Seasonal Sundays (Week 18) Late April

This week's recipes lean into spring with the three A's of Spring (asparagus, artichokes and ... avocados) and a deep dive into all-recipes asparagus. I do send sympathies to readers who still have snow on the ground ... your time will come, it really will.

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

True story.

On New Years Eve Day one year, I flew from St. Louis to Dallas, returning to Texas after a house-hunting trip here in eastern Missouri, where I was moving to take a new job. The airline upgraded my seat to first class where I settled in for a good nap.

But behind me, a woman was going on (and on) at length at loud about her own visit to St. Louis to meet her daughter's fiance's family for the first time.

She was especially non-plussed at the family's insistence of making a special trip to Ted Drewes, St. Louis' iconic frozen custard stand, not only for her benefit but because it would close for a couple of months after New Year's. "All that fuss for soft-serve?" she fumed.

But in fact, frozen custard isn't "soft serve" but it is St. Louis' (and much of the Midwest's) beloved frozen custard – and it's definitely not ice cream.

Custard is thick and creamy It tastes richer than ice cream, that's thanks to egg yolks (more than ice cream). It's softer than ice cream too, that's thanks to air (though less than soft serve).

And ... wait for it ... custard is fresher than either ice cream or soft serve, that's thanks to good frozen custard being churned and served on the spot!

For my money, a good custard stand is worth a pilgrimage.

Since 1929, people line up at the Ted Drewes windows twenty-nine deep but don't worry, the lines move f-a-s-t. Families bring kids in pajamas. Limos pull up with fancy-dress partiers post-prom, post-gala and post-wedding. Some set up chairs in the back of pickups. Look for a big rush after Cardinals games. When my nephew brought his kids to visit a couple of winters/summers ago, we journeyed to both Ted Drewes and Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis institutions he remembers fondly from when he was a kid visiting his auntie.

And if ever there's a "custard season," it's now, with light longer into the evening plus warmer afternoons and evenings.

Spring = Custard Season!

About the Photo By Popular Request, a Little Insight into the Top Image: We love Ted Drewes for its nostalgia and spectacle but Fritz's for its custard. One warm day this week, we pulled up at dinnertime between the afternoon and evening rushes. It was just us and a couple of young dads with pre-school daughters, laughing and licking, creating and continuing a multi-generation tradition ...

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PICK ONE

Pick One is for those of us overwhelmed by life's unending choices. If that resonates, then check out this one recipe and then call it a day. It's one that I think could make the most difference, the one I hope will become a regular in your kitchen, as it is in mine.

• THE RECIPE Asparagus Risotto Lighter, more flavor thanks to a gorgeous asparagus stock.
• WHY THIS, WHY NOW We pulled exactly two fat spears of asparagus from the garden this week, more to come! But until then, the grocery store asparagus is verrrrrry pretty ...

What's New?!

Wondering about a recipe from the last while? Check Recent Recipes from Kitchen Parade and Recent Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture.

• THE RECIPE Rainbow Chicken Chicken (no browning required) and vegetables baked in the oven.
• ANOTHER TAKE One-Pot Chicken with Beans & Vegetables A healthy stew, packed with cooked beans and root vegetables.

The Three A's of Spring: Asparagus, Artichokes & Avocados

• THE A-Z COLLECTION Asparagus Recipes
• JUST THE FAVORITES Six Years of Favorite Asparagus Recipes

• THE A-Z COLLECTION Artichoke Recipes
• READER FAVORITE How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave

• THE A-Z COLLECTION Avocado Recipes
• BUT REALLY, START HERE My Guacamole Restaurant-style guacamole, our house recipe.

Asparagus Essentials

• THE RECIPE How to Microwave Asparagus
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave

• THE RECIPE Easy Sautéed Asparagus
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Microwave Asparagus

• THE RECIPE Roasted Asparagus with Feta Roasted without oil, topped with warm, melty feta.
• ANOTHER TAKE Slow-Roasted Asparagus

• JUST THE FAVORITES Favorite Asparagus Recipes
• THE A-Z COLLECTION All the Asparagus Recipes

Asparagus Surprises

• THE RECIPE Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad
• ANOTHER TAKE Asparagus Noodles

• THE RECIPE Slow-Roasted Asparagus
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Microwave Asparagus

• THE RECIPE Asparagus Tapenade
• ANOTHER TAKE Beet Pesto

Quick Pickles

• THE RECIPE Quick Pickled Asparagus No canning required.
• ANOTHER TAKE Quick Jalapeño Pickles No canning required.

• THE RECIPE Homemade Bread & Butter Pickles
• ANOTHER TAKE Pepper & Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles

• THE RECIPE Spiced Pickled Red Onions A game changer for tacos, salads, eggs and more.
• ANOTHER TAKE Quick Jalapeño Pickles No canning required.
  

Lunch at the Kitchen Table

• THE RECIPE Asparagus Scallion Salad with Hard-Cooked Egg
• ANOTHER TAKE Gorgeous Raw Asparagus Salad

The Dinner Bell

Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, the dinner bell rings. If we're gonna eat, somebody's gotta cook, some nights fuel, some nights a feast. Let's make it good, a welcome end to our days.

• THE RECIPE Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus or Other Summer Vegetables Tossed in an addictive sweet 'n' sour hot sauce.
• ANOTHER TAKE Shrimp with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta Shrimp cooked in a nest of tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese.

• THE RECIPE Roasted Salmon & Asparagus The original sheetpan supper.
• ANOTHER TAKE Maple Glazed Salmon A Quick Supper, sweet & peppery marinated salmon.

• THE RECIPE Asparagus Whole Wheat Bread Pudding A rustic bread pudding with whole wheat bread, asparagus, cheese, fresh herbs and lemon zest.
• ANOTHER TAKE Savory Bread Pudding with Butternut Squash, Chard & Cheddar Make in advance for a holiday brunch or buffet.

More Ukrainian Pysanky

IN THE CLASSROOM Susan from Thunder Bay, Ontario shared photos last week, including the Ukrainian eggs she made, enjoying the meditative process. Aren't they just stunning?!

When she taught school, she invited a local woman into the classroom to teach the kids how to create the eggs, a mix of wax, dye and candles to say nothing of patience, determination and dexterity. I'm wondering how many schools these days would allow kids to have candles burning at their desks?!

IN JEWELRY Katherine Alexander of St. Louis learned to make pysanky from her Polish grandmother (hmmm, maybe mother?) and has become obsessed. She makes eggs but also jewelry using the same techniques and designs. Look for her work here on Etsy.

Good to Know

• THE HOW TO Asparagus & Woody Ends (Step-by-Step Photos & Video)
• THE A-Z RECIPES Asparagus Recipes

Put an Egg on Top aka "How About Eggs for Dinner?"

Why should breakfast get all the eggs?! If eggs for dinner were a club, I'd be president, chief marketing officer, resident evangelist, public advocate and ... hey, wanna join my club? Start here!

• THE SIMPLE TECHNIQUE How to Steam Eggs Simple technique for soft-cooked and hard-cooked both at once.
• ANOTHER SIMPLE TECHNIQUE How to Poach a Perfect Egg Step-by-step using Cook's Illustrated technique.

Something New to You? A Challenge!

It's one thing to know what we like. It's another to get caught in a rut of repetition. Every so often, I may offer a challenge to try something that just might be new. The challenge is yours to accept – or y'know, not – but I hope to pique your palate!

• THE RECIPE Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise
• ANOTHER TAKE Party Asparagus with Aioli

Savoring Sweet Potatoes: A Challenge

So usually my "challenges" are, well, a challenge, an undertaking, an endeavor, a project. But here? For a few weeks, I hope you'll throw a few sweet potatoes onto your grocery list, knowing there'll be a simple recipe to tackle. Who's game?!

• THE RECIPE Sweet Potato Cornbread Golden color + naturally gluten-free = a total winner.
• ANOTHER TAKE Pumpkin Corn Bread

Meal Prep

• THE RECIPE Party Asparagus with Aioli
• ANOTHER TAKE Asparagus with Blender Hollandaise

This Week's Soup

• THE RECIPE Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach A bowlful of our favorite spring vegetables.
• ANOTHER TAKE Easy-to-Elegant Asparagus Soup One recipe with either rustic or elegant texture.

Finnish Food

• THE RECIPE Finnish Summer Soup (Kesäkeitto) Milky broth with the freshest, newest vegetables from the garden.
• ANOTHER TAKE Summer Seafood Chowder Shrimp and scallops in a milky broth, with barely cooked tomato, corn and my favorite vegetable this summer, okra.

Lookin' for Love

We're all proud of our best recipes that family and friends (and the Internet!) just love. But what about the recipes we love but are, ahem, so far under-appreciated? This recipe is just that, it could use a little extra love!

• THE RECIPE Marinated Tofu Stir-Fry Just add frozen stir-fy vegetables for a quick supper.
• ANOTHER TAKE Ugly But Delicous Tofu

• THE RECIPE Green Cabbage Salad
• ANOTHER TAKE Asian Slaw with Sugar Snap Peas & Almonds

Most Useful Recipes, Just One Per Year

When a blogger loves every single one of her published recipes, how in the world does she pick just one favorite? It's stunning, honestly, how each year one Kitchen Parade recipe stands out from all the others that year for sheer usefulness. So that's why I created this collection of best recipes, just one per year, Best-Ever “Most Useful” Recipes 2002 – Present, just one recipe per year from Kitchen Parade. Here's a sample.

• THE RECIPE Red Quinoa Salad Your Way A Quick Supper with healthy grains, crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs & creamy cheese.
• ANOTHER TAKE Simple Lentil Salad with Seasonal Vegetables A concept recipe for a supper salad.

PS Who's noticed? I'm big on highlighting "usefulness". To mark A Veggie Venture's 15th anniversary in 2020, I took a hard look at the first 365 vegetable recipes from the first year to select just 15 which, all these many years and recipes later, remain ever so useful. You'll want to dig into this collection, 15 Favorite Vegetable Recipes, Still Useful After 15 Years.

Soups & Salads Especially for April

For seasonal cooks, switching seasons happens gradually, over the course of a few weeks. Here in the Midwest, it's still definitely "early spring" so the recipes cross between soups that warm us up on those chilly days and salads that call when it's easy to stretch an outdoor meal into evening. So what sounds good depends on the day, yes? That's why I spent a year gathering all of A Veggie Venture's best soup and salad recipes into easy-to-scan month-by-month collections.

Dig into Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for April, so many ideas!

Here's a sample!

• THE RECIPE Smitten Kitchen's Avocado-Cucumber Salad
• ANOTHER TAKE Spring & Summer Sliced Salad

Feeding a Sugar-Conscious Sweet Tooth

You too? We're cutting back on sweets without demonizing dessert, usually with smaller batches, smaller servings, shareable desserts or fruit desserts in addition to limiting frequency. But some times?

• THE RECIPE Upside-Down Rhubarb Cheesecake Layers of sour rhubarb and creamy cheesecake in a simple pie or ramekins.
• ANOTHER TAKE Blueberry Cheesecake Pie Cheesecake topped with homemade blueberry pie filling. No bake!

Timehop

Who else loves seeing old photos pop up, quick memories from years past? Welcome to a recipe timehop ...

• THE RECIPE Strawberry Salsa with Sweet-Cinnamon Baked Tortilla Chips A quick fruit salsa with easy baked tortilla chips.
• ANOTHER TAKE Blueberry Salsa A savory fruit salsa?!

• THE RECIPE Zucchini & Carrot Ribbons A quick sauté and pretty jumble.
• ANOTHER TAKE Simple Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Trending

My Top 10 Recipes are predictable, hello Should Cooked Pork Be Pink? and (Sloooow) Baked Potatoes (How Long to Bake a Baked Potato). But every week, seasonal recipes catch the internet's attention and start to trend.

• THE RECIPE Twice-Smoked Ham How & why to smoke a smoked ham a second time.
• DON'T FORGET Spicy Raisin Sauce for Ham My grandmother's recipe, always-always served with the Easter ham, the Christmas ham, the Sunday ham.

• STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers
• ALSO USEFUL How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash

Just Updated!

• THE RECIPE Steak & Poblanos a Quick Supper, How to turn an inexpensive cut into a tender, tasty steak.
• ANOTHER TAKE Frozen Steaks Perfectly cooked steaks, starting with frozen meat!

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com, dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, tuck a question into a plastic Easter egg, whatever.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. When you make my recipes, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below or better still, on the specific recipe's page.

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