Tomato Salad with Fresh Herbs and a Balsamic Reduction

I found this recipe in the September 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine. I had all the ingredients on hand and knew it would make the perfect side dish to the kebabs I was making for our dinner guests. There is something so delicious about fresh tomatoes with good herbs and a tasty balsamic reduction... perfect summer food! This recipe was light, delicious, and a big hit with the adults and my

Scored Baby Potatoes AND Giveaway Winner!

My friend Currié recently made these potatoes for a birthday get together and I loved them. I decided to adapt them a bit by using small baby Dutch potatoes (my friend makes them with russet potatoes). I sliced them in half then scored the potato meat with a sharp knife. I seasoned each potato half with a bit of sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder then baked

Grilled Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Lemon

This was a wonderful side dish! I loved the sweet grilled tomatoes with the tangy and flavorful drizzle of olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and lemon juice - it was a perfect combination of flavors. My son even liked this dish and he's not a fan of cooked tomatoes. The rest of us really loved them and gobbled every last one up.Grilled Tomatoes and Basil, Garlic, and Lemon:Adapted recipe by For the

Soy Sesame Edamame

This is such a quick, easy, and delicious snack or side dish. I made this for my kids as a snack after their swimming lessons and they LOVED it. I swear the bowl of edamame disappeared within 5 minutes of me serving it to them. This will be a regular on our table from now on.Soy Sesame Edamame:Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net1 1/2 cups of whole edamame1 tbsp soy sauce1 tsp sesame

Green Bean Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

I found this recipe on Culinary Cory and decided to make it tonight. I made the vinaigrette earlier in the day and let the flavors mingle together. This salad is colorful and flavorful and was a hit with all of us. I loved, loved, LOVED the vinaigrette and look forward to trying it with other vegetables. Thanks for the excellent recipe Cory!Green Bean Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette:Adapted

Mini Baked Potatoes

How cute are these little spuds? I had a few baby potatoes I needed to use up so I decided to roast them in a bit of olive oil, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder. I topped them with a bit of sour cream and fresh chives right before serving. They were the perfect bite sized baked potato and a big hit with my family. These potatoes paired perfectly with the Soy Garlic Flank Steak

Peas with Butter and Shallots

I picked up some English Peas recently from Trader Joes. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a fancy recipe with them or if I wanted to keep it simple. I ended up keeping it simple. I boiled the peas for just a couple of minutes then added them to a skillet with some shallots sautéed in a bit of butter then seasoned them with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Super quick. Super simple. Super tasty

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

I loved this recipe - maybe because I love salt and vinegar potato chips or maybe because I am originally from Idaho and I love ALL potato recipes. This recipe is super simple to make and would go well with most main entrées. My husband and I both really enjoyed these potatoes but both of my kids didn't like them at all... that's okay - more for me! I served these salt and vinegar potatoes with

Greek Quinoa

I found some quinoa in my cupboard that I needed to use up so I decided to make a Greek style quinoa. I added some parsley, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red onion, and grape tomatoes to the cooked quinoa for a healthy and delicious side dish. I loved the flavors and textures of this recipe and my entire family liked it. Greek Quinoa:Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net1/2 cup of

Panko Crusted Green Beans with a Soy Garlic Aioli

My friend Maureen and I recently went out to dinner to celebrate her birthday and we had a wonderful panko crusted green bean appetizer that we both loved. The restaurant fried their green beans and served them with a flavorful aioli sauce that was fantastic. I decided to recreate a much healthier version at home by baking my green beans. They turned out wonderful! They were crisp and crunchy on

Stuffed Yellow Squash

I picked up some yellow squash at the store and decided to stuff them with a bit of leftover marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoned panko crumbs. This dish couldn't be easier to make and it turned out fantastic! I think this is my new favorite way to eat yellow squash. Quick, simple, and tasty - you can't beat that!Stuffed Yellow Squash:Recipe and photos by For the Love of

Parmesan Roasted Fennel

I recently picked up some fennel at the grocery store and I planned to roast it with some carrots but I found this recipe on the Food Network and decided to give it a try instead. It was very simple to make and tasted fantastic. I loved the tender fennel with the salty Parmesan cheese - they were a perfect combination. My kids didn't love it but my husband and I sure did.Parmesan Roasted Fennel:

Roasted Baby Potatoes with Parsley and Butter

I wanted a simple side dish to go along with the Blackened Flank Steak I served for dinner. I found some baby potatoes and parsley in the refrigerator so I decided to roast the potatoes then toss them with a bit of butter and parsley. They tasted so delicious! We ll loved this side dish, especially my daughter whole gobbled them right up. Roasted Baby Potatoes with Parsley and Butter:Recipe and

Garlicky Basmati Rice

I wanted to make a simple rice dish to serve alongside the Barbecued Chicken and Pineapple Skewers. I liked this recipe in one of my Cooking Light cookbooks because it was quick and simple to make but tastes extra flavorful and delicious. I loved the garlic flavor in this rice and the crisp green onions gave it nice texture. The skewers paired perfectly with this garlicky rice. Garlicky Basmati

Baked Onion Rings

One of my very favorite foods is onions rings but I rarely eat them because they are so bad for me. I recently made some burgers and decided to try my hand at baking onion rings. I dipped them in flour then in an egg/milk mixture then in Italian panko crumbs. I baked them for 20 minutes and they turned out AMAZING. My husband and I really, really loved these rings. I loved how crunchy they were

Sesame Green Beans

I recently had some sesame green beans while eating dinner at a friends house. I loved the beans and wanted to re-create them at home. My girlfriend was out of town on a much needed vacation so I looked online to find a similar recipe. I chose this Martha Stewart recipe because it seemed similar to the one my friend made. When I prepared the sauce, it seemed too tangy so I added some soy sauce to

Carrot-Ginger Rice

I can't tell you how much I loved this rice! It was sweet, spicy, and so flavorful. The ginger and cayenne pepper really gave the rice a nice kick, the tender onions and carrots made it sweet, and the cilantro gave it a great flavor punch. It was the perfect side dish to my Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs and Sesame Green Beans. I can't wait to make this one again.Carrot-Ginger Rice:Recipe and

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

This is another side dish I found in my new Tyler Florence cookbook. I have used Parmesan on so many different roasted vegetables but this was the first time I used it on green beans and I loved it! I really enjoy making simple and quick recipes that taste amazing and this is one of them. Parmesan Roasted Green Beans:Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.netOriginal recipe by Tyler

Roasted Fennel with Olive Tapenade and Feta Cheese

My sweet husband bought me the new Tyler Florence Family Meal cookbook for Christmas and I was so excited! Tyler is one of my favorite chefs because his recipes are easy to follow, he uses fresh ingredients, and the recipes always taste great. This new cookbook is filled with beautiful and tasty looking recipes that I am eager to try. My husband and I both agreed that I should make this roasted

Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Butter Sage Sauce and Parmesan Cheese

I have been so busy getting ready for the upcoming holiday that I haven't had a lot of time to cook big meals. I recently found this butternut squash ravioli at Trader Joe's and decided to make a simple yet delicious side dish with it. The ravioli is so flavorful it doesn't need much sauce so I just sautéed some fresh sage leaves in melted butter and drizzled it over the ravioli then topped it