Since we’re coming to the end of all things associated with warmer weather we should take the chance to have at least one final barbecue before winter officially arrive. Therefore I have compiled some of my favourite side dishes.

Polenta Pie

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 ts garlic
• 1 Onion
• 1 Green Pepper
• 4 Mushrooms
• 1 Packet of bacon (around 6 pieces)
• Cup of shredded cheese ( only add cheese at the end)

Fry the Bacon then in a separate pan fry all the ingredients in some butter as you would usually do starting with the onion, garlic and green pepper, when properly sauteed  then add the mushrooms and cook until soft.

For the Polenta

• 1 1/2 Cup Polenta (Mieliepap)
• 2 Cups of boiling water
• 1/2  Cup Pouring Cream

Put the dry polenta in a bowl and add boiling water. Mix until it looks smooth. Microwave for 1 minute and mix and add some water if the mixture looks too dry. Repeat 2 more times. Mix the cream with the Polenta mix.

Then mix all the ingredients together. Pour it into a baking dish and cover with cheese. Bake until the cheese is brown and crispy. Let the mixture cool to make it set. If you don’t care whether it sets or not you can eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven 😛

Pull apart Bread

Easy and delicious, the more cheese you add the better it ends up. You could also do this with ham and cheese or even spinach and feta. Recipe here

• 1 crusty loaf, preferably sourdough or Vienna
• ¾ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or other melting cheese)

• 100g/3.5oz unsalted butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Rice pasta Salad

This recipe is really easy to make if you don’t have to much time and because of the amount of food it makes its a perfect dish to feed more than 1 family. Recipe here 

INGREDIENTS FOR Greek Orzo Salad.
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
2 cans marinated artichoke hearts (6 ounce cans)
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped

1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 can black olives, drained (2 ounce can)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Alternatively you can use the orzo pasta, tomatoes, onions, chopped ham, chopped cheddar cheese squares, olive and mayo. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Twice baked potatoes

This dish is deliciously different, it takes a bit of time but its well worth the wait. Full recipe here.

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ cup milk
• ¾ cup grated Cheddar cheese
• Paprika

Veggie Skewers/Kebabs

One of the healthiest sides for a barbecue is the Veggie Kebab. You can add any kind of vegetables on the skewer. You can marinade the veggies or leave as is and then just add salts and spices while you barbecue them. This is a great option whether you’re vegetarian or just want to add some vegetables to your meal.