Vegetables are a staple in every diet and provide essential nutrients for your body. However, most people have a love-hate relationship with this type of food. While they add great flavor to your meals, it can be difficult to like every vegetable.

The tips in this section will help your family eat their veggies without realizing it. You'll find recipes for some great mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon stuffed artichokes, a delicious spinach artichoke dip. There are also tips on who to avoid crying while chopping onions, preparing mushrooms, and how to steam and grill your vegetables.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Vegetables' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Avoid Teary Eyes when Chopping Onions
One of the most dreaded parts of cooking is having to slice, dice, or somehow cut an onion. What is it about these wonderfully aromatic vegetables that makes us tear up every time that they are cut? Here is everything you need to know to avoid teary eyes when chopping onions.

   Awesome Mashed Potatoes
To compliment that perfect Sunday roast, here is a recipe for awesome mashed potatoes that will leave your family asking for seconds.

   Candied Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be boring. Jazz them up for the holidays or special occasions by adding bourbon and orange juice.

   Canning Your Own Pickles
If you are really interested in making as much of your own food as possible, you may want to consider canning your own pickles. While it may seem difficult it really isn't. All you need to do is follow these directions.

   Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Artichokes
Stuffing vegetables is a time honored method of turning a simple vegetable into a main dish for your dinner. Artichokes can be a great addition to any meal, and in fact can even be the shinning star of your next feast. All you need to do is use this fantastic recipe for some tasty cheese and bacon stuffed artichokes.

   Cooking Artichokes
Each leaf of a cooked artichoke has an edible layer that you can eat with your teeth, or scrape away with a knife and then eat. As you get closer to the center of the artichoke, make sure that you don't eat the hairy center. Scrape the hair away to reveal the succulent artichoke heart and enjoy!

   Corn On or Off the Cob
Figure out the tricks to corn on the cob. Want to try something different? Try grilling your corn—learn how here!

   Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumber sandwiches are not just for tea parties. I used to work with a man who brought cucumber sandwiches for lunch quite frequently. His sandwiches were not quite so delicate as tearoom fare. He did not cut the crusts from his bread, and he used the greater portion of cream cheese, with several layers of cucumbers. It just so happened that Don and his wife grew cucumbers every year in their garden, and he loved making sandwiches from them during the growing season.

   Dealing with Avocados
Ripen hard avocados and keep guacamole green. Don't buy another avocado until you've read these tips!

   Finding Fresh Vegetables
Tired of the produce in your local supermarket? Finding fresh vegetables and fruit isn't that complicated you just need to know what is available. There are some interesting choices and some of them can even be fun.

   Handling Onions
Can you chop your onions without shedding a tear? Find out how to stop crying while cutting onions along with other onion tips.

   How to Steam Asparagus
Asparagus can be a wonderful vegetable dish, as long as you know how to prepare it properly. After all, how many other vegetables can say that they go well with either surf or turf? However, if you don't know the correct way to prepare asparagus, you can have a huge mess. Luckily, you will soon learn how to steam asparagus.

   Keeping Your Veggies Fresh
Don't let your fresh vegetables rot! Keep them fresh and beautiful by applying these simple tips.

   Paying Extra for Organic Produce
Is organic produce really that different from regular produce? This is the question I try to answer for you so you can spend you money in the best way.

   Preparing Mushrooms for Cooking
Mushrooms, though they may look a little icky to many children, are a great ingredient for just about every kind of dish. If you have ever had any questions about the proper way of preparing mushrooms for cooking, then read on! Your answers await.

   Preparing Vegetables for Cooking
There are many things to remember when preparing vegetables for cooking or to go in a recipe. Carefully washing, cutting, and peeling the vegetables are all important steps to take before you start cooking.

   Save on Potatoes
Potatoes are a great inexpensive food, but you can get even more bang out of your buck with a few simple tips. Learn how to store them longer and peel them faster!

   Scalloped Potatoes
Potatoes are tasty and easy to cook. Try cooking them scalloped (or au gratin) for a cheesy and delicious dish.

   Serving Vegetables
Cook veggies faster and make more beautiful vegetable dishes. You could be getting compliments on an amazing veggie tray before you know it!

   Sliced Cucumber
Whether on a salad, sandwich, or as a simple tasty treat, sliced cucumber is always a favorite. Unfortunately, even though something may be a favorite, it doesn't mean everyone knows the proper way to serve it. Sliced cucumber is remarkably easy to serve, but if you have ever had any questions about how to do it, here's how.

   South Beach Surprise Mashed "Potatoes"
Potatoes are a staple in many diets. Having carbs after 5pm can cause weight gain, these potato substitutes can add bulk with your diet without adding weight.

   Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach artichoke dip is a huge favorite at many local and national restaurants. Because this type of dip is such a favorite, it only stands to reason that people might be interested in learning how to make it. Well, here you go. Here is a fantastic recipe that you can use the next time you have a party or simply have the munchies.

   Steaming Vegetables
There are so many ways to cook vegetables and steaming is only one of them. Learn how to successfully steam your vegetables and create some of the tastiest vegetables around.

   Storing and Ripening Tomatoes
Do your tomatoes stay green on the vine? You can ripen them and store extras easily.

   Sweet Potato Fries
While most people have had regular French fries before, not quite as many have had sweet potato fries. If you are looking for a great tasting, and fairly healthy, alternative to French fries, you may want to look into this sweet potato fries recipe.

   Sweet Potato Yams Recipe
The holiday season seems to be the time for cooking baking sweet potato yams. Through the years I have finally come up with an easy recipe that tastes great and that the whole family enjoys.

   Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice baked potatoes can be a great addition to just about any kind of dinner. Not only do they taste great, they often look harder to prepare than they really are. If you want to make your next dinner something truly special, then try this easy to use recipe.

   Vegetable Grilling
Vegetables can add a wonderful, nutritious, and tasteful element to any dining experience. It's no different when you are barbecuing in your backyard. Vegetable grilling can present a unique and often difficult cooking experience. Here is how you can perfectly grill vegetable each time you are in the mood.

   What is Caramelizing?
Have you ever wondered what is caramelizing? Simply put, caramelizing is a process that you can use to cook vegetables. Here is a little bit of information about the process, which can help you understand what is going on a little bit better.

   What to Do with Mushrooms
What's the best way to store mushrooms? Should the stems go in the recipe, too? Get your answers here.

   Working with Peppers
Save money and time on dishes with bell peppers. Then tone down spicy peppers. These tips and more await you!