Greetings, Mystic Meows!
I love making side dishes. For me they often become the center of the meal and I like their versatility when it comes to how to eat and serve them. And I typically throw the rule book out the window when I’m cooking, anyways… 😛 Both of these recipes are vegetarian friendly and perfect for any kind of meal, morning, noon, or night. I’ll start with the Corn Fritters.
Corn can sometimes be a one trick pony in the sense that most of the time, speaking for myself, I prepare it the same way ( with butter and a pinch of salt ) because my daughter’s super picky when it comes to the way she eats. However, she’s becoming increasingly curious about the dishes I’ve been making for these blog posts and is at least “tasting” what I make. It’s a start, right? So I tried out a dish I haven’t made in a long time.
Fritters are made up of a thick batter containing fruits or meats and vegetables depending on the recipe. Some are deep fried in lots of oil and are bit rounded or oval since they’re spoon dropped into it. In this recipe the fritters are more of a pancake shape, use way less oil, and are nice and crispy on both sides thanks to all the yummy cheese getting fried to perfection. They’re really easy to prep and cook and I recommend using fresh corn if you have it, but you can use canned or frozen corn as well. Just make sure you drain and dry the canned corn, and defrost the frozen corn and again, dry it to absorb excess water.
Cheesy Poblano Corn Fritters
2 Cups of corn
1 medium sized Poblano pepper, seeded and small diced
1 half jalapeño pepper, seeded and small diced
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup AP flour
2 large eggs
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, wet and dry. Mix together well. The batter will be VERY thick.
Heat up your favorite frying pan over medium heat and add 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil per batch of Fritters.
Scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into your frying pan, frying 3 to 4 scoops at a time. Press down with a spatula to round them out, not making them too flat or thin.
Fry for about 4 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides. Serve them warm with sour cream if you’re feeling fancy 😉 Makes between 10 to 12 pieces. *Side note: I didn’t feel the need to add any extra salt since the cheeses are pretty savory, but feel free if you want to add more S & P at the end. Btw, my daughter took the tiniest bite… Baby steps. 🤪
Now on to the next recipe…
Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables to make as a side dish, however I also love to use them as a salad topper and as a main course. Easy to eat raw or cooked and again, extremely versatile, there are countless ways to incorporate them into your next mystic meal 😉✨
I also love mushrooms and combining these two together is always a win-win for me. With so many people taking control of their eating habits by meal prepping for the week, this is a great recipe to add to your next green salad, grilled chicken or fish, grain bowls, etc.
I must admit… I’m from the Julia Child school of butter, and this recipe uses a fair amount, but you can of course use olive oil or cooking oil of choice. I just happen to prefer using butter and for me, it adds a richness to the dish that I love and let’s face it… Butter is delicious, but use as little or as much as you see fit for yourself.
Garlicky Green Beans with Mushrooms
1 pound green beans, cleaned and stems removed
8oz of your favorite mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup thin sliced onion or shallots
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
4 Tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil and add the green beans. Cook in rapidly boiling water for no more than 2 minutes. Drain the green beans and cool under cold running water or in an ice bath. Drain and set aside.
In a large pan over medium heat, add the butter, garlic, mushrooms, and onions and sauté until the vegetables just start to caramelize. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add the green beans and cook together for about 3 minutes. Then add the thyme and parsley, mix together. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
There you have it, dear reader! Two very different, vegetarian and easy to prepare side dishes that I hope you try out and add to your next Mystic Meal! Happy Cooking and Happy Eating! And Happy Easter, too!
Cheers, hugs, and meows!
Xo Nikki 💕
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