A super springy menu

For spring dinner parties, Easter lunch, and beyond

Hi, friends. Spring is officially here and I think that’s a fabulous excuse to have a little dinner party. Invite your friends or family over, cook something delicious, open that bottle of wine, use the good plates and glasses and silverware. Graciously accept compliment after compliment about your cooking skills and hosting prowess. Ya know, the usual.

And while I can’t come over and bring a bottle of wine with me, I can help with the planning what to cook part. Which is why I thought it was apropos to make this week’s newsletter not just about one recipe, but four. A fresh, super springy menu that’s perfect for entertaining, Easter, or just to celebrate the fact that the sun is setting a little later everyday, the birds are chirping, and my personal favorite season is in the air.

Tell me more

We’ve got an appetizer, a main served over a grain, a salad, and a dessert. Each one is chock full of springy produce, fresh herbs, tons of texture, and show-stopping flavor.

But great news: No element is overly complicated and, in fact, most of it can be prepped ahead of time. That way when your guests arrive, you can spend more time mixing and mingling and less time in the kitchen. Because I personally like to spend my dinner parties partying with a side of cooking, and not the other way around. Head to the “Order of Events” section before the recipes!

TL;DR: How we’re elevating the everyday

Impressing our guests and ourselves with a vibrant, elevated menu that puts spring’s best produce on display and feels very fancy — but isn’t too complicated to make.

Before we start

• For the appetizer, we’re making a loaded hummus topped with a trio of roasted veggies and pesto. I’m including recipes for both my go-to hummus and lemony mint and pistachio pesto, but you can definitely use store-bought for both to make it even easier.

• Our main course is za’atar marinated lamb chops over a spring veggie-loaded farro with lots of herbs and feta. If you’re not a fan of lamb, I’ve given plenty of substitutions in the “Customize It” section in the recipe.

• On the side, we’re going with a wedge. But this is not your typical wedge salad. Instead, it’s topped with my green goddess tahini Caesar dressing, which is so vibrant and gorgeous, and so good you’ll want to put it on everything.

• Lastly, there are lavender blueberry rice krispies treats for dessert, because I can never resist the opportunity to make a fun new version of this nostalgic treat.

• This menu is meant to serve four people.

• Everything here tastes seriously amazing with sparkling wine or Champagne, but I also think an elderflower spritz or limoncello spirtz would be so, so nice! As always though, pair your meal with what you will enjoy the most.

Order of events