Tag: barbecue side dish

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Side Dish

You have my ‘parmesan’ to treat yourself to potatoes this weekend

Crispy Mexican potatoes feature lots of traditional Mexican flavors, making them just a little spicy with a crispy, cheesy bottom and a creamy interior. They are a great side dish for a variety of meals.
Crispy Mexican potatoes feature lots of traditional Mexican flavors, making them just a little spicy with a crispy, cheesy bottom and a creamy interior. They are a great side dish for a variety of meals.

“What makes them Mexican potatoes?” a friend asked as he scooped my latest food experiment onto his paper plate in our backyard.

“I think it’s just the spices that put it in that category,” I told him.

He looked at me quizzically and only grabbed a few.

But after finishing off that first spoonful and going in for a second, I think it was safe to say he didn’t really care if there was a national origin to this side dish or not—they were a hit.

It was a couple weekends ago that Joey fired up his smoker and we invited some people over to eat with us and enjoy the truckload of food we prepared. It’s always more fun to enjoy meals like that with friends, and this one was no exception.

And this potato side dish was a great addition to the meal.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog, “Bites with Bri” by Brianna May. You can find the original post at https://biteswithbri.com/mexican-potato-recipe/. I added extra spices in my version below.

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Crispy Mexican Potatoes

Crispy Mexican potatoes feature lots of traditional Mexican flavors, making them just a little spicy with a crispy, cheesy bottom and a creamy interior. They are a great side dish for a variety of meals.
Course Side Dish
Keyword barbecue side dish, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, easy side dish, garlic powder, Mexican, onion powder, oregano, paprika, parmesan cheese, yellow potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds small yellow potatoes halved
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese use the real stuff, not the stuff in a can

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside (I tried using foil, and it was tough to remove the potatoes. I think parchment is a better way to go.)
  • Make sure the potato skins are dry after washing them before proceeding with coating them in seasonings. Just pat them with a paper towel.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, oil and spices. Stir well to completely coat the potatoes.
  • Press the cut side of each potato into the shredded parmesan and place it, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat, spacing the potatoes just slightly apart.
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Transfer hot potatoes to a serving dish and serve immediately.

I wish I could tell you how these reheated for leftovers, but we didn’t have any of those. These taters went quickly, and if I do this side for another barbecue where we’re expecting more people, I will definitely double the recipe.

These were just a little spicy. You can always decrease or cut out the chili powder if that’s not your thing, but we really enjoyed them. The crispy cheese, creamy potato and Mexican spices all go together perfectly and were perfect along with the smoked chicken Joey made as the main course.

I still can’t tell you if they really qualify as a “Mexican” dish, but I can tell you nobody will care much once their mouths are full.

This piece first appeared in print on July 20, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Side Dish

Flex your cooking ‘Brussels’ with a new summer side dish

Brussels sprouts with bacon and pesto pasta is a light, summer side dish that is best served warm. It features bright flavors from pesto and fresh lemon juice, which makes it a crowd pleaser.
Brussels sprouts with bacon and pesto pasta is a light, summer side dish that is best served warm. It features bright flavors from pesto and fresh lemon juice, which makes it a crowd pleaser.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself searching the Internet every summer for new side dishes to take to barbecues.

Joey is really, really not a mayonnaise fan, so the traditional offerings like potato salad and coleslaw are mostly out of the question.

But then you also have the problem of how to keep a cold side dish cold while you’re hanging out in 90-degree Kansas weather. Instead, I prefer a dish that can be warm (or at least room temperature) and still be delicious.

This week’s recipe definitely ticks that box.

You can find it on the blog “Recipe Runner” at https://reciperunner.com/brussels-sprouts-and-bacon-pesto-pasta/. I added extra garlic and red pepper flakes in my version.

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Brussels Sprouts, Bacon and Pesto Pasta

Brussels sprouts with bacon and pesto pasta is a light, summer side dish that is best served warm. It features bright flavors from pesto and fresh lemon juice, which makes it a crowd pleaser.
Course Side Dish
Keyword bacon, barbecue side dish, basil pesto, Brussels sprouts, garlic, lemon juice, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, picnic side dish, summer side dish

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces pasta shells
  • 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 12 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons pesto
  • Juice of one lemon about 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded (plus more for topping)

Instructions

  • Boil your pasta according to package directions.
  • While it’s cooking, wash and trim your Brussels sprouts and slice them thinly. Set them aside.
  • In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy, and then remove it from the pan to a paper towel to drain.
  • Remove all but about one tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet, and add in the sliced Brussels sprouts, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are as tender as you like them.
  • Stir in the garlic and saute for about one more minute or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
  • Add in the rest of the ingredients (drained pasta, too), and stir to combine. Add more seasoning if necessary, and serve warm with some extra cheese on top.

We ate this hot the first time, and it was amazing. We ate it cold as leftovers, and while it was still good straight out of the fridge, we both agreed we liked it better at least warm.

The flavors married well and were bright and perfect for a summer side dish.

The next time we’re hosting (or invited to) an outdoor summer meal, this will be on my short list of dishes to take. It’s tasty, easy to make, and there are no ice packs or other contraptions needed to keep this dish cold throughout a get-together.

With the heat outside rising, if I can at least find some relaxation through not worrying about my cooking, I’ll be very happy.

This piece first appeared in print on June 22, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

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