Spring Recipes That Will Make You Want to Buy Even More Fresh Fruits

Spring Salad with Mixed Berries, Candied Almonds & Honey Citrus Vinaigrette

Here is a great recipe with everything made from scratch. If
you don’t have the time to make the almonds and vinaigrette, just make the
salad of mixed greens, fresh raspberries and blueberries, and add your favorite
store-bought vinaigrette and nuts.

Directions:

For Candied Almonds:

1. Preheat oven to 300^oF. Line a 13-by-18 inch
   sheet pan with aluminum foil. Pour on 3 tablespoons of melted butter and spread out so that the pan is evenly coated.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat 1 egg white
   (at room temperature) and 1 teaspoon water until stiff peaks just start to
   form. Blend in ¾ cup of sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Fold in almonds and spread mixture in a single layer onto prepared pan.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring and flipping almonds every
   10 to 15 minutes. Watch nuts very closely during the last 10 minutes of cooking time, removing them from oven sooner if they are getting too dark. Nuts will be done when they are mostly dry and golden brown.
4. Allow almonds to cool on pan until they are completely dry
   and crunchy, stirring occasionally to break them up. You can store them in an airtight container for two to three weeks.

For Honey Citrus Vinaigrette:

Add ¼ cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of honey, 3 tablespoons
apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup
vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of poppy seed to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until mixture is well blended.

For each salad:

1. Place your desired amount of mixed greens on a plate.
2. Arrange berries and candied almonds over top.
3. Drizzle with vinaigrette, to taste.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Directions

1. Bring 2 large pots of water to boil. Add a big pinch of
   salt in each.
2. To one pot, add 1 bunch of fresh asparagus and blanch
   about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus.
3. Place blanched asparagus in a bowl of ice water to stop
   the cooking and keep them green.
4. To second pot, add 12 oz. of
   orzo. Cook per package instructions. When tender, drain and place in a large bowl.
5. Add blanched asparagus and 1 pint of grape tomato halves.
6. Mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest and lemon
   juice from one lemon, 1 clove of minced garlic, salt and pepper (to taste) in a small bowl.
7. Stir sauce into orzo and vegetables.
8. Stir in 2 Tbs. of parsley and grated Parmigiano Regiiano.
9. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Arugula Skirt Steak Salad with Caramelized Pears, Pecans, and
Gorgonzola

If you need a little more substance out of your salad try
this one. This hearty salad has a great combination of sweet and salty.

Directions

For Salad:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 Tbs. of
   olive oil to skillet.
2. Salt and pepper 1 lb. skirt steak, and trim excess fat.
3. When oil begins to simmer, place 1 lb. skirt steak in
   skillet and let it cook for 5 minutes. Turn it and cook for another 4-5
   minutes.
4. Transfer meat to a large cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Prepare the rest of your ingredients while it’s
   resting.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add ¼ cup of light brown sugar and stir until
   sugar is dissolved.
6. Add 2 large pears that have been cored and cut into medium-sized chunks, stir, and then cook (stirring occasionally) for about 5 minutes, or just until the pears have released their juices and softened up.
7. With a slotted spoon (leaving behind as much sauce as possible) transfer the pears to a clean plate.
8. Add ¾ cup of chopped pecans to the same skillet the pears were cooked in (keeping the pear juices and caramel in the pan), and toss them in the caramel, cooking over medium heat for just 1-2 minutes.
9. Remove pan from heat and, working quickly, transfer pecans to a plate covered in wax or parchment paper.
10. By this time it has probably been ten minutes, so you can now slice the steak against the grain into 1” strips.
11. Scatter 4 cups of baby arugula onto a large serving dish
    or platter. Arrange steak strips across the top then add pears, pecans, and 4 ounces of crumbled gorgonzola cheese evenly around the platter.

For the Mustard Vinaigrette:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sugar, ⅓ cup of olive and salt and pepper to taste to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until mixture is well blended.
2. Drizzle vinaigrette on to salad, to taste.

Pink & Green Fruit Salad