A Lighter Bowl

 Spring doesn't;t mean giving up the foods you liked in winter,Ir dies mean however, lighter versions. One such is soup, Those hearty stew like potages can be replaced by lighter ,fresher versions.It;s just changing up the ingredients to reflect the warm weather.

Can you still make a creamy soup during Spring? Absolutely yes! Think about using the veggie of the season -asparagus. It adds a sweet earthy flavor to the other ingredients and is a perfect lunch or a lovely first course to chicken or Cornish hen. The base is a low sodium chicken broth but for a fresher ,greener flavor try vegetable stock. You will need a lot of asparagus  - about two poubnds- cut into one inch pieces. There is heavy cream but you can make it vegan by adding any nut or oat milk. Garlic and butter round out the flavor. An easy one to make only needs an already cooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and Spring vegetables. This can include peas and carrots and if you can find them Spring squash sliced into coins or slices.Add Herbes de Provence to amp up the herbal green flavor>This can easily be made just by blending thyme, marjoram, oregano and tarragon. You could add a few leaves of dried lavender for a more floral notes. The base should be a chicken broth and a squirt f Leon juice can be added for more brightness.

MInestrone is a hearty winter bowl. It's a perfect dish with its' array of tomatoes, pasta and bean along with veggies. Sub in asparagus, artichoke and green peas for a fresher , straight from the garden taste. There are still onions and potatoes to  give it heftiness. Other Spring greens arte also added. These are dandelion greens (which you can forage from your front and back yards. - just wash them thoroughly before using) chard, kale spinach and arugula cut into thin ribbons. A quarter cup of pesto is also added and the base can be chicken or vegetable broth. Pecorino or Parmesan cheese is grated over each bowl for more flavor.Vegetable soup is always a year round treat. Imagine a lighter version perfect for a rainy April day. Again asparagus is the star of this soup. There are also carrots, leeks and Swiss chard along with snap or snow peas. Garlic is added for more flavor  along with yellow onion and Italian seasoning. Vegetable broth is the base and risoot or orzO can be added for more heft.A sprig of fresh dill can be added for more greenness and bright flavor.

Soup can be made all year round.Try any of these Spring soups for a taste of lightness and greenness.They're worth every spoonful.

Bowls Of Comfort

What's round and soothing, good tasting and good for you? A comfort bowl. It's the perfect lunch , dinner and even snack You can get creative or nostalgic, depending on what you have in the house.

The perfect comfort bowl should start with some kind of grain. Pasta is the preferred because it's so versatile but you can also use brown or white rice along with cubed bread.Some even use polenta, because like the others it's versatile and relatively easy to cook up. How much can fill up a bowl? That depends on what how big your bowl is. It's usually a cup of pasta for two cups of water and  one cup of rice  to once cup of water.  To make the dish. more flavorful , cook the pasta or rice in any kind of broth, beef, chicken or vegetable. Many home chefs keep it simple. They add just a knob of butter or margarine and some shredded cheese. This works perfectly but if you want to zing it up a bit think about a sprinkle of ground herbs. Basil works as does rosemary or oregano. A small dose of garlic salt also does something to elevate a bowl.Spices, too, can make any bowl a bit more special. Think curry or garam masala for an Indian vibe or chili powder and red pepper flakes for a Mexican feel. 

A more substantial bowl can have all sorts of ingredients. Also a comfort bowl can take leftovers. They're a good way of using up that rotisserie chicken or steak tips from the previous night. Leftover hamburgers can be quartered and added. Canned vegetables can be used for color, texture and more flavor. A mix of carrots and peas are good both with small pasta such as rotelli or penne along with string beans and broccoli. Peas work well with rice for a spin on risi bisi. This last is usually made with arborio rice but you can use long grain white instead. Bok choy, tofu and cabbage work with long pasta such as spaghetti or angel hair for a Chinese influenced comfort bowl. Douse with soy or tamari sauce. Another idea is a bowl of savory bread pudding. This can have all sorts of ingredients from sausage to chicken to bacon. Veggies can be a range of different mushrooms from shiitake to cremini as well as different colored ones. Chop up any stray pepper or tomato you have and add them in with some chopped onions and garlic.

There's nothing like a comforting bowl of something hot and delicious . They're easy to make and fun to eat. Try one if you want something simple but substantial.

The Grill Of Your Dreams

We"re on the verge of barbecue season.This is the time of year when stores sell a variety of grills.Don't be overwhelmed by the variety of different types.Choose one that fits your grilling needs and warnsBuying the right one is the key to a successful grilling season. Grills are like any other appliance.The fancier they are, the more stuff comes with them.There's also the question of what kind of fuel you want to use.if you want a no problem , easy grill then think electric.The problem is that you won't get smoky flavor when you cook on it.Sadly there's not a big variety to choose from.This may not be the one for you if you're an avid barbecuer.Many electric grills also don't have a lot of voltage so they're only good for grilling burgers and dogs .Most people love gas grills.These come in a gamut of types with a wide range of pricing too.A simple gas grill will cost only $200. These are good for cooking the simple stuff like steaks and kabobs, but nothing more elaborate.Also they will not last as long as their more expensive counterparts.The luxury models even have rotisseries and side burners.These are perfect for more advanced cooks or ones that like to do most of their summer cooking out of doors.The top of the line grills will be made from stainless steel and can cost upwards from a grand and beyond. If you are a traditionalist, then consider a new charcoal grill. These , too, range in pricing from what's known as a simple kettle to smokers.Everyone swears by the Weber model.It has multiple air vents along with room for indirect and direct smoking.A better one is the Kamado cooker which is excellent for smoking meats.It also will last a long time?There's also the Hasty Bake which can bake meats such as chicken and Cornish hens.People concerned about their health and the environment will probably choose the wood pellet kind(cooking over charcoal can cause the meat to become carcinogenic).A better choice is the wood pellet grill.These are grills that are fueled by a hardwood pill like piece of wood.They burn quickly and cleanly into a fine ash.These come in different "flavors" such as hickory,oak,cherry, apple or mesquite.They're fed from a storage hopper into a burning box at a controlled rate.Heating time is literally within minutes.The pricing is high ,even for the least expensive,$400 to 2 grand for the best one.Also the pellets can be pricey as well however pellet grill owners usually buy their fuel in bulk. As with any appliance, determine what is the best grill for you by your cooking needs and tastes.It should be a perfect match, resulting in your best barbecue season. Pick the right one, the one that suits your outdoor cooking needs.