Just-Right Summer Sides
Calico Bean Bake [1]
A trio of beans goes into this sweet version of baked beans. Ground beef and bacon add a hearty touch.
Calico Bean Bake [2]
On-the-Light Side Potato Salad [5]
This lighter version of traditional potato salad calls for cubed white, red or Yukon gold potatoes mixed with light sour cream and a combination of olive oil, vinegar, garlic and black pepper.
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Corn [9]
Fresh corn blends with canned cream-style corn for a summertime take on this favorite side dish. Toasted and buttered crushed crackers add more texture to the top of the casserole.
Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame Seeds [13]
This salad bursts with the flavor of fresh vegetables, cilantro and black beans. The recipe, from a Kettering, Ohio, reader, is loaded with vitamins A and C -- and packs a wallop in fiber, too.
Three Ways to Butter Up Sweet Corn [17]
Serve our seasoned butters as a topping for sweet corn, steaks, seafood or burgers. They make a great sauce for vegetables, too.
Cheddar Tomato Cobbler [21]
Sweet cherry tomatoes and caramelized onions bubble under cheesy cornmeal biscuits. Serve with a crisp lettuce salad for a meat-free harvest supper.
Fingerling Potato Salad with Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette [25]
The addition of fresh haricots verts gives this potato salad fresh-from-the-garden taste. The recipe is from Chicago chef Myk Banas.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole [29]
Bread crumbs combine with tender, sweet onion to top this casserole, while low-sodium soup mixes with yogurt for the green bean sauce.
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes [33]
The sweet tomatoes blend with tangy-mellow balsamic vinegar and basil. Serve with some crusty bread to soak up the liquid.
Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad [37]
Fresh tomatoes and corn bring summer-fresh flavor to this salad. To make it a meatless main dish, omit the chicken and add two tablespoons of grated cheese per serving.
Squash and Tomato Bake [41]
Summer squash adds texture to this easy side dish, which combines stewed tomatoes with paprika, garlic, basil and pepper, as well as some melty mozzarella and Parmesan. It goes well with roast chicken or beef.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes [45]
Quivey's Grove in Madison, Wisconsin, whips up this version of mashed potatoes that matches plenty of dairy richness with garlic, Parmesan, black pepper and green onion.
Army and Lou's Macaroni and Cheese [49]
This three-cheese specialty comes from Army and Lou's, a soul food eatery on Chicago's South Side.
Crunchy Asian Noodle Slaw [53]
Sesame seeds, ramen noodles, soy sauce, ginger and fresh broccoli give Asian flair to this fresh take on coleslaw.
Ham, Cheese and Macaroni Salad [57]
Cubed ham and Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese combine with peas, celery, onion and cherry tomatoes in this creamy salad, a classic potluck dish.
Calico Potatoes [61]
Bacon drippings combine with sizzling onions to give this two-potato side dish an irresistible aroma and flavor.
Calico Potatoes [62]
Sunny Broccoli Salad [65]
A Cleveland reader makes this salad the day ahead and refrigerates the dressing and vegetables separately. When it's time to serve it, she tosses everything together. Bacon, sunflower kernels and raisins make a crunchy and flavorful side dish.
Sunny Broccoli Salad [66]
Fresh Green Tomato Relish [69]
Don't let any hard, unripened tomatoes go to waste! Pile this gingery, sweet-tart relish on brats or hamburgers, or serve it over grilled fish. The relish keeps well in the fridge for 1 week, but if you like, it can be canned for longer storage or to be given as gifts.
24-Hour Tex-Mex Salad [73]
Based on Tex-Mex ingredients, this layered salad can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. For a fun presentation, assemble individual servings in clear jelly jars, dressing and all, then refrigerate.
Prairie Potato Bake [77]
Mashed potato balls with a melty cheese center top a stroganoff-type beef mixture. The recipe won first place at a Barnesville, Minnesota, Potato Days contest.
Prairie Potato Bake [78]
Fruity Pasta Salad [81]
Showcase fresh colors and flavors with a combination of honeydew, strawberries, cashews, pasta and snow peas, all mixed with poppy seed dressing.
Fruity Pasta Salad [82]
Neighbor-Pleasing Baked Potato Salad [85]
Lots of cheese, olives and bacon dress up cooked potatoes in this hot-from-the-oven specialty.
More potato salad ideas: German Potato Salad, served warm and flavored with smoky bacon; or Potato Salad for a Crowd, which combines unpeeled red potatoes, cucumbers and radishes in a creamy dressing.
Neighbor-Pleasing Baked Potato Salad [86]
German Potato Salad [87]
Creamed Corn Casserole [91]
Cream cheese adds extra creaminess to this corn side-dish recipe. Bake in the oven, or follow the slow cooker directions.
Angel Hair Pasta Salad [95]
This make-ahead salad serves a crowd. It's chockfull of veggies, including tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic. Substitute fresh mushrooms for canned, if you like.
Creamy Potato Casserole [99]
A little chopped ham, wedges of potatoes and a cream cheese-Gruyere sauce fill this comfort food casserole. Crushed bagel chips make a crunchy topping.
Creamy Potato Casserole [100]
As-Good-As-It-Gets Black-Eyed Peas [103]
Smoked sausage flavors this hearty Creole casserole. The recipe comes from a Benton Harbor, Michigan, reader who likes to take the dish to church potlucks. She learned the basics from her grandmother and then created her own version of the family staple. For a spicier meal, substitute hot sausage for the smoked.
Roasted Baby Potatoes with Herbs [107]
You'll find a wide variety of potatoes at your farmer's market or supermarket produce section. We play up an assortment of potatoes--such as baby Dutch yellow, fingerlings, baby purple and round red--in this easy-to-fix recipe.
Sweet-Sour Beans [111]
German-style bacon-flavored beans complement beef or pork. The recipe comes from a Sheboygan, Wisconsin, reader.
Sweet-Sour Beans [112]
Garden Corn and Black Bean Salad [115]
This salad bursts with the flavor of fresh vegetables, cilantro and black beans. The recipe, from a Kettering, Ohio, reader, is loaded with vitamins A and C -- and packs a wallop in fiber, too.