Posts under ‘Simple Sides’

Summer Fest Ingredient: Cukes n’ Zukes
Sliced, chopped, dipped or dressed, cucumbers are one of the most versatile vine veggies. And what better way to kick off the launch of Summer Fest 2010 than with a refreshing pickled salad loaded with carrots and tomatoes and tossed in a toasted sesame vinaigrette. Cool off by enjoying this [...]

I wouldn’t go within 18 feet of a mushroom before the age of 20. Now, I can’t get enough of them. They’re delicious raw, irresistible when roasted and unbeatable when sauteed. So when I came across this mushroom appetizer on one of my favorite blogs, I was ecstatic to spruce it up and give it [...]

It’s been strangely warm the last couple of days here in New York so I opted to save my line-up of soup and stew recipes and take on a lighter challenge: Winter Panzanella. Panzanella, or Italian bread salad, is a mix of homemade croutons tossed with assorted veggies, oil and vinegar.
I loved the bright colors [...]

As summer comes to an end, I find myself turning to the last of my “beat the heat” recipes in order to steer clear of preheating ovens and slaving over the stove. My sweet and savory four bean salad is a perfect refreshing side that can be made a day or more in advance of [...]

Welcome to my first ever fish fry! This recipe represents a big milestone in my slowly growing culinary repertoire, as it’s the first time I’ve ever attempted to cook fish. And I’m proud to report that with Sandra Lee’s help, it turned out to be a great success.
I stuck to the basics with this recipe [...]

Popovers are a great light substitute to heavy breakfast breads like bagels and muffins. The egg-based pastry is light and fluffy in texture and buttery in taste. They are best served warm from the oven and topped with fruity condiments like this whipped strawberry butter. You can substitute any type of fruit, such as orange [...]

Cooking a healthy meal doesn’t have to mean spending tons of money on groceries and endless hours in the kitchen. This quick-fix Southwestern meal is not only affordable and easy to prepare, but it’s also low in carbs and high in protein.
The fajita burgers are a blend of my favorite Southwestern flavors, but without the [...]

Ruth Reichl, Editor in Chief of Gourmet magazine, spoke at The Journalism School last week. And not surprisingly, I was seated in the front row, looking doe-eyed at the culinary grandmaster. Reichl discussed her past career experiences, the fate of magazine readership and the future of the culinary media industry. She was refreshingly simple in [...]

Mixing spinach into rice is a great way to incorporate a healthy vegetable into a side dish without compromising flavor or texture. The leafy veggie will soak up any ingredient you add to it, so I’ve used a garlic-infused olive oil as the main flavor of this simple side dish. Toss in some brown rice [...]

As a California girl at heart, I will find any excuse to enjoy homemade guacamole. This time I’ve put a spin on my traditional guac by serving it up as the centerpiece in this simply delicious bruschetta recipe. And how can you go wrong with this arsenal of flavor-packet ingredients? The crunchy French bread serves [...]