Side Dish

Thumbnail image for Meatless Monday: Sweet Corn Balls

Meatless Monday: Sweet Corn Balls

January 23, 2012

By Laura Knapp The holiday season might be behind us for another 11 months but with football games and awards shows cluttering weekend social calendars, appetizer and snack recipes are in higher demand than ever. Recently, I was inspired by Healthy Happy Life’s “Amazeballs” recipe but since I’m not a big fan of fried foods, [...]

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Thumbnail image for Better Late than Never: Sweet Potato-Apple Latkes

Better Late than Never: Sweet Potato-Apple Latkes

December 29, 2011

The holidays might be over but I haven’t exactly been consistent posting here lately. It seems oddly appropriate that when everyone is getting ready to shelve the flour, butter and sugar for the season, I would be first getting around to posting holiday recipes. Though I haven’t been doing much posting lately, it isn’t for [...]

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Thumbnail image for Quick Cranberry Applesauce

Quick Cranberry Applesauce

November 9, 2011

When I started my own company last year I thought I was going to be bored. So, I took a part-time waitress job downtown and quickly found myself working upwards of 100 hours per week. I quit said waitress job so I would have time to do other important things – like take showers and [...]

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Thumbnail image for Meatless Monday: Plantains & Guacamole

Meatless Monday: Plantains & Guacamole

October 3, 2011

By Laura Knapp A couple weeks ago my friend was hosting a little gathering at her apartment. Knowing that she worries about not having enough vegan food for me, I offered to bring a few vegan snacks for everyone to eat. I decided to bring a homemade trail mix with cashews, almonds, dried cranberries and [...]

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Thumbnail image for Keeping It Simple: Mexican Green Rice

Keeping It Simple: Mexican Green Rice

August 18, 2011

Earlier this week, it was enchiladas. Today, it’s Mexican style rice. You’re probably thinking one of two things: does she eat anything besides Mexican food? or you don’t need a recipe for rice.  It’s true that most of us could probably make rice with our eyes closed and one hand tied behind our backs (I [...]

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Thumbnail image for Pesto, Barley & Edamame Salad

Pesto, Barley & Edamame Salad

August 2, 2011

One of my favorite parts about where I live is that I have friends close by. This is convenient and enjoyable for many reasons, but the at the top of the list is probably the sentence: “I made extra __________ for dinner, want to come over?” I’ve been on both the uttering and receiving end [...]

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Thumbnail image for Sheryl Crow’s Roasted Potato and Corn Salad

Sheryl Crow’s Roasted Potato and Corn Salad

July 24, 2011

I love summer corn but there are only so many ways you can eat it, especially when you don’t have a grill (I know, I know…break out the tiny violins). While you can cook corn on the cob in a pot of boiling water or in the microwave, I think it’s sweetest and most flavorful [...]

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Thumbnail image for Cooking for Two: Quinoa, Tomato and Corn Salad

Cooking for Two: Quinoa, Tomato and Corn Salad

July 23, 2011

Quinoa was a mystery to me until less than a year ago. I didn’t even know how to say the word. I just thought it was one of those super health foods that you had to be a super health nut to eat, and therefore I wasn’t really interested. I know, that’s bad. I do [...]

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Thumbnail image for Bulgur Salad with Cranberries & Almonds

Bulgur Salad with Cranberries & Almonds

May 30, 2011

It’s Memorial Day and I should be sharing all kinds of delicious party food with you, like strawberry sangria and tomatillo guacamole. I have a strawberry daquiri recipe tucked up my sleeve and there may even be a recipe for chipotle chicken wings in your very near future. Today, though, is about bulgur. Bulgur is [...]

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Thumbnail image for Cooking for 2: Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Cooking for 2: Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad

May 23, 2011

I’m excited that In Good Taste is growing and to provide you with more quality recipes, cooking tips and entertaining inspiration, you’ll be hearing from a few new voices on a semi-regular basis. Esther Reisinger is another food-obsessed twenty-something who will be here from time to time sharing her cooking, shopping and dining experiences. Sometimes [...]

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Thumbnail image for Chipotle Black Beans

Chipotle Black Beans

May 10, 2011

We all have guilty pleasures. I saw a Friends episode (too) many years ago in which Rachel claimed her favorite movie was Dangerous Liaisons when her actual favorite movie is Weekend at Bernie’s. Though I won’t claim to ever have seen Dangerous Liaisons, I do have an equally embarrassing food confession to make today. I [...]

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Thumbnail image for Far from Boring: Roasted Cauliflower

Far from Boring: Roasted Cauliflower

March 22, 2011

I’d never understood when people would tell me that they didn’t have time to cook. If you have time to eat, then you probably have time to cook. Well, it turns out there are people who don’t have time to eat and I’ve become one of them.  Between my restaurant job, client work and writing [...]

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Thumbnail image for Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Spinach

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Spinach

February 15, 2011

Raise your hand if you like sweet potatoes. Actually, don’t raise your hand. Because if you’re home alone at your computer and you raise your hand, that will just look weird. And if you’re in a public place, like work or Starbucks, your raised hand might attract some unwanted attention. Perhaps even from your boss [...]

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Thumbnail image for Braised Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

February 12, 2011

Last month I left my corporate job to freelance full-time. Faced with days upon days of little to no human interaction I decided to get a job at a restaurant and at the end of January started working at the newly-opened Paris Club in downtown Chicago. At the helm of the kitchen is a James [...]

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creamy chive mashed potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Chevre & Chives

November 28, 2010

I know. You had a weekend full of carb-eating, face-stuffing fun and the last thing you want to see here is mashed potatoes. I should be posting a nice salad or something low in fat, calories, carbs, sugar blah blah blah. Well, instead, you’re getting mashed potatoes. And it’s not to remind you of your [...]

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brie and chive biscuits

Thanksgiving Bread Basket: Brie & Chive Biscuits

November 24, 2010

I love bread. I love rolls, I love baguettes and I love bisuits. What I don’t love are those little pillow-ey dinner rolls that you get at the grocery store, that so many people buy for Thanksgiving out of convenience. I am all for convenience. Huge fan of convenience. But since you’re reading my blog, [...]

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whole wheat stuffing chestnuts and apples

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Apples, Chestnuts & Sour Cherries [Cutlery Giveaway Winner]

November 22, 2010

I grew up on Stovetop stuffing, which certainly isn’t bad but think about what it is – over-seasoned bread cubes in a box. Boring. For the longest time I’ve been loyal to a cornbread stuffing with dried cranberries from Cooking Light that I’ve adapted so much that the original recipe developer probably wouldn’t recognize it.

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red quinoa salad

Crunchy Red Quinoa Salad with Chai Tea Vinaigrette

August 15, 2010

During my sophomore year in college I started just about every day with a Chai tea latte. Unfazed by the calories that my daily drink was racking up, I couldn’t get enough of the warm, spicy flavor underneath the smooth ribbons of foam. When I eventually came to my senses and moved on to Starbucks [...]

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cowboy corn caviar

Summer Bounty: Cowboy Corn Caviar

June 23, 2010

I talk about food a lot here, but it’s time that I reveal a little personal tidbit about myself: I like country music. I went to college in central Pennsylvania and that’s where it all started. At first it was a little Tim McGraw, the occasional Leanne Womack song on the radio. Then, like a [...]

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summer panzanella

An Ironic Bread Salad: Summer Panzanella Recipe

June 10, 2010

Sometimes when I cook, the recipe turns out exactly like I’d imagined it. Other times, not so much. One Christmas I tried to make peppermint stick sugar cookies and instead, they turned out looking more like misshapen lumps of pepto-bismol tinted dough sticks, better suited for the bottom of the trash bin than for a [...]

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sesame kale

A Love Affair, Explained: Sesame Kale Recipe

May 18, 2010

My love affair with kale may be young, but it runs deep. You’ve seen kale here frequently lately – from shrimp kale and avocado quesadillas to baked rigtoni with kale. It’s nutritional properties are vast and it’s actually quite tasty. You see, the affair began at Whole Foods. Sometimes, I’ll go blocks out of my [...]

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fresh corn muffin

Fresh Corn Muffins (And a few fun facts)

May 6, 2010

For some reason, Southern-style country cooking sounds more appealing in the summer. Maybe it’s the fresh produce, the leafy greens and ripe tomatoes, the pert asparagus and plump yellow onions. Even though I’m no stranger to simple cornbread and cornbread with caramelized onions, I can’t remember the last time I made corn muffins with real [...]

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brussels sprouts with goat cheese and cranberries

A Seasonally Inappropriate Salad: Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Goat Cheese

March 28, 2010

For those of you who live in warm climates or whose “winter” consisted of three snowflakes and three days that dipped below fifty degrees: please stop reading now. Oh, I’m just kidding. Keep reading. For the rest of you, I invite you to join me in my first official Whine About The Weather of 2010. [...]

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perfect cornbread

Irony: Simple Cornbread Recipe

February 4, 2010

I love irony. I grew up in a small suburb in New Jersey where there wasn’t very much history or culture. When you wanted history or culture you took a train for an hour in either direction and visited New York City or Philadelphia. However, there was a former dairy farm in our town that [...]

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brown rice spinach salad

Worknight Dinner Recipe: Warm Spinach Salad with Brown Rice & Feta

January 7, 2010

Earlier this week, I decided that I would start eating healthier. It isn’t a “New Year’s Resolution”  and I’m not “on a diet” but when possible, I’m making a commitment to myself to eat fresh whole foods, fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water. To help inspire you, I posted six recipes that anyone [...]

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Thumbnail image for On a Roll: NaBloPoMo and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

On a Roll: NaBloPoMo and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

November 13, 2009

When I committed to NaBloPoMo, I’m not sure that I realized the commitment it would entail. Well, sure, I knew that it meant that I would post daily. It meant that I would be able to refresh my blog with a multitude of recipes that I’ve been dying to share, but for one reason or [...]

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Thumbnail image for From the Archives: Classic Homemade Applesauce

From the Archives: Classic Homemade Applesauce

November 9, 2009

Last year I was all about apples. I went to visit my brother at college and we attended the Ithaca Apple Festival, I made Old-Fashioned Apple Cake from the Moosewood Restaurant dessert cookbook and for the first time since kindergarten, made homemade applesauce. This year, making applesauce was practically a rite of passage into autumn. [...]

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Thumbnail image for Bad Karma and a Worknight Dinner Recipe: Three Tomato Panzanella

Bad Karma and a Worknight Dinner Recipe: Three Tomato Panzanella

August 31, 2009

Today, we’re talking about Karma. It’s a little word with great significance. A five letter word without any complication – no double consonants, no silent H – and seems totally harmless. It’s a five letter word that, if you’re not careful, can really come back to kick you in the behind. It’s been a long [...]

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Thumbnail image for You Say Potato, I Say Bacon Potato Salad

You Say Potato, I Say Bacon Potato Salad

August 20, 2009

Foodies, forgive me, but I must confess something. I’m not that big on bacon.  I love waking up to its aroma on a Sunday morning (if someone else is cooking it) but that is generally where my affection ends. For the past year or more, bacon has been a popular subject for food writers eager to explore [...]

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Thumbnail image for Worknight Dinner Recipe: Avocado, Corn & Edamame Salad

Worknight Dinner Recipe: Avocado, Corn & Edamame Salad

August 9, 2009

My least favorite month of the year is February, but if I had to pick a second, it would undoubtedly be August. In June and July, excitement for summer is mounting and peaking with popsicles, frozen margaritas and flip-flops. People like summer for its simplicity: beach towels hanging out to dry in the backyard, wearing [...]

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Thumbnail image for Worknight Dinner Recipe: Simple Summer Pasta Salad

Worknight Dinner Recipe: Simple Summer Pasta Salad

June 14, 2009

  Whenever I eat at someone else’s home, I usually ask an inevitable question will often arise. It’s not, “where did you get those fabulous shoes?” or “where did you get that beautiful tablecloth?” It’s “can I have this recipe?”   Some recipes, like memories are passed down from generation to generation but others are [...]

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Thumbnail image for On The Side: Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

On The Side: Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

April 13, 2009

As much as I like to cook, there are times when life gets crazy and you crave simplicity. Macaroni and cheese, cereal and milk – or maybe a fat peanut butter & jelly sandwich on Wonder Bread. Sometimes I find it challenging to make side dishes – you always need the oven when there’s already [...]

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Thumbnail image for Adopted Bloggers & Deli-Style Chickpea Salad

Adopted Bloggers & Deli-Style Chickpea Salad

March 3, 2009

Recently I was grocery shopping on a Thursday night after a particularly long workday and just didn’t feel like cooking. I picked up my made-to-order deli sandwich and the free can of soda you get if you buy a sandwich on a weekday. I wanted something to eat alongside my turkey on seven-grain but a [...]

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Thumbnail image for A Side Note: Baked Sweet Potato Fries

A Side Note: Baked Sweet Potato Fries

February 22, 2009

(Photo: NatureMoms.com) The only sweet potatoes I knew until high school were served with Thanksgiving dinner, smothered in marshmallows and brown sugar. Now I’ll take a sweet potato over its whiter, starchier counterpart just about any day of the week. Since we all have to begrudgingly admit that yes, it is still winter (stupid groundhog!), [...]

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Thumbnail image for Cookies at the Gym & Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe

Cookies at the Gym & Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe

September 25, 2008

My gym celebrated its “34th birthday” this week with raffles, free bring-a-friend-day and loads and loads of junk food. Now, I’m just as guilty as the next person of running five miles and then going home to inhale a plate of spaghetti and meatballs washed down with a vanilla ice cream chaser, but that doesn’t [...]

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