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…

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!

Squash Blossoms, The Edible Flowers And How To Fix Them by kathy gori

This is the time of year when squash blossoms are found in Farmers Markets all around Sonoma. If you've never cooked or eaten squash blossoms, well then you've missed one of the big pleasures of the summer garden. I first had these as a kid when I was still in the "eeewwww we're eating flowers?" phase. They're a big favorite among…

Easy Risotto & Gourmet Mushrooms by Amos Miller

Risotto scares too many cooks. It's really a simple dish, though not commonly served at the American dinner table - unless you have some (usually Northern) Italian blood in your family. When done with care, risotto can be a sublime accompaniment to all types of dishes. In fact, you can add all types of things to a risotto to…

Tostones (aka Fried Plantains) by Kimberly

As a Puerto Rican, we make these plantains often. They are twice fried giving them extra crunchiness. Just add a pinch of salt and garlic salt and it becomes a really tasty side/appetizer!

Skinny and Dreamy Broccolini Risotto by Skinny Kitchen with Nancy Fox

Risotto is an elegant Italian rice dish made by stirring hot stock into a mixture of rice and sometimes onions, shallots, or garlic that have been sautéed in butter. The stock is added in ½ cup increments while continually stirring until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. We know it sounds a little labor intensive…

Caesar Asparagus, Low in Calories, Big on Deliciousness by Skinny Kitchen with Nancy Fox

I’ve never been so excited about a vegetable dish before but this one is worth raving about. It’s just like the classic salad but it’s made with roasted asparagus instead of lettuce. I’m keeping it skinny by making homemade multi-grain croutons and drizzling with a delicious light Caesar dressing. The skinny for each serving is 95…

BBQ Party: Juicy Clams & Mussels In Truffle Oil & White Wine by Blackswan

My Magic Potion: I thought it would be a great idea to try out my new Truffle Oil & indeed, it worked wonders. The succulent seafood tasted great & the soupy sauce was such a delight. Make this for your next BBQ treat using a foil or substitute…

Homemade Marinara Sauce - Basic Pizza/Pasta Sauce by Hina Gujral

Before leaving for vacations I did deep cleansing of fridge so now it's time to refill all those empty jars of condiments and I started with simple Marinara Sauce, which is a very versatile sauce, spread a generous helping over pizza (see recipe here) base or toss pasta in it or dip meatballs in it, Marinara Sauce is always an Italian…

Pasta Primavera by 1st Place Recipes

Recipe Source: http://www.recipekitchen.net Pasta Primavera Recipe - Delicious Pasta Primavera Recipe Made Linguine or Fettuccine And Vegetables.

Fresh Pesto by Stacy Coltrin

30 years ago my husband and I had our first really good Pesto. It has become another staple in my home, I put into soups, pizza, spaghetti, pasta, grilled chicken, fish and salad dressings. It is endless. My family is from Italy and my grandfather came over and went through Ellis island at 21 years of age, with him the family Pesto…

Crunchy Green Bean Salad by Jennifer Bass

Zucchini con Anice by BearNakedBaker

Peas & Pancetta by La Tavola Marche (farm, inn & cooking school)

Sweet peas have arrived at the farmers market, spring is here! Peas & pancetta - one of my favorite dishes that I only eat in Spring when the peas are bright & fresh. I can't get enough, I don't know if it's the peas or the pancetta - is it the green veggie or the fatty pork that I love so?! Maybe I should just have another…