Kale Double-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

The potato is a most versatile vegetable – it can be baked, boiled, fried, mashed, smashed and shredded – and yet, at the times, the tuber can suffer from being a buffet bore. Well, here’s one surprising spud, a brow-raiser, a potato bursting with pizzaz. Baked until tender, the russets are scooped out and mashed with leafy green kale, creamy fontina cheese, buttermilk and sour cream, then put in the oven again until golden. Still not shocked? These potatoes can be prepped in advance and thrown in the oven for the second baking just before guests arrive. How’s that for one exciting hot potato?

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Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus

How do you make your family beg for asparagus? Simply bake up these Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus, green stalks coated in a cheesy breadcrumb mixture and baked to a golden crisp. These addictive spears aren’t only a family favorite, they’re also the perfect company-is-coming side dish that can be assembled in advance and popped in the oven 15 minutes before dinnertime.

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Balsamic Grilled Vegetables Recipe

Stuck for the perfect side dish? Can’t get your family to eat their vegetables? We’ve got a healthy and simple solution: fire up the barbecue. These balsamic and olive oil-marinated peppers, zucchini and portobello mushrooms are grilled to perfection and then stacked and served with a fresh rosemary sprig.

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“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”
-Doug Larson