While this pasta salad has evolved over the years, it started as a means of using up leftover ingredients from a charcuterie plate. If I had to request a last meal, it would be a charcuterie plate with a bottle of Napa Cabernet. I just love a meat and cheese plate for dinner. It allows me to concoct several different permutations of meat, cheese, jam, honey, nuts, and fruit all in the same meal. The specialty crackers take it to the next level – with the charcoal, rosemary, and nut-laden crackers being among my favorites.
Posts tagged sides
Truffle Potato Salad
My husband loves anything truffle. Truffle butter, truffle salt, truffle eggs, and my truffle potato salad. He also doesn’t discriminate with his truffles. He loves all truffles equally, even gleefully claiming that he would bath in anything truffle. Two of our favorite people, Marina and Dave, used to live on the same block as Urbani Truffles in New York City. When we visited one December, during white truffle season, we made the oh-so-easy pilgrimage to Urbani. We opened the doors and were immersed in truffle. Everything smelled of truffle. I think my husband’s glasses fogged over with truffle shavings. It was his food heaven.
Mac & Cheese
What’s not to love about elbow pasta swimming in a bowl of warm, creamy cheese? My childhood memories of macaroni and cheese are my mother’s ingenious version of mac and cheese. Since we always had some spaghetti noodles in the refrigerator, she recognized that she could simply pull out some already cooked noodles and cover them with a slice of American cheese. Microwave for a minute or two and mix the noodles with the melted cheese. Voila. Homemade Eris-style mac and cheese. She predated Amy’s frozen-section single serving mac and cheese by at least ten years.
Creamed Corn
This creamed corn is a perfect side dish for a picnic or backyard cookout or BBQ. I struggle to find side dishes for BBQ chicken or pulled pork, aside from the traditional baked beans and coleslaw. Why not try creamed corn? Or why not serve the creamed corn alongside grilled head on shrimp? The flavors are reminiscent of shrimp and grits without the tedious “tending to the grits”. When you find the perfect square of grass to spread your picnic blanket on, I hope this creamed corn is in your picnic basket.
Salsa (Quick and Dirty)
Early in our marriage, I had come home from work and made something Tex Mex, not realizing that we were out of salsa. Jokingly, my husband said that I should go in the kitchen and just whip something up. Well, this is it. We’ve been making this salsa for about 15 years now, only using store bought in a pinch. I love the fresh taste and that it is so quick and easy.
Guacamole (Quick and Dirty)
When my husband and I were dating, our favorite haunt was a Mexican restaurant in Jackson. We were broke, and he didn’t like guacamole. So, I always stole his. After a year or so, he decided to try it. After then there was no more extra guac for me. He’s come a long way in his culinary adventure. He supports my food obsessions and recipe experiments wholeheartedly. He is also brave enough to taste the latest concoction without reservation. Sometimes, he sits at the bar with a glass of wine to “supervise” the kitchen, listen to music, and recount the day. Baby, this guac is for you!!
Cornbread Dressing
In our family, dressing may be the real star of the holiday meal show. I like it fragrant with herbs.
Collard Greens
Greens are the one thing that I could eat every day and not get tired of them. Collards, turnips, mustard, kale, cabbage, etc. I love them all! Sometimes, I mix turnip greens, roots, and mustard to add bite. You may be wondering where is the water? But…I don’t boil them. Most greens have enough water in the leaves to cook without adding much water, if any. You keep more flavor and nutrients this way. Some people call this method “frying” the greens, but it’s more like a stir fry. I also like to stop the cooking while they are just tender, but still bright green.