Vegetables

Fresh green beans are cooked with bacon, onion, and garlic for a delicious side dish."

It’s simple. It’s comforting. It’s crunchy and sweet and real. And I order you to try it at least once this summer. It will instantly become a staple, I promise.

Take that  sweet onion, stuff it with some goodies, wrap it in bacon and bake it, and it makes a terrific side dish for backyard barbecued chicken, grilled steaks or even burgers. These onions have been everywhere in some form the past few years and I love them as an addition to the cookout menu.

Even the pickiest vegetable eater will be sure to love these crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside bites of zucchini. Coated in a combination of panko crumbs and finely shredded provolone cheese, they develop a nice crunch in the oven, making them a lot healthier (and easier to make) than a fried version.

It’s hearty and very fall/winter-ish; it would be great on a Thanksgiving table. It involves wild rice, greens, caramelized onions, a nutty cheese and breadcrumbs and it makes a spectacular amount of gratin. When we make it at home, we reheat it for a few nights as a dinner side-dish and everyone inhales it. It’s warm and filling and I hope you will love it too.

The corn is just bursting with sweetness this time of year. There is no reason not to head to the nearest farmer’s market, grab some fresh corn, and make this simple dish for dinner tonight. No reason at all, quit arguing, don’t make me ground you.

mmmm good

A great addition to simple, rustic dishes like roast chicken or beef (or bison), these classy onions can be made ahead and reheated slowly when ready. This is an adaptation of a recipe from Gary Danko, of San Francisco's Restaurant Gary Danko.

Julia Childs recipe YUM!

Breaded, oven-fried zucchini chips taste like they’re fried, yet they are baked and amazingly crispy. These chips make a healthy substitute for French fries or potato chips.