Spring Recipe Medley

If you're like me, you're in constant recipe search mode right now.  We have certain dishes we make over and over and love, but this time of year?  When there are fresh veggies to work with?  All my pent-up need-to-try-new-recipe energy is overflowing after a winter where our choices were limited to what we had in the freezer and pantry.  I'm making a list and will be trying a handful of new dishes over the next weeks.  I'll report back here on the keepers.

In the meantime, I thought I would share with you of our favorite tried and true spring recipes.  Here they are in no particular order...

Spinach (or Chard) Strata I just made this for company last weekend using fresh spinach and it was wonderful.  I had about half the Gruyere it called for, so used a combination of Swiss and Gruyere.

Sauteed Asparagus  This is our favorite way to prepare it.  Simple, delectable asparagus.

Baked Lemon and Asparagus Pasta  I just made this dish the other night as well.  There are several versions of this recipe floating around.  Pioneer Woman has one without asparagus (but you could add it), Deb at Smitten Kitchen has one (she uses asparagus and goat cheese, drool), there is one in Simply In Season, and I created one last spring that uses asparagus and lemon curd (still my favorite).  It doesn't matter which one you try.  Just try one, please?  And, yes, I know that for many of us lemons aren't hanging off the trees around our homes.  Bottled lemon juice also works for these recipes with very good results.  Below is a photo of Deb's version.

Chicken Caesar Salad  When you've significantly had your fill of baby lettuce just barely kissed with dressing (because you've missed it so much), go ahead and make this salad with your (or your farmer's market's) lettuce.  It's so good.  My mouth is literally watering as I think about it.  Okay, that's a little gross.  Sorry.

Lettuce and Egg Salad  And while we're on the subject of salads, if you have laying hens and lettuce, this recipe is a must.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake  This is my Grammie's recipe and it's so wonderful.  Just thinking about it is enough to tempt me to declare today a special occasion and make it.  I don't know why in the world I did not take a more appealing photo of it.  It really is fabulous.  Don't let my poor photography sway you in the wrong direction here.

Rhubarb (or Sour Cherry) Crunch  I made this crunch last weekend for company, too.  It was gobbled up in no time.  In this photo, I used a combination of sour cherries and rhubarb.  This recipe was originally created for rhubarb only, so you do not need the cherries at all of you don't have them.

Well, there you have it.  If you were in need of some spring recipes ideas, whip out your grocery list and hop to it!