The first time I visited the South of France, I fell in love with this medley of eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes and bell peppers. It is best in the late summer, when the vegetables are fresh-picked and at the height of their flavor. I’ve created a grilled version which is even better the day after it is made. Serve with grilled fish, chicken or even tossed with hot pastaThe first time I visited the South of France, I fell in love with this medley of eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes and bell peppers. It is best in the late summer, when the vegetables are fresh-picked and at the height of their flavor. I’ve created a grilled version which is even better the day after it is made. Serve with grilled fish, chicken or even tossed with hot pasta.

These grits will make you forget that you have meat on your plate. Anson Mills grits are hand milled to a coarser grind than commercially distributed grits and the corn is specially grown for maximize flavor. Even people who think they don't like grits, love these grits. Cooking them in a mixture of cream and water is my version of the South Carolina low-country tradition.

This First Place at the National Cornbread Festival recipe is a sure-fire winner dinner. The Southwestern-style recipe is from Jenny Flake who lives in Gilbert, Arizonia—it’s a contemporary version of a skillet supper.

The tart-sweet-savory combination of apple cider, vinegar and olive oil brings out the natural sweetness and contemporizes sweet potatoes—we promise no one will miss the marshmallows! The Girls have written the recipe for the grill, but it can also be roasted in a 400 F oven for the same cooking time. 

If you’re still opening a can for this ubiquitious side dish, give it up and try this ultra easy recipe for fresh cranberry sauce. The fresh cranberries almost cook themselves and the port and orange juice give them a depth of flavor that you’ll never get from the canned variety. To add a sweet-tart flavor to the sauce, try adding chopped Granny Smith apples at the beginning of the cooking time.

This German potato salad comes from Kirsten, The hot bacon-vinegar dressing is a refreshing change from the more common “American-style” salad that is often heavy with mayonnaise.

One bite of this potato salad brings me back to my childhood where my Georgia-born grandmother would sit at the kitchen table peeling and dicing what seemed like a mountain of potatoes while they were still piping hot so they’d absorb more of the flavor of the dressing. As an adult cook I look back and realize that she “cooked” more sitting than standing. She would usually drizzle some of the juice from her (sweet) bread and butter pickles to season the dressing, but since I don’t make homemade pickles, I use only apple cider vinegar. If you do make your own pickles, follow her lead and use half pickle juice, half vinegar. This recipe is best made the day before.

Grilling asparagus miraculously transforms it from the kind of vegetable you hated as a kid to a sweet, meaty, lip-smackin’ treat that you can’t get enough of as an adult. This is the least amount of work you will ever have to do to be considered the Queen of the Grill. Contrary to popular belief, look for the fatter stalks when buying asparagus, they are much better suited to grilling and actually have better flavor.

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette The flavors of fresh lemon juice and white truffle oil are the perfect compliment to grilled asparagus. I didn't think grilled asparagus could get any better until I created this "truffle lemonade" to dress up my favorite grilled veggie for a friend's birthday party. Try it, and use any leftover dressing on fresh salads and/or grilled fish. The little bit of cream in the recipe keeps the vinaigrette from separating and rounds out the sharp flavors of the lemon juice and the truffle oil.

The delicate taste and texture of baby vegetables is one of the true joys of finding garden-fresh produce. Look for a farmer’s truck by the side of the road or visit any of the growing farmer’s markets around the country. Watch these young veggies carefully, they cook much faster than their older, tougher siblings—something we can all understand!

Prepare these in advance, or set out cut fruit in bowls along with some skewers and encourage guests to assemble their own kabobs.

This may not sound like much but the combination of the herb-cheese spinach and the grilled portabello mushrooms is a classic pairing for a very good reason-it tastes great. Sprinke with Fleur de Sel to add the necessary salt note and a little crunch.