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Lemon & Garlic Green Beans

Lemon & Garlic Green Beans by John Spottiswood

It is rare to have a side dish which everyone keeps reaching for instead of the main dish. That's especially true if its a fairly simple green vegetable side. But these green beans were truly that good. We used packaged, thin french cut green beans from Trader Joes. They are tender and tasty on their own, but I've never had them taste…

8 votes
33840 views
Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil

Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a simple, tasty side dish to add to your menu. I've adapted it from Marcella Hazan's recipes for other vegetables. It tastes GREAT with Brussel Sprouts. Broccoli is good too.

25 votes
63857 views
Oven roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes

Oven roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes by Easy Cook - Laka kuharica

A quick and easy vegetarian dish. Easy suggestion: instead of fresh cherry tomatoes you can use whole tomatoes from a can, but before roasting, drain the liquid, split the tomatoes and remove seeds. Also, you can sprinkle herbs of your choice over tomatoes.

1 vote
4766 views
Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese by John Spottiswood

I've been cooking this recipe for so long, and it is so simple, that I have often overlooked posting it. We had it with our grilled chicken this week, and finally I'm putting it online. Marcella Hazan says this method of cooking pasta has eclipsed all others as the favorite amongst Northern Italians. And I must say it's among the…

6 votes
7333 views
Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli by John Spottiswood

This roasted broccoli recipe, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa, is really wonderful. It has a lot of flavor. We served it with a mild pasta, and it was just a wonderful combination. Don't be worried by the lemon juice and zest. They impart a subtle flavor that adds a nice dimension to this dish.

25 votes
21183 views
Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan by Nancy Miyasaki

This is a simple and delicious Italian recipe adapted from the Barefoot Contessa. We leave out the egg and sometimes the lemon (depends on what you are serving this with).

5 votes
11461 views
Roasted Bell Peppers Salad - Salada de pimentos assados

Roasted Bell Peppers Salad - Salada de pimentos assados by Sofia Reino

This is a traditional Portuguese salad you will find in most restaurants, especially during the summer. It is very fresh and goes very well with all types of grilled fish. Another idea is to add canned tuna and some hard boiled egg and you have a beautiful summer meal!

1 vote
7648 views
Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce by John Spottiswood

This is a great traditional greek sauce. Serve it on flatbread with fava beans, kebab, falafel, or anything else you can think of. It's super simple to make and you can experiment with adding different spices. The yogurt has a mellowing impact, so you can add just about anything without ruining it!

3 votes
13027 views
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Sauteed Spinach with Garlic by John Spottiswood

This is a delicious and healthy dish that takes 5 minutes to make and goes with almost anything--asian, mediterranean or american. Barefoot Contessa has a similar recipe but adds butter and extra salt. You don't need that, but can add if you like. Fresh spinach is much better than frozen in this dish.

4 votes
11265 views
Farro with fresh herbs

Farro with fresh herbs by John Spottiswood

I had Farro for the first time recently at a party at a winery. I thought it was fantastic served under grilled lamb. It's a little crunchier than barley, and has a subtle nutty flavor. You'll love it with grilled meat! It's a little hard to find, but try an Italian supermarket or Whole foods. You can also substitute "spelt", but…

2 votes
3170 views
Plum tomatoes roasted with fresh basil

Plum tomatoes roasted with fresh basil by Nancy Miyasaki

When plum tomatoes are on sale this summer, grab a bagful and make this simple and delicious side dish. It goes great with just about anything you will cook on the grill--steak, lamb, chicken or fish. Or just have it as part of a vegetarian meal. However you serve it, you and your guests will love it!

3 votes
4018 views
Colcannon with Kale

Colcannon with Kale by Julia Ann Souders

An Irish potato dish, colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale and a dollop of butter on top. This recipe changed little from Craig Cliaborne, The New York Times Menu cook Book, 1966. This is featured by 2007-2014 Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk Off." All Rights reserved.

1 vote
5415 views
Potatoes With Parsley and Garlic - Pommes Parsillade

Potatoes With Parsley and Garlic - Pommes Parsillade by John Spottiswood

These are the fantastic potatoes you've probably had in a french bistro...the ones that weren't pommes frites (french fries). They are best served immediately when the crisp exterior contrasts so nicely with the warm, soft interior. We served these with a lentils and sausage recipe that I will post shortly. The combination was…

10 votes
4696 views
macaroni and cheese

macaroni and cheese by Carol Teng

A delicious, easy to cook meal.

7 votes
19525 views
Spinach and Ricotta Balls - Gnudis

Spinach and Ricotta Balls - Gnudis by John Spottiswood

I've been looking for tasty ways to cook spinach and wild greens because they are so healthful. This one is fantastic. These are called Gnudis in Florence because they are "nude", e.g. missing the pasta on the outside. These are sort of like a spinach ravioli without the pasta. If that doesn't sound all that flavorful to you, wait…

6 votes
6703 views