Spring Recipes
Classic Strawberry Jam
The quintessential flavor of homemade strawberry jam is easy to achieve thanks to these simple instructions! This is the recipe my grandmother always used for her strawberry jam. It’s traditional strawberry jam at its best. The taste and color when freshly made can’t be beat. Opening a jar in the cold winter months provides the…
Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal
A while back, I picked up a good tidbit of information from a stand owner at our local farmer’s market: Rhubarb season lasts through the longest day of the year–the first day of summer. Same for asparagus. I find this helpful as the early days of summer approach. It is a reminder to get my…
Strawberry Pesto Pasta Salad
This recipe came from Genevieve, an English teacher at Lancaster Country Day School. Another teacher told Genevieve she simply must share this recipe for the Summer Salad Challenge conducted by The Lancaster Sunday News and me. The recipe came from Genevieve’s sister and, conceptually, it caught my attention right away. Beyond offering a novel, seasonal…
Spring Millet Salad
This springy salad is equally delicious served warm, chilled, or room temperature. And though you could replace the millet with couscous or quinoa, the tiny grain has a mild, corn-like flavor that offers a great way to mix things up. As I continue to experiment with recipes using millet, I have made variations of…
Baked Greens with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese
As my garden grows and local market stands overflow with spring greens, I have been diving deeper into one of my two assigned food trends: bitter greens. For those who may not have read previously, I am on a yearlong journey with Sargento Cheese, developing recipes and exploring the food trends that were developed by…
Rhubarb Streusel Muffins
A lovely balance of sweet and tangy with a tender crumb, Rhubarb Streusel Muffins are sure to become a seasonal favorite. The recipe makes a big batch too! When short-lived, seasonal ingredients that you really enjoy become available, do you feel compelled to eat them with abandon to get your fill? With many fruits and vegetables,…
Rhubarb Bars
The sweet-tart flavor and slightly gooey filling, which is balanced by a crisp crust, make these bars a must when rhubarb is in season! Happy Mother’s Day! Not only is the following dessert a favorite of my mother, the timing is ideal, as rhubarb’s short season is upon us. If you haven’t baked with rhubarb before,…
Spring Flowers and a Summer Salad Recipe Challenge
Do you have any special spring traditions? Each year as the weather starts to warm, we pay a visit to a particular field on my in-laws’ farm to pick from a massive expanse of bluebells. Even as my sons grow older, they love to do this. As we pick, we separate out big bunches for…
Asparagus Egg Noodle Soup (Gluten Free Option)
My kids love this soup because it tastes great. I love it for its taste, but also for the utter ease of preparation. With asparagus season upon us, I will cook this soup many times. While I started making this soup with angel hair pasta many years ago, I now often make it with rice…
Apple Pecan Spring Greens with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Apples, pecans, and blue cheese are the base of this versatile salad, and the speedy maple-Dijon-cider vinaigrette makes it a keeper. As I was walking my boys home from school one day last spring, a friend of mine drove by and yelled a funny thing out her car window. “I love your maple Dijon vinaigrette…
Roasted Asparagus with Panko
Serve these deliciously crunchy spears as a satisfying side dish or appetizer – they can be finger food. For a delicious, gluten-free adaptation, substitute crushed Rice Chex for the panko. (Trust me, it works!) Many years ago, I read Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The story chronicles her own family after they vowed…
Almond Bark with Sea Salt
Salty-sweet almond bark is the ultimate treat and takes mere minutes to make with three simple ingredients. Every year before Easter, I find myself up to my elbows in chocolate. For as long as I can remember, making homemade chocolates has been part of my family’s holiday tradition. I have so many fond memories…
