Tag Archives: side dish

Hawaiian Burger & Pineapple Slaw

Posted on by

0

Happy Birthday Mr. J! This year’s birthday burger is pork with some salty bits, sweet pineapple slaw, and a little teriyaki glaze. This one has it all.

Hawaiian Burger & Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 package shredded cabbage mix
1 pineapple
2-3 green onions
1/4 cup mayo
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 pound ground pork
1/2 package spam
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
4 brioche rolls

Directions:
To prep the slaw, mix together the cabbage mix, green onions, 1/2 of the pineapple and juice, mayo, and rice vinegar.

Stir well and refrigerate until serving- at least 30 minutes.
While the slaw is chilling, prep the burgers.

Chop the spam and pan fry it until crisp. Then drain and let it fully cool.
Preheat the grill.
Mix the ground pork with the spam chunks and 1 tablespoon of the teriyaki sauce. Form into patties.

Grill the burgers until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees. Brush with teriyaki sauce.

Assemble the burgers on the buns with the slaw on top and extra pineapple if you like!

Enjoy! We loved this one! The kids each ate it all without any prompting. Next time I might add some caramelized onions. I’d make the slaw again with pulled pork too!

The spam makes it – it is salty and crispy. Don’t question it – crisp it up and we’ll use the remainder on a pizza with pineapple. It isn’t something for everyday but think about the one can will be 8 servings.

The Historical Timeline of the Birthday Burgers:
2023 was a Chicken Caesar Salad Burger with our beloved flavors
2022 was a Bacon Jam and Parmesan Peppercorn burger was all about the toppings. 
2021 was a Waffle Breakfast Burger with ground sausage in the patty, maple aoli, and melted gouda.
2020 was a BLT burger with ground bacon IN the burger and tomato jam
2019 was a Manchego Burger with manchego, quince jam, and arugula
2018 was a Garlic Lovers Burger with garlic butter, chips, garlic aoli and white cheddar.
2017 was an Ultimate Mexican Burger with queso, guac, and beans.
2016 was a Mac & Cheese Stuffed Burger topped with bacon, onions, and tomato.
2015 was a Picnic Burger with slaw & potato sticks
2014 was a German Burger with horseradish, caramelized onions, pickles and a pretzel roll
2013 was a Vermont Burger with maple mayo, cheddar, bacon, and spinach
2012 was a Bacon Wrapped Burger – enough said
2011 was a Stuffed Burger stuffed with bacon & cheddar or bacon & blue cheese

Ranch Chicken Burgers

Posted on by

1

{originally published in 2012 and updated in 2024}

These are possibly the most-repeated dish from the blog. We’ve been having these since using a grill pan in our apartment way back when and now have them regularly in the spring and summer. They’re so good and such a crowd-pleaser.

Ranch Chicken Burgers
Ingredients: (for 4)
1 pound ground chicken
1 packet dried ranch dressing/dip mix (~2 teaspoons)
3 tbs ranch dressing
4 rolls

Directions:
Preheat the grill.
Mix together the ground chicken, ranch mix, 1 teaspoon of ranch dressing – reserving the rest for topping.
Form into 4 patties.

Sprinkle with salt & pepper then grill until cooked through 165-degrees being careful not to flip too often. These cook well on a griddle.
Serve on buns with more ranch and any toppings you like!
Enjoy!

We have these often but hadn’t yet this year. The kiddos didn’t remember them and each ate it all! There’s the lesson – repeat a previous dinner, nobody remembers how often you serve something! We each added ranch on the buns and these are great with lettuce, tomato, pickles, or anything! I think the kids add ketchup.

Street Corn Pasta Salad

Posted on by

0

Street Corn becomes a whole new side and is so addicting. There’s sweet corn and salty cheese that wakes up with lime. I love elotes as a side but gave it a whole new personality.

This stores so well and is great later. Turn it into a full meal with a scoop of black beans or chicken on top. I added a mound of arugula and it was so nicely balanced.

Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients: (for ~4 side servings or 2-3 meals)
1-1 1/2 cups pasta (Ditalini or small elbows)
1 cup corn
1/4 cup cheese (feta or cotija)
3 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder/chili lime/smoked paprika/cayenne

Directions:
Cook the pasta and the corn and allow to cool.
Mix up the mayo, lime juice, and chili seasoning.

Add the dressing to the corn, pasta, and the cheese reserving just a sprinkle for the top.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top with another sprinkle of chili powder. Refrigerate until serving.
Enjoy!

I love the combo here of sweet corn and salty cheese. Make it yours by increasing the lime, or spice, or corn, or dressing. The dressing could be half mayo and half Greek yogurt or half sour cream.

This keeps well for days or is great made the day before. This would be perfect alongside tacos and seems ideal to make freezer tamales or taquitos into a meal.

Orzo with Boursin and Sundried Tomatoes

Posted on by

0

This is absolutely the most simple side dish – orzo, boursin, and sundried tomatoes. The 80s are calling – they are all for sundried tomatoes, just not in every single dish!

I loved the deep but simple flavors – the cheese adds herbs and creaminess and the sundried tomatoes are juicy with a great chew. We had this with some grilled chicken and brussels sprouts.

Orzo with Boursin & Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients: (serves 4-6 as a side)
1 1/2 cups orzo
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 wedge of boursin
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon sundried tomato oil

Directions:
Boil the orzo in salted water – about 9 minutes.
When fully cooked and drained, add back to the pot with butter. Stir well.
Add in the boursin, sundried tomatoes, and oil.

Stir well to melt and incorporate the cheese.
Enjoy!

The kids weren’t into the sundried tomatoes and mostly picked around those but ate everything else. Add extra sundried tomato oil to the leftovers and eat cold or warm! If you love the cheesiness, add the whole block in. If the tomato part interests you most, add in the whole jar! If sundried tomatoes aren’t your thing – swap for bruschetta mix!

Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad

Posted on by

0

This pasta salad is packed with serious flavor and is anything but forgettable. There’s nothing worse than pasta salad that has some dressing but doesn’t actually taste like anything. This has lots of lemon and mustard. There are a bunch of herbs and pancetta too.

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad

These are some starting points but customize as you like!

Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of pasta
1 cup raw pancetta
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of ~1/2 lemon
lemon zest
1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt & pepper
herbs – chives, basil, and mint.

Directions:
Boil the pasta and let cool. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil as it is cooling so it doesn’t stick together.
Pan fry the pancetta and drain.
Mix up the mayo, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper to taste. Taste it and see substitutions below if it is too strong.

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad

When the pasta is fully cool (don’t rush it, let it truly cool) mix in the dressing and the pancetta.

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad

Refrigerate until serving and then top with herbs.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad

This was a really great lunch and it packs well. Swapping dijon with honey mustard would mellow it out a bit or adding something sweet – like a teaspoon of honey or sweet relish or maple syrup would make it a bit more mild and less lemon.