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Side Dishes

Complete every meal with seasonal side dish recipes made from fresh, wholesome ingredients. From garden-fresh salads and roasted vegetables to comforting potatoes, rice, pasta, and holiday favorites, these homemade side dishes are perfect for everyday dinners and special gatherings alike.

  • Glass jars of beef tallow
    How to Render Beef Tallow
  • Two small glass jars filled with golden dandelion-infused honey, one with a honey dipper dripping amber sweetness. Dried chamomile and a soft golden cloth add a cozy, seasonal touch to the rustic dark wood background.
    Dandelion Honey
  • Smoked corn on the cob brushed with chili lime butter, served with fresh lime slices and red pepper flakes on a wooden board.
    Best Smoked Corn on the Cob Recipe
  • spoonful of wild ramp pesto with pecans over glass jar showing texture.
    Wild Ramp Pesto with Pecans (A Wild Spring Staple)
  • Grilled potatoes coated in seasoning and parmesan cheese laid out on a plate.
    Best Easy Grilled Potatoes Recipe
  • Large cast iron skillet full of smoked mac and cheese topped with freshly grated cheese and crumbled bacon
    Ultimate Easy to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe
  • Bottle of raspberry vinaigrette on a counter with a small dish full of the dressing to the side and fresh raspberries and greens in the background
    Sweet Raspberry Vinaigrette: A Delicious, Homemade Dressing
  • A bowl of cranberry jello salad on a counter topped with whipped cream and walnuts.
    Classic Cranberry Jello Salad: A Holiday Favorite
  • Sautéed Vegetables in Brown Butter
  • Roll of garlic scape butter on a serving tray with a knife, fresh garlic scapes and herbs.
    Garlic Herb Compound Butter with Garlic Scapes
  • Hush puppies on a table
    Easy Southern Hush Puppies
  • Crispy, baked french fries on a table surrounded by fresh herbs that were used to make a savory seasoning
    Baked French Fries With Seasoning
  • Close up of southern style green beans on a plate
    The Best Southern Style Green Beans Recipe

About

Elle McCoy, author of The Rustic Elk, with long wavy hair reflected in an ornate vintage mirror, sitting at a candlelit vanity with makeup brushes, perfume, and dried flowers.

Hi, I'm Elle.

I'm a storyteller, photographer, and home cook who believes the best memories are often made around the table.

Here you'll find seasonal recipes, wild game, garden harvests, preserving traditions, and stories gathered along the way. Because good food is about more than what we eat. It's about the places we've been, the people we've gathered around our tables, and the moments that linger long after the plates are cleared.


→ Meet Elle

Currently...

📖 Reading: The Witch by Freida McFadden
🎵 Listening: Of Witches & Wretched Things
Savoring: Apple butter whiskey sours & the last little bit of October magic. 🍂
🌿 Growing: Herbs on the windowsill and chrysanthemums on the stoop
🗺️ Planning: Cozy autumn days, a little kitchen magic & surviving the semester
📺Watching: Working my way through the Friday the 13th films after binging Camp Crystal Lake.

Browse by Category

  • Preserving
  • Wild Game
  • Recipes
  • Drinks

Recently...

  • Homemade canned peach pie filling in Ball mason jars made with fresh peaches, Clear Jel, cinnamon, and vanilla using a safe water bath canning recipe.
    Canning Peach Pie Filling
  • Wooden pantry shelves filled with homemade canned tomatoes, green beans, jams, and preserves in mason jars.
    The Ultimate Guide to Home Canning & Preserving

Recent Favorites

  • Slewfoot by Brom
  • Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
  • We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  • The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

Listen with Me

☾
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”
— William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Found Along the Way

A good paring knife doesn't ask for much attention, but it earns its place every single day. From peeling peaches to hulling strawberries and slicing garlic, it's the one tool I reach for without thinking.

Find it Here ->

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Building a life smelling of wild herbs and quiet rebellion since 2016.

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