Easy Late-Summer Veggie Sauté – Zucchini, Corn & Cherry Tomatoes

Celebrate late-summer produce with this quick veggie sauté! Zucchini, corn, and cherry tomatoes shine in a light, fresh side dish topped with basil & feta.

Easy Late-Summer Veggie Sauté – Zucchini, Corn & Cherry Tomatoes

Just because the calendar says late summer doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to vibrant, fresh vegetables. In fact, this is one of the best times of year to enjoy them! Farmers’ markets are still overflowing with zucchini, sweet corn, plump cherry tomatoes, and fragrant basil—each one tasting like sunshine on a plate.

This Easy Late-Summer Veggie Sauté brings those flavors together in one quick, colorful dish. A light sear in olive oil enhances their natural sweetness while keeping them crisp and bright. Finished with fresh basil and a sprinkle of creamy feta, it’s the perfect side dish to celebrate the season.

Serve it alongside grilled chicken, seared salmon, or a juicy steak for a balanced summer dinner. It also pairs beautifully with simple pasta, rice, or quinoa for a fresh, vegetarian-friendly meal that’s light yet satisfying.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

• Olive Oil – Adds richness and helps achieve a golden sear.

• Yellow Squash & Zucchini – A classic summer pairing with mild, tender flavors.

• Corn on the Cob – Sweet and crisp, adding texture to the dish.

• Cherry Tomatoes – Juicy pops of color and tang.

• Fresh Basil – Brings a fragrant, herby note that brightens everything.

• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – Essential for balancing and enhancing flavor.

• Feta Cheese – A creamy, salty finish that complements the veggies.

Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions

• Oil – Swap olive oil for avocado oil or butter for a richer flavor.

• Herbs – Fresh parsley, dill, or thyme can be used if basil isn’t available.

• Cheese – Goat cheese, parmesan, or dairy-free feta are great alternatives.

Variations

• Add Garlic – A clove or two, sautéed at the start, for extra aroma.

• Make It Spicy – A pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil adds heat.

• Mediterranean Twist – Add Kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes for deeper flavor.

• Grilled Version – Grill the veggies for smoky depth before tossing with basil and feta.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan – A single layer helps the vegetables caramelize instead of steam.

• Use Fresh Corn If Possible – It adds natural sweetness and crunch. Frozen corn works in a pinch.

• Choose Block-Style Feta – Crumble pieces from a block for a creamier texture and fresher flavor compared to pre-crumbled feta.

• Serve Immediately – The dish tastes best while the veggies are warm and the feta slightly melts.

• Prep Ahead – Slice vegetables in advance for a quick weeknight side dish.

"Set the Mood"

Picture a warm evening where the sun lingers just a little longer, and dinner is all about simple pleasures. 

Serve this colorful vegetable sauté family-style on a rustic platter with grilled chicken or fish, a crisp white wine or sparkling water, and maybe a loaf of crusty bread for soaking up all the delicious juices. 

Whether it’s a weeknight meal on the patio or a casual backyard dinner with friends, this dish brings late-summer freshness to the table in the most effortless way.

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💬 Let’s Chat!

Have you tried this side dish? What are your favorite summer side dishes or vegetables to cook? Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @SliceofSouthern—I’d love to see how yours turns out!

Lemon Pepper Butter Chicken Breasts

Yum

Winter citrus such as lemons, oranges, and big juicy grapefruits are in abundance right now in the grocery stores.  I love citrus, and each week I go and buy a big bag full to use in various recipes.

Today we are using lemons.  I love lemons!  Especially as a sauce in my food such as Mediterranean Lemon Chicken or Apricot Lemon Chicken.  I even put it in my soup, Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup.  The flavors just brighten everything.  Even salad dressing made with lemon and oil make the salads taste fresh and bright.  I can't get enough of them and when I have a bowl full I turn to an easy 30 minute chicken meal on a busy weeknight.

LEMON PEPPER BUTTER CHICKEN BREASTS

What makes this dish different than other lemon chicken dishes?  Well, for one it's cooked in butter.  Yes, I said butter.  Not to be confused with the wonderful Indian dish, Butter Chicken, this chicken is cooked in a fat, which is butter instead of oil.  This creates a golden brown chicken that is tender and moist.  Add some lemon juice to that, along with spiced up lemon pepper seasoning and you have one heck of a chicken dish that is served with the brightest lemon sauce around!

You can have this on the table in 30 minutes so it screams weeknight meal! 

Add a side of rice, pasta, or a green vegetable and you are good to go.

Enjoy!

Lemon Pepper Butter Chicken Breasts

serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning

1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tbls butter
1 lemon, sliced
2 Tbls lemon juice
Hot cooked rice (optional)


Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the lemon pepper.  In a pan combine the flour, and salt.   Dredge chicken in the flour mixture.

In a large skillet over medium heat add butter and allow to melt.  Add the chicken breasts to the butter and cook each side about 5 minutes until brown and no longer pink inside.  Remove chicken from skillet. Add lemon slices to skillet; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Return the chicken to the skillet.  Add lemon juice over the chicken breasts. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pan juices are slightly reduced.

Serve chicken and lemon slices over rice if desired.  

Side Dish Galore: Sautéed Zucchini with Mint, Basil & Pine Nuts

 Yum

It's summertime, the zucchini is plenty and I need a side dish!

This dish is so fresh and light that it's one of the best I've made in a long time. 

The original recipe is from Food 52 but I found an adaptation that I liked on Alexandra's Kitchen.  The dish uses a great gremolata of garlic, mint, and basil, and then is topped with pine nuts.  Add this to sautéed zucchini and you have a wonder light side dish.

I changed up the recipe just a tiny bit by using all zucchini where she used a combination with summer squash and I left out the capers since I didn't have any handy.  I'm sure they would be fantastic in this dish so add them if you like.

The dish was wonderful.  MGG loved it and so did I.  We served it along side a nice grilled chicken, but would go great with pork, beef, or fish as well.

Another hit found on Pinterest.  Love that site!

Enjoy!

Sautéed Zucchini with Mint, Basil & Pine Nuts

1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
3 tablespoons (or less) olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic
10 mint leaves
5 basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish with additional mint and basil

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add half the zucchini and sauté, flipping and turning every few minutes, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile chop the garlic, mint, basil, and place them together in a small bowl.  Remove the 1st batch of zucchini and cook the remaining batch adding another tablespoon of oil.  

Once the 2nd batch is done add the 1st batch back into the pan.  Add he mint mixture along with the vinegar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss together.  Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with nuts. 

Garnish with additional herbs if desired and serve warm.

Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Christmas is coming up and I wanted to bring you a couple of wonderful side dishes that I'll be serving this year.

One of my favorite celebrity cooks is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.

I have seen her in person at book signings and talks several times, and own several of her cookbooks. I just love her style of cooking.  She takes simple food and makes them fabulous.  Plus, her recipes are so well thought out and accurate that you can't go wrong with them!

A perfect example of taking something simple and making it fabulous is this wonderful side dish of Brussels spouts.  I saw her cooking on the Food Network the other day with Bobby Flay (another favorite) and they were mixing their two styles for a Thanksgiving feast.  Ina threw together this side dish in a matter of minutes on top of the stove.  Who doesn't love cooking something on the stove when all the prime real estate in the oven is taken?  

Back to the recipe...it has 5 ingredients.  Yep! 5 INGREDIENTS of which salt/pepper, oil, and butter are three of them.  This dish couldn't be easier.  But yet, it tasted spectacular!  Shredded Brussels sprouts are sauteed in a skillet in oil and butter, then seasoned and drizzled with a syrupy balsamic vinegar.  That's it!  SIMPLE!  Oh!  and you can make start them the day before.  I love make ahead dishes.  It save you so much time during the main event! (See my Kitchen Tip below.)

Kitchen Tip: MAKE AHEAD IDEA - You can shred the Brussels sprouts a day ahead and place them in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel.

You might be saying "Oh, I don't like Brussels sprouts!"  Well let me tell you, these will convert anybody into a Brussels sprouts lover.

Enjoy!



Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts

source:  Ina Garten via FoodNetwork.com

serves 6


2 (12 ounce) packages Brussels sprouts, ends and brown leaves trimmed
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar

Place the Brussels sprouts in the feed tube of the food processor fitted with a large slicing disc.  (There is no need to core them.)  Process the Brussels sprouts until they're all sliced.

Place the butter and olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan and heat it over medium heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and saute them, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still bright green.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar, season to taste and serve hot.

Cook's Note:  Because you're shredding the Brussels sprouts, there's no need to core them.  Place the shredded Brussels sprouts in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel for up to a day.

Cooking Oils 101 - Top 10 Best Cooking Oils

Cooking Oils 101

When used in moderation, cooking oils are a wonderful addition to your kitchen's pantry.  But, with all the different cooking oil out there is becomes confusing about which to use for sauteing, frying, baking, and for use in dressings.  Each one has its own benefits and uses, though the most important factor to pay attention to is the oil's smoke point, which indicates the highest temperature the oil can be heated to safely.

Peanut Oil

Peanut oil has a high smoke point, and it's a favorite oil for stir-frying and deep-frying.

Sesame Oil
There are two kinds of sesame oil: light and dark.  Light sesame oil has a light, nutty flavor and is good for sauteing, and salad dressings.  Dark sesame oil, on the other hand, has a more intense flavor.  Only a little bit is needed to accent other flavors.  It is great used in Asian-inspired dishes.

Coconut Oil

One of the more eclectic oils, coconut oil is good for deep-frying due to its light coconut flavor.  It's solid at room temperature, but liquid when heated just slightly.  Try substituting it for other oils in baked goods or use to add tropical flair to sides and entrees. Finally, coconut oil is also an excellent moisturizer for skin and hair!

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil, a mixture of corn, safflower, and canola oils, is a great all-purpose oil with a neutral flavor.  It has a high smoke point, so it's good for frying.  Vegetable oil is perfect for baking too, and keeps muffins and cakes from drying out.

Corn Oil

Corn oil has a mild flavor and is another great all-purpose oil for general cooking and deep-frying.  The mild flavor also makes it an especially good choice for baking.

Canola Oil

When you'd like to cook with an unsaturated oil but don't want the added flavor of olive oil, turn to canola oil.  It has a bland flavor and a fairly high smoke point, making it good for sauteing, frying, baking, and salad dressings.  For an easy weeknight side, try drizzling cut-up seasonal vegetables with canola oil and roasting in the oven.

Olive Oil

There's a lot of talk about the health benefits of flavorful olive oil.  The flavor of quality olive oils depends on the particular olives used and the unique characteristics of their growing region.  Extra-virgin olive oil is pressed from whole olives within a day after the harvest and is the highest quality olive oil.  Heating olive oil causes it to lose a lot of flavor, so avoid using more expensive extra-virgin olive oil for cooking.  Extra-virgin olive oil is better for tossing with roasted vegetables, pasta, etc.  No matter the variety, be sure to store olive oil in a cool cabinet away from heat and use within 6 months, or store in the refrigerator.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is a flavorless oil high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.  It has a fairly low smoke point, so try it whenever your recipe calls for a quick saute or homemade dressing.  It's also great for baking fries in the oven -- a healthy alternative to traditional deep-fried french fries.

Some new oils I've used:

Walnut Oil
Walnut oil contains polyunsaturated fats, and is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. This is a very heart-healthy oil, and is a great cooking oil to use if you are diabetic.  Walnut oil has a very high smoke point of about 400 degrees F, which makes it a great oil to use for baking. It’s also great for sauteing at low-medium heat. It can also make your salad pop, simply by drizzling it over the top.

Almond Oil
Almond oil also contains monounsaturated fats, which makes it good for your cholesterol. It's also an ideal cooking choice if you are diabetic.  Almond oil has a high smoke point of about 495 degrees F, and is good for high heat cooking, like sauteing. It’s great flavor also works well as a healthier substitute in dessert recipes, like whipped cream.

Grapeseed Oil  

This oil contains polyunsaturated fats, and is low in saturated fat, making it very heart healthy. Grapeseed oil is very versatile, and can be used to add a very mild, nutty flavor to almost any dish. It’s great for salads, and can make for a nice drizzle over toasted bread.