apricots

Spotting flawless asparagus, artichokes, and strawberries in markets this month is exciting enough to want to shout "Spring's here!" from the rooftops. Instead, celebrate the season by highlighting peak produce in an unexpected way: as the star ingredient of a delicate baked tart. Envelop ripe apricots in a simple pie crust to make a free-form dessert. Or, if you're looking for a savory main, top store-bought puff pastry with umami-laden asparagus stalks and Comté cheese. For recipients of either dish, your enthusiasm for the greenmarket is sure to be infectious. Whet your appetite for both recipes when you keep reading.

While most people automatically think of baklava when they hear the words "Greek" and "dessert," I want to surprise my girlfriends with something unexpected. The Greek dinner takes place after a day of wine tasting, so a make-ahead sweet treat, like Greek yogurt panna cotta, is ideal. A couple of years ago at our annual girls' getaway, I passed out before finishing cooking dessert, and this is a mistake I don't want to repeat this weekend! Traditional panna cotta is made with cream, but this recipe incorporates thick yogurt into the mixture. The resulting dish, which is topped with honey-glazed apricots, is smooth and slightly sweet. To check out the recipe, read more

Only a couple weeks ago, Party made a delicious black bean quinoa, and ever since then I've had a hankering for quinoa salad. Recently, I found red quinoa which is very similar to regular quinoa, but with a stunning color.

This uncomplicated recipe combines quinoa, avocado, dried fruit, and nuts dressed in a tart lemon vinaigrette. I didn't have raisins on hand, so I used cranberries and they proved to be a perfect substitute.

This protein-packed dish is a great side or an easy lunch. The salad is nutty, fruity, creamy, and full of satisfying texture. If you want to experiment with quinoa, keep reading for the recipe.

Picture this: it's that wonderful time of day when the sun has just set and the weather is perfectly comfortable. You're enjoying the merry sounds of a symphony. After devouring a delectable steak sandwich and tomato salad, you are satisfied, but desire something sweet. Your wish comes true when you take one last look into the picnic basket and see, individually wrapped in parchment paper and tied with satin ribbons, luscious apricot tarts. You pass them out to your friends who marvel at your culinary creativeness. Doesn't that sound like fun?! Thanks to this fabulous recipe, you can live that scenario in the near future. If apricots aren't your cup of tea, substitute cherries, peaches, plums — whatever floats your fancy. Check out the recipe.