Mashed Red Potatoes 

12 small red potatoes
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Scrub and quarter potatoes. Do not peel. Cook in salted, boiling water until tender. Cut bacon in 1-inch pieces and cook ntil almost crisp. Drain potatoes and leave in pan. Add butter and allow to melt. Mash potatoes with peels. Add cream, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Potatoes should be lumpy. Stir in bacon. 6 servings.

Great with Oven Stew. See Dinner is Ready, Sample Recipes.

Lemon Rice 

1 cup rice
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Combine rice, butter, garlic, lemon peel, pepper and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in parsley. 6 servings.

To Freeze: Cool and place in a freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw. Heat rice, fluff with a fork and serve.

Lemon Rice is wonderful with Honey Lime Chicken. See Dinner is Ready, Sample Recipes.

Sweet and Sour Salad 

1 (12-ounce) package bacon
1/2 (16-ounce) package square wonton wraps
oil for deep frying
1 cup red grapes
1 large carrot
6 cups torn Iceberg lettuce
3 cups baby spinach leaves
Sweet and Sour Dressing (see recipe below)

Cut bacon in half-inch strips. Cook until almost crisp. Drain on paper towels. Cut wonton wraps in 1/4-inch strips. Deep fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Cut each grape in half. Peel carrot. Use a vegetable peeler to cut carrot in thin flat strips. In a large serving bowl, place lettuce, baby spinach leaves, bacon, grapes and carrot strips. Add fried wonton strips and dressing just before serving. 8 servings.

Sweet and Sour Dressing

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon onion
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup canola oil

In a small bowl, combine sugar and vinegar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add salt, chili powder, mustard and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Press onion through a garlic press. Add to dressing. Add corn syrup and mix well. Whisk in oil until smooth and glossy. Cover and refrigerate. Shake before serving. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Candied Carrots

1 (2-pound) package carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Peel and slice carrots. Place in pan and cover with water. Add salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until carrots are very soft. Drain. In same pan, heat butter and brown sugar until melted and bubbly. Immediately pour carrots back into pan. Stir to coat. 6 servings.

To Freeze: Allow to cool. Place in freezer bag or freezer container. Label and freeze.

To Serve: Heat and serve. 

Paradise Pasta Salad

1 (16-ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks or tidbits
2 (11-ounce) cans Mandarin oranges
2 kiwi
1 cup red grapes
1 small bunch green onions
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup cashews
1 (16-ounce) bottle cole slaw dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions. Drain and cool. Drain pineapple and reserve 1/4 cup juice. Drain oranges. Peel kiwi, quarter and slice. Slice onions. Place pasta in a large serving bowl. Add pineapple, oranges, kiwi, grapes, onions, dried cranberries and cashews. Combine cole slaw dressing, mayonnaise and reserved pineapple juice. Pour dressing over all. Mix gently. 12 servings.

On the Side is a collection of side dish recipes to go along with the dinner freezer recipes in Dinner is Ready to make your family dinners a delicious success. Many of these recipes can be freezer recipes, some of them not and some of them either/or. Whether you freeze them for later or make them today, you'll love the variety of delicious choices. If you have freezer meals ready to go, you'll have more time to make side dishers. Goodbye plain salad, noodles and rice!