This month, some dear friends from college will be visiting me in San Francisco. Whenever I have out-of-towners, my favorite way to welcome them is with a small savory or sweet treat — always homemade, for a little personal touch. This time, I'll be making scones. After all, what puts one at ease better than a warm pile of just-baked breakfast breads?
Since one of them has a sweet tooth, and the other is a total cheesehead, I'll be making two different types. The first, a traditional scone, will be slightly saccharine and studded with raisins; the second, cheesy-chivey goodness, topped off with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Both will be spectacularly crumbly, and insanely scrumptious with imported Irish butter. Interested in the recipes? Get them here.
What I do know is this sauce is really easy to make and absolutely scrumptious slathered on ribs and chicken. There's no chopping or heating involved, all you have to do is measure a bunch of spices into a bowl, stir in the liquids, and you've got homemade barbecue sauce. I love the addition of curry powder, it provides a subtle exotic-ness to the sauce. Want to learn how it's prepared? 
In my search to find 
Peas have just started to come into season here, which probably means there are plenty of parts of the country where they aren't quite at their peak. But even if you haven't spotted firm peas in their pods thus far, be on the lookout for pea shoots, a precursor to the coveted Spring vegetable. Tender pea shoots are the leaves of the pea plant, and taste best when they've been sautéed until slightly wilted. Use bacon to add richness and smoky flavor, then top with succulent, shell-on shrimp. For the recipe, 
If you don't have elaborate plans etched out for tonight, splurge on some lamb chops for a festive dinner that's elegant, yet easy and fast to prepare. Although this cut of lamb isn't cheap, it's a dish customarily consumed on Easter Sunday, and takes next to no time to cook at all. Serve the chops drizzled with a tarragon, mint, parsley, and caper-flecked salsa verde. 
For 
A New Year's fixture on every Southern table, this mélange of black-eyed peas, ham, onions, and rice is said to bring prosperity to anyone who eats it. Blackeyeds, as they're called in the South, are symbolic of coins and affluence; collard greens, with their leaves the color of currency, are another. Supposedly, more pork also means more luck — but that might just be an excuse to enjoy more of the pig.
