Parsnips

These crisp, salty and smoky vegetable strips are from chef Quinn Hatfield in L.A.

This luscious side dish can be prepared up to three days ahead. The duo of sweet parsnip and creamy spinach is unbeatable.

When parsnips are sautéed until soft on the inside and brown on the outside, their unique sweetness emerges. Mixed with apple juice, lemon and horseradish, they make a terrific side dish for chops.

"At every gathering these days, there will be a vegetarian," says Renato Poliafito. Stefania Rubicondo, a baker and non-meat-eater, brought these wonderful individual pies, filled with a mix of sweet celery root, brussels sprouts and parsnips in a sage-infused cream sauce and topped with tender biscuits made with roasted sweet potato.

Trina Hahnemann calls the root vegetables in this simple vegetarian soup the "gold of Nordic soil" because they're high in nutrients and grow well in cold climates.

The secret to this sweet, slightly tangy dish: the touch of sherry vinegar in the glaze.

Julie Taras and Tasha Garcia usually top stewy braised dishes with these earthy vegetable chips for a bit of crunch. They also serve them at the bar as a salty snack.

"I don't pour a lot of local white wine," says Ken Frank. By local he means Napa; when selecting a Chardonnay, he tends to favor the Sonoma Coast, where the cooler weather creates more refined white wines. That style works beautifully with his French-style skate and parsnip puree.

Lots of carrots and parsnips give old-favorite chicken noodle soup a sweet savor. To balance this effect, use the optional parsley, which is just slightly bitter.

Parsnips contain antioxidants and vitamins A and C. "They're our favorite root vegetable," according to Clark Frasier. "We grow them through the winter in our garden and they're the best parsnips you'll ever taste. The temperature change concentrates the sugar, which makes them even sweeter and more intensely flavored."

When roasting winter vegetables, Melissa Rubel Jacobson says be sure to chop them about the same size, so they cook at the same rate. And toss them at least once while they're in the oven, so they brown evenly.

Sometimes rethinking just means not overthinking. Don't forget to enjoy seasonal ingredients just as they are.

Quintessential fall vegetables (brussels sprouts, parsnips, butternut squash and carrots) get cooked on the grill, then tossed in a cheesy pine nut pesto.

Roasting the parsnips makes them sweet. This hearty side dish is great served alongside pan-roasted or grilled steak.

Hearty and warming (not to mention chock-full of root vegetables), this soup is the quintessential winter meal.

Mashed parsnips might be even better than mashed potatoes. They have the same creamy, luscious texture, with the addition of a distinctly nutty, slightly sweet flavor. Once topped with crispy brussels sprout leaves, this dish becomes 100 percent irresistible.