Grilled Asparagus by Kelsey Martin

Arroz a la Mexicana - Mexican Rice by Nancy Miyasaki

This is the real deal...not the sorry excuse for Mexican rice you often get on a combo plate these days. The fresh tomato flavor comes through wonderfully! We made this with long grain white rice this time, but next time I'm planning to do a 50/50 mix of long grain white and brown rice. That will make it healthier and I believe it…

Cooler Corn by Glenn

Large gatherings of people who like corn on the cob requires a couple of lobster pots or a wash tub and a lot of boiling water and patience. Not anymore. Thanks to tailgating technology there is a simple way to make dozens of ears of corn for the hungry revelers.

Mitch's Homemade Dill Pickles by Micheline

These homemade dill pickles are so tasty and easy to make. They taste much better than store bought pickles except for Mrs. White's, my favourite. You can make them spicier by adding hot peppers to the brine.

Mexican Rice by John Spottiswood

I was looking for an improved Mexican Rice recipe, so I adapted this one from the America's Test Kitchen cookbook. I used many of the same ingredients, but instead of baking it, which seemed like a waste of energy, I finished it in my rice cooker. The result was a very flavorful and wonderfully textured mexican rice. Browning the…

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!

Cowgirl's Cowboy Caviar by Smokinhotchef

Packed with zing and superfood ingredients, this take on Cowboy Caviar is sure to please. Super fresh ingredients send this recipe from a trot to an all out gallop! Not to mention it's vegetarian and delicious! Sometimes those two words don't go hand in hand. This is a fabulous supplement to any tex-mex meal or side-car to chicken…

Homemade Refried Beans by John Spottiswood

I'm ashamed to say that though I LOVE refried beans, this is the first time I've ever made them myself. It's just so easy to buy them in a can, or at a mexican restaurant, that I haven't bothered. But this recipe is simple and it is definitely worth the effort in my mind. I figure my kids are the true test, since they aren't that…

Exotic Spiced Pineapple Rice by Micheline

A spiced, fruity, nutty basmati rice dish that looks, smells and tastes exotic.

Stuffed Bitter Gourd Fry by Paul Anderson Lumen

Something Different

Collard Greens, corn and Tortilla Strata by Julia Ann Souders

A layered casserole of vegetables and flour tortillas. A vegetarian side dish to be enjoyed with or without a meat entree. It's an American Lasagna! A side dish with lots of antioxidants to boost immunity. Recipe adapted from "Fight Back with Food: Use Nutrition to Heal What Ails You," Readers Digest Association, Inc., 2002.…

Potatoes au Gratan by Glenn

This recipe was adapted from a little booklet put out in the 1930s by Westinghouse and Pennsylvania Power and Light Co. for the new electric range and oven. It contained 7 meals, each of which could be baked together in the oven. I've cut out this item and made it work and boy is it good. One note, I stopped peeling potatoes years…

Vegetarian Beet Burger by Micheline

This vegetarian burger has the unusual addition of 1 tbsp of grated beets, just enough to give the burger a pleasant color. Once cooked, this burger looks and tastes like a meat burger. It is delicious!

Scalloped Corn and Tomatoes by Glenn

Westinghouse and Pennsylvania Power and Light Co. put out a cookbook to sell their new electric range and oven in the 1930s. This is one of the recipes made to stand alone. The original small book has 7 menus with a meat, side and desert that were designed to be baked together in the same oven. It relies heavily on canned foods and…

Sauteed Zucchini in Homemade Tomato Sauce by Denise Sherin

I love homemade tomato sauce, it's so much better than jarred sauce. As a summer side dish I add sauteed zucchini, it's so yummy. I recently served it as a side with baked cod and we wound up putting it right over the fish it was terrific!