"sides" news and stories

Vegetables are beautiful. While meats and grains can come in many sizes, colors and shapes, they don't really approach the huge array of options offered by vegetables. The beauty of vegetables is fully displayed in Veggie Food: From Veggies on the Side to the Main Event because every single recipe is accompanied by a full-page photo. That alone is reason enough to buy the book - and it is, in fact, what prompted me to get!

Once you get past the food porn, you quickly realize that the recipes are hugely varied and very easy to follow. The chapters include starters, soups, salads, entrees and sides and list almost 200 recipes between them. All of the recipes are vegetarian and many are vegan.

I haven't been though all the recipes personally (yet), but I often flip through the pages when looking for something different to do with carrots (Carrots with Coconut, Ginger and Chili), butternut squash (Squash and Feta Pie) or sweet corn (Potato and Sweet Corn Chowder) because the ingredient lists are short and I frequently have everything I need on hand. Every one I've tried has come out well and is a hit when served to a group, since you can see exactly what you'll be presenting from the photo before you even begin to cook.

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While there are many barbecue books that focus on the main course, some mention side dishes only in passing, if at all. It can be difficult to master smoking a piece of meat to perfection, but once that meat if ready to be served, you're going to want to serve something with it. The Big Book of Barbecue Sides is all about what to serve with that main course at a barbecue, or any time you're cooking on the grill. It has over 100 recipes and covers more than just coleslaw, though that is the first recipe included in the book. Other topics covered include breads, pastas, salads, veggies and fruits (dessert or side dish), with dishes that can be made on the grill as well as off it. It is great to have all these favorites in one volume that you can keep with your grilling books, rather than having to go searching all your cookbooks for recipes like Red Beans and Rice, Skillet Cornbread, Grilled Corn Salsa, Garlic and Parmesan Spuds and Barbecued Pineapple.

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