cook together.

Slice your favorite Italian sausage links. Brown them in a skillet until heated through. Throw in your veggies to sauté with the sausage links.

Drain your pasta, mix in sausage and veggies. Toss with your favorite pesto (store-bought or homemade).

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Sautéed Cabbage

I will never eat cabbage that has been boiled ever again! I never like the way cabbage turns out when it is cooked along with my corned beef. This stuff was AMAZING!!!

1 head cabbage, cored and chopped thin

3 Tablespoons butter

salt & pepper, to taste

Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add cabbage and sauté until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. You may need to add the cabbage in stages as it fills up a skillet pretty quickly before it begins to wilt.

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Easy Corn Pudding

This is one of our family’s absolute favorite side dishes! We first had in on Christmas Eve at the Erickson’s while we were in seminary. Moist, delicious, filling and super simple, it is perfect when you need something fast! Yummy with or without sour cream, it is easy to whip up anytime…

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 can corn, drained

1 can creamed corn

1 cube butter, melted

1/4 cup sour cream, optional

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased 9” glass baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Pie Pumpkins

I have been drooling over the pumpkin recipes floating around the internet and aghast at the price of canned pumpkin at the grocery store. Thank goodness our local produce stand had lovely sugar pie pumpkins! I bought six of them…

Here’s all you need to do to have “better than canned” pumpkin for all your favorite fall recipes:

Wash a pie pumpkin (not a carving pumpkin).

Place it in your oven at 350.

Prick them with a fork every 30 minutes until they are tender.

Remove from oven. They will have turned this gorgeous brownish-orange color!

Pop off the stems.

Cut the pumpkin in half. Scrape out the seeds and “guts”.

Scoop out the pulp with a spoon.

Let pulp cool in fridge. Then puree in food processor.

Measure into 1-2 cup portions and place in freezer bags.

Use in your favorite pumpkin recipes!

Fall in Love with Your Crock Pot

Fall is the ideal time to cook with your crock pot! This meal was just what I needed on a day full of canning and errands, not much time to cook.

First I made a batch of Slow Cooker Beef & Mushrooms from Sweet Anna’s.

Then came a big pot of mashed potatoes from our garden!

For those of us that like squash, I baked up two acorn squash with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a bit of hot chili powder. The sweet hot combination was fantastic!

The green beans were for those who wouldn’t eat the really delicious acorn squash.

Remember, some of the best comfort foods come from your slow cooker…

Roasted Beets & Greens

I grew beets again this year in the garden and they actually grew!!! Then I wasn’t sure what to do with them??? Luckily I found this recipe, made a few changes and really enjoyed it! Now I’m hoping my second crop of beets makes it…

• 1 bunch beets with greens
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2-3 potatoes, roughly chopped
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens, removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets, potatoes and carrots in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted. (I didn’t peel mine…)

Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet.

When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for a minute. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook and stir until greens are wilted and tender.

Toss together and season with salt and pepper.

the beets turn everything red!!!

Quick & Easy Pickled Carrots

I first heard about these from my sister’s blog. After she brought them to one of our Sister Days, I just had to make some for myself. The recipe is quick and easy and makes just enough (1 pint jar full) to enjoy yourself or to share.

Wash, peel, cut and boil your carrots. You may want to pack them into the jar first so you know how many you’ll need.

Re-pack tightly into a jar.

Make brine and pour over carrots.

Let sit at room temp until cool. Store in fridge.

For the full recipe from David Lebovitz, click HERE.

Sunshine Carrots

This recipe came from my mom. We love these carrots. I often make them for Easter dinner. There was a period of time when these were one of the 4 things Zack would eat, along with saltines, canned peaches and milk.

Cut up and cook 5 carrots.

Combine: 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, less than 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground ginger. Add 1/4 cup orange juice. Stir constantly over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp butter. Pour over carrots.

Southern Peach Yam Bake

This is one of the BEST Thanksgiving recipes I have ever had or made. It's pretty sweet, so it's more like a dessert you get to eat for dinner. :o) Sometimes I think it is even better than pumpkin pie.

2 large cans yams, drained well
1 large can peaches, drained well

Pour into glass baking dish.

1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Mix first 3 ingredients. Cut in butter. Add nuts. Sprinkle over yams and peaches.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.


Remove from oven and turn to broil.


Sprinkle top with 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows.


Broil until marshmallows are a light golden brown.

Candied Acorn Squash

I love having squash in the fall! This recipe is pretty sweet, but you can use less sugar to make it less so. But why would you want to do that? :o) It also works with any winter squash.


1 acorn squash
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 tbsp brown sugar (use more or less to taste)
cinnamon
nutmeg
1/4 cup orange juice (if desired)


Preheat oven to 350.


Cut squash in half and clean out seeds.


Place cut side down in baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.


Turn cut side up.


Mix butter and orange juice, if using. Pour over squash and into the seed cavity. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.


Bake 20 minutes longer, basting once or twice.