I’m sharing a perfectly simple grilled side dish over on The Mushroom Channel blog today!

Click HERE to get the recipe for Marinated Grilled Mushrooms — a must have side dish for the summer grilling season!

We were finally able to fire up the grill this weekend… and by we I mean my husband – I still have no idea how to use the thing. It doesn’t help that it is missing knobs and ghetto rigged to where only he knows how to turn it on. I’m not feeling bitter about that at all.*ahem*

Did you know that when I first met my husband, he pretty much would only eat two vegetables and that was it… corn and potatoes. From what he tells me, he was a typical Iowa farm kid who grew up on a pretty stringent diet of meat and potatoes. As would be expected, right?  (more…)

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winner, Erin from Erin’s Food Files!

I know when you think of summer, and the hot temps we’ve been having, the last thing you think about is turning on the oven…but I’m going to change your mind with a dish that is well worth heating up your house for. Homestyle Baked Mac & Cheese. Outdoor barbecues require kid-friendly fare and no matter how many pasta salads or veggie trays you have, kids want what they love and kids love Macaroni and Cheese!

I’m bringing this recipe to you as part of the Summer Braise Party with Tickled Red and In Sock Monkey Slippers. We thought it would be fun to share how we do barbecue and beyond in our various regions of the US. Make sure to check out Shari’s Yogurt Vinegar Cole Slaw and Meredith’s Chipotle & Lime Roasted Potatoes for other great side dish ideas!

Our friends at KitchenAid wanted to get in on the fun and have generously partnered with Shari, Meredith and I to bring you an opportunity to win either ONE of TWO 5-Speed Hand Blenders  or ONE 13-Cup Food Processor.

• 5-Speed Hand Blender Blend, Puree, Chop, Shred, Mince Froth/Mix and Whisk/Emulsify/Aerate – Easily blend smoothies, chop nuts, froth cappuccinos, shred vegetables or whisk egg whites with greater control. The Industry’s First Interchangeable Stainless Steel Bell Blade Assemblies and FIRST EVER Removable Pan Guards. Change easily between different types of blades with no hassles or tools. The removable pan guard attaches easily to the bells and helps prevent scratching on cookware.
• 13-Cup Food Processor features the first-ever externally adjustable slicing lever in a counter top food processor. It adjusts from thick to thin slicing and the optimized speeds help process soft to hard foods. The 3-in-1 Ultra Wide Mouth™ Feed Tube accommodates a variety of sizes of food.

Imagine how much easier these would make your summer sides prep! Thanks, KitchenAid!

KitchenAid Giveaway Details

RULES
(1) participant from In Sock Monkey Slippers, (1) participant from Tickled Red, & (1) participant from Dine & Dish will be randomly chosen to win one of the three KitchenAid items listed above. Once the giveaway has ended the three winners will discover which prize they have won. US residents only, please.

GIVEAWAY CLOSES 7-16-2012 at 12pm EST

TO ENTER

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post letting me know what your favorite side dish is that you make for a BBQ. (Please feel free to add a link to your comment if you are a food blogger).

2. Tweet: Sharing my BBQ Side Dish w/@DineandDish @SMonkeySlippers & @iamtickledred – Enter Triple @KitchenAidUSA #Giveaway! http://bit.ly/NavmOV be sure to come back and let us know that you tweeted by commenting on this post.

That’s it! If you do the same over at Tickled Red & In Sock Monkey Slippers you’ll TRIPLE your chances of winning. Good Luck!

Now for the recipe….

Disclosure: A special thanks to KitchenAid for providing the reader giveaway items for this event.

You may have noticed I was a bit grumpy last week. I would share the reason why with you, but it is long and drawn out and involves a 5 year old screaming hysterically all the way to school and to her classroom about a water bottle. That’s how I started my birthday and it basically set the tone for the rest of the day.

Anyway, the next morning I left for a trip with Bush’s Beans to the most beautiful Paws Up resort in Montana. It’s amazing what a little bit of this…

and this…

can do to help you gain perspective.

I guess I just needed some room to breathe, and I thankfully found it in the hills of Montana.

I can’t wait to share more about my trip to Montana with Bush’s Beans with you, and I will very soon. I have a ton of pictures to edit and recipes to share! In the meantime, enjoy one of my favorite recipes for Red Beans and Rice.

Recipe: Red Beans and Rice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 3/4 chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I prefer Bush’s Beans)
• 1 (16 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I prefer Bush’s Beans)
•  1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat through.  Saute celery, onions and garlic until tender. Add broth, beans, Italian seasonin, red pepper flakes, Creole seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove about 1-1/2 cups of bean mixture and mash. Return to skillet. Add sausage; bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until bean mixture reaches desired thickness. Serve over rice.

It seems kind of odd to crave okra, doesn’t it? When I received the Deliciously Organic cookbook last year I tried recipe after recipe, truly enjoying each one. However, there was one recipe I kept wanting to try and that was Carrie’s Fried Okra. The problem was, apparently the window for fresh okra in Kansas is very tiny. Every time I’d go to the store, I would ask about okra, and every time I was told that it wasn’t the right time of year for it.

Finally… finally today, a little less than a year later, I was able to buy okra at our grocery store! I scooped up my okra and came straight home and made fried okra.

It has been years since I’ve had fried okra, and although I would have loved to have it time and time again before today, it was definitley worth the wait.

I adapted Carrie’s recipe to what I had on hand, but I am certain her recipe is phenomenal, like all the other recipes in her cookbook.

Are you an okra fan? If so, what is your favorite way to cook okra?

If you have yet to pick up Deliciously Organic cookbook, I highly recommend you do so. The recipes I have tried have all been big hits, and the photography by Helene Dujardin is simply stunning.

Recipe: Fried Okra {adapted and inspired by Deliciously Organic}

• 4 cups fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch rounds, ends discarded
• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Toss okra, garlic, bread crumbs and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. Add olive oil to the pan, swirling to coat.
4. Pour okra mixture into skillet and stir every few minutes for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

(Note… Carrie’s recipe calls for a medium yellow onion, ground cornmeal and coconut oil in place of the garlic, bread crumbs and olive oil)

For the past few weeks you’ve watched as I’ve sacrificed my hips to try out different fry recipes. This research was all part of the Alexia “Reinvent a Classic” Fry Challenge. After much thought, calories, and consideration, I finally settled on a fry / spice combination that totally fits where I’m from… the BBQ heartland, Kansas City.

The inspiration for these fries comes from our favorite barbecue restaurant, Oklahoma Joe’s. They have the most amazing fries which are tossed with their rib rub. My husband makes some pretty awesome ribs with his own special rub, so I decided to take some elements of his rib rub to create a seasoning mix for some fries.

The end result are some julienne cut fries made with Idaho russet potatoes. A zesty kick, a hint of sweet and full of flavor, these fries are so addicting. I hope you enjoy them!

Keep an eye on Alexia Foods for updates on all the submissions for the Reinvent a Classic Fry Challenge.

Recipe: Kickin’ Barbecue Style French Fries

My mom is an excellent cook but there were times in my life I would think that maybe she wasn’t so much. Like when she would make liver and onions. Or how about white sandwich bread with white hamburger gravy poured over it? I want to gag just thinking about it.

We lived in a house where choosing something else for dinner was not an option. If it was on the table you were expected to eat it, and that was that.

Our house is the same way. I’m not a short order cook and we have a rule where you have to at least take a bite of everything on your plate. With four kids sitting around the table, you can imagine we’ve had our fair share of resistance to eating some of the things I cook.

I was ready for the pouts and whines the other day when I placed a bowl of Kale Chips on the table. My friend Aggie raves about Kale Chips quite often and then Michelle published a post on her blog about them. With all the good things I’ve heard about Kale Chips and how even the most vegetable resistant kids love them, I thought I’d give them a try.

Let me end this blog post by saying this… 4 days later, Kale Chips have been baked each day. I love them, my husband loves them and the best yet… the kids love them.  I’m so glad to know that my kids won’t be blogging about the nasty green things their mom used to make them eat. Kale Chips, in this household, have been a hit!

What is a food your parents cooked that you dreaded seeing on the dinner table as a kid?

Recipe: Oven Baked Kale Chips (from What’s Cooking with Kids)

• Bunch of kale
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Cracked black pepper (our addition but not required)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Hold the thick stem of each kale leaf with one hand. Pinch the base with the fingers of the other hand and rub them up the stem – the leaves will tear right off!
3. Put the kale pieces on a baking sheet lined with a silpat (a silicone baking mat) or with parchment paper.
4. Pour on a little olive oil and toss with clean hands.  Sprinkle with salt (and pepper if your kids like that…)
5. Make sure they are in a single layer on the baking sheet sheet.
6. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until crisp.

You can find more great, kid friendly recipes like this in Michelle’s new cookbook, The Whole Family Cookbook. Make sure to check it out!

Have you ever tasted an avocado? I mean….really tasted an avocado? I thought I had – I make avocado fries, salads with avocado and avocado ranch dressing, guacamole and more. I eat avocado’s straight up with a bit of Kosher salt and I love them on a sandwich.

I recently received a shipment of California Avocados from California Avocados Direct. Securely packaged with care and a hand written note directly from the farmer himself, I was pretty excited about this package. California Avocados Direct is bringing fresh from the orchard avocados directly to your home and mine through their innovative e-commerce store. With a selection of monthly avocado deliveries, gourmet avocado gift baskets, and more, California Avocados Direct is giving the chance for people like me, in Kansas, to really be able to taste an avocado.

What I realized when I first took a bite of an avocado from California Avocados Direct is that I have never really tasted a fresh avocado. We have avocados in the supermarket here that you have to hurry to get home or they will be over ripe. What we don’t have are orchard fresh, delicious, farm fresh avocados. After one taste, I can tell you… you haven’t truly tasted an avocado unless you have tasted a farm fresh California avocado.

I hesitated to even turn these avocado’s into a recipe… they were so good by themselves – fresh and full of flavor. However, I decided to create a delicious veggie dip (or pita chip dip) using an avocado, some cream cheese and Rotel. A veggie dip for your veggies… gotta love that!

If you are interested in supporting a farmer with a commitment to providing the freshest avocados to people in all regions of the United States, check out the California Avocados Direct website. Their story is one worth supporting and their avocados are truly like nothing I’ve ever tasted. Freshest of the fresh and the highest quality avocados available.

Recipe: Avocado Dip

• 1 8oz package light cream cheese
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 10oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine light cream cheese and diced avocado. Blend until smooth.
2. Add Kosher salt and tomatoes with green chilies. Stir with a spoon until well incorporated. Serve cold with fresh vegetables or pita chips.

California Avocados Direct sent me a lovely package of avocados. All opinions expressed within this post are my own.

Many of you know the very generous and talented Amanda from I Am Baker and I Am Mommy. Amanda has become a dear friend over the past year. Even though we have never met in person, we “chat” almost everyday with a group of other wonderful blogging friends. Amanda has provided support, friendship, laughter and love to our gaggle of friends. Now, it is our turn to shower her with some love!

Amanda is expecting a sweet baby boy in the next couple of days – her 4th kiddo! We have come together as a virtual group, since we can’t all meet in person, to throw a baby shower for her. It won’t be the same as getting to pat her little belly or “oooohhhh and ahhhhhh” over tiny little baby diapers and clothes, but hopefully Amanda will feel our hugs and love through the internet waves. We can’t wait to “meet” I Am Baby Boy Baker and hope that you’ll visit the other shower participants to see what everyone is cooking up to welcome him into the world! (Make sure to scroll to the bottom for my contribution to the shower… Special Stuffed Mushrooms!)

Drinks

Add a Pinch – i am baby Shower Punch
TidyMom – Ducky Bath Blue Punch

Savory Bites

Dine and Dish – Stuffed Mushrooms
GoodLife Eats – Cucumber Sandwich Recipe
My Baking Addiction – Crab Rangoons
Simple Bites – Spring Crudité, Buttermilk-Black Pepper Dip

Desserts

A Farmgirl’s Dabbles – {i am baby} cakes
Bake at 350 – Baby on Board Cookies
Bakers Royale – Baby Shower Cupcakes
Bluebonnets and Brownies – Mini Fruit Pizzas
Confessions of a Cookbook Queen – Homemade Butter Mints
Food for My Family – Baby Shower Macarons
Gourmande in the Kitchen – Chocolate Blueberry Truffles
My Kitchen Addiction – Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
She Wears Many Hats – “B” is for Boy – Itty Bitty Baby Cupcakes
Smith Bites – Strawberries with Brown Sugar Dip
What’s Cooking with Kids – Hamentashen cookies

Last But Not Least

Wenderly – Baby Cards

Recipe: Special Stuffed Mushrooms

• 16 ounce container whole fresh mushrooms (12-16 large mushrooms)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms thoroughly under warm water.
2. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until soft, 2-3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, add cream cheese, Mozarella cheese, black pepper, onion powder and chili powder. Add chopped garlic and chopped mushroom stems, stirring together until well blended.
5. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve warm.

Cheryl from TidyMom and I have been anxiously awaiting this day…Soup-a-Palooza is finally here and we want to invite you to share some of your favorite soup recipes with us!

The soup recipe I chose to make for Soup-a-Palooza came from the Tobasco website. I adapted it it quite a bit and really love the end result. The addition of Bush’s Black Beans, topped with Westminster Oyster Crackers and served along side a slice of Pillsbury Simply Rustic French Bread, this meal was as filling as it was comforting on a cold winters day. In order to keep this post from being 100 miles long, I put the soup recipe over on a post of its own. Check it out here. Also, be sure to check out Cheryl’s Chicken Tortilla Soup over on her blog!

Now it is your turn to share up to 2 of your favorite soup recipes for the chance to win some fabulous prizes from our sponsors.

4 randomly chosen winners will receive a wonderful prize pack from Pillsbury Simply…

2 randomly chosen winners will receive a delicious prize pack from Bush’s Beans.

2 randomly chosen winners will receive a gorgeous apron from my favorite apron maker,  The Hip Hostess.

2 randomly chosen winners will receive an ensemble of goodies (Westminster products plus soup crocks, socks & a tureen from Sur La Table)  provided by Westminster Crackers.

To enter to win one of the great Soup-a-Palooza prize pack giveaways, follow the steps below.

Required:

1. Write and post a recipe on your blog featuring a soup, stew, chili, or chowder. (can be an old post…just PLEASE be sure to link back AND follow #2 below)

2. Include “Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers” in your blog post. (you MUST include this to be eligible for prizes)

3. Add your link to your soup post to the widget on either TidyMom or Dine and Dish (we have the same widget code, so only add it on one site) and leave a comment letting us know you linked up. *you can link up to 2 posts

4. Don’t have a blog? no problem…..leave your recipe or a link to your favorite soup recipe in the comments on this post

Extra Entries:

• Spread the word about Soup-a-Palooza through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter (leave a comment on this post letting us know you did so.)

Sample Tweet: Join @DineandDish & @TidyMom for #Soupapalooza Share your recipes (and WIN) here: http://tidymom.net or http://dineanddish.net Pls RT

• Let us know if you follow any of the sponsors on twitter or Facebook and give them a shout out telling them TidyMom and Dine & Dish sent you. (leave a comment on this post letting us know)

TheHipHostess on Twitter, The Hip Hostess on FB
Pillsbury on Twitter, Pillsbury on FB
Bushs Beans on Twitter, Bushs Beans on FB
WestMinster Crackers on Twitter, Westminster Crackers on FB

Ok, ready to link up? We will keep the linky open through Sunday February 20th. Winners will be announced the following week.  All winners with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. Winners will be emailed and they will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Thanks for participating! Happy cooking!!

An extra special thanks to our sponsors for providing the prize packages for Soup-A-Palooza!