I am sure if I looked hard enough I would have found some red, sweet strawberries as well. Did anyone say “spring”?

Enjoy not shoveling for awhile, but watch your step. Better yet, stay in the kitchen and have fun!

STIR-FRY WALNUT ASPARAGUS

From The Spicy Food Lover’s Bible by D. Dewitt and N. Gerlach

Serves 4

Here is a tasty recipe to try with that great asparagus.

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, cut on a diagonal into 1H inch pieces

2 teaspoons peanut oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce

1/4 cup rice wine (Saki) or you can substitute a dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons of water

1/4 cup walnuts

Directions

Over medium high heat in a wok or heavy skillet, heat oil and when hot, add asparagus and garlic and stir-fry 1 minute. Add crushed chili pepper flakes, hoisin sauce, wine, sugar and vinegar. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until asparagus is crisp tender. Raise heat and slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, a minute or so more.

QUESO FUNDIDO

From A New Cook’s Tour of Sonoma by Michele Anna Jordan

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

A traditional Mexican dish, Queso Fundido is an irresistible appetizer perfectly suited to the many cheeses available. Be warned, this dish is so good you might want to encourage your guests not to overindulge so they’ll have room for dinner. If queso cotija cheese is not available, substitute feta cheese.

Ingredients

1 pound jack cheese, grated

1/2 pound medium aged cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 pound queso cotija cheese, crumbled, or feta

2-6 garlic cloves, minced (depending on your love of garlic)

2 serrano chilies, minced

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 poblano chilies, roasted, seeded and cut into strips

3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro OR 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

2-3 dozen small corn tortillas, hot

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the cheeses, garlic, serranos and chipotle powder. Place in an oven-proof earthenware dish and bake until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Add the poblano strips and bake 5 minutes more. Sprinkle cilantro leaves or scallions over the top and serve immediately, with hot tortillas alongside.

Each guest takes two tortillas, one on top of the other, and smears a generous portion of the queso on top and rolls it up.

GRILLED SALMON WITH CHIPOTLE AND LIME

From A New Cook’s Tour of Sonoma by Michele Anna Jordan

Serves 4

The grill is no longer a frozen block of ice and snow. I use mine year around. How about cooking up some wild king salmon before the warm spell leaves us.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons of fresh chipotle powder

1 medium wild Alaska king salmon filet, (about 2 pounds), skinned and de-boned, cut into 4 pieces of equal weight

Black pepper in a mill

1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Preheat the grill. Mix together the salt and chipotle powder and rub it over the cut surface of the salmon filet. Grill, cut side down, for about 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness of your salmon pieces, rotating it once to mark it. Turn salmon over and grill just until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes for a 1-inch filet, longer if the fish is thicker. The best way to determine if your fish is cooked is by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the flesh. The salmon is done if the temperature registers 135-140 degrees. Remember, it will continue to cook a bit even after it is taken off the grill.