Orzo pasta salad with seasonal vegetables.

Ever been to a potluck or cookout and had quote-unquote pasta salad? You know what I mean: mushy corkscrew pasta, raw vegetables and icky bottled Italian dressing. Gross. *This* pasta salad is not *that* pasta salad. This Orzo Pasta Salad with Seasonal Vegetables recipe starts with the right kind of pasta, homemade dressing, and crisp-tender seasonal veg. Perfection. Hack it with different vegetables all year round. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

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Buttery root vegetable mash.

Winter squash and root vegetables are abundant in local farmers’ markets even during cold months. (Not like we’re exactly having typically cold winter weather right now.) Sauté these babies in lots of butter, simmer them in vegetable stock and fork them into a chunky mash that’s perfect as a side to grilled steak or roast chicken. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

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Blood orange French yogurt cake.

With a blush of glaze and a bright golden interior, this not-too-sweet Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake recipe has a ton going for it. Make it now, while blood oranges are available, and bookmark the recipe to make with other citrus in season. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

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homemade egg noodle recipe | writes4food.com

Grandma’s homemade egg noodles.

I thought of my grandmother Dorothy today, which prompted me to recall this favorite recipe she shared with me for homemade noodles. Like all cooks of her generation, Grandma is a “some of this, some of that” kind of cook, so I had to wrangle her to get the actual measurements for this recipe. Learn to make homemade egg noodles (pasta all’uovo) at writes4food.com

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homemade roasted red pepper hummus recipe | writes4food.com

Low-fat red pepper hummus.

In this lower-fat hummus recipe, I’ve added nonfat Greek yogurt to add tang and smooth texture. In place of tahini, I’ve used a splash of toasted sesame oil—so you get all that bold sesame flavor with less fat. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

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Caprese salad with homemade ricotta.

If you’re tired of sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella — the classic Caprese salad — try it with freshly made ricotta cheese instead. Homemade ricotta? Absolutely! Super easy and fun. Start with high quality dairy (we love Snowville Creamery products) and let heat and acid work their magic! Get the recipe for homemade ricotta cheese on writes4food.com!

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zucchini and cheddar pizza recipe | writes4food.com

Summery zucchini and cheddar pizza.

In last week’s Cincinnati Enquirer, I shared this recipe for Zucchini and Cheddar Pizza, part of an article on what to do with all. that. zucchini. besides zucchini bread. Sooooo simple: shredded zucchini, shredded cheddar, pizza crust, breadcrumbs + some quality time in a hot oven. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

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homemade sweet and salty trail mix recipe | writes4food.com

Sweet and salty trail mix.

In advance of National Trail Mix Day on August 31 (who knew that was a *thing*?), here’s my favorite homemade trail mix recipe. My ideal mix is a salty-sweet combo with mostly healthy stuff (whole grain cereal, unsalted nuts, raisins) plus some Reese’s Pieces. I’ll be packing this along on our next road trip. Let my trail mix recipe inspire you to try your own combination: see it on writes4food.com!

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