Side Dishes

These traditional refried beans are even better than restaurant style beans. They are creamy, smoky, and seasoned perfectly. A great Mexican side dish! I got this recipe for refried beans from Christina, a friend I used to work with when I lived in Virginia Beach. I […]

I absolutely adore this mango salsa recipe! This mango salsa is a cooked sweet, spicy, and flavorful salsa loaded with chunky bits of fresh mango, tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno, infused with the Spanish flavors of garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper. This warm salsa is best […]

My take on Caesar Salad is not very classic at all. This version of Caesar salad comes with quite a twist.  In The Mountain Kitchen, Caesar salad begins like any traditional Caesar salad with crisp roman lettuce, grated parmesan cheese, and crunchy homemade croutons. However, […]

I DID IT! I cannot tell you how, but I finally got David to taste my sweet potato casserole!! “Sweet Dirt” — that is David’s interpretation of sweet potatoes tastes like. It has taken me 20 years to get him to try this casserole. You […]

Roasted acorn squash may not have been part of my mama’s fall kitchen table. Nor did it make an appearance at the Matthews’ house on Thanksgiving Day. However, this recipe is one that I discovered recently and would like to share with you. This recipe […]

Today, for Meatless Monday, I am excited to reshare a recipe for a Butternut Squash and Beet Tart with you. David tried to rename it “BeetNut Tart”, but I figured that might scare off some folks. This unique tart begins with a flaky puff pastry […]

This post is in memory of my dear friend Elizabeth Bond Brinster.  With all the summer heat still lurking around the mountain, it’s hard to think about pumpkin recipes, soups, stews and chili. So today, I’m sharing this recipe for Bacon Avocado Pasta.  Bow-tie pasta […]

If you love Greek food as much as David and I do, you will love this Skillet Spinach Pie. This recipe is inspired by the Greek pastry called Spanakopita. Spanakopita or spinach pie is a popular Greek pastry in which a cheesy spinach filling wrapped […]