Category Archives: Sides

Gina Marie’s Potato Salad

Posted in Football Food, Gina Marie Original, Salad, Sides by

Potato salad is one of those fixtures that screams BBQ’s and family gatherings. Throughout the years I’ve learned a few tricks to make a great potato salad. First, there is no need to add tons of ingredients to a potato salad, it’s all about the potatoes. If you add too many things to it you will lose the potatoes and what’s a potato salad without tasting the potatoes? Second, the way you cook them and mix them up are a huge part of making a terrific potato salad. I’ll go through some key steps…

1. Do not bother washing or cutting the potatoes. Drop them in a huge pot of cold water and get boiling. Once they boil, turn it back a bit and cook them till they start splitting.

2. Mix your mayonnaise and spices together BEFORE adding to the potatoes. This will make a difference. The more you mix your salad the more your potatoes will break down and become mush. Mixing up the mayo before hand helps you not overmix.

3. Use a secret ingredient. My secret ingredient is what I use in my ribs, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning.

Follow these steps and your potato salad will be a huge success.

Gina Marie’s Potato Salad

  • 5 lbs Russet potatoes
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 tbs mustard
  • 1 tbs Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
  1. Put uncut and unwashed potatoes into a large pot filled with cold water on high heat. When water starts to boil turn down to medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes start to split.
  2. Drain and let cool till they are easy to handle. (you want the potatoes to be a little warm)
  3. With a pairing knife, remove the skin from the potatoes and dice into 1/2 inch pieces and add to a big bowl along with the onions.
  4. In a separate small mixing bowl mix together the mayo, mustard, creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasonings to your likeness. (If you like it really saucy, add more mayo and adjust the seasonings accordingly)
  5. Add the mayonnaise mixture and parsley to the potatoes and stir till combined. Chill for at least 4-5 hours and serve.

Source: Gina Marie Original

Spicy Sausage Dip

Posted in Dips, Football Food, Pork, Sides, Starters by

Last week was a busy one and I apologize for not posting many recipes. Kids started back to school and I was busy celebrating. Now that we are getting back to a regular schedule I will try and be better about my postings. We are now in the throws of football and I couldn’t be happier. This past weekend I went to the the Penn State/Youngstown State game and had a wonderful time. I made football sandwiches for tailgating and plan to post those later this week.  In the meantime here is a wonderful spicy sausage dip that’s extremely addicting!  The dip goes well with a cold glass of beer and your favorite team on the TV. I like to have the ingredients always on hand so when we are craving it I can make it. It’s only got a few ingredients and within a few minutes you can enjoy a tasty dip.

Spice Sausage Dip

  • 1 (16 ounce) package hot pork sausage
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese; room temperature
  • hot sauce to taste
  1. Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned and no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
  2. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the tomatoes and cream cheese until evenly blended. Cook just until heated through and the cream cheese is all combined. Serve warm.

Source: My Baking Addiction

Pizza Bites

Posted in Football Food, Sides, Starters by

Fall and Football go together likes peas and carrots. (Forrest Gump was on all weekend) This is my favorite time of year! For those who don’t know…I LOVE FALL! And football is my favorite sport. The best weekends are spent watching Penn State and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s even better when they win! I’ll be posting recipes in the next several weeks that will be perfect for your football watching weekends. Also, I will be doing a lot of fall recipes. Pumpkin season is coming and I have so many things planned for you. Pumpkin cupcakes, Pumpkin bread, Pumpkin whoopie pies, Pumpkin bars, Pumpkin risotto…I really did watch too much Forrest Gump, I feel like Bubba right now.

I’m getting off track and I apologize. I just get so excited when it comes to fall foods. Back to the football food!

Pizza bites are so much fun to make. All you need is some great dough, cubed mozzarella and pepperoni. For those who live in WV it’s like a mini cheese filled pepperoni roll. I do miss those yummy WV pepperoni rolls. Veering off track again… I make my own dough (I’ll post soon) but you can easily buy good store bought dough or even run to a local pizza shop and ask for some dough (not a chain one). Local pizza parlors are more willing to sell you dough than the chain ones. Are you ready for some football? I am!

Pizza Bites

  • 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed (about 20-24 pieces)
  • Sliced pepperoni
  • 1 ball pizza dough (roughly 2 lbs) or 1-2 cans of refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1 small jar pizza sauce

For topping:

  • Olive oil
  • Italian seasoning
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

  1. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan.  Divide the pizza dough into 20-24 roughly equal sized pieces.  Take one of the dough pieces, top with a cube of cheese and a slice or two of pepperoni.  Pull the edges of the dough around the fillings and pinch closed.  Place seam-side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
  2. Lightly brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.  Serve warm, with pizza sauce.

Source: adapted by Annies Eats who was inspired by Chaos in the Kitchen

Cheese Straws

Posted in Bread, Sides, Starters by


I made these to go along with the Cheeseburger Macaroni. They are full of Parmesan flavor and what I love about them is their lightness. It’s not a heavy bread stick since it’s made with puff pastry so you don’t feel like you are eating tons of carbs. There are endless possibilities for these little babies, Chedder and adobo cheese straws, sun dried tomato, caper, and garlic cheese straws, everything cheese straws, etc… So many choices and they all will be great.

These are perfect for a weeknight dinner because they are quick to put together and quick to bake. Just make sure to have the puff pastry thawing in the refrigerator in the morning before you leave for work.

Cheese Straws

  • 1 (9 by 9 1/2-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 2 oz Parmesan or Asiago cheese, grated (1 cup)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower- middle positions and heat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Lay the puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with the Parmesan, salt and pepper.
  3. Top with another sheet of parchment and, using a rolling pin, press the cheese into the dough, rolling to shape the dough into a 10-inch square.
  4. Remove the top layer of parchment and, using a sharp knife (or pizza cutter), cut the dough into thirteen 3/4 inch wide strips. Gently twist each strip of dough and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing the strips about 1 inch apart.
  5. Bake until the straws are fully puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes, reversing the position of the baking sheet from top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1905 Salad

Posted in Gina Marie Original, Salad, Sides by


I love salads and next to a Caprese Salad, this is my top favorite. 1905 Salad is a Columbian Restaurant favorite. This is my families version of their salad. My Aunt Sue taught me how to make this when I was around 12 or 13 and I’ve been making it ever since. The original version has ham, olives and uses swiss cheese. I don’t put the ham or swiss cheese in mine, but you could add it to yours. If you can’t find fontinella cheese, swiss will be a fine substitute. Fontinella cheese is what I think makes this salad. You can find it around the gourmet cheese section of your local grocery, it’s shaped like in a wedge and Stella is usually the brand.

The salad goes great with any Italian dish or makes a great lunch. I could eat this anytime!

1905 Salad

  • 1-2 heads of iceburg lettuce, chopped (I usually use 1  1/2 head of lettuce. All depends on their size)
  • 1 large tomato or 2 medium size tomatoes, large dices
  • 8 oz Fontinella cheese, grated on large grater
  • 1 cup Italian Salad dressing ( I use Wish Bone) You can add more than a cup, if needed
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tbs worchestire sauce
  1. In a large bowl, add lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.
  2. Pour salad dressing over the top and squeeze half the lemon and add the worchestire sauce. With salad tongs, mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Pasta Mozzarella

Posted in Gina Marie Original, Main Dish, Pasta, Sides by

When I ask my kids what I should make for dinner, I already know their answer. “Pasta Mozzarella, please.”  I’ve been making this for years and my kids gave it the name Pasta Mozzarella. If you are having a hectic day and want to make something quick, this is for you. Family members have begged on hands and knees for me to give them this recipe. I tell them for $100 I will give it to them. But for you, the cost will be free with one condition. Make it soon!

Pasta Mozzeralla

  • 1 box (1lb) Penne pasta (or other tube shaped pasta)
  • 16oz mozzarella cheese, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 pkg Good Seasons Italian salad dressing
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut up

1. Boil pasta till al dente, according to package instructions and drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, whisk the dressing, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
3. Add the pasta, cheese, tomatoes and basil to the dressing and stir to combine. Serve immediately or at room temp.

BBQ Baked Beans

Posted in Grilling, Sides by

I am not a huge baked beans fan and definitely don’t like it straight out of a can. If I had to I could eat a little bit but never ever have a second helping. Last year we went to stay with some very dear friends out in Wilmington, NC. We had such a great time and our hostess Connie fed us well. One of the things she made was these baked beans. For the first time in my life I went for another helping! These beans are so delicious that you can’t have just one scoop. With being smack in the middle of grilling season these will make a perfect side dish to whatever you are grilling.

If you want to lesson the amount of fat that will come out of the bacon, fry it for a few minutes in a pan to release some of that fat. (But why would you?) Then proceed to topping the beans with the bacon.

BBQ Baked Beans

Serves 6-8

  • 2 16oz cans pork and beans, drained of liquid
  • ¾ cup BBQ Sauce
  • 1 oz golden raisins
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • ½ cup brown sugar (splenda brown sugar does work)
  • 1 tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped (Granny Smith works well)
  • 3 strips uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all but the bacon in a 2 quart casserole. Top mixture with bacon and bake uncovered 1 hour until nice and bubbly.