The Side Show–Top 6 Super Simple Side Dishes

Chicken & Dumplings.  Shrimp & Grits.  Pot Roast & Veggies.  Pork Chops & Applesauce.  Every protein seems to have them, and every dinner table screams out for them.  Side dishes.  We can’t live without them! (well, at least I can’t.)

Has this ever happened to you?  You begin the day with kids, breakfast, school runs, work, errands, home work, and a ton of other tasks, so you are super proud when you remember to pull a protein out of the freezer for dinner.  Then your day gets away from you.  You scramble to get that chicken into the oven or on the grill, and then suddenly it’s time to sit down to eat.  DOH!  Where’s the side dish that pulls it all together?  Do you reach for a blue box from the pantry in a quick fix?  Grab some sort of leftovers out of the fridge?  Pour an extra large glass of wine and just give up completely?

But wait!  What’s that?  A tried and true recipe, spelled out and easy to make, right there on your computer screen?  It’s My Midlife Kitchen to the rescue with the Top 6 Super Simple Sides for your weekday dinner!

These side dishes are the ones that I regularly reach for when I’ve forgotten to include a side dish in my mad dash to the end of the day.  They are always tasty, super simple, and go with nearly any protein you might have planned.

What I love about these Top Side Dishes is that you need very few additional ingredients to create a stellar dish.  A little olive oil, some salt & pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and BAM!  You’ve got yourself a winning completed meal.

1.  Roasted Asparagus:
   * Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
   * Snap woody ends off of asparagus and rinse the stalks in cool water.  Pat dry.
   * Place stalks in oven safe dish.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper.
   * Roast for 15 minutes or until asparagus are bright green.  Serve immediately.
2. Grilled Scallion & Pea Orzo:
   * Preheat grill or grill pan over medium high heat.  Coat with olive oil or cooking spray.
   * Grill scallions for 3-5 minutes, or until they begin to char.
   * Allow scallions to cool, and then slice into 1/2″ pieces.
   * Toss with frozen peas, orzo or rice, and olive oil.
   * Season with salt, pepper, or even some Parmesan cheese.
3. Bacon-Wrapped Corn:
   * Preheat grill or grill pan over medium high heat.
   * Wrap each ear of corn with one or two slices of thin cut bacon.  Tuck final edge of bacon underneath itself so that it remains on the ear of corn when grilling.
   * Place corn, seam side of bacon facing down, on grill.  Grill for 6-8 minutes per side until corn is cooked and bacon begins to crisp.
4. Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon:
   * Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray.
   * Using frozen, cubed butternut squash, toss with diced bacon, rosemary, salt & pepper in the dish.
   * Roast for 30 minutes or until squash is softened and bacon is crisp.
5. Roasted Red Potatoes:
   * Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray.
   * Cut red potatoes into equal sized wedges (approximately 3 inches each).
   * Toss with olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and freshly chopped rosemary.
   * Roast for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
6. Roasted Vegetable Medley:
   * Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray.
   * Dice baby zucchini, carrots, pea pods and mushrooms to approximately the same size (2-3 inches).
   * Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes until vegetables are cooked through but not mushy.

I love all of these side dishes, but what I love the most is that you can generally use whatever vegetables you have on hand (fresh or frozen), pair it all with olive oil and some herbs, and a healthy, flavorful meal is complete in little time.

What are YOUR favorite go-to side dishes?

**Want other side dishes that make take a little more planning, but still serve up flavor and cheers around the table?  Check out these additional tried and true dishes!**

• Grilled Acorn Squash
• Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Zucchini Cakes
• Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Portabellas

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