Category Archives: Side Dishes

Casseroles, Dressings, Side Dishes

Southern Cornbread Dressing

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Southern Cornbread Dressing

 

Southern Cornbread Dressing

 

This Southern Cornbread Dressing is the best I have ever tasted!  In the past I’ve just made the stuffing that comes from the plastic bag.  You know, the dried crumby kind that was probably bread made in 1957.  And it takes a couple gallons of liquid to re hydrate it. Far from fresh and tasty.  Well this thanksgiving, I scoured around for a great recipe for southern cornbread dressing and I started off with a recipe from Paula Deen and of course, had to tweak it just a little to make it my own.  The results were absolutely the best southern cornbread dressing that any of our family had ever tasted.  So here’s how I made it.  Give it a try and let me know if you liked it.

Southern Cornbread Dressing – Cornbread

1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self rising flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Whisk together all ingredients listed above.  Pour batter into a greased 9×9″ baking dish.  Bake at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool completely.  Crumble cornbread up into fairly small chunks.  Use to make Southern Cornbread Dressing.(recipe follows)

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread Crumbs (from above recipe)
8 slices oven dried bread
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crumbled
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups celery, very thinly sliced, chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
5 eggs, beaten

Mix together the cornbread crumbs, cracker crumbs and crumbled dried bread in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the celery and onion and cook until onions and celery are tender, about 10 minutes over medium-high heat.  Pour over the crumbs.  Add the broth, soups and crumbs.  Mix until well combined.  Sprinkle seasonings over and stir them in well.  Stir in the beaten eggs.  Mix all well.  Pour into a greased 9×13″ baking pan.

Bake for about a hour at 325°

Southern Cornbread Recipe

This is one to keep and try.  I know you will enjoy this Southern Cornbread Recipe as much as my family and I have.

Sharon Springfield

Sharon Springfield

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Broccoli, Casseroles, Holidays, Rice, Side Dishes, Vegetables

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole

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Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole

 

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole.  This is a spin off of a recipe from my mother-in-law that used Minute Rice, frozen broccoli and Cheez Whiz.  I’m more into fresh foods, the less processed the better, so I healthy-tized it.  But it’s still creamy and cheesy and really great.  Hope you’ll try it and love it too!

 

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 cup rice
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 soup can low fat milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
salt & pepper

 

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil, add rice, lower heat to a simmer and steam with lid on for 10 minutes.  Add the broccoli and mushrooms and continue to cook until the rice and broccoli are tender, approximately another 10 minutes.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of cheese.  Spread into a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle reserved cheese on top.  Bake at 350°F oven for 30 minutes.

This low fat broccoli rice casserole can be vegetarian friendly if you use 2 cans cream of mushroom soup and omit the cream of chicken soup.  When I was a vegetarian, this was something I used to make frequently for dinner.

Give this Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole a try this Thanksgiving.

Don’t forget to check out the other posts in my blog.  This week I’m featuring my favorite Thanksgiving dishes with you.

Low Fat Broccoli Rice Casserole

Sharon Springfield

Sharon Springfield

 Sharon Springfield on Facebookhttp://sharonspringfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/youtube-150x150.jpgSharon Springfield on Pinteresthttp://sharonspringfield.com/images/cooking-blog-logo.jpg

Italian, Rice, Side Dishes

Risotto Florentine

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This was a risotto improvisation that turned out wonderful!  Very rich and filling dinner.

12 oz bag Arborio Rice
2 Tbsp. butter
8 oz mushrooms, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup white wine
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup frozen spinach
5 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a heavy saucepan, saute rice in 1 Tbsp. butter, stirring constantly.  Add mushrooms, onion and garlic powder.  Saute until onion is tender.  Stir in spinach.  Add wine and saute until absorbed.  Slowly add 1 cup broth, stirring frequently.  As the liquid cooks down, continue to add remainder of broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until all broth is used and the mixture is very creamy.  Fold in the cheese, pepper and remaining butter.

Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Zucchini – Yellow Squash Casserole

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2 zucchini squash – sliced 1/2″ thick and quartered
2 yellow squash – sliced 1/2″ thick and quartered
1/4 onion, diced
salt and pepper
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
6 oz pimento cheese spread
1 egg
1 6 oz. box stuffing mix
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350º F.  Coat 2 qt casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.
Place squash and onion in a medium saucepan.  Add 1 cup water, a dash of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Drain off water, reserving 1/2 cup.
In a bowl, whisk together the soup, reserved water, cheese and egg.  Stir in the stuffing mix and the drained squash.  Spread evenly in 2 qt casserole dish.  Top with Panko bread crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Casseroles, Side Dishes

Sharon’s Broccoli Rice

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2 cups water
1 cup rice
Cook rice 20 minutes.
1 bunch fresh broccoli, cut florets into small pieces and steam until tender.
1 can cream of mushroom soup (low-fat)
1 can cream of chicken soup (low-fat)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
a dash cayenne if adventurous
Mix the soups, one cup cheese and the seasonings well.  Stir in the broccoli and if desired some cooked mushrooms (optional).  Add the rice and if needed a little milk to make a creamy consistency.  Place in buttered baking dish, top with cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
 8  Servings