Sweet Pea Soup
A taste of the spring season! This delicately sweet soup has a vibrant green color with a lively, fresh flavor.

Garnish with chives or chive blossoms.

Ingredients:
5 cups young peas, shelled
2 shallots, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt
pepper

Directions:
1.)  In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the
shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent,
about 5 - 7 minutes.
2.)  Add the peas and stock.  Simmer for 25 minutes.
3.)  In batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until
completely pureed and smooth, 2 - 3 minutes for each batch.
4.)  Stir in the cream.  Season with salt (approximately 1 - 2
teaspoons kosher salt) and pepper.
5.)  Serve the soup hot or chilled.

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  40 minutes
Serves:  4 - 6

Spinach, Beet & Walnut Salad with
an Apple Vinaigrette Dressing
A fresh, crisp spinach salad with toasted walnuts and creamy goat
cheese is tossed with a sweet and savory vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients:
Salad
6 ounces baby spinach, cleaned & stemmed
½ cup walnuts, toasted
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
4 beets, cooked & sliced

Apple Vinaigrette
½ granny smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
1 small shallot, minced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.)  In a blender or food processor, combine the apple, shallot,
cider vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and dash of salt and pepper.  Pulse
to combine. 
2.)  In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, walnuts, goat cheese,
beets and half of the dressing.  Mix until combined.  Taste for
additional dressing
3.)  Arrange the salad onto four plates. 

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Serves:  4
 

Mushroom Risotto
This oven-baked risotto is made with arborio rice, fresh Parmesan
cheese, shiitake & crimini mushrooms and fresh parsley.  The result
is an easy-to-make, luscious-to-taste, rich, savory and creamy rice
dish!

Serve the dish as a side or as the main course.

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 carrots, diced
4 scallions, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
¼ cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed & sliced
½ cup fresh parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
fresh pepper
1 ½ cups fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
1.)  Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the
carrots, and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the scallions, crimini and
shiitake mushrooms; sauté for 10 minutes.
2.)  Preheat oven to 350°
3.)  Add the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes and
turn off heat.
4.)  Whisk together the Parmesan cheese, cream and eggs.  Stir the
cream mixture and rice mixture together.  Place in a dutch oven or
large oven-proof baking dish.
5.)  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove and stir the risotto.  Bake for an
additional 30 minutes.  Stir and serve.

Preparation Time:  20 minutes
Baking Time:  1 hour
Serves:  8

Lemon Almond Poundcake
How sweet it is!  A moist & rich cake with a sweet, buttery and lemon-almond flavor.Serve with berries or sorbet

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup olive oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
11-ounces almond paste, cut into small pieces
3 lemons, zested
5 eggs
½ cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup powdered sugar
juice of one lemon

Directions:
1.)  Preheat the oven to 325°.  Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan,
and then line the bottom with parchment paper.
2.)  Sift the flour and baking powder together.  Set aside.
3.)  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 1
minute.  Add the olive oil and sugar.  Mix until fluffy.  Add the
almond paste, lemon zest and eggs one at a time.  Beat until smooth. 
Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
4.)  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 - 60
minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center
comes out almost clean. 
5.)  Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20
minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan, and allow the cake to cool
completely.
6.)  For the glaze:  Whisk together the powdered sugar and juice of
one lemon.  Pour the glaze over the cake.  Spread with a knife to
cover the entire top of the cake, and allow the glaze to drizzle down
the sides. 

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Baking Time:  1 hour
Serves:  8