orchid girl's broccoli and olives

For last week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge we asked all of you to get adventurous with vegetables. Either by trying a fruit or vegetable you hadn't eaten or cooked with before, or facing a produce-related fear by embracing a vegetable you might not particularly like.

This week the results were a mixed bag—some of you made life-changing discoveries while others realized, well, you still don't like those veggies. For better or for worse, reading about all of your experiences made this one fun Weekend Cook and Tell. Here are some of our favorite responses, after the jump.

leebo's fear of brussels sprouts stemmed from childhood but after adding a favorite ingredient (bacon) and roasting them with some balsamic, a new favorite side dish was born.

With no previous quince experience arjava decided to use them to infuse cognac as well as make pâte de coing, a fruit paste from Provence.

orchidgirl loves experimenting with vegetables. She thinks roasting is the best way to tackle "problem" vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts.

porkydickens was a bit shy to admit such lack of cauliflower experience, but after giving it another shot, it's become a new best friend in the kitchen.

Onepot tackled chayote. While the results weren't necessarily bad, Onepot said that if chayote were a person, you'd have to worry about it joining a cult—it's that susceptible. Not a great quality in a person but for a squash, not terrible.

This week's challenge proved once and for all that kale is no friend to TheKitchenWitch. As a self-proclaimed greens-phobic these kale chips did nothing to change her stance.

On the other end of the spectrum, McNormal loves all greens and was thrilled to find Malabar spinach. As it turns out, Malabar spinach isn't a member of the spinach family. When wilted it gets slimy, similar to okra. McNormal added it to a batch of lentils as a thickener, saying the taste is like an earthier, more mineral spinach.

erunuevo found fuzzy squash at a local Asian market. According to erunuevo the squash has citrusy notes when eaten raw but not a ton of flavor after being cooked. The one thing they do have going for them is an ability to hold their shape over a long cooking time, making them a great addition to Indian curries or tomato sauces.

Fennel was a first for avaryne who used it to make Spicy Spaghetti with Fennel and Herbs and it was a winner.

MFalk picked up some Asian white sweet potatoes but unfortunately they turned out to be starchy and quite plain.

KarynMC got adventurous with a turban squash that had been sitting around as decoration. After having little luck cutting it she threw it into the oven to roast, and after two hours of cooking, it was finally soft enough to cut. Luckily MonkBoy chimed in with the helpful (if not treacherous) advice to use a back saw on these seemingly impermeable squash.

Thanks to everyone who dared to be adventurous in the produce aisle for this Weekend Cook and Tell. Be sure to head over to Talk and read about next week's challenge: Pies Reconsidered.