RecipesPotato Meat Loaf We’re a family of meat-and-potato lovers—and the spuds in this loaf add extra goodness and a more pleasing texture than plain meat. Try it yourself and see if you don’t agree!—Sandra Fenn, Quincy, Illinois
RecipesHash Brown Pancetta Casserole Eggs, hash browns, cheese, spinach, pancetta and fabulous flavor—this casserole has everything! You could also substitute provolone or Swiss cheese for the fontina. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware
RecipesStir-Fried Carrots For a colorful side dish that’s as good for you as it is good, Grace Yaskovic cooks up these fast and fail-proof carrots with rosemary fresh from her garden. “It’s my hubby Tom’s favorite way to do carrots,” she shares, “and it just happens to be healthy, too!”
RecipesCucumber Tuna Boats For a refreshing summer meal, you can’t beat this creamy tuna salad mounded into cucumber halves. Hard-cooked eggs make the salad extra hearty, and the crispness of the cucumber is delightful. It’s an extra-special luncheon entree or light supper. -Mildred Stubbs, Hamlet, North Carolina
RecipesApricot Casserole This sweet fruit dish is a terrific complement to salty ham on Easter morning. Apricot is a tasty change from the more common pineapple. —Janice Montiverdi, Sugar Land, Texas
RecipesHerb Vinegar This is a creative way us use up herbs from an herb garden. The vinegar can be used to marinate meat or in salad dressings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
RecipesMushroom Feta Pasta “This is great ‘company’s coming’ food,” Erika writes from her home in Monroe, Michigan. For added color, she suggests substituting asparagus for half of the mushrooms.
RecipesFestive Corn For a deluxe side dish that’s easy yet has big impact, I whip up this recipe. It features corn and peppers in a comforting cream cheese sauce.
RecipesCottage Cheese Spinach Salad Even folks who don’t care for spinach enjoy this distinctive salad. The creamy dressing is a bit sweet, and cottage cheese assures that this dish is extra hearty and satisfying. We love the unusual combination of ingredients.
RecipesPork Tenderloin with Marsala Mushroom Sauce I served this entree one year for Christmas Eve dinner, and it’s now a family favorite. My husband is always happy when we have leftovers because he uses them for sandwiches.
RecipesLemon Asparagus Clarice Scheeringa of Ripon, California shares this dressed-up asparagus. “I live in the heart of asparagus country, so I’m always on the look out for new ways to serve it,” she explains. “Lemon and a touch of tarragon make it a quick elegant side dish.”
RecipesSlow-Cooker Shredded Beef Lettuce Cups The slow cooker is our summertime go-to for cool kitchen cooking. After swim lessons and outdoor activities, it’s so nice to come back to a tasty, light dinner. If you can’t find Bibb or Boston, green leaf lettuce is less sturdy but can work in a pinch. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
RecipesSausage and Sauerkraut Casserole This recipe has been in our family for over 50 years, and it’s always been our favorite casserole! Now that our four children are grown and gone, I don’t often make family-sized meals…but we still enjoy this casserole often, because it’s so simple to prepare and reheats nicely.
RecipesRoasted Cajun Potatoes These nicely seasoned potatoes pair especially well with grilled pork chops or ribs. —Tamra Duncan