READER RECIPES: Try these flavorful veggie dishes or a fruit dessert

Green beans with balsamic onions, feta cheese and bacon
Diana Kostigen, of Asheville, sent in this recipe and wrote, “I created this recipe to combine all my favorite flavors. It’s the perfect side to chicken or beef and gets rave reviews despite its simplicity. It’s even good cold the next day.”
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
1 /2 small red onion, sliced thin
4 slices bacon
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt

Place sliced red onion in a pie plate and top with balsamic vinegar and kosher salt to taste. Roast for about 20 min. at 400 degrees or until soft and starting to blacken lightly.
In the meantime, sauté the bacon slices, and microwave the green beans in a covered casserole dish with about 1-2 tablespoon of water for about 20 minutes or until soft.
Combine the green beans, the balsamic onions (minus any leftover balsamic), crumbled bacon and then gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese. Salt with kosher salt to taste. Note: all quantities can be adjusted depending on taste.




Mediterranean cucumbers
For cucumbers, try this for something
different with a nice Mediterranean flavor, writes Virginia
P. Newsom, of Hendersonville.
2 large cucumbers, peeled
2 tablespoons salt
Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). Sprinkle with salt. Let stand 1/2 hour. Rinse, pat dry. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Dressing:
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet or red onion
2 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh preferred, bottled acceptable
1 tablespoon olive oil
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon or more chopped fresh mint leaves

Mash feta with oil. Add other ingredients. Mix well.
Add cucumber slices to dressing. Mix well. Chill. Tastes better after several hours.




Peach pudding
Virginia S. Wick, of Asheville, sent in this recipe:
Six to eight peaches
Vanilla wafers
Whip topping (I use the light Cool Whip).

Peal and slice peaches, sweeten them to taste and let sit about 15 minutes. Layer the bottom of dish with vanilla wafers, then put peaches over the wafers, do another layer of wafers and finish with peaches, now top with whip topping. Put in refrigerator. This is best the next day when the wafers are soft.