Having a good recipe is one thing, putting it together with other recipes to make an appetizing meal is something else. Picture a plate with cooked chicken, boiled potatoes, and steamed cauliflower on it. Pretty boring, right. Everything is the same color, so you are bored before you even take the first bite. Now imagine that same chicken with a baked sweet potato and roasted asparagus. The colors are much more vibrant and the dish just looks more interesting.
Pairing the right foods together helps make the meal a success. Tacos with a side of risotto and French style green beans just doesn't make much sense. The different foods just don't pair well together. Each main dish by itself might be excellent, but paired with the wrong sides it loses its appeal.
Listed below are some of my favorite meals to put together, complete with links to some of the recipes I use. As my family's tastes change, so does this list. You are more than welcome to try some of these combinations or come up with your own. Remember, it's your meal, eat what you like.
Autumn-Inspired Dinner : Ham w/Apples and Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage and Apples, Roasted Root Vegetables
Bistro Style Dinner : Pork Tenderloin w/Pears and Onions, Sauteed Asparagus
Black Friday Breakfast (since Starbuck's isn't open at 4 am) : Breakfast Danishes, Eggnog Latte
Cold Blustery Day : Beef Bourguignon, Mashed Potatoes, French Bread, Apple Dumplings
Comfort Food : Meatloaf, Buttered Parsley Potatoes, Sauteed Green Beans, corn on the cob, rolls
Date Night : Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms, Chicken w/Smoked Ham and Parmesan, Orzo w/Roasted Vegetables
Italian Pasta Dinner : Lasagna Roll-ups, Sauteed Summer Squash and Mushrooms, garlic bread
Mexican Restaurant : Green Chicken Enchiladas, rice, beans
Ready When You Are : Beef Pot Roast, Rich Egg Bread
Soup and Sandwich, Mexican-Style : Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup, Quesadillas
Sunday Dinner : Herb-Roasted Whole Chicken, Oven-Roasted Potatoes, Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots, Homemade Green Bean Casserole, Iron Skillet Peach Crisp
Tex-Mex : Twice Grilled BBQ Burritos, rice, beans
