Delicious Spring Recipes!
Finally feels like Spring is happening! Snowdrops and crocus have bloomed, daffodils are up next! I’m loving having more sunshine in the morning and evenings! We have also entered into that seasonal transition of cooking, where you feel like time is running out to make winter favorites, as we lean into lighter spring recipes.
I’m looking forward to gathering with friends and family on Sunday – for our annual Easter celebration! This year we are hosting a brunch, rather than our usual Easter Dinner.
The spring season also brings a shower and a wedding celebration for us to participate in this year, maybe you are hosting something similar – please peruse and see if any of these recipes would round out your menu!
Wishing all the best to you and your family! I’m sharing the favorite recipes we enjoy for Easter and throughout the entire spring celebrating season!!
Table of Contents: Favorite Easter and Spring Celebration Recipes:
Spring Favorite Appetizers & Beverages:
Green Goddess Hummus
This hummus is a beautiful green color, light in texture and full of flavor! One of my tasters said it's a cross between hummus and pesto! I love to make this in the summer when I have an abundance of herbs growing on my deck. You can be flexible with your mix of herbs depending what you have on hand.
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Beautiful Beet Hummus
Love the gorgeous color of this delicious beet hummus! The beet flavor is subtle and accented with garlic, fresh lemon juice and cumin. Decorate the top with whatever you like! I used: lemon zest, black sesame seeds, parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt!
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Dip
Chicken Cordon Bleu originated in Switzerland! But you can enjoy all the flavors of the classic chicken dish right in your own home! Chicken, ham and Swiss cheese combine in this savory, melty-cheesy and creamy dip! Dig in with some crunchy crostini, veggies or your favorite dippers!
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Frose’ – Frozen Rose’ Wine Cocktail
You’ll enjoy this beautiful and refreshing frozen cocktail all summer long! It combines rose’ wine, lime juice and strawberries!
This recipes makes 2-4 cocktails depending upon the size of your glass. You can easily multiply this for more.
Note: You’ll need to make a strawberry simple syrup, make this a few hours in advance so it will have time to chill.
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Honey Kissed Blue Cheese Tartlets
Super easy savory blue cheese and pecan appetizer nibbles and sweet yogurt and fruit brunch bites using frozen fillo cups and both featuring honey!
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Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip & Appetizer Puff Pastry Bites
The classic Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip baked up all warm and cheesy! Get ready to dig in with crostini, veggies or tortilla chips! You can also spoon the dip into these delicious 2-bite appetizer Spinach and Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Bites! They’re a crowd-pleasing appetizer that freezes very well – great to make ahead!
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Roasted Grape & Shallot Crescent Squares
I have roasted grapes a few times before and I really love them! I have used them in a dessert tart and in a savory sauce. It’s a great way to use up grapes that are turning soft and wrinkly. The grapes are roasted with shallots and are delicious over the creamy cheeses and the crispy crescent dough crust. It makes for a savory and sweet appetizer that disappears quickly!
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Herb and Garlic Roasted Olives
I find myself making these easy little olive nibbles all the time throughout the holidays. They are the perfect addition to a nice cheese board, antipasto or crudité platter. They are crazy simple to make and you won’t believe they started as a simple can of black olives.
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Mini Spinach and Artichoke Empanadas
Classic Spinach and Artichoke Dip gets an update – all wrapped up in 2-bite sized empanadas! They bake up golden brown and flaky, literally bursting with creamy spinach and artichoke dip. (Take a short cut and use refrigerated pie crust.)
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Easter and Spring Savories: Mains, Pasta, Breads and Sides
Slow Cooker Spiral Sliced Ham
Cook your spiral sliced ham in your slow cooker! It’s brushed with a spiced honey mustard glaze. It comes out tender and juicy! If you’d like to brown up the top of the ham, brush with reserved glaze and broil for a few minutes.
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Our Favorite Horseradish Sauce
A delicious easy, classic horseradish sauce – we love it with beef, ham, roasted potatoes and vegetables – just about anything!
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Horseradish Whipped Cream
Savory Whipped Cream! Use this light and fluffy horseradish whipped cream anywhere you’d use horseradish sauce! It’s great with any kind of roasted beef, delicious with ham and roasted vegetables. Also makes a great dip for shrimp and all sorts of other things!
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Girlfriends’ Grain Salad
Have you heard of the Jennifer Aniston Salad?Legend has it that she and her costars on the set of Friends used to eat this everyday for lunch! Many versions of the recipe have been swirling around. This is my take on the salad – only in a larger version – for sharing with more friends!
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Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad
This is a classic family-favorite pasta salad that I have been making versions of for years! I love the broccoli, cheddar flavors with the Dijon mustard herb vinaigrette. It's light and tasty! A great side-dish for all your BBQ parties and summer-time get togethers.
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Spinach, Parmesan and Orzo Salad
We love pasta salad at our house…
and this one if definitely a favorite! It has a nice light dressing and it’s filled with lots of fresh veggies. It’s the perfect side to your BBQ or picnic favorites. It’s also delicious with some grilled chicken tossed in – dinner done!
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Caramelized Shallot & Crispy Prosciutto Salad Recipe
I have been on a shallot and balsamic kick lately, so I decided on a simple caramelized shallot dressing with prosciutto crisps and some blue cheese crumbles. The dressing and the crisps can be made ahead of time, so when combined with pre-washed packaged greens it’s a cinch to pull together – even in the salad doldrums of winter!
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Roasted Asparagus Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons & Prosciutto Crisps Recipe (+ Vegan Version)
Delicious smooth soup made with roasted asparagus gets topped with homemade pumpernickel croutons and prosciutto crisps! It’s delicious! Directions included for a vegan version.
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Potato Leek Soup
Potato Leek soup is perfect for winter or early spring! It’s warm and comforting and hearty and steamy…mmm I like my potato leek soup chunky and creamy, with just a little bit of tanginess from some buttermilk. Stay warm friends – eat soup!
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Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin
Tender thinly sliced potatoes layered with white cheddar and gruyere cheese baked with cream and stock that’s seasoned with Dijon mustard and thyme. A sprinkling of extra cheese on top browns up nice and crispy.
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Macaroni and Cheese for a Smaller Crowd (Half-sized version of “Macaroni and Cheese for a Crowd” Recipe)
This is the smaller, half-size, version of our favorite “Macaroni & Cheese for a Crowd Recipe”. This version makes 10-12 servings depending on serving size. The recipe is a crowd favorite with a blend of cheddar and American cheese. It’s topped with buttered bread crumbs.
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Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower
This half-veggie version of macaroni and cheese became an instant favorite at our house! It's definitely still gooey, cheesy, delicious comfort-food, but it's made a little lighter by swapping out half the macaroni noodles with cauliflower! Bake in a family-sized casserole or in individual dishes. Great to make ahead and freeze!
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Fennel, Olive and Feta Frittata
This frittata cooks up quickly and makes for an easy weeknight supper or…would be perfect for a brunch…Mother’s Day perhaps (hint, hint, wink, wink to my family!) I love to serve the frittata with a simple arugula salad. The peppery, bitterness of the arugula pairs really well with the rich taste of the frittata and the sweetness from the onions and fennel. YUM!
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Spiralized Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole Recipe
It’s a Spiralized Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole with sausage, spinach and feta cheese and it’s a great big casserole that will be perfect for serving at breakfast or brunch! You can prepare most of it the night before and just bake it in the morning! Leaves more time for relaxing with your family and friends!
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Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta Salad
I love chicken salad + I love pasta salad – this Creamy Honey Mustard Pasta Chicken Salad combines them both! Along with protein pasta a tangy greek yogurt honey mustard dressing, lots of veggies and cheddar cheese – It's super flavorful and has a good dose of protein! And the best part…you can prep it all quickly and easily in your food processor! I used my KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor!
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Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Nothing beats a bubbly, cheesy delicious pasta casserole!This easy to pull together comfort-food casserole is something everyone will love! It combines fresh broccoli, chicken, your favorite penne pasta and a jar of alfredo sauce – plus some flavor boosting seasonings and mozzarella cheese! YUM!
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Make Butter with Your Food Processor
Who knew you could churn your own butter using your food processor? I knew you could make it in your stand mixer, but a food processor makes it all a little neater! It tastes amazingly fresh and light!
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Fluffy Yeast Dinner Rolls
These fluffy, light yeast rolls that come together quickly! You can mix these by hand, with a hand or stand mixer, or you can knead in a food processor with a dough blade. Make sure you have plenty of butter on hand to slather them with!
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Homemade Garlic Parmesan Crescent Rolls (or Plain)
Homemade crescent rolls are rich, buttery and bake up fluffy and light! They are truly special and worth a little extra time. You can choose the Plain Buttery Homemade Crescent Roll version or the Parmesan Garlic Crescent Rolls! Both are scrumptious!
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Spinach and Basil Pesto
Delicious pesto with a combination of basil and baby spinach!
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Arugula Walnut Pesto Recipe
An easy and delicious pesto to make all year long!
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The Brussels Sprouts You Will Fight Over
Awesome air-fryer Brussels sprouts! Plus – Roasted Garlic and Thyme sauce to dip them in!
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Classic Ham and Bean Soup
To give this soup a nice silky texture, I partially puree some of the tender beans and vegetables. I love to top this warm and comforting soup with a spoonful of my Spinach and Basil Pesto! It melts into the savory soup and is so tasty!
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Spring Sweets: Scrumptious Treats to Delight!
Cadbury Mini Eggs Whipped Cheesecake Dip
This Cadbury Mini Eggs Whipped Cheesecake Dip is so easy to whip up! The cream cheese base lends creaminess with a little tang. The malted milk powder gives a little bit of a malted milk ball or malted milk shake flavor. You can serve with fruit, salty pretzels or simple chocolate or vanilla cookies! It's sure to be a crowd pleaser at your Easter or spring celebration!
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Iced Lemon Loaf Cake
Moist lemon cake made with Greek yogurt and fresh lemon zest. It's topped with a simple powdered sugar lemony icing. Super simple to mix together and tastes better than the Lemon Loaf at Starbucks! Homemade with love is always the best!
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Lemon Zucchini Bread with Lemon Glaze
Updated zucchini bread with lemon zest, juice and a lemon glaze to top it off! It’s a new family favorite for us!
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Lemon Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
These Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are thick, soft and chewy with a delicious lemony twist! They're topped with lucious Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting! Makes 2 dozen (2 1/2 inch approx.) Cookies.
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Lemon White Chocolate Scones
These Lemon White Chocolate Scones are a little crispy on the edges, but moist, tender and bursting with lemon flavor on the inside! They’re studded with white chocolate chips for creamy vanilla bursts of flavor. Drizzled over the top is a sweet, tangy lemon glaze. They don’t last long in my house – We absolutely love them!
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Lemon Kissed Blueberry Muffins
…when I sank my teeth into these light, fluffy muffins; warm and bursting with fresh blueberries, drizzled with a lemony glaze, my mouth said yes these taste just like spring!
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Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel and Maple Glaze
Tender, fluffy blueberry muffins all dressed up for fall with a crumbly cinnamon streusel topping and a sweet maple glaze. Make sure to spray or grease the top of your muffin tin as the muffins will develop a scrumptious overhanging muffin top that gets a little crunchy!
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Lemon Brownies w/ Macadamia Nuts & White Chocolate Chips
Moist lemony “brownies” studded with white chocolate chips and salted macadamia nuts. They’re topped with a lemon glaze and more macadamia nuts! Yum!!
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DIY Lemonade Kits – Great Party Favors
Homemade fresh lemonade = lemon juice + sugar + water + ice! Make these fun DIY Lemonade in a mason jar kits as party favors for your next summer party! Each guest can take one home and make their own homemade lemonade!
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Pistachio Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
This moist delicious bundt cake is easy and always a crowd pleaser! It’s a quick cake to mix together as it starts with a white cake mix and a box of pistachio instant pudding – then you mix in eggs, oil and sour cream, which makes it tender and moist. The center of the cake has a ribbon of cinnamon sugar. You can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar or drizzle with cream cheese glaze – yum!
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Rainbow Peep Skillet S’mores
Super easy and fun spring dessert! Chocolate chips and Peeps, toasted up all warm in a skillet! Grab some graham crackers and dig in!
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Berry Cheesecake Salad
Ok so it’s not really a typical “salad” – it’s a dessert salad! Fresh ripe berries are folded into a fluffy cheesecake filling along with some mini marshmallows that get all melty!
Adapted from “Red, White & Blue Cheesecake Salad” by Mandy @South Your Mouth
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How to Make: Dubai Style Pistachio Oreo Truffles
I took the basic flavors of a Dubai Style Chocolate Bar and created an Oreo truffle version! They're absolutely scrumptious and fun to make! The filling of my Dubai Style Pistachio Oreo Truffles is made from homemade rich and buttery pistachio butter, light and crispy phyllo pastry shells and Golden Oreo Sandwich Cookies – that lend their familiar crunchy, creamy vanilla flavor!
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Orange Cinnamon Sweet Roll Monkey Bread:
Remember those refrigerated orange cinnamon rolls? This Orange Cinnamon Sweet Roll Monkey Bread recipe takes those flavors and makes them so much better! Homemade orange kissed sweet roll yeast dough is combined with butter and orange scented cinnamon sugar, a gooey brown sugar syrup, then baked until fluffy, sticky and golden brown in a Bundt pan. While still warm the monkey bread is drizzled with a simple orange glaze. Then it's fun to pull off pieces of monkey bread to enjoy or it can alternatively be served in slices like coffee cake!
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Fluffy Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls rise overnight in the refrigerator.
This dough is rich with butter, milk, an egg and egg yolks – reminds me of tender and rich brioche dough. I always spread the warm rolls with a simple icing the melts, coats the rolls and slips into all the cinnamon swirls. Sometimes I make a simple butter, powdered sugar and milk icing, sometimes I make one with cream cheese – either way, they’re delicious!
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Sticky Buns
Sticky Buns are cinnamon rolls that are baked in a sticky, gooey mixture of butter, brown sugar and corn syrup, lots of times also with nuts and raisins. After baking the pan is inverted and the sticky mixture becomes a sticky topping! They are delicious and very popular here in Pennsylvania.
Adapted from “Caramel Pecan Sticky Rolls”
Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook, 1996
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Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars
These Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft, chewy and have just enough tang from the cream cheese to offset some of the sweetness in the cookie and the buttercream frosting.
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Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
These Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are thick, soft, chewy and have just enough tang from the cream cheese to offset some of the sweetness in the cookie and the buttercream frosting. Makes 2 dozen (2 1/2 inch approx.) Cookies.
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Carrot Cake
This carrot cake is moist with a lighter texture than most carrot cakes. It has just the right amount of finely shredded carrots and wonderfully warm spices.
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Carrot, Mango & Coconut Cupcakes and Whoopie Pies Recipe
Cupcakes? Whoopie Pies? or both? You can use the same batter to make either! The batter is loaded with shredded carrot, unsweetened coconut and fresh mango. They’re filled or frosted with a delicious ginger cream cheese frosting. It’s a delightful twist on your typical carrot cake!
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