Tri-Color Orzo Salad

Tri-Color Orzo Salad

In need of an awesome side dish to serve for the 4th? This is the perfect pasta salad for any barbecue or party. I’ve been making it for years and am continually asked for the recipe. It’s barely even a recipe, since all you have to do is cook some pasta and stir in a few other ingredients. It’s more refined than your classic pasta salad, and is equally good served chilled or slightly warmed (so it’s great even if it’s been sitting on a table outside for an hour). The dried cherries offer a refreshing burst of flavor that is complemented nicely by the spicy arugula and salty cheese. You can find a bowl of this in our refrigerator practically all summer long.

We are down in the south celebrating the 4th with family and taking a little time to relax. I love NYC, but it’s nice not to get looked at sideways every time I let a “y’all” slip (usually after too many Makers Mark and ginger ales). It’s also entirely possible that I might have to buy a whole new wardrobe when we get back because all we seem to do down here is eat. Not to mention I’ve probably drunk my weight in sweet tea. Does everyone indulge like this when they go back to home?? Dangerous stuff.

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Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole by The Mommy Games

I have a heck of a recipe to share with you! This hash brown casserole is pure comfort food. I mean seriously, I could not stop eating it. It’s cheesy and smooth, with just the right amount of crunch from the buttery cracker topping. YUM! When I was at the grocery store loading a few bags of these frozen shredded potatoes in my cart, some well meaning woman stopped me and told me that I really should buy something else. She claimed that she had bought them for her kids and they were awful and totally tasteless. I asked what she had added to them and she said “nothing.” I told her not to worry, that I would be adding  more than enough goodness to them to make them tasty. I think this woman (who possibly would have blown away with a strong breeze) was more than a little taken aback when I described what I was making. :) All things in moderation, my friends. These are definitely not diet friendly, but I think they are more than worth the splurge every once in a while. You could serve these up for breakfast (they would be amazing for a brunch) or as a side with dinner. Or you could be like me, and reheat the leftovers for every single meal for the next 2 days. Just don’t tell your trainer.

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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon by The Mommy Games

Brussels sprouts are one of my go-to veggie sides, so I thought I would share one of my favorite ways to prepare them before they are totally out of season. Anything that involves bacon is usually a hit in our house, but I was still surprised to see my toddler gobbling these up. He’s exceptionally weary of anything green (he seriously will pick out tiny little pieces of herb from his soup!), so the fact that I can get him to eat a relatively large helping of these without promising to deliver 5-hours worth of Thomas on the tv makes this a win in my book. These are also a guaranteed hit with adults and instantly elevate a casual weeknight dinner. Hope everyone has a fabulous Spring weekend!

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Brussels Sprouts with White Wine & Pancetta

As I mentioned earlier this week, we had a really wonderful Thanksgiving this year. There was a lot of hoopla trying to get everyone to the streets to see the Macy’s parade (which conveniently takes place right outside our apartment), so there wasn’t a whole lot of time to do some serious cooking. We decided  to skimp on the mains and ordered the turkey and ham, then my mom, grandma, and myself split up the sides and desserts. In the end it was perfect – a very relaxed but beautiful meal. The main point was to be together and for my dad to see the parade, which has been a long time bucket list item for him. Although it’s super crazy crowded, we hit the streets early (6!) and had a great spot. Brandon especially loved the marching bands and balloons. In fact, that’s the first thing he mentions when he wakes up now. Sorry kid – there’s a while to go before the next one!

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Cooking the Blogs

I’ve been cooking up a storm lately, and a lot of my new recipes are courtesy of amazing food blogs. Please go and check out these sites to get the recipes for the below dishes. They are all winners and have been big hits with my family & friends.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Picky Palate —> Very dangerous for anyone with a sweet tooth!

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