August 2, 2009.   Categories Fabulous Side Dishes, Seasonal Vegetables, Summer, Vegetarian.

Shaved Summer Squash with Squash Blossoms from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis.I can’t say enough about this book.  Every recipe is so fresh and simple, allowing the seasonal ingredients to shine without over seasoning or complicated sauces masking their flavors.  When I was looking for a fresh way to enjoy summer squash this recipe did the trick.  It only takes a few ingredients and minutes of your time to assemble this beautiful...

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August 2, 2009.   Categories Fabulous Side Dishes, Seasonal Vegetables, Summer, Vegetarian.

Summer Squash, Yukon Gold Potato & Heirloom Tomato Gratin Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, smashed 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash and zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 teaspoon  sea salt 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (use Thyme or Oregano as a variation) 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive...

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July 25, 2009.   Categories Chef Julia Kendrick Conway, Fabulous Side Dishes, Light / Healthy, Salads, Seasonal Vegetables, Vegetarian.

Assaggiare Mendocino’s Eggplant Salad Recipe and photo submitted by Julia Kendrick Conway www.assaggiare.com. Once again, a fellow foodie read my mind.  I was saying how much I loved eggplant to a friend and suddenly… a reference to this eggplant salad pops up on Facebook!  It looked so wonderful, I just had to get the recipe! The wine country of California offers a bounty of wonderful people who are passionate about food and...

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July 21, 2009.   Categories Appetizers, Chef Rocco Hanson - Oui Cook, Contributing Chefs, Seasonal Vegetables, Summer, Vegetarian.

Rocco and Aimee Hanson own a wonderful and inventive culinary company called Oui Cook in Mendocino, California. Describing them as caterers or even as chefs just does not do them justice.  What they really do is create an ambiance for your event or private dinner that includes wonderfully prepared food.  I have first hand experience with Oui Cook.  Over the last few years, my family has insisted on Rocco and Aimee for any of our private...

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November 15, 2008.   Categories Christmas, Comfort Food, Fabulous Side Dishes, Fall, Thanksgiving Dinner, Vegetarian.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar & Pecans This dish is another Thanksgiving tradition in our house.  It’s simple and can be flavored many ways. Sometimes I will use a splash of Grand Marnier or Bailey’s… other times I’ll use a bit of orange zest… just depends upon what I’m serving and what is on the counter next to me when I’m cooking! Ingredients 5-6 lbs of red-skinned sweet potatoes...

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November 9, 2008.   Categories Comfort Food, Seasonal Vegetables, Soups, Thanksgiving Dinner, Vegetarian, Winter.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com) (In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff) I’ve been making winter squash soup for years and years but usually I peel the squash, cut it up, get rid of the seeds and cook it in stock before pureeing it. That’s perfectly fine, but I wanted to find out if roasting the vegetables would bring out a more intense, earthy...

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