I’ll admit I get quite antsy by the time March rolls around, eyeing summer dresses and open-toed shoes with a growing wistfulness. When it comes to spring foods, spring isn’t just another stepping stone to the boon of summer, it’s really a gem all its own.

It’s time to break out of our winter hibernation and start welcoming brighter, fresher foods into our cooking. It’s also a time to start thinking ahead to big family meals. Whether you’re hosting a casual brunch or attending a family dinner, you’ll find a selection of breakfast and dessert recipes in this issue that will appeal to anyone in the family, from age 9 to 90! 

I invite you to bask in the culinary delights of late spring! Below are a few recipes from our March/April 2019 issue. Here’s what’s on the menu.

7 Lovely Lemon Recipes

Lemon brings such a brightness to the kitchen. Along with the bold color a slice of lemon can add to a dish, the unmistakable tangy flavor makes you feel good all over.

• Lemon Chicken Soup: It’s rare to find a meal that’s both comforting and light. This dish finds that happy medium with wholesome veggies mixed into a heartwarming chicken soup.
• Simple Lemon Salmon with Side Salad: Salmon is one of the healthiest proteins you can have at a meal. Not only is it chock full of vitamins and minerals, but consistent consumption has been proven to help with weight control, inflammation, and more. We’ve paired this with a simple salad and homemade vinaigrette for a lunch or dinner recipe you can feel good about.
• Springtime Poppy Seed Lemon Cake: Spring is in the air, and there’s no better way to brush away that winter gloominess than with a sweet lemon dessert! The glaze adds an extra dose of sweetness to each slice without bogging the cake down with a mountain of frosting.

Take-Out Fake-Out

Ever wish you could enjoy your favorite take-out meals, but you just don’t want to spend the money? Or the wait is too long? Now you can make five of your favorites in your own kitchen!

• DIY Chicken Egg Rolls: Egg rolls are one of those dishes that you never even think of making for yourself. You’ve always just seen them in their finished state and never wonder about the process it takes to get there. It’s not as intimidating as you think! And the best part about making them yourself is that you can choose exactly which ingredients to use!
• Shortcut Chicken Fried Rice: Fried rice is a staple of take-out establishments and always a top option on the menu. If you’re worried about the time it’d take to prepare all of this at home, we’ve come up with a few simple shortcuts, such as using frozen veggies.

Breakfasts

• Berry-Oat Breakfast Bake: Does anything brighten up a morning more than a variety of berries? This dish adds a burst of color and plenty of healthy nutrients to breakfast, so you’re ready to conquer the day!
• Overnight French Toast Bake: There’s nothing better than sitting down to a made-from-scratch breakfast, but do you really want to get up extra early to cook? Now you don’t have to. With this breakfast recipe, you do all the perp work the night before and let the flavors soak in. Then just pop it in the oven in the morning.
• Southern Biscuits ‘n’ Gravy Casserole: This diner classic is easy and simple to make in your own kitchen. You can take a shortcut and use canned biscuits, or if you’d rather make biscuits from scratch, feel free! Serve this piping hot out of the oven on a chilly spring day to really hit the spot.

Steal the Show with Easter Desserts

• 5-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons: Who doesn’t love a dessert that only needs five ingredients? These adorable hand-held cookie bites are ideal to leave out as a sort of appetizer dessert, ready for anyone to pick up and nibble on throughout the Easter festivities.
• Caramel Carrot Poke Cake: Carrot cake is a staple in anyone’s Easter dessert menu, but have you ever tried carrot cake with a twist? This carrot cake recipe doubles as a poke cake, which means that the inside is extra moist and gooey.
• Old-Fashioned Hummingbird Cake: Hummingbird cake is a much-loved Southern dessert that earns its reputation. The secret to making this cake so memorable is the combination of spices mixed with some unusual cake ingredients, such as mashed bananas and pineapple. It gives this cake a slightly tropical feel, reminiscent of its Jamaican roots.

I hope you enjoy the latest issue of RecipeLion Magazine as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. We’re so happy to be here cooking with you and we’re looking forward to many more recipes, dishes, and meals to share. 

Happy cooking—and happy eating!

Kim Mateus

Editor & Publisher

P.S. Please enjoy this issue of RecipeLion Magazine, and let me know what you think about it by commenting below with your feedback! Your input is valuable to us and can help us make improvements.