Spring has sprung and if you live in Minnesota, it finally feels safe to (maybe) put away winter coats for the season and sit back and watch the snow begin to melt! So, it only seems right to trade warm, hearty meals for something sweet and light. We’ve put together a couple of recipes from our volunteers that pair perfectly with the fact that spring is in the air!
Rhubarb Dessert
Recipe from Sarah Kern
Ingredients
For the crust: 2 cups flour 2 sticks butter (1/2 lb.), melted 2 tablespoons sugar
For the filling: 5 cups cut rhubarb 2 cups sugar 4 tablespoons flour 1 cup cream 6 egg yolks, beaten
For the meringue: 6 egg whites 12 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Mix crust ingredients. Press in pan and bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Chop 3 or 4 long stalks of rhubarb to total about 5 cups. Separate eggs. Combine cream, sugar, egg yolks, and flour. Fold in rhubarb. Pour filling on top of baked crust. Bake for 40 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Make meringue with egg whites and sugar; put on filling and bake until brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Recipe from Emily Haugen
For the base: ¾ cup walnuts ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced 10 ounces of fresh baby spinach, I also love a 50/50 arugula and spinach blend 1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 1 pound) 1 quart blueberries ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
For the poppyseed dressing: ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds ½ tablespoons honey ½ teaspoon dijon mustard ½ teaspoon kosher salt ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
In small mixing bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients—vinegar, oil, poppy seeds, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper—until well combined.
Place the spinach in a great big serving bowl. Add the strawberries and red onion. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat the leaves. Assess the amount of dressing. You want the spinach leaves to be nicely moistened but not swimming in dressing. Add a little more if needed to suit your preferences. Add the feta and walnuts. Toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side as desired.
Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad
Recipe from Lauren Biegler
For the pasta salad: ½ lb Gemelli pasta noodles ½ cup celery, chopped ¾ cup shredded chicken ½ cup walnuts, chopped ½ cup dried cherries
For the dressing: ½ cup light mayonnaise ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon onion salt ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground mustard 5 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine all of the pasta salad ingredients. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together all of the dressing ingredients. When ready to serve, pour the dressing on the pasta salad and mix well.
**If you want to prep this salad ahead of time, keep the dressing separate until ready to serve.
Honey Lime Fruit Salad
Recipe from Sara Hewitt
For the base: Strawberries (1 pack, sliced) Raspberries (1 pack) Bananas (2-3, sliced) Blueberries (1 pack) Mandarin Oranges (Canned or fresh) Kiwis (3) Limes (2) For the dressing: 2 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoon lime juice Lime zest
Instructions:
Whisk the ingredients for the sauce together. Let sit for 30 minutes. Wash and cut up fruit to desired sizes and mix in a bowl together. Cover with sauce and toss to combine. Place in a serving dish just prior to serving and garnish with additional lime zest.
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