Spring

This recipe was created to accompany <epirecipelink id="14062">Frozen Lemon Mousses</epirecipelink>. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this robust dish alongside the <epi:recipelink id="109317"">skirt steak with cilantro sauce</epi:recipelink>.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A staple of German cuisine, potatoes were a vital part of the diet of heartland settlers.

Loosely translated from the Yiddish, tzimmes means "a fuss over something," but in culinary terms, it's commonly a casserole of various fruits, vegetables and/or meats.

A very pretty, fresh-tasting dessert that can be assembled a day ahead.

Crusty French bread and baked potatoes with butter are terrific alongside the eggs and asparagus. Add a fresh fruit tart from the bakery, and you'll know that this is definitely not breakfast.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr See how to roll out dough.

Ground cardamom is a clever addition to the sugar in this simple recipe.

Serve the ham with baked sweet potatoes and buttered baby peas. Finish with wedges of sponge cake topped with fudge sauce.

The consistency and flavor of bottled Asian chile sauces can vary, as can the heat of fresh chiles, so make adjustments to taste. For these tropical rolls, we found the thinner Wei-Chuan brand spring roll wrappers worked best. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

Mark Taylor of West Hartford, Connecticut, writes: "I started cooking out of necessity when I first graduated from college, since I couldn't afford to eat out. Having grown up watching my mother cook for our large family, I used her recipes. She was always trying new dishes whenever we had guests and sharing her adventurous attitude toward eating. These days, even though my wife and I both work, we still cook several times a week. Now I tend to rely on recipes I've picked up from restaurants and friends. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and figuring out new ways to improve a recipe, as I've done with the one here."

Lisa Caiazza of Franklin Square, New York, writes, "At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing. And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup." A quick and flavorful pasta dish that's special enough for company.