Category Archives: side dishes

Creamed Carrots

January 27, 2026 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

I recently came across an Instagram reel from Corre Larkin for Julia Child-inspired creamed carrots. I’m always at a loss for how to serve cooked carrots and this recipe is a game changer. It is so flavorful and satisfying. The carrots are coated in silky, tangy gravy. Gravy is liquid of the gods!

Since her video doesn’t list the exact measurements, I tried finding the original recipe in my copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” and it’s quite different from how Corre Larkin made them. Julia Child’s Carrotes à la Crème recipe has fewer ingredients and a lot more cream.

So I came up with my own version of these recipes. This side dish is perfect for a Costco rotisserie chicken night. Whatever jus has gathered in the bag I add with the chicken stock. I put the chicken in a 200F oven while I make the carrots so the bird stays warm.

Creamed Carrots à la Corre Larkin à la Julia Child

Serves 4
Total Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, halved and sliced into half-moons
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
2 pounds carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sake or white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1-inch sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
2-3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cream
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion slices, salt and pepper to taste and the bay leaves. Stir till everything is coated in the butter. Turn heat to medium low, cover and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft.

In the meantime, trim the ends off the carrots and cut them oblique style.

When the onions are soft, add the carrots and stir till they are coated. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.

Add the flour and stir so it’s coating the ingredients. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the sake or white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the thyme, rosemary and enough stock to just cover the carrots. You don’t want them swimming in stock. Stir until the flour has been incorporated into the stock. Turn up the heat to bring to a simmer, then turn back down, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Remove the cover, add the vinegar, cream, and nutmeg, and let simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

Remove the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and serve immediately.

appetizers, Cooking, Holiday, salad, side dishes

Farro and Arugula Salad with dried Cranberries

November 22, 2019 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

My friend Katelyn is a grain salad person. She’s always serving the tastiest salads with barley or wheat berries mixed together with other delicious morsels.

Last week my sister hosted dinner and served a tasty orzo and arugula salad that I absolutely loved. I decided to adapt her recipe by using farro and it turned out wonderfully. I served it to Katelyn alongside this Chicken Piccata recipe from Homemade Italian Cooking. She asked for the recipe, so here we are. 🙂

The magic ingredient in my salad (that’s completely optional) is reconstituted porcini mushrooms chopped up finely. It adds depth to the dish and the lemon, feta and dried cranberries bring in a brightness that complement the spiciness of the arugula.

This is a wonderful side dish to serve at Thanksgiving as it incorporates cranberries, grains, and has a look of good cheer on your plate.

You can of course replace the farro with any grain such as brown rice or couscous.

Farro and Arugula salad with Feta, Cranberries and Porcini

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
2.5 cups cooked farro, cooled
A few big handfuls of baby arugula (or baby spinach/arugula mix)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup Craisins
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice from 1/4 of a lemon
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Splash of white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place dried porcini in a small bowl and cover completely with boiling water. Place a plate on top of the bowl and let sit for 20 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Chop finely.

Add all the ingredients to a salad bowl and toss until everything is well coated. Add more olive oil if it needs to be loosened up a little.

appetizers, Cooking, salad, side dishes

Pickle and Potato Salad

January 18, 2018 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

I’ve discovered I’m picky when it comes to potato salad. I don’t like celery, I don’t like hard-boiled eggs, or caraway seeds, or big hunks of onion, or mushy potatoes — ok, ok I’m a potato salad priss!

I needed to use up some thin-skinned potatoes in my pantry so I turned to Pinterest and couldn’t find just what I was looking for. I did find something close. This recipe from Mrs. Happy Homemaker calls for pickle brine instead of vinegar or lemon juice. That piqued my interest.

So I came up with my own version and it was everything I’ve always wanted in a potato salad. It’s creamy, tangy, salty and has a good bite.

Pickle and Potato Salad – the perfect potato salad without celery or eggs

Ingredients:

3 pounds small, thin skinned potatoes
3/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles
generous 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup pickle brine
1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup chopped green onions
salt and pepper

Directions:

Place unpeeled potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for about 12 minutes until potatoes are fork tender but not mushy.

Drain potatoes and run cold water over them to cool.

Combine the pickles, mayo, brine, mustard, and green onions in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When potatoes are cool enough to touch, slice them half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4-inch wide pieces.

Add potatoes to the sauce and mix until potatoes are completely coated. Serve warm or chilled.

alaska, appetizers, Cooking, recipes, seafood, side dishes

Smoked Salmon Dip with Kelp Pickles

September 27, 2017 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

I recently read a story about a Juneau-based company that made food out of kelp. I was immediately intrigued by the idea. One of the best dishes I’ve ever eaten was when I spent a summer in Kodiak and a Chinese woman prepared braised fresh kelp for me.

Barnacle uses bull kelp to make salsa, spice blends and pickles. Their Instagram account displays gorgeous photos of Southeast Alaska along with how they prepare their products and what to serve with them.

Their dill kelp pickles are tangy, slightly sweet and, well, of the sea. What a perfect ingredient to add to a smoked salmon dip.

This dip comes together in no time and is a real crowd-pleaser. Impress your dinner guests by revealing its secret ingredient — wild kelp!

Continue reading Smoked Salmon Dip with Kelp Pickles →

appetizers, Cooking, mexican, recipes, salad, side dishes

Cucumber chickpea salad with lime dressing

September 1, 2017 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

Tonight was supposed to be leftovers night, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I wanted to cook something using the ingredients on hand. We had leftover chili and tortillas so I decided on chili enchiladas. That’s a heavy dish and as with most Mexican-style dishes I never know what type of vegetable to serve on the side. Broccoli? Cole slaw? Naw.

I rifled through the fridge and found an English cucumber, feta and some limes. I had chickpeas in the pantry. Yes….this could be something.

This salad was the perfect palate cleanser to the heavy enchiladas. The bright lime dressing cut through the spicy, cheesy sauce and left me licking the salad bowl.

You can opt to not fry the chickpeas, but that added crispiness was a wonderful touch.

Cucumber chickpea salad with lime dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 english cucumber, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3+ tablespoons good olive oil
1/4 cup feta crumbles
salt and pepper

Directions:

Coat the bottom of a medium sauté pan with olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Heat over high flame. Remove as much moister as possible from the chickpeas by putting them in a salad spinner.

When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas to the pan and fry them for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and crispy. Turn off heat and let chickpeas cool.

In a medium bowl, add the cucumbers, green onion, cilantro and feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When chickpeas are cool, add to the rest of the salad. Just before serving, whisk the dressing together and toss into the salad.

appetizers, Cooking, Italian, recipes, side dishes

Perfect stuffed mushrooms

February 12, 2017 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

The best stuffed mushrooms | a simple recipe from alaskaknitnat.com — Photo Credit: Stacy Spensley Flickr via Compfight cc

Perfect stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 carton of Costco baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup panko flakes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 of an onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound Italian sausage
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 oz. cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Chop stems finely and mix with the onions. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions until the liquid has been drawn out of the mushrooms and the onions are soft, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool in a mixing bowl.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of butter and stir in the panko flakes. Sauté until the flakes are lightly browned, about two minutes. Place flakes in the mixing bowl with mushrooms and onions.

In the same pan add the loose sausage (remove from casings if necessary). Cook until meat is browned, about 7 minutes. Place the meat on a cutting board and chop finely. Add to the mixing bowl.

Toss in the Parmesan, parsley and cream cheese and mix thoroughly (hands are best). Add salt and pepper.

Stuff each mushroom with a heaping amount of filling and place on a baking sheet. Top with more grated Parmesan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

appetizers, baking, recipes, side dishes

Baked broccoli fritters – how to use frozen broccoli for good, not evil

February 2, 2017 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

Since starting a full-time job a year ago, I’ve had to get creative with dinners. I have a limited amount of time before I put my son down for bed.

This evening I came home from work with absolutely no plan and a near-empty fridge. My freezer, however, was chock full of random Costco impulse buys: tamales, gyoza, hash brown patties, broccoli.

I contemplated the frozen broccoli. Why, why did I buy this? It’s never as good as fresh broccoli. It’s sort of chewy and crumbly. So I decided to get creative.

I fried up some hash brown patties, chopped up some thawed broccoli and came up with a seriously delicious side dish that’s sure to please the whole family. My husband ate five of them!

Baked broccoli fritters

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed and set to drain
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3 frozen hash brown patties
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 grated sharp cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the butter in a sauté pan and cook the onions till soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.

Place onions and garlic in a mixing bowl to cool. Place hash brown patties in the pan and brown on both sides. Crumble up and add to the mixing bowl. Finely chop the broccoli and add to the mixing bowl.

Once all the ingredients have slightly cooled, add the egg, bread crumbs, cheeses, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Lightly grease a baking pan (I used a silpat mat instead). Form mixture into small patties. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake another 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Cooking, mexican, recipes, side dishes, Uncategorized

Poblanos with corn and cream

January 7, 2017 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

Every year my family takes a trip down to Nayarit, Mexico to my parents’ vacation home, Casa Colibrí. Their housekeeper, Moña, is an expert cook and I look forward to her authentic Mexican dishes every time we visit.

I have tried to replicate several of her recipes in the past, including fried cauliflower and guacamole. I’ve attempted other dishes but there’s something about the fresh ingredients of Mexico that I am unable to replicate many of her recipes.

Here is one more attempt at one of her classic dishes, chiles rajados con elote y crema, or in English, sliced chiles with corn and cream. In Mexico, crema is a thick consistency, almost like yogurt or sour cream, but with a sweet cream taste. I’d say crème fraîche is the closest thing here in the states, but I have a hard time finding that in Anchorage, so I’m trying it with heavy cream.

Moña serves this for breakfast or lunch. It can accompany fried eggs or rice. It’s a versatile dish that’s got a slight amount of heat, which is mellowed out by the sweetness of the corn and cream.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 poblano chiles
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3/4 cup cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bullion
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the peppers into strips and remove the seeds and pith. Add oil to a pan and heat over medium-high flame. Sauté the peppers and onions until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook till fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the corn and cream and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle in the bullion. Turn heat down and simmer for a few minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

appetizers, Cooking, Holiday, recipes, side dishes

Perfect Grilled Corn

May 30, 2016 alaskaknitnat Leave a comment

When you grow up in Alaska you become accustomed to lackluster produce: flavorless cantaloupe, dry lemons, grey tomatoes and often unsweet corn.

At the beginning of our long weekend we had dinner up at my parents’ place and my dad served the best grilled corn I’d ever had. He’s always got a few culinary tricks up his sleeve and this recipe is no exception.

Sweet, caramelized, and just the perfect amount of char – this recipe is just what you need for your Memorial Day barbecue.

Memorial Day Recipe: How to Grill Corn on the Cob Without the Husks

Have you ever tried grilling husk-on corn on the cob? Tastes great, but what a mess you make of your grill what with all the pieces of black, burnt husk which get over everything, including the burgers or franks you’re going to grill next.

Continue reading Perfect Grilled Corn →

appetizers, cocktails, Cooking, Crafts, DIY, Holiday, side dishes, snacks

Grinch-themed birthday party

April 18, 2016 alaskaknitnat 2 Comments

Our son, Jack, turns 4 this week. Since his second birthday we’ve let him choose his party theme. At 2 it was Pingu (please, have a look at this adorable Swedish claymation penguin show), last year it was the Lorax and when I asked him this year what he wanted, he chose the Grinch.

A Grinch-themed birthday party | Minimal organization and lots of running around is all you need for a fun kids birthday party. A photo gallery from alaskaknitnat.com — Pin the heart on the Grinch. It’s more of a tradition on my part to get me into the spirit of party planning. The kids play with it for about 5 minutes.

During the holidays we took Jack to a local restaurant to see the outrageous film based on the Dr. Seuss character. It was his first big screen experience so it must have left an impression on him.

Continue reading Grinch-themed birthday party →