Cucumbers don't have to be boring! If your veggie garden is similar to mine through the peak summertime harvest, then you have an abundance of cukes that you just can't stand to eat as a raw snack or as the usual hummus vessel for a snack break. Take note from a few unique Japanese ingredients and add some serious complexity to a chopped cucumber salad. Amplify their texture and crisp, refreshing flavor with intensely flavorful accompaniments...like miso, fresh lime, sesame o

Leeks, pancetta, white cheddar — this is a "mac and cheese" for grown-up palates. The pancetta, which we all know is that wonderfully cubed Italian pork product, lends a peppery undertone, along with yielding a bit more rendered fat for the base. If you can find Rotelle-shaped pasta, or wagon wheels, I love how the nooks catch the bits of leek, pancetta, and cozy cheese sauce that makes this the perfect meal for a cool, wintry night. Serves 6-8 INGREDIENTS: 1 pound rotelle pa

Not your typical cheesecake, this Halloween dessert employs the orange tinge of pumpkin puree with a spooky, but delicious chocolate cobweb topping. To keep the orange and black theme going, I like to swap crushed chocolate cookies for the usual graham cracker crust. Mixing fall spices into the cheesecake batter enhances that seasonal spiced flavor. Serves 10 *Notes: Be sure to leave time to bring your cheesecake ingredients to room temperature for easy mixing and smooth text

A hearty, flavorful dish for the cooler fall weather: this is my go-to quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash, white beans, toasted seed

Inspired by a classic shellfish dish from Chef Jeremy Sewall’s James Beard-nominated cookbook, The New England Kitchen, steamed mussels with beer is a simple, inexpensive, and crowd-pleasing recipe. Combining chilies and chorizo adds heat and savory depth to the broth. INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs fresh mussels 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 scallions thinly sliced, green tops set aside 1 fresno chili, seeded and thinly sliced 6 ounces chorizo, thinly sliced 1 bottl

Using lemon, orange, and lime zests add bright flavor to this light quinoa based lunch salad.

For those that think they don't like cauliflower, try roasting the florets with bacon fat! Giving the vegetable a new flavor: smoky, savory and incredibly addictive. I think this recipe makes just enough of the vinaigrette to bring out those bacon qualities, while keeping its crisped edges intact. Serve this hot out of the oven and make anyone a cauliflower convert. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: 6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces, or lardons 2 heads cauliflower cored a

You could call this a 'ragout' or a stew, but with a richer, more concentrated broth. The term derives from the French word, ragouter, which means, “to stimulate the appetite.’’ Here, spicy Italian sausages, white beans, crushed tomatoes, and kale simmer together in a hearty pot. Perfect for the colder months ahead and utilizing that rustic kale from your local farmers at the market. Serves 4 Be sure to visit as many local, seasonal outdoor markets as possible! Buying direct