How to Make 3 Quick and Easy Side Dishes for Supper Tonight

Perk up a can of precooked potatoes for a delicious side dish.

What's for supper? If you're short on time but need to feed the family, it's tempting to pick up fast-food, but that can be costly and unhealthy. These quick-and-easy side dishes are enough for a family of four and use both canned and fresh ingredients. Prepare these recipes when it gets too hot to cook in the kitchen or you're running late.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cans whole potatoes, 14.5-ounce size
• Butter
• Chopped parsley, fresh or dried
• 2 cans fruit cocktail, 14.5-ounce size
• Whipped cream, real or imitation
• Marshmallows (optional)
• 2 or 3 cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons mayo
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

Parsley Buttered Potatoes

1. Open the canned potatoes and pour them into a colander to drain the water. Slice the potatoes into quarters or halves. Put the potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl.

2. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon of chopped parsley.

3. Heat the bowl in the microwave for several minutes, until the potatoes are heated through and the butter is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Creamy Fruit Cocktail

1. Open the cans of fruit cocktail and pour them through a colander to drain the liquid. Pour the fruit into a serving bowl.

2. Add 8 ounces of real or imitation whipped cream to the bowl and mix with a spoon.

3. Toss in a handful of white or fruit-flavored marshmallows.

Creamed Cucumbers

1. Pour two cups of water into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.

2. Wash two or three cucumbers and use a peeler to remove the skin. Cut into thin slices and add them to the bowl of salted water, allowing the slices to soak for 10 minutes or so.

3. Drain the salt water from the bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 or 2 tablespoons of mayo and mix with a spoon.

Tips & Warnings

• These will help free up the stove, which is great in the heat

• Garden cucumbers taste wonderful creamed!

• You can add any canned fruit to Cool whip

References

• United States Department of Agriculture: Canned Potato Fact Sheet