Now that it’s the start of a new year, I thought I’d start with a new veggie recipe. So whether you’re vowing to eat more veggies or just looking for an easy side dish, consider trying this one for Thymed Carrots Glazed with Vinegar. It’s more exciting than regular ol’ boiled or steamed carrots, and a great addition to a meal featuring roasted chicken, turkey, or pork. Enjoy!

Thymed Carrots Glazed with Vinegar
-recipe from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball

This is a classic preparation for carrots. The vinegar, sugar, and thyme combine to make a sweet-sour glaze with some punch. Dried thyme can be substituted in a pinch. Serves 8.

2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Boil carrots for 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet until foam subsides. Add carrots and toss for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to a glaze. Add a few grindings of black pepper.

Tags: carrots, glazed carrots, Side Dish, thyme, veggie side dish, veggies, vinegar

Brussels sprouts…people either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I happen to love ‘em and this recipe elevates the humble, often hated vegetable. I loved the texture of the shredded brussels and the added smokiness and saltiness of the bacon. This is a great side dish for roasted meats, especially turkey and chicken. 

We had a big garden when I was growing up and my dad always made sure there was space allotted for the brussels. When picked fresh, they are much sweeter than what’s available in most grocery stores (which can be bitter). Some stores (like Trader Joe’s) even sell them still on the stalk (that’s what I used for this recipe). Brussels are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid. C’mon, I dare you to step outside of your comfort zone and give brussels a chance! You might actually find that you like them.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
-recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food (November 2011)

Serves 4.

1 pound brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
3 slices bacon
1 cup water
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
cider vinegar (optional)

Shred trimmed brussels sprouts in a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat from skilled. Add brussels sprouts and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are tender, 15 to 20 minutes (add more water if pan becomes dry). To serve crumble bacon over sprouts; drizzle with cider vinegar, if desired.

Tags: bacon, brussels sprouts, Side Dish, Thanksgiving side dish

I love greens. Kale, collards, beet greens…they all get a thumbs-up in my book. This recipe for Sauteed Kale has a slight tang from the vinegar, a little hit of spice from the red pepper flakes and lots of flavor from the sauteed red onion and garlic. It’s a perfect side dish for Italian food or roasted meats (chicken, turkey, pork, beef).

Two pounds of kale sounds like a lot but it will cook down. Be sure not to over cook the kale so it stays a pretty deep green color. A handful of toasted pinenuts added at the end of cooking is a nice addition. Enjoy!

p.s. As an added bonus, kale is loaded with Vitamin C, calcium and lots of other good-for-you stuff.

Sauteed Kale
-adapted from a from Gourmet Magazine recipe

Makes 3-4 servings. 

1 pound kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch-wide strips (8 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain in a colander.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to moderate, then add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and salt.

Cooks’ note: Sautéed kale keeps, chilled in an airtight container, 3 days.

Tags: greens, kale, sauteed kale

One of the things I love about September is the potpourri of ripe veggies available at farm stands and farmers’ markets. Last week, I visited my local farm stand and purchased all the makings for these tasty quesadillas that are stuffed and garnished with a medly of fresh corn, chile peppers, summer squash and tomatoes. The quesadillas make a great lunch or light dinner…Yum!

For the chiles, I used a combo of four different peppers I got at the farm stand that ranged from mild to spicy. I chopped enough of them to equal 1 cup. I also sauteed some Walla Walla onions along with the veggies for added flavor. Since I didn’t have chipotle chile powder, I substituted a little chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce…it added a nice smokiness to the vegetable mixture. Enjoy!

Farmers’ Market Quesadillas
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
These quick quesadillas are loaded with the best of the season: summer squash, fresh corn, and diced tomatoes. Fresh chiles and chipotle powder add depth and give the dish some smoky heat. Yields 4 quesadillas.

5 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup small-diced fresh, mild chiles, such as Anaheim or poblano (from about 2 large chiles)
1-1/2 cups small-diced summer squash (from about 2 small zucchini, yellow squash, or yellow crookneck)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 cup diced tomato (from 2 small tomatoes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Four 9-inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated sharp cheddar (8 oz.)
Sour cream for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 200°F. Fit a cooling rack over a baking sheet and put in the oven.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the squash softens and starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn and chipotle powder and cook 2 minutes more. Spoon into a bowl, let cool for a few minutes, and then fold in the tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 3/4 cup of the mixture.

Lay several layers of paper towel on a work surface. Wipe out the skillet, put it over medium-high heat, and add 1 Tbs. of the oil. When it’s hot, put one tortilla in the pan. Quickly distribute 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over the tortilla and about a quarter of the remaining vegetable mixture over half the tortilla. When the underside of the tortilla is browned, use tongs to fold the cheese-only side over the vegetable side. Lay the quesadilla on the paper towels, blot for a few seconds, and then move it to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining oil and tortillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with the reserved vegetable mixture and sour cream.

Tip: Chipotles are dried smoked jalapeños, and in any form they add an intriguing depth to dishes like these quesadillas. McCormick makes ground chipotle, and The Spice Hunter sells a crushed chipotle, which would be a fine substitute in this recipe; just add a bit more than you would of the ground.

Tags: Anaheim peppers, bell peppers, cheese, chiles, farmers' market quesadillas, Fine Cooking Magazine, fresh corn, Mexican, peppers, quesadillas, summer squash, tomatoes, tortillas, zucchini

This salsa rocks! If you’ve never made fresh salsa before, I highly encourage you to make a batch of it. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to whip up and how delicious it is! Of course, starting with top quality ingredients (vine-ripened tomatoes) is key to a good salsa, while dry roasting the veggies in a pan is super simple and only takes a few minutes. Husband thinks I should make this recipe on a regular basis…I couldn’t agree more!

Don’t forget to season the finished salsa with salt (bland salsa just won’t do). Enjoy!

Salsa Quemada (Roasted Tomato Salsa)
-recipe from Epicurious.com | April 2010
Reprinted with permission from Amor y Tacos: Modern Mexican Tacos, Margaritas, and Antojitos by Deborah Schneider

A very useful salsa that is easy to make and keeps well. Firm, fresh Roma tomatoes are dry-roasted until soft and well charred on all sides (quemada literally means “burnt”), then pureed into a smooth salsa with sweet toasted garlic, fresh cilantro, and onion. Salsa quemada clings to the dryer and chunkier taco fillings, adding moisture and great flavor. It is also a classic table salsa, perfect to serve with tostadas and totopos.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

5 large Roma tomatoes, whole, not cored or cut in any way
1 serrano or jalapeño chile
2 cloves garlic, skin on
1/4 cup minced white onion
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro

Make sure your kitchen is well ventilated. Put a piece of aluminum foil in a heavy sauté pan (preferably cast iron) and set it over medium-high heat. Place the whole tomatoes, chile, and garlic cloves in the pan and dry-roast them on all sides until well charred and soft. The garlic and chiles will be done quickly; the tomatoes may take 10 minutes or longer to cook.

Peel the garlic and stem the chile. Place the tomatoes, garlic, and chile in a food processor with the onion, salt, and cilantro. Pulse until the salsa is smooth and taste for seasoning. The salsa will keep, refrigerated, for several days. Reseason before use.

Tags: Amor y Tacos, cilantro, Deborah Schneider, garlic, homemade salsa, jalepeno, Mexican, roasted tomato salsa, salsa, salsa quemada, serrano, tomatoes

Give me a spoon and a bucket of this stuff and I’m a happy girl. Okay, maybe that’s a little over doing it. I really do love this recipe, though. Corn pudding (if you’ve never had it before) is a savory baked corn dish that is creamier than cornbread but more dense than a custard. Basically, it’s a delicious corn casserole that pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, and would be a great addition to a holiday feast (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July). Many versions use canned cream of corn but we’re using fresh ingredients in this recipe.

I saved myself a little prep work and used Trader Joe’s White Frozen Corn (almost as good as fresh corn) and it worked perfectly. The fresh basil gives the dish wonderful just-out-of-the-garden flavor, and since I had fresh chives, I added some of them to the custard, too.

For the water bath, I set my 2-quart casserole of corn pudding in a larger pyrex baking dish, set it in the oven then poured hot water into the pyrex dish until it was close to halfway up the side of the corn pudding dish. Be very careful when removing the corn pudding from the water bath after it’s finished baking because you don’t want to splash scalding water all over you (it’s best not to be wearing shorts and flipflops for this part of the recipe).

Let the casserole cool for 15-20 minutes after taking it out of the oven to allow it to firm up a bit. Enjoy!

Sagaponack Corn Pudding
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

The basil and extra-sharp cheddar give good flavor without overpowering the delicate corn. If you can’t get fresh corn, use frozen. Makes 8 servings.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 45 min

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (6 to 8 ears)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
4 extra-large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8 to 10-cup baking dish.

Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and saute the corn and onion over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and then the ricotta. Add the basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked corn mixture and grated cheddar, and then pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with more grated cheddar.

Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot tap water. Bake the pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Tags: baked corn, Christmas, corn casserole, corn pudding, Easter, Fourth of July, holiday side dish, holidays, Ina Garten, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

With all the summer entertaining going on, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw is a great side dish to add to your cooking arsenal. Not only does it go well with a variety of grilled foods and other sides, it’s nice to see something other than pasta salad or canned baked beans at a potluck. Plus, we all need more veggies!

This slaw is slightly sweet and slightly tangy with a nice punch of heat from the mustards. I didn’t have spicy mustard so I substituted some whole grain creole mustard and a little extra Dijon. I also substituted green onions for the red onions because that’s what I had on hand…plus, it added more color to the dish. If you don’t have malt vinegar, I’m sure apple cider vinegar will do just fine. Enjoy!

Blackberry Farm’s Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com
Adapted from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook, by Sam Beall (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

For maximum crunch, this zippy variation on classic coleslaw should be made no more than 2 hours before serving. The dish makes a fine companion to fried chicken or burgers. Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. malt vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Tags: Blackberry Farm, cabbage, carrots, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, onions, Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw, vinegar

This simple summery salad will be perfect at your next cookout or potluck. The fresh flavors will compliment a variety of foods.

For the vinaigrette, I didn’t mess with a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic. Instead, I just smashed the garlic in a garlic press and proceeded with the recipe. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving. Enjoy!

Green Bean Salad with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

 If you can’t find ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes, substitute small wedges of ripe beefsteak tomatoes.
Serves six to eight.

3 cups fresh corn kernels (3 to 4 ears)
Kosher salt
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half diagonally
1 small red onion, cut in half through the root end, root trimmed, and cut lengthwise into very thin slices
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar; more to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the corn kernels and blanch for 1 min. Scoop out the corn with a strainer; set aside. Season the water with a generous amount of salt, let it return to a boil, add the beans, and cook until just tender, about 3 min. Drain the beans and spread them on a baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, put the onion in a small bowl filled with ice water (which will crisp it and mellow its flavor). Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Put the paste in a small bowl (or keep it in the mortar) and whisk in the vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then whisk in the olive oil.

Just before serving, drain the onions. Put the beans, corn, onions, cherry tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the vinaigrette. Taste again and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Serve right away.

Tip:  Garlic cloves mashed to a paste add a tasty kick. I use a large granite mortar and pestle to pound the cloves to a paste, but you can also use the flat part of a chef’s knife to mash the garlic. A pinch of kosher salt helps the process along.  Vinaigrettes with a bright edge tie the salad together. To stand up to vegetables—especially raw vegetables—your vinaigrette should be relatively assertive, and that means using a bright acid. Try combining fresh citrus juices and different vinegars.

Tags: basil, cherry tomatoes, cookout, corn, green bean salad, potluck, summer salads, vegetables, vinaigrette

Here’s a great side dish of crunchy snow peas and earthy mushrooms in a light, sesame-soy dressing. It’s quick, delicious and perfect for your next Asian-themed meal!

Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Ginger
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Tip: Choose dark green, dense-looking peas with no signs of drying or cracking. Trim them by breaking off the stem end and pulling the string away from the pod. Serves four as a side dish.

Tags: Asian, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, snow peas, soy sauce, stir-fried, Vegetable

Asparagus season is upon us! WooHoo!!! Here’s a quick side dish to serve with chicken, pork, beef…just about anything really.

For easy clean up, place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet before arranging the asparagus in a single layer.  Be sure to trim the tough ends off each piece of asparagus. Nobody likes gnawing on those hard-to-eat, woody ends! This dish is best served warm. Enjoy!

Recipe variation: drizzle the asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar before sprinkling with salt, pepper and Parmesan; then roast in the oven.

Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan
-recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

1 1/2 lbs asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 450° F.  Trim the tough ends from asparagus.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Spread asparagus in an even layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese has melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tags: olive oil, parmesan, roasted asparagus, springtime