quick refrigerator dill pickle recipe | writes4food.com

Quick dill pickles.

Just when I thought our cucumber crop was a bust (pollinators were slow to find all those yellow flowers hidden beneath giant leaves), we’re finding ourselves with something of a cuke farm. What to do with them? As they say on Portlandia, “We can pickle that!” Get the recipe for quick refrigerator dill pickles; they’re on our dinner table alongside burgers and chips for a summer supper tonight!

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pasta with swiss chard pesto and creme fraiche recipe | writes4food.com

Pasta with chard pesto and creme fraiche.

Here’s another taste of California Wine Country cuisine for you: a bright, velvety, gorgeous pesto made with Swiss chard, enhanced with the creamy tang of creme fraiche. (Who knew?) Get this recipe for pasta with Swiss chard pesto, inspired by our recent travels!

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Orzo salad with spring vegetables and herbs.

Of all the recipes in my “Findlay Market Cookbook,” a simple pasta salad is the one I’ve made most often. It starts with orzo (cooked in vegetable stock for flavor), and has the perfect simple dressing and tons of vegetables. What I love most is that it’s so adaptable; here, I’ve swapped vegetables and herbs from the original recipe to make a perfectly seasonal spring pasta salad. Get the recipe!

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Beautiful winter panzanella salad.

Typically, panzanella is a summertime salad of toasted bread, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. But here’s a perfectly wintery spin on this Italian favorite, with hearty multigrain bread, roasted butternut squash, walnuts and a kiss of sherry vinaigrette. Perfect with roast chicken or grilled pork. Get the recipe!

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red lentil soup with butternut squash and warm spices recipe | writes4food.com

Warm spiced lentil soup with squash.

If, like me, you’re ready for a cleaner diet that’s low on fat and calories and high on vegetables and lean protein, then you’re ready for THIS gorgeous lentil soup with butternut squash and warm spices. It’s quick to prepare and makes a comforting dinner or satisfying lunch. Get the recipe!

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Best Thanksgiving side dishes.

Whether you’re planning a full Thanksgiving menu or you’ve been asked to bring something to the table, here are some tasty Thanksgiving side dish recipes that will shake things up this year. I’m thinking fresh flavors, fall vegetables and healthier options that taste great and impress your family! Get my best Thanksgiving side dish recipes!

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Clean-out-the-larder minestrone.

I call this ‘clean-out-the-larder’ minestrone, because you can make it with whatever leftover or not-enough-for-a-meal vegetables, fresh or frozen, that you have on hand. Dump everything in a pot, simmer, and voila! Soup! Get the recipe (plus 2 secrets for excellent soup).

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recipe for summer corn and tomato pie

Sharing a summer favorite: tomato and corn pie.

We’ll still enjoy red, ripe tomatoes for several weeks yet, but summer corn is on its way out at farmers’ markets around here. So make this summer favorite tomato and corn pie in a no-roll cornmeal crust — while you still can! Get the recipe.

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