Quick and Easy Sides and Salads

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Pickled Okra and Shrimp Salad

Pickled okra and shrimp make a perfect combination for a fresh, spring salad. Try this recipe tonight for dinner with a side of cheesy French bread.

Recipe: Pickled Okra and Shrimp Salad

Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Grilled Okra and Tomatoes

While you have the grill fired up for burgers and chicken, throw on some veggies too. Sprinkle the okra and tomatoes with fresh basil to enhance their flavor.

Recipe: Grilled Okra and Tomatoes

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

The rich, nutty taste of browned butter adds extraordinary flavor to these everyday-easy mashed potatoes. A slow cooker is a great way to keep them moist and hot while you prepare the rest of meal.

Recipe: Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Lemon Veggies and Pasta

We loved the combo of crunchy snow peas, carrots, and fresh herb in Lemon Veggies and Pasta.

Recipe: Lemon Veggies and Pasta

Pan-fried Okra, Onion, and Tomatoes

Complete your ultimate grilling menu with this easy veggie side perfect for summertime. Add the right amount of flavor by mixing chicken bouillon seasonings and lime juice with the veggies.

Recipe: Pan-fried Okra, Onion, and Tomatoes

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Forget the box mix. Our mac and cheese from scratch delivers a taste worth the extra time, and the process is much easier than you might think. Our step-by-step guide removes any guesswork from making this classic pasta.

Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Jennifer Davick

Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries

Serve Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries in votive holders for a fun look. Dip fries in Lemon-Garlic Mayo.

Recipe: Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries

Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Maple Sweet Potato Cups

Swing by the freezer section for one of our favorite convenience items―frozen sweet potatoes. If you want to skip the meringue, top with miniature marshmallows instead.

Recipe: Maple Sweet Potato Cups

Watermelon, Mache, and Pecan Salad Recipe

William Dickey/ Styling Rose Nguyen/ Food Styling Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Watermelon, Mâche, and Pecan Salad

Spiked with the sweet-sharp heat of a pepper-jelly vinaigrette, ice-cold cubes of watermelon team up with buttery crumbles of Gorgonzola cheese and toasted pecans. Mâche is a tender, heirloom variety of lamb’s lettuce, but the salad is equally good prepared with a mix of baby lettuces.

Recipe: Watermelon, Mâche, and Pecan Salad

Zucchini Ribbons with Feta and Mint

Inspired by the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean, this salad is simple and flavorful with crunchy zucchini, savory feta, mint, and splash of lemon.

Recipe: Zucchini Ribbons with Feta and Mint

Jennifer Davick / Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine / Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Thai Noodle Salad

Add some Asian flair to your menu with the sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors that make up Thai Noodle Salad.

Recipe: Thai Noodle Salad

Photography Jennifer Davick/ Styling Buffy Hargett/ Food Styling Pam Lolley

Warm Purple-and-Red Potato Toss

With a hint of horseradish and a sprinkling of bacon, Warm Purple-and-Red Potato Toss tastes great with a steak. Purple and Blue potatoes are all-purpose and versatile. They have a nutty flavor and are the perfect choice for potato salad.

Recipe: Warm Purple-and-Red Potato Toss

Warm Frise Salad With Crispy Kosher Salami Recipes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Warm Frisée Salad With Crispy Kosher Salami

Don't shy away from Warm Frisée Salad With Crispy Kosher Salami. The vinaigrette includes slightly sweet sherry vinegar to balance the sharp flavor of frisée. Frisée is a member of the chicory family often used in mesclun salad mixes. Buy bunches with crisp leaves and no signs of wilting. Use all of the leaves except the core.

Recipe: Warm Frisée Salad With Crispy Kosher Salami

Strawberry-Pineapple Iceberg Wedges

If you can't find frisée in your local grocery store, feel free to substitute your favorite gourmet greens mix in this hearty salad. Look for seeded melon halves in the produce department to save a little time.

Recipe: Strawberry-Pineapple Iceberg Wedges