The 'How to Cook' Blog

So, I was making Chipotle, Smoked Paprika & Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin and was in much need of a great side dish to go alongside it…Do it justice, so to speak. I decided to make a “special” rice with the most expensive spice in the world…Saffron. The reason saffron is so expensive is that only one flower produces 2 threads of what we call “saffron”…and it’s labor intensive. They have  [ Read More ]

Potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables, and that’s why it’s featured on so many tables each night for dinner. One of the easiest way to prepare them is to make homemade fries. Now, steak fries just refers to the cut of the fries…they are not wedges, but they are mostly flat, long and of a good size. This is a much healthier version of fries, as these are  [ Read More ]

Trying to figure out a fabulous side dish for my Crusted Pork Tenderloin, and I remembered my amazing smoked paprika powder! This Thai scented rice was rocked by this spice, along with some gorgeous mushrooms to be a perfect accompaniment for this special loin. I served peas alongside this last night, but you may do what it is you like when it comes to mixing and matching… …I just want  [ Read More ]

Today, my recipe for Mushrooms with Port Wine & Balsamic is featured at iFood.tv on the homepage. iFood.tv is such a cool social networking place for foodies, beginner cooks and advanced chefs alike. Tune in to iFood.tv regularly to see me featured from time to time, but be sure to connect with me there too! Be sure to connect with Cooking with Kimberly on iFood.tv Check out this episode of  [ Read More ]

Today, I’m making a soon-to-be favourite in our household… Sweet Jalapeno Mozzarella Cornbread Muffins from scratch, and they are going to a fellow gymnastics coach of mine, Sarah Morin at Gymnastics Energy, for doing me a great favour. Thanks, Sarah! When I make cornbread, I like it sweet, so today, I’m using the basic recipe for my Kickin’ Sweet Southern Cornbread and kicking that up with some “jalapeno popper” flavor.  [ Read More ]

Green beans are a staple side dish, in my humble opinion. They are super easy to prepare and cook, are tasty, healthy, and readily available most of the year in grocery stores. Green beans are also a great vegetable to grow in your home garden, cutting down on grocery costs, as they are pretty easy to grow. Enjoy these green beans alongside beef, chicken, pork and fish dishes alike, and  [ Read More ]

I love green beans! That’s a fact… I also love to eat them the same way a lot. However, I will mix it up a bit with a more brown butter sauce than the typical butter, salt & pepper. Green beans are perfect on their own just like that, but butter, salt & pepper are the best accompaniments you can find for them. Here’s my Green Beans with Buerre Brun  [ Read More ]

For some strange reason, I haven’t baked cornbread in quite some time. Not that I don’t love it, it’s amazing, especially when I bake sweet cornbread from scratch. However, tonight, I wanted that same comforting soul food recipe flavor, without the long 45 minute bake-time. So, to solve my problem, I decided to bake sweet cornbread muffins, as it cuts the bake time in half. Try these out. They are  [ Read More ]

Today, I looked at my counter and the pears that aren’t quite as crunchy as they used to be. I certainly didn’t want to waste them, so I decided to make an amazing Pear Sauce, just like you would cook an apple sauce. This is a great Fall-time treat, made very similarly to a Fall favorite recipe. Be creative…You can make nectarine sauce, peach sauce, even sauces with berries that  [ Read More ]

If you have never had corn grilled before like this, then you have no idea what you are missing. That’s the real truth of the matter. In fact, this may be my absolute favorite way to eat corn. Yes, I think it is! This is such an easy, flavorful recipe that takes no time at all, and it will impress to the fullest extent of impressions! LOL Enjoy this fabulous  [ Read More ]

One of the fastest side dish recipes on the planet is the microwaved baked potato. It is so easy to make, and has marvelous results each time. Type: Side Dish Recipe Serve With: sour cream, butter, bacon bits, chives, and whatever fixin’s you enjoy on your baked potato! Prep Time: 2 min Cook Time: 10 min Yield: 3 servings Ingredients: 3 large potatoes kosher salt – to taste olive oil  [ Read More ]

I really don’t enjoy the cold weather that comes along with the season of Autumn, but I do enjoy the switch of seasonal foods. All of those yummy spices that make your house smell like a home at Christmas, root vegetables, soups & chowders, stews & chilies… Tonight, I made Pan Sauteed Caramelized Apples as a side dish to my Pork Sirloin Chops served with Boiled Potatoes & Carrots, and  [ Read More ]

For a very short time, late in the Spring, you may be able to find fiddlehead ferns at your grocer or in your favorite produce market. They are basically an edible fern sprout that is coiled and hasn’t actually opened up into a leaf yet. Fiddleheads look like a coiled snail, almost, and taste like a cross between spinach and asparagus, to me anyway. They are widely popular and used  [ Read More ]

I must admit, even though I’m a serious foodie and love to cook at home, there are those odd times I crave McDonald’s French fries. However, isn’t it such a disappointment and a waste of calories when the fries you’ve been craving turn out to be cold, soggy, or too salty…whatever the case may be. If I’m going to waste those calories, I want to be sure I get exactly  [ Read More ]

Rice is a staple food in much of the Eastern World, with the Western World shortly behind it. It’s difficult to find an American or Canadian table that doesn’t eat rice at least once per week, either as a side dish or as part of their main dish. Rice Recipes abound online, whether it’s Asian cuisines, Indian, Cajun or Creole, Italian, even Ukrainian. The world of rice is limitless as  [ Read More ]

I would venture to say that most people love baked potatoes, especially with a bit of a BBQ taste. Am I right? I thought so…So, here’s a way to make them without having to slave in your kitchen with a hot stove for at least an hour. You can literally have baked potatoes, even with that BBQ flavor, done in 15 minutes. Here’s how… Type: Side Dish Recipe Serve With:  [ Read More ]

Making dinner and forgot to make a side dish? Looking for a quick and easy side dish that’s impressive too? Need something that’s cost effective? Try making savory corn cakes pancakes. You almost always have all of the basic ingredients you’ll need, and can dress it up with whatever you like or whatever you have on hand to make something that’s unique and will go with your meal. Cornmeal, sweet  [ Read More ]

This is Day Eight of our One Month Grocery Shopping Strike! It’s also SuperBowl today… I am making a creamy mushroom risotto to go along with the Lavender Lamb Loin Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction for Superbowl today. We are going all out with our upscale treats! Traditionally speaking, Parmesan cheese is added to risotto, but none of us are crazy about it – so we are omitting it in  [ Read More ]

Today is Day 3 of our One Month Grocery Shopping Strike.  This is what I made as a side dish for tonight’s dinner using my “cupboard cooking” strategies. This went with my Coconut Crusted Baked Salmon and peas with toasted coconut. The reason I combined the lentils with the brown rice is to make a complete protein. It’s very difficult to get my mother to eat meat of any kind.  [ Read More ]

One of my favorite things for breakfast is potato cakes. They remind me of my mother’s cooking with all of their golden deliciousness. Check out the recipe below to find out how to make potato cakes with a few tips & tricks along the way! Type: Breakfast Recipe Serve With: Plain Balkan Style Yogurt with fresh herbs or top with sour cream Prep Time: 8 min Cook Time: 10 min  [ Read More ]