Cookthink

Baked Cherry Tomatoes With Garlic And Black Olives

Here's a simple takeoff on classic baked Provençal tomatoes. Try sprinkling a little parmesan or emmenthal cheese over the top and broiling the tomatoes at the end for a richer dish.

Apple Brown Betty

The Brown Betty is a classic dessert that requires minimum prep. Put it together, stick it in the oven, and you have a sweet ending to a meal. This recipe is part of The Barbara Kafka Dessert Anthology.

Pan-Grilled Cheddar-Chile Polenta Sticks

Pan-grilled polenta sticks made with sharp cheddar and spicy chiles are an excellent accompaniment to barbequed and grilled meats. Substitute bell pepper for a non-spicy version.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food - adding in garlic and extra cream just makes them even better. If you happen to have roasted garlic on hand, that is also delicious - just mix it in at the end.

Fennel And Orange Salad With Pecorino

Oranges make this salad juicy and sweet, and the pecorino brings salty bite, creating a balanced, summery dish. Be sure to trim any tough, fibrous edges off the fennel bulb.

Mashed Celeriac

Celeriac, also known as "celery root" and "turnip-rooted celery," is a root vegetable related to ordinary stalk celery. Try mashed celeriac instead of potatoes next to your favorite roast; it provides a similar comforting, fluffy warmth with a subtly different flavor.

Cabbage-Red Onion Slaw With Parsley-Yogurt Dressing

Here's a slight departure from mayonnaise-based dressings for slaw. The yogurt adds tang, and its creamy texture takes the edge off raw red onion. The parsley complements the yogurt with bright herbal flavor.

Romaine And Mint Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

Doesn't this recipe sound good? It is. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."

Dandelion Greens, Pear, Blue Cheese And Walnut Salad

Dandelion greens might not be your everyday salad fare, but they have a hearty and slightly bitter taste that goes well with sweet pears and rich blue cheese. Don't be deterred by tough older dandelion stems, the leaves are quite tender.

Potato And Onion Pierogi

I used baked potatoes because it eliminated significant hands-on time in making the filling, but you could just use plain mashed potatoes. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Garlic Truffle Fries

If you don't have a mandoline, just do your best to cut the fries evenly, but feel free to make them bigger than shoestring. You'll need to cook the fries longer during both fryings if you are doing thicker fries. Read more about this recipe at Steamy Kitchen.