Simple and, yes, a little sneaky, this kid-friendly, fuss-free, casserole-like mac and cheese melds Cheddar and carrot to healthful effect.

Remember those insipid wedges of iceberg buried beneath blobs of bottled blue cheese dressing? This salad will erase all such memories.

Ooooh baby, this is how we like our broccoli–cloaked in a not-too-rich sauce with ample oomph from blue cheese and a hint of heat from cayenne.

Silken, garlicky mashed potatoes manifest in mere minutes thanks to a super simple technique–perfect for when you’re entertaining, impatient, just plain hungry, or all of the above.

Fennel turns meltingly tender and oh so sweet when slowly, slowly, slowly braised in cream, cheese, and butter. One more reason to be enamored with the holidays.

Sweet. Spicy. Earthy. Puckery. Since when did anything–or anyone–at your table ever boast such character? Certain to compensate for lulls in the conversation among your duller dinner invitees.

Carrots of any hue–or many hues–take a turn for the better when braised in olive oil with a pinch of saffron and a splash of sherry vinegar. ’tis a sweet-tart side dish sensation.

Mushrooms and butter and garlic, oh my! Think you’ve been there, done that? Trust us, you haven’t. Not like this. Read on to understand this recipe’s brilliance.

We could stare at this breathtakingly stunning tempura all day. Breathtakingly, staggeringly stunning–and genius, too, in terms of using up those languishing veggies in your fridge.

An elegant side that conspires to fancy up the form–as well as the flavor–of that enduring entertaining icon, the stuffed mushroom.

No mere mash, this creamy potato puree owes its uber velvetiness not just to butter and cream, but to an inexpensive and everyday kitchen tool.

What’s not to love about Brussels sprouts–yes, Brussels sprouts–when they’re buried beneath nutty, buttery Gruyere? Nothing. Nothing at all.

One way to down your sweet potatoes? Drown them in butter, sugar, bourbon, and maple syrup. It’s The Southern Way. And we can’t say as we have a problem with this.

This sassy little something to go with your Thanksgiving turkey requires just cranberries, orange, sugar, booze, and a blender. Nope, it’s not a cocktail.

We used to get our gratins and escalloped confused. But then we figured out that gratins contain cheese, escalloped just milk or cream. Guess which one we prefer?

A teetering tower of autumnal goodness that isn’t only stunning to behold but ridiculously healthful given its cabbage and apples and pomegranates, oh my.

Boletus edulis–that’s the fancy-pants name for porcini–is hardly a come-hither sort of name, but with a taste like this, who cares?

Virtuous for its simplicity as well as its versatility, the roasted sweet potato is a thing to behold–and to bejewel, whether with sugar or spice or…

This stunning little sauce comes together with ease, imparting a vibrant sweet-tart-crunchiness to practically anything you can think to bestow it upon.

Is anything as sweetly satisfying as heirloom tomatoes eaten raw as you stand at the sink? Still, when you tire of that, there’s always this deeply satisfying tactic.