May 11 2025
A big bowl of colorful fresh fruit is hard to beat when you need an easy side dish for a summer barbecue, brunch, picnic, potluck, or family gathering. This fresh fruit salad combines juicy berries, grapes, pineapple, mandarin oranges, kiwi, apple, and banana with a simple honey-lime dressing that brightens the fruit without covering up …
May 05 2025
Few side dishes can compete with a pile of freshly fried pommes frites. Thin, golden, and audibly crisp on the outside with fluffy potato inside, these classic fries are exactly what you want beside a burger, steak, sandwich, or bowl of mussels—or simply served on their own with a good dipping sauce. The secret to …
Apr 12 2025
Crispy golden French fries, fresh cheese curds, and piping-hot savory gravy come together in one of Canada’s most famous comfort foods: poutine. It is an uncomplicated combination, but when each component is done well, the contrast is irresistible. The fries stay crisp underneath the sauce, the cheese curds soften without completely melting, and the rich …
Oct 25 2024
Crispy potato skins filled with fluffy mashed potato, sour cream, butter, sharp cheddar, smoky bacon, and green onions make twice-baked potatoes one of the ultimate comfort-food side dishes. They look a little more impressive than an ordinary baked potato but are surprisingly straightforward to make. Bake the potatoes until completely tender, scoop out the fluffy …
Sep 27 2024
Sweet, nutty, and wonderfully creamy when cooked, kabocha squash deserves a place in the fall kitchen alongside butternut squash and pumpkin. Sometimes called Japanese pumpkin, kabocha has dense orange flesh with a flavor somewhere between sweet potato, chestnut, and winter squash. Its natural sweetness works just as well in savory dishes as it does in …
Sep 19 2024
Tangy balsamic vinegar, fruity olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, and just a touch of honey come together in this easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It takes about five minutes to make and works with far more than a bowl of lettuce. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, toss it with grain bowls, spoon it over grilled chicken, …
Sep 08 2024
Tangy, spicy, garlicky, and ready with only a few minutes of hands-on work, homemade pickled jalapeños are one of the easiest condiments to keep in the refrigerator. Fresh jalapeños are sliced into rings and covered with a hot vinegar brine seasoned with garlic, peppercorns, salt, and just enough sugar to balance the acidity. After a …
Sep 01 2024
Labor Day arrives at that perfect point between seasons, when summer produce is still abundant but the first hints of fall are beginning to show. It is an ideal excuse to gather outside, fire up the grill, and build a relaxed meal around smoky barbecue, juicy burgers, fresh corn, ripe watermelon, and easy make-ahead sides. …
Aug 29 2024
Crisp stems, tender green leaves, and a mild cabbage-like flavor make bok choy one of the easiest vegetables to work into weeknight meals. It cooks remarkably quickly and adapts to almost any method you throw at it. Stir-fry it with ginger and garlic, simmer it briefly in soup, eat the tender leaves raw in a …
Aug 25 2024
Crispy golden tater tots, seasoned ground beef, creamy mushroom sauce, and melted cheddar make this easy tater tot casserole pure comfort food. It is the kind of dinner that works especially well on busy evenings because there is very little complicated preparation. Brown the beef with onion and garlic, stir together the creamy filling, spread …
