Category: On the Side

Butternut Squash & Bacon Mac ‘N’ Cheese

I was just thinking about this mac ‘n’ cheese that I created last year and realized that it wasn’t on my blog yet. Yikes! I developed the recipe last year for a Good Things Utah segment and it is one of my favorite segments to date. Watch me make it here!

Getting ready on the set of ABC4’s Good Things Utah!

So many of my friends have made this and loved it. You could definitely say its “grown-up” or “fancy” mac ‘n’ cheese. It requires a bit of effort but is sooooo worth it! The combo of roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, creamy gruyere, and fresh rosemary is perfection! This is amazing alongside roasted chicken or pork and is the perfect side dish to take to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. You will definitely impress your family and guests with this elevated take on classic mac ‘n’ cheese! If you make it (or any of my recipes) please comment on my blog and share my recipes on social media. It will help me grow!

Butternut Squash & Bacon Mac ‘N’ Cheese

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

1 butternut squash – peeled, de-seeded, and cubed (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup shallots, finely diced
1 stick (8 TB) butter, divided
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (1%, 2%, or whole)
2 cups grated gruyere cheese, divided
2 cups grated sharp cheddar, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
16 oz cavatappi pasta
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Heat a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta.
2. Place cubed squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in oven to roast for 20 minutes or until pieces are fork tender. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash half of the pieces (doesn’t have to be completely smooth). Leave on tray and set aside.
3. When water boils for pasta, add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to the water then cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and place on a towel-lined plate to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.
5. Turn the heat for the skillet to medium then add diced shallots. Cook until translucent.
6. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the shallots. Once melted, whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour. Cook for about 1 minute or until the flour starts to brown. Whisk in milk with a slow, steady stream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
7. Once the sauce thickens (coats the back of a spoon), add 1 ½ cups of gruyere and 1 ½ cups of cheddar. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and about ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir until cheese is melted then turn off the heat.
8. Add rosemary, bacon, butternut squash and drained pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.
9. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. Add panko and parmesan and stir to combine.
10. Add remaining gruyere and cheddar to the pasta then sprinkle the panko mixture on top.
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until topping starts to brown.
The GTU crew devoured my mac ‘n’ cheese after the show wrapped! Love these people!

Charlotte HanceyLeave a comment

Cheesy Poblano Drop Biscuits

I know, I know it’s about time these cheesy pillows of perfection made it onto the blog! If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while, you’ve seen these already. I created them last summer on Good Things Utah and I am so proud of them! GTU asked me to make something “southern” and my mind immediately went to biscuits. I had to add a little Texas twist and my Cheesy Poblano Drop Biscuits were formed. Watch me make them here!

The “hardest” part of making these is roasting the pepper but I promise it’s so easy. Don’t let it intimidate you. Do it once and you’ll be a pro! Make sure to really char them because it will make it easier to get the skin off. Also, they are not spicy! That’s one of the reasons you see poblano peppers in many of my dishes. They are only slightly spicy with a natural smokiness. They add SO much flavor without the overwhelming spice that a jalapeno or serrano can add.

These biscuits go with just about anything! Serve them with chili, with breakfast, or a side dish at a BBQ. I made them recently and served cream sausage gravy over the top. It was next level! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make plain biscuits and gravy after having that.

Cheesy Poblano Drop Biscuits

  • Servings: Makes 15 biscuits
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

2 C all-purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
2 TB sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
½ C melted butter plus 2 TB melted butter, divided
1 C milk (whole milk preferred)
1 poblano pepper, roasted and finely diced
1 TB olive oil
1 small yellow or sweet onion, finely diced
1 C shredded Colby jack cheese

Directions

Roast poblano pepper by placing on a baking sheet under the broiler. Rotate the pepper every few minutes until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place the pepper in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave for 15-20 minutes to steam. Turn off broiler and preheat oven to 450. (Can also be roasted on a hot grill or open flame)

While the pepper is steaming, add oil to a small skillet and heat to medium high. Place diced onion in skillet and cook until onions are browned then set aside.

Peel skin off of pepper by scraping with the sharp edge of a knife then remove stem and seeds. Finely dice the pepper and set aside.

Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add ½ C melted butter and milk. Stir until just moistened.

Fold in peppers, onions, and shredded cheese, being careful not to over mix.

Immediately drop by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheet (silicone baking mat preferred). Brush tops with remaining melted butter.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges turn to golden brown. Makes 15 biscuits.

*Note: These do not spread much so you should be able to fit all 15 on one large baking sheet.

With creamy sausage gravy. Game changer!

Charlotte HanceyLeave a comment

The BEST Baked Beans

Me to my husband, “What title should I give my baked beans? I can’t just call them Baked Beans.” He replied with, “You just need to call them The BEST Baked Beans because that’s what everyone says after they take a bite of them.” So there you have it, these really are the BEST Baked Beans ever!

Before I started making these, I really wasn’t a fan of baked beans. When I saw them at a BBQ or potluck, I’d pass them by. Why? Because they were always full of floppy bacon and long stringy onions. Yuck. About 10 years ago, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I based my recipe off of my mother-in-law’s because the sauce in hers had good flavor. I decided to cook the bacon FIRST until it was nice and crispy. Then I cooked the diced onions in some of the bacon grease until they were brown and flavorful. GAME CHANGER. The rest of the ingredients are pretty basic as far as baked beans go. The sauce is the perfect amount of sweet from the brown sugar but still tangy and savory with ingredients like Worcestershire and dry mustard.

Do not pass this recipe by because the ingredient list looks like “basic baked beans.” I’m telling you, the technique is what takes these beans to the next level. If you’re taking these to a potluck, you’re going to need to quadruple this recipe. I always do and come home with an empty pot. Every time I’ve taken them to a potluck I hear someone yelling, “Who made the beans?” Haha! You’ll be the star of all the BBQs this summer if you make them!

The BEST Baked Beans

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

2 one lb cans Pork and Beans, undrained
2/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
8 slices bacon, chopped in bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Heat a large oven-safe pan (or pot) to medium-high and cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan to drain on a paper towel-lined plated. Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease from pan. Add the onions and cook until onions are tender and browned. Add beans, ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, Worcestershire, bacon, and S&P to the pan. Stir to combine. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

*Note: The beans will not thicken properly if made in a slow cooker. If you need to keep them warm, bake in oven as directed then transfer to a slow cooker.

Charlotte HanceyLeave a comment

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

Y’all know that I like to add a little Tex-Mex to any dish that I can.  I have been dreaming up this salad for a while now and love how it turned out!  I tried to think of as many ingredients that reminded me of home to put in this salad. Cheddar cheese, bacon, cilantro, pickled jalapenos, lime…yum! You’ll find a jar of pickled jalapenos on every table, at almost every supper, where I grew up in East Texas. Add more jalapenos if you want it spicier! Black beans would be a great addition to this pasta salad as well. My son hates beans so I was nice and left them out! This pasta salad is the perfect dish to take to all of your summer BBQs!

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

16 oz bowtie pasta
1 (11 oz) can Mexicorn, drained
8 oz cheddar cheese, small cubes
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1/3 cup pickled jalapenos, finely diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, make dressing by whisking together mayo, sour cream, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Charlotte Hancey3 Comments

Southern Pea Salad

Easter is almost here and I have the perfect side dish for your holiday gatherings. My Southern Pea Salad will brighten up your table in color and flavor! I created this recipe for Lee’s Marketplace and people are loving it. It has cheese and bacon in it…need I say more??? It’s so easy too! Look how short the directions are! This is one of those things that is even better the next day so give yourself time to make in advance. I hope y’all love this as much as my family did!

Southern Pea Salad

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
24 oz frozen peas
3 large hard-boiled eggs
8 oz cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ bunch green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Directions

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Blanch frozen peas by boiling for just 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients, gently folding until everything is combined well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Charlotte HanceyLeave a comment