DIY Gingerbread Man Ornament (Tutorial)...

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Every holiday, we do a craft for the kids.  Typically at our family Christmas dinner, we decorate Gingerbread houses, my sister lives an hour away, so it is hard for her to get the gingerbread houses home in one piece.  Because of that, I decided to have the kids make an ornament this year.  We have kids ranging in age 4-20 years so we I decided that gingerbread men would be cute for everyone.
This was the demo gingerbread man that I came up with:


Supplies:
Cardboard Colored Card stock
Red Ribbon
Gingham ribbon
White Puffy Paint
Black and red brads
Buttons

Beforehand, I hand cut or each gingerbread man.  The shape is pretty basic, so it was easy to do.  Then we hold punched spots for the ribbon hanger, the eyes and the nose.  This kids placed the black brads in the eye holes and the red in the nose hole.  Then they made their ribbon bow ties, glued the buttons on and tied the ribbon hanger.  We did the puffy paint last so that it could dry without getting smudged.

Super easy, the kids had fun, and they turned out darling!  I ended up making about a dozen extra to use as a garland next year too :)

Review: Tony's

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I recently had one of the best dining experiences I've had in a really long time! Granted, I haven't been out to eat very much lately, but I was more than impressed by the food, service and experience I had at Tony's. I went on a Saturday evening with my aunt, which was my second time dining there and her first. My boss at work turned me on to Tony's Steakhouse about a year ago after he raved about how amazing it was and that the steak is better than Jeff Ruby's. That got my attention because I love Jeff Ruby's! 

Tony Ricci is the owner of Tony's and, according to their website, has worked in upscale dining for over 25 years. I know he was previously the general manager at Jeff Ruby's Precinct for a very long time, and he has certainly taken his knowledge and experiences from there to create a fantastic restaurant of his own!  

When my aunt and I arrived for our 6:30 reservations, the restaurant was already starting to fill up, and there was a crowd forming at the bar. You instantly get a good vibe when you walk in the door. They have such a warm and inviting atmosphere. I love that you can see the chef's cooking in the kitchen and the servers pulling their orders. Soft, classical music (think Frank Sinatra) plays in the background. A jazz band was setting up near the bar a little later in the evening. While some may describe Tony's as a "fancy" restaurant, it doesn't feel stuffy or cold like other "fancy" restaurants.

We were seated right away by a friendly hostess and a server immediately came over to fill our waters. Then our main server came over to fill us in on that nights specials, take our drink orders and give us bread and butter. The butter is topped with a crunchy garlic salt that is delicious. I couldn't get enough!

My aunt and I both decided to order the filet mignon. It came with a choice of mashed or baked potatoes and a salad, which is a great value for only $34. I chose the caesar salad based on the recommendation from our server. She said the homemade caesar dressing is amazing, and she was right! For a simple salad, it was quite delicious! There was a small hint of flavor from the anchovies, but not too overbearing, which is my fear with homemade caesar dressing. I broke the Parmesan crisp into pieces and sprinkled it over the top of the salad, and it added the perfect crunch and flavor to the salad.


My aunt went with the wedge salad, which was an iceberg wedge with ranch or blue cheese dressing (she chose ranch), bacon and tomatoes. This looked delicious as well, and she really enjoyed it!


After another piece of bread and butter, our entrees made their way to the table. I chose to get the mashed potatoes (which I forgot to take a photo of) with my filet. It was such a treat to have homemade mashed potatoes. They were creamy and garlicky and yummmmy, although we had so much food I could hardly eat them.

My filet was outstanding. I ordered it "medium rare plus" and it was cooked to perfection. I ordered it Oscar style, which comes with crab meat, bernaise sauce and asparagus. This is my favorite way to order a filet! My only complaint was that there were a few shells still on the crab meat. This was disappointing, but the filet with the bernaise sauce was out of this world delish and made up for that little snafu!

Oscar style filet - sorry it's sideways! Wouldn't let me flip it around!

My aunt ordered her steak "medium plus" and hers was cooked to perfection as well. On our way to dinner, she was telling me how she likes a lot of pink and no red in her steak and no restaurants ever get it right. I was glad Tony's got it right for her! She ordered hers with a side of mushrooms and the baked potato. I've had the baked potato before, and it is delicious. As you can tell from the picture, it's huge, and it's covered with garlic and salt and served with butter. Seriously...what's not to like??


Halfway through our dinner, we saw my boss (ironically, the same one who originally told me about Tony's) across the restaurant and chit chatted with him for a few minutes. After we finished our entrees, our server came over and told us that my boss wanted to treat us to dessert. What a great surprise! Although we were stuffed to the gills, we managed to make room for a couple desserts. Usually there are only one or two things on a dessert menu that I like (usually the ones with chocolate!), but the dessert menu is quite extensive at Tony's. It was the toughest decision of the night! Tony's mother makes homemade tiramisu and cannolis at her home and brings them to the restaurant. Last time I went to Tony's, I had the cannolis and they were amazing, but I wanted to try something different this time. I decided to get the pot de creme. This chocolatey, custard dish was rich and delicious and was topped with whipped cream and strawberries. It tasted like the inside of a chocolate truffle. I'd highly recommend for chocolate lovers, although I'd suggest sharing because it is super duper rich. We were so excited about dessert, we forgot to take photos! L

My aunt got the vanilla bean creme brulee, which was also amazing. It was much lighter than the pot de creme so we shared the two and they balanced each other out perfectly. It was crunchy on top and smooth and creamy inside. It was served room tempeture, which I like. Sometimes creme brulee is served chilled, and I don't like that as much. Sorry again for no photos!

To wrap up this really long post...I think it's clear that I would highly recommend dining at Tony's! The whole experience, from the service, to the ambiance, to the food is outstanding! Our server was amazing...she was friendly and attentive and made great recommendations. And both times I've been to the restaurant, Tony is there and he greets every single table and asks how your server is doing and how the food is. It is such a nice touch and makes you feel "special" - as cheesy as that sounds! I will most certainly be back!

~Kris

Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall: 5

Review: Barresi's

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I first of all have to note that if you follow a lot of Cincinnati Food Blogs, you will feel that this is repetitive of Cincinnati Bites post.  Apparently, we were both at Barresi's on Valentine's Day! So, check out his blog too for more reviews if interested :)

I have lived near Barresi's for a really long time and have never gone.  I walk past this restaurant on my neighborhood walks at least 3 times a week and had often wonder what it's like on the inside. Kris and I have both have lived near hear and always talked about going but never did.   From the outside, Barresi's looks like a renovated stucco home with vines and flowers painted on the outside of the building.  It appears very charming from the outside and was always a mystery to me.  I had heard that this was a pretty pricey place, which was why I had never gone before.

I typically am able to talk Ross into going to a nicer restaurant for Valentine's Day.  Yes, we do go out for Valentine's Day.  It really is a good excuse for me to go to nicer restaurants that we wouldn't normally go to :)  When I suggested Barresi's, he immediately agreed.  He had been wanting to try it too!

We made reservations since it was a holiday and knew that it can fill up quickly.  We made early reservations though and I think we would have been able to go on in and have a seat.  Barresi's is a very warm and inviting restaurant.  We were greeted by a hostess who offered to take our coats for us and led us to the hostess stand to check in for our reservation.  The inside of Barresi's is pretty close to what I imagined it to be.  Lots of rooms that have eclectic touches that make you feel like you're at home.  We were led to an upstairs dining area that was broken into 2 or 3 separate rooms.  We sat toward the back next to a fireplace.

After looking over the wine list for a minute, I selected a glass of wine and Ross opted for a beer.  Our server was attentive and friendly, but appeared a bit nervous.  She may have been new, but this didn't bother us in the slightest.  She was very knowledgeable and shared good opinions about the menu items.  The full menu was not available this night, but there were still plenty of options.  As we looked it over, a basket of their famous Zeppoles.  These things were AMAZING.  I had never heard or tasted such things before, but these were addictive.  Zeppoles are little square bites of fried dough and had just enough salt and garlic.  They were served with butter.  I tried not to eat too many before even ordering my meal because I wanted to save room, but I could have easily eaten that entire basket of these.

There were so many different menu items that sounded delicious that it was hard to decide.  After asking the server her opinion and going back and forth a couple times, I decided to get the Beef Crab Gorgonzola.  This was twin filets with lump crab meat, topped with a mushroom and artichoke Gorgonzola cream sauce.  Need I say more!?

Ross ordered the Lobster Ravioli and Crabmeat Cardinale.  This was one of our server's suggestion and was one that I almost ordered too.  All the entrees were served with a house salad and a side pasta.

The salads came out first.  These were just OK.  I was actually expecting a better salad. The house dressing was pretty good for the most part, but again, just fine salads.

Now, for my complaint that really has nothing to do with the restaurant itself.  Ross and I were enjoying the quiet ambiance of the restaurant, which was pretty quiet overall until the table next to us was sat.  This was a family of 5 or 6 people with two boys and 3 or 4 adults.  I don't mind groups, kids, or even noisy groups; however, this was by far one of the most annoying tables I have EVER sat by in my entire life. Keep in mind this was Valentine's Day in a more "upscale" restaurant that is pretty quiet.  The kids were fine, but the adults talking to these kids was so distracting that it pretty much ruined my dinner.  The continuous nitpicking then complimenting, then correcting, then praising...it was all too much for me.  This non-stop banter continued the rest of the meal....

So, for the rest of my food...I can easily say it was delicious.  The filets were cooked perfectly, juicy and tender.  The crab, filet, and gorgonzola cream sauce was a very rich and flavorful combination.  There was a little earthiness from the mushrooms and artichokes, but overall the entire dish was spot on.  It was definitely a very rich and creamy sauce, so if that's not your thing this wouldn't be your dish, but I loved it and would easily order it again!
My meal was also served with a side of pasta.  I'm not really sure why, I didn't need the pasta, but I tried it.  The red sauce was pretty good overall, but I honestly didn't have more than a bite or two of this, so I can't say a whole lot about it. But it was nice to try their homemade sauce :)

Ross also loved his lobster ravioli.  This also had a lobster cream sauce served with it.  I thought the portion was a good size and a really unique option for Italian.  I tried this as well and liked it a lot, but liked mine better :)

Barresi's was a great choice for a restaurant for a special occasion. Like I said, Italian food is one of my favorites and this did not disappoint.  I wish that the rest of the patrons had been a little more tolerable because it really was completely distracting and made it difficult to pay attention to anything else!

Service was overall good, nothing that stood out, but average overall.  But if you want a nice, family-owned neighborhood restaurant, this will definitely give you what you're looking for.
~Kate

Food: 4.5
Service: 3.5
Overall Experience: 3 (due to the other guests)

Review: Pompilio's

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My friend has been raving about Pompilio's in Newport for a couple months now.  She said she loved the small local feel of the restaurant and really enjoyed her meals that she has had here.  I do love Italian, so when my husband was recently craving Italian, I suggested we give it a try.

Pompilio's is located in the small neighborhood of Newport, KY and there is a location in Independence too.  It is well-known for having a scene from Rain Man filmed here.  There was plenty of parking options located on the neighboring streets.  I loved the location, making it definitely feel like a neighborhood gem.

Upon walking in, I was a little taken aback.  The bar area was packed with people...and smoke.  I forgot that Kentucky still allows smoking in restaurants.  I am not one who typically is bothered by smoke actually, but this was pretty intense.  We were led to the hostess stand in another room who asked if we wanted smoking or non-smoking.  We chose the latter.  We were immediately seated to a cozy booth in the back of the restaurant.

As we got comfortable I was able to take a minute to soak in the ambiance and patrons of Pompilio's.  I liked how the interior had a feeling of being in a family restaurant.  There was a variety of patrons, including families, children, and couples.  It wasn't too loud and had some great eccentric pieces adorning the walls.

Ross and I took some time looking over the menu after ordering our drinks.  The menu is huge.  It offers specialty dishes, pastas, chicken, salads, appetizers, and more.  It really is pretty extensive.  I asked our matter-of-fact waitress what she recommended, and she suggested the chicken tortellini which was one of the dishes I was debating, so I went for it.  This was served with a side salad.  Ross decided to order the Cannelloni.  He has never ordered this before, so I was surprised, but it sounded good! He wanted a Caesar salad with his meal.

As we waited, a server brought us some bread to snack on.  This was pretty boring.  It really just was white bread.  It seemed to me like bread that I could get from a bag at the store.

Next, came our salads.  These salads were too a bit disappointing.  It was a portion of iceberg lettuce topped with two cucumbers and two tomatoes.  I had the Italian dressing, which was just okay. Ross didn't really care for his salad either.  It was over-dressed making it taste a bit soggy.  Not terrible, but not that great either.


At this point, we were excited for our entrees to come.  We finished our drinks and chatted while we waited....and waited...and noticed that the table who was sat 10-15 minutes after us received their entrees.  We weren't terribly bothered by this, but we did notice it.  Our waitress did stop by a bit later and apologized for the food taking longer than normal, which was nice to acknowledge.  Finally, our food arrived.

The chicken tortellini is sauteed with garlic, basil, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes and served in a Parmesan cream sauce.  This overall was just okay.  I thought there was way too much cream sauce making it a little too rich for me.  Other than that, I really liked the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken was pretty good too.  This was a big portion and had about half to take home.  I think this was a decent dish, but just too much cream/cheese, in my opinion.

Ross' dish was not good.  I really can't even try to make it sound good.  I thought it was terrible.  The cannelloni tasted rubbery to me.  It was stuffed with beef and Italian sausage, which really had no flavor.  Ross chose Alfredo sauce on top of it, and I didn't think that had any flavor either.  It really needed some salt and pepper at least.  This was a very bland dish.  I also thought for Italian food it was a small portion. Ross didn't mind though because he didn't like this either.

I was so disappointed in Pompilio's!  I really wanted to like this place.  I thought the interior and exterior is really unique and a lot of people seem to enjoy it.  It was busy, but not on a wait, and prices are pretty fair.  My friend who recommended it said that she has only had the red sauce and really likes that, so if I ever do go back, I guess I will have to try that.  The food and service was just mediocre in my opinion. I don't need a server who is overly friendly or anything like that, but ours was really just down-to-business.  Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear other thoughts on this place.
~Kate

Food: 2
Service:2
Overall Experience: 2.5

ANDY'S SPINACH SALAD

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ANDY'S SPINACH SALAD
A nice spinach salad recipe to try !

Spinach Salad Recipe INGREDIENTS

• 2 pkg. spinach
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 pkg. Pepperidge Farm herb dressing

DRESSING:

• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. vinegar
• 1 c. salad oil
• 1 sm. chopped onion
• 1 tbsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• Salt & pepper to taste

Spinach Salad Recipe INSTRUCTIONS:
Wash, drain and cut up spinach and mix with bacon, eggs and Pepperidge Farm dressing. Prepare the dressing in a blender by combining the sugar, vinegar, oil, onion, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper. Put in an airtight jar and chill in refrigerator. Mix salad dressing with spinach salad ingredients just before serving. The spinach salad recipe is ready to serve...enjoy !

SPINACH 'N' SPROUT SALAD

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Try this amazing spinach salad recipe...the SPINACH 'N' SPROUT SALAD ....nice one !
Spinach Salad Recipe INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb. fresh spinach, torn
• 1 c. canned bean sprouts
• 1/2 c. sliced water chestnuts
• 1 med. red onion, in rings

DRESSING:

• 1/2 c. salad oil
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp. each: grated onion, toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Spinach Salad Recipe INSTRUCTIONS
Wash and trim spinach. Dry. Chill. Soak sprouts in ice water in refrigerator for several hours. Arrange spinach in salad bowl; top with well-drained sprouts, then with water chestnuts. Blend ingredients for dressing thoroughly. Pour over salad. Toss gently. The spinach salad recipe is ready to serve...enjoy it !

spinach-salad-with-apple-vinaigrette.l

My Favorite Gluten-Free Winter Recipes

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Warm up Winter with cozy gluten-free recipes.

Celebrate Winter 2013
Cozy up and find sustenance with my updated collection of winter recipes, from classic comfort food like gluten-free mac and cheese, to nourishing slow-cooked stews and hearty healing soups that warm you body and soul. From cider roasted vegetables and turkey enchiladas to holiday goodies like Flourless Chocolate Cake, you'll find plenty of winter favorites to keep you well fed.

Lovely, easy roasted red pepper hummus

appetizers + bites
Hazelnut Crackers
Hot Artichoke Dip Hummus Tahini with Spiced Olive OilParmesan Crisps and Roasted Tomato SalsaPecan CrackersPotato Chips - Gold + Sweet PotatoesNachos Fabuloso
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Savory Vegetable Pancakes Sweet Potato Latkes Warm Winter Salad with Squash and PotatoesWinter Pesto

Butternut Pecan Scones

breakfast + brunch
Applesauce Crumb Cake with Cinnamon
Big Banana Muffins
Butternut Pecan Scones Breakfast Brownies

Chocolate Gingerbread Eggs Diablo on Soft Polenta
English Muffins 

Fritatta with Brown Rice Penne
Gluten-Free Donuts Gold Potato Frittata
Hot Buckwheat Cereal and Maple-Cinnamon ApplesMediterranean Pasta Frittata with Goat Cheese

Pancakes- the best GF recipe Pear Polenta Muffins
Pumpkin BreadPumpkin Corn Muffins
Pumpkin Donuts
Pumpkin Pancakes Pumpkin Pie Bread
Pumpkin Scones with Maple Icing Pumpkin Waffles
Quinoa Breakfast CakeQuinoa Muffins with Pecans and Dark Chocolate Roasted Vegetable Cheddar Quiche
Roasted Vegetable Noodle KugelSour Cream Blueberry MuffinsSweet Potato Coffee CakeSweet Potato CornbreadSweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Butternut + Bean Chili

soup, stew + chili
African Bean and Sweet Potato SoupBuffalo Sausage Stew
Butternut + Bean ChiliCelery Soup with Fennel with Ryeless Rye CroutonsChicken Soup for Body and Soul Cranberry Buffalo Roast Stew
Cream of Broccoli Soup with Coconut Milk
Curried Butternut Soup aka Sunshine Butternut SoupIrish Potato and Cabbage Soup- with sausageKarina's Beef StewNew Mexican Stew with Ground Turkey and Green Chiles

Mulligatawny Detox Soup Roasted Vegetable Chowder
Santa Fe Pumpkin ChowderSweet Potato Soup with GingerTurkey SoupTwo Artists ChiliWhite Bean Chicken Chili

Asian style turkey meatballs with brown rice noodles.

main dish + comfort food
An Easy Savory Winter Vegetable Ragout with Shaved ParmesanBaked Chicken Chili Rice CasseroleBaked Mac and Cheese - Dairy-FreeBalsamic Roasted Pepper ChickenBeef and Potatoes au Chocolat
Beef in Pomegranate SauceCreamy Sauced Pasta with ArtichokesCrunchy Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs for Topping CasserolesEasy Melted Peppers and Dags (yes, dags)Garlicky Shrimp and Spinach Bake with Mozzarella

Good Karma Meatloaf Pie
Holiday Turkey Enchiladas
Irish Cottage Pie
Jazzed Up Turkey Tetrazzini
Kicked Up Baked Mac and Cheese
Maple-Apricot Glazed Meatloaf

Pasta Frittata with Kale
Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry
Penne ArrabiataPork Roast in Apricot Mushroom Sauce
Quinoa Stuffed Cabbage with Roasted Sweet Potato
Roasted Acorn Squash Risotto

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Savory Vegetable Kugel
Smoked Salmon and Spinach Goat Cheese Strata
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Spaghetti with White Vegetables and Pine Nuts
Stir-Fry Veggie Bliss
Turkey + Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Turkey Meatballs with Asian Noodles 
Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pecan Crust
Turkey Nachos
Vegetarian Putanesca


side dish
Acorn Squash with Attitude (Green Chiles)
Balsamic Roasted Veggie Smothered Baked Potato
Cheesy Uncheese Sauce
Dijon Roasted Vegetables
Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad- Serve Warm

Karina's Gluten-Free Latkes and Cinnamon Applesauce
Karina's Kicked Up Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage)
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash + Cornbread Stuffing with Curried Apples and Cranberries

Pinon Rice Bake with Feta
Pomegranate Glazed Green Beans and Portobellos
Pumpkin Polenta

Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf
Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in Maple Vinaigrette

Rice Pilaf and Variations
Roasted Blue, Red and Gold Potato Wedges
Spanish Brown Rice Bake with Onion, Green Chiles and Tomato
Skillet Cornbread with Green Chiles

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Always a favorite- gluten-free banana nut bread.

bread, scones and muffins
Banana Blueberry Muffin Cake
Banana Nut Bread
Butternut Pecan Scones
Chocolate Muffins 

Easy Buttermilk Flatbread
English Muffins
Favorite Gluten-Free Bread
First Loaf in My Gluten-Free Bread Machine

Gluten-Free "Rye" Bread
Gluten-Free Multigrain Sandwich Bread
Make Mine a Gluten-Free Cheese Sandwich


Old Fashioned Gluten-Free Baked Donuts
Orange Scented Soda Bread

Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts
Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping
Pueblo Bread- with green chiles

Pumpkin Chai Bread with Cranberries
Pumpkin Pie Bread
Pumpkin Scones with Maple Nutmeg Icing


Skillet Cornbread with Green Chiles
Sweet Potato Biscuits
Sweet Potato Cornbread

Whole Grain Olive Bread

Coconut flour apple cake.

winter sweets
Almost Sausalito Cookie Bars
Apple Crisp (with quinoa flakes)
Applesauce Crumb Cake with Cinnamon

Banana Almond Bundt Cake
Blondie Style Quinoa Bars with Dark Chocolate Chips
Brown Sugar Buckwheat Thumbprint Cookies 
Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chunks
Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing 

Chocolate Gingerbread 
Chocolate Layer Cake
Chocolate Quinoa Brownies
Chocolate Sorbet
Chocolate Truffle Cake

Coconut Flour Apple Cake
Coconut Frosted Banana Cupcakes
Coconut Layer Cake
Coffee Biscuits with Chocolate Chips
Cranberry Peach Crumble

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Frosted Banana Spice Cake
Frosted Carrot Quinoa Bars

Gingersnaps and Star Cookies
Lemon-Iced Ginger Thins

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies
Pie Crust Recipes

Pumpkin Bars- new recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake 
Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Pumpkin Pie with Praline and Pecan-Coconut Crust
Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies

Raspberry Coconut-Almond Bars


Snowy Lemon Cookies
Sweet Potato Pie
Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

Cooking Gluten-Free By the Seasons

Winter Holiday Menu

10 Vegetarian Christmas Recipes

Slow Cooker + Crock Pot Recipes

My Favorite Autumn Recipes

 My Favorite Summer Recipes

My Favorite Spring Recipes