Dandelions are for more than wishing. And they aren't just an evil yellow stalker, determined to ruin your well-manicured lawn.

They are also delicious as well as nutritious.Every part of the dandelion is edible, from the flower, which can be used to make wine or dipped into batter for a fritter, to the roots, which can be eaten raw, cooked, or even dried and ground up as a coffee substitute.My favorite part of the dandelion, however, are the greens. And my favorite way to eat them is as a salad.Dandelion greens are easy enough to come by. You can buy them, of course, or you can harvest your own. Just make sure if you do go digging them up, they are free of pesticides. I'd also recommend choosing dandelions from a grassy area that is free of pets and other wildlife.Dandelion dinners are often popular in the spring, so if you've never sampled dandelion, that may be the perfect place to start.Times News reporter Elsa Kerschner recently visited just such a dinner at St. Peter's Union Church in Lynnville, and came away with some tasty recipes.I'm also going to share one of my very favorite recipes that can be used with dandelion greens or curly endive (also know as frisée or chicory), which has a similar, slightly bitter taste.This salad definitely has more of a bite, thanks to the garlic and the vinegar. Chances are you will either love it or hate it. I love it. My husband hates it.Greens with Red Wine and Garlic1 large bunch curly endive or dandelion greens4 or 5 cloves of garlicExtra virgin olive oilSaltRed wine vinegarWash the greens, then soak them for a few minutes in cold water. Then rinse well and pat dry with a paper towel. Greens, especially curly endive, often have a lot of grit and sand trapped near the base of the lettuce. Tear into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl that is large enough to allow you to toss the greens.Slice garlic into or larger pieces. The bigger the pieces, the less likely you will eat a piece accidentally. Sprinkle over the greens.Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. For a large bunch, this would equal about 4 or 5 tablespoons.Sprinkle with salt according to taste. For this type of a salad, I usually use more salt. Add red wine vinegar, start with about a quarter of a cup. Toss then taste. Add more salt or vinegar if needed.Sautéed Dandelion GreensThis is so easy, it's hardly a recipe.2 large bunches of dandelion greens, washed and dried3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin2 tablespoons oilSalt and pepper to tasteHeat oil in a skillet; add sliced garlic and sautéed until it begins to turn golden.Add greens and stir, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, until they wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté another 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.Dandelion SaladServes 42 quarts dandelion greens or endivecup chopped onion6 bacon slices, cut into small pieces3 tablespoons all-purpose flourcup vinegar1 egg beaten1 1/2 to 2 cups milkWash the greens thoroughly. Drain and spin dry. Place in a large bowl. Add the onions.Fry the bacon in a skillet. Drain, reserving cup of the drippings in the skillet. Add the bacon to the greens. Add the flour to the drippings and cook until bubbly. Whisk in cup water, vinegar and egg. Add the milk gradually and stir until thickened. Pour the mixture over the greens; mix well. Cover until ready to serve.Recipe courtesy American Profile: Hometown Recipes for the HolidaysDandelion LemonadeYou'll need about 2 quarts of dandelion flowers to make 1 gallon of lemonade.Place the dandelion flowers in a gallon jar. Fill the jar with room temperature water and add juice of 4 lemons.Add fresh honey to taste and chill.You can strain the flowers out after a few hours or just leave them to fall into the glasses when you serve the lemonade.Recipe courtesy St. Peter's ChurchDandelion FrittersDandelion flowers1 egg1 cup milk1 cup flourMaple syrup or honey, optionalOlive oilMix together egg and milk. Stir in flour. If you like sweet fritters, add a little maple syrup or honey to the batter.Heat olive oil over medium heat.Take a dandelion flower and hold it at the base of the petals. Dip into the batter and twirl until the flower is covered. Drop into the skilled, flower side down. Continue dipping and dropping flowers, checking the first ones every once in a while to see if they are brown. When lightly browned, flip over and brown on the other side.When brown on both sides, remove from skillet and drain excess oil on a paper towel.For a sweet treat, drizzle with maple syrup, honey, jam or powdered sugar. For savory fritters, try dipping in mustard or adding savory herbs to the batter.Recipe courtesy St. Peter's ChurchDandelion Pancakes6-8 cups freshly picked dandelion blossoms1/2 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup milk1 1/2 cup flour1 tablespoon baking powdercup butter (plus additional butter for cooking)4 eggsPluck yellow petals from the green portion of the dandelion flowers. Don't worry about removing all the green.Combine the flower, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Melt a quarter cup of butter over low heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in cold milk (you want the butter to resolidify a bit in the milk) and the eggs. Mix until smooth.Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Stir until the batter is smooth. Fold in the dandelion petals.Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, pour batter to -1/2 inch thickness. Do this until the skillet is full. Cook until golden brown, flip, then finish cooking until the other side is golden as well. Serve.Recipe courtesy St. Peter's Church