Tender green beans, baby potatoes, smoky bacon, and sweet onions are perfectly combined in this irresistibly classic southern side dish.

Southern Green Beans

It goes without saying we are a meat and potatoes kind of family. Adventurous eaters with tastebuds that favor the southwest, but put a classic, filling meal on the table and my crew of boys are ready to dive in

I served these Southern Green Beans and Potatoes along with our favorite Crispy Oven Baked Chicken. It was the perfect pairing, because the chicken finished cooking just as the potatoes were tender. The meal was a hit with my whole family.

When my friend Melissa (of Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen) told me she was writing a cookbook, I told her I wanted to be first on her list to review it. When I received my advance copy I couldn’t stop flipping through it and drooling over everything.

The cookbook, Melissa’s Southern Kitchen, was released a few years ago and you can find it here on Amazon or countless other retailers. I have loved cooking so many of the family recipes that she shared.

Whether you are looking for a full Sunday dinner or a casual weeknight supper, there is a recipe here for every occasion.

With recipes like Melissa’s unforgettable Buttermilk Fried Chicken, BLT Macaroni Salad, Pecan Praline Baked Brie, and so many others, I have had a lot of fun trying these recipes.

Read more

This fully loaded Chicken Potato Broccoli Casserole starts with fluffy mashed potatoes that are mixed with tender bites of broccoli and chicken, then generously sprinkled with bacon and cheese. The result is an absolutely irresistible dinner.

Chicken Potato Casserole

Yes! I just called a “casserole” irresistible and I stand by that. If you love mashed potatoes, chicken, and broccoli, not to mention bacon and cheese, you need to try this recipe! (although, technically, my boys don’t love broccoli and they LOVE this casserole, so….)

This recipe is one of many great ones in my friend Trish‘s cookbook, 100 Creative Ways To Use Rotisserie Chicken. In case you can’t tell from the title, she has literally written the book on ways to cook with rotisserie chicken.

Her book really should be sold next to the rotisserie chicken display in every grocery store. I love how many great ideas she’s packed into this cookbook.

Chicken Potato Broccoli Casserole

This recipe will work well with rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or with any cooked leftover chicken.

Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or a Mexican blend shredded cheese will also work with this recipe. I typically use a Mexican blend shredded cheese because I almost always have it on hand and it works great.

This recipe can be mad

This Asparagus Skillet is a delightful combination of sweet potatoes, fresh corn, asparagus, and bacon with a drizzle of balsamic.

Asparagus Skillet

This was something unexpected that I pulled together for a dinner side dish a few years ago, using odds and ends from the refrigerator. It was one of those nights where I stood there staring just waiting for inspiration. As if I expected a meal to magically appear.

So I started pulling out things that just need to be used up, a random ear of corn, a few strips of bacon (what were those doing left alone, that NEVER happens) a bundle of asparagus that was looking just a tad sad along with some sweet potatoes on the verge of sprouting.

What resulted was a skillet full of magic. I know that sounds like I am exaggerating but I promise you I am not. This dish is so good it qualifies as a company coming over meal.

Slightly browned sweet potatoes, salty bacon pieces, fresh corn cooked just until warm, and asparagus that is tender and still just a little bit crisp are all tossed together with just a drizzle of balsamic to make this Asparagus, Bacon, Corn, and Sweet Potato Skillet.

I enjoyed the sweet and salty mix of the potatoes and the bacon combined with the crunch of the fresh vegetables. This is a great mix of textures and flavors. My kids liked this so much, that my oldest asked for seconds. Seconds of a vegetable side dish?

While I intended for this to be a side dish because I served it with some grilled chicken that night. This dish has a spot in our regular lineup. And I have been known to double and triple the recipe and call it the entire meal.

Kitchen Tip: I use this skillet, this bowl, and this spatula to make this recipe.

Read more

Sweet Potatoes with Sausage is an easy-as-can-be one pan dinner that my family would willingly eat every night.

I get it, weeknight meals especially need to be quick and easy, not only on the prep but the clean-up as well. This easy sheet pan dinner with baked chicken thighs, baby potatoes, and fresh green beans has become a favorite in many of your homes over the past two years.

Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

Tender sweet potatoes, crisp bell peppers, sweet onions, and spicy sausage are roasted together in this simple and flavorful meal that my family just can’t get enough of lately.

I make a variation of this sheet pan supper at least a couple of times a month. I typically use whichever sausage I have in the refrigerator: andouille, kielbasa, spicy chicken, pork, or beef links will all work well.

Sweet potatoes and peppers have become a go-to combination for their savory yet sweet qualities. Roasted sweet potatoes get perfectly soft inside with a crispy exterior. The bell peppers and onions bring a nice peppery bite and a layer of flavor.

There are a few tricks to your sheet pan dinners coming out perfectly. You want all of the ingredients to be perfectly cooked and not have something be almost uncooked and raw and another item turned to mush.

It has taken me a bit of tinkering with the size of the pieces and the amount of time in the oven to master the perfect combo. But let me tell you. . . I think I’ve nailed it this time.

Start with sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Coat them in olive oil and roast for 20 minutes by themselves on the sheet pan. Then stir them around and flip them on the pan before adding the sausage, peppers and onions.

By doing this in two steps you will get the perfect soft yet crispy sweet potatoes. Along with properly cooked sausage and nice slightly charred peppers.

The last time I made this, I used cheese and jalapeno stuffed chicken sausage, so your favorite sausage should work as well. I always have assorted sausages on hand just for meals like this; most unopened sausage will keep in the refrigerator for quite a while before needing to be used.

Read more

I’m so excited to share these Rosemary Potatoes with you! They’re everything I want in a side dish – easy, delicious, and loved by my whole family.

Rosemary Potatoes

Crisp roasted potatoes with a fluffy center are one of my favorite ways to enjoy potatoes. Tossed with just olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary before roasting, they turn out perfectly every time.

I serve these potatoes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and I usually double or triple the recipe to keep them in the refrigerator during the week for easy breakfasts.

Tossing the potatoes with fresh rosemary makes them just a little bit fancier without any real effort or extra time spent.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

I’ve never met a roasted potato I didn’t like. Roasted Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts and Sausage is one of my favorite dinners. Guests always love these Turmeric Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans too.

Oven roasting results in a crisp exterior and fluffy buttery potato center with almost no skill or effort required. Roasted potatoes are a perfect dish for new and experienced cooks alike.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chipotle Garlic Sauce are awesomely snackable. They disappear lightning fast any time I make them.

After tossing chopped potatoes with olive oil, herbs, and spices, simply bake them in a preheated oven while you prepare the rest of your meal.

Keep an eye on the potatoes and use a spatula to flip once or twice part way through cooking to ensure that all sides bake evenly.

That’s all it takes to have an impressive roasted potato side dish that everyone at the table is guaranteed to rave about.

Read more