Nostalgic Foodie

Side Dishes

Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

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If you’re looking for the perfect appetizer to impress your guests, this Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip is a guaranteed hit! A warm and bubbly dish packed with rich cheese, tender spinach, and the crunch of water chestnuts, it’s the perfect balance of creamy and savory.

This recipe, featured in 75 Years of Caring and Sharing by the Jersey County Homemakers Education Association (2006), is a testament to the comfort food traditions we all know and love. With simple ingredients and a quick bake time, it’s easy to whip up for a dinner party, game night, or even a cozy evening at home.

What makes this dip stand out is the use of a dry vegetable soup mix—it adds a burst of flavor that complements the melted Cheddar and Parmesan perfectly. And with a quick hint from the recipe, you can skip greasing the casserole dish thanks to the cheese’s natural richness.

Pair it with a crusty bread, crackers, or fresh vegetables, and watch it disappear in minutes. It’s recipes like these that remind us why food is at the heart of every gathering. Try it this weekend and see for yourself why this dip has been a classic for decades!

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Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Large saucepan
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Mixing spoon or spatula
  • 1-quart casserole or gratin dish
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • ¼ cup chopped onion about ¼ medium
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (1 tsp.)
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups half & half
  • 2 9 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
  • 1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 oz. package dry vegetable soup mix
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is crisp-tender and garlic is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir in flour; cook and stir an additional minute.
  • Add half & half and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in chopped spinach, water chestnuts, Cheddar cheese, and vegetable soup mix.
  • Spoon dip into a 1-quart casserole or gratin dish.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake dip until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Serve warm.

75 years of caring and sharing 

Jersey County Homemakers Education Association Cookbook

75 Years of Caring and Sharing. Jersey County Homemakers Education Association
75 Years of Caring and Sharing. Jersey County Homemakers Education Association

Hashbrown Casserole

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Hashbrown Casserole

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Casserole, Hashbrown Casserole, hashbrowns, potatoes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 738kcal

Equipment

  • 13×9 inch baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs shredded potatoes frozen package
  • 16 oz sour cream 1 carton
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter room temperature
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper freshly ground

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients thoroughly together, save cheese to sprinkle over the top
  • Add to a greased 13×9 inch baking dish
  • Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese to the top of the casserole
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 30 minutes
  • Let cool, serve and enjoy!

Corn Casserole

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Corn Casserole

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Casserole, Corn, Corn Casserole, side dishes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 693kcal

Equipment

  • 13×9 inch pan

Ingredients

  • 1 can whole kernel corn with liquid
  • 1 cup cream style corn
  • 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix dry
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

  • Mix all the ingredients together
  • Pour into a greased 13×9 inch pan
  • Bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Let cool, serve, and enjoy!

Perfectly Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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I never had brussels sprouts growing up. They just weren’t a thing in my family. However as a kid plugged into the television, it was easy to see that this vegetable didn’t rank on any kids top 10 list. In fact, I perceived it as a kids nightmare on a plate. As an adult, though, it’s clear that either parents prepared brussels sprouts all wrong, or these kids needed their taste buds checked out, because these are delicious.

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Italian Pasta Salad

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Italian Pasta Salad

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Calories: 697kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ green bell pepper chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • 6 green onions chopped
  • ¾ cup black olives sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dried basil leaves
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ cup ham chopped
  • 1½ lb rotini pasta

Instructions

  • Combine green and red bell pepper, tomato, green onion, olives, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, basil, olive oil and vinegar.
  • Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Combine Ranch dressing with oregano and add ham.
  • Cook pasta according to the package instructions.
  • Combine refrigerated ingredients with dressing, ham and pasta.
  • Refrigerate until serving.
  • Serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Combine green and red bell pepper, tomato, green onion, olives, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, basil, olive oil and vinegar. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Combine Ranch dressing with oregano. Add ham. Cook pasta. Combine refrigerated ingredients with dressing, ham and pasta. Garnish with parsley and paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

Onion Shortbread

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I found this recipe in Gourmet Cooking with a Flair, and let’s just say this is a fun and quirky cookbook from 1961 with a penchant for basic-yet-wacky twists on classics, and introducing recipes that seem very … 1960s.

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Onion Shortbread

Onion Shortbread is a savory addition to any meal using a few simple ingredients most everyone has on hand!  The Nostalgic Foodie
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Onion Shortbread
Servings: 6
Calories: 182kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 small onions sliced thin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 slices bacon
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 sheet rolled biscuit dough enough to cover an 8×12 pan

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon in a skillet or in the oven until crispy enough to chop.  Let the bacon cool, and chop into small pieces.
  • Melt butter in a skillet, and sauté onions until soft, around 5-10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and mix in beaten egg and salt.
  • Roll out biscuit dough onto an 8″ by 12″ pan.
  • Over the dough, spread the onion and egg mixture, and sprinkle with the chopped bacon.
  • Bake in a 450º oven until golden brown, roughly 15-20 minutes.
  • Serve, and enjoy!

Notes

For the biscuit dough, you can easily use Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough sheets or an 8oz can of Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls.

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