Grandma's Lemon Wedges

You can never have too many lemon bar recipes, but this one is the only one that you need. This was my Grandma's recipe, and the stains on the recipe card are a testament to how often it's been made. Most lemon bars are made too sweet to cut the tartness of the lemon, but the addition of the glaze in this recipe balances out the sweet and tart lemon flavor perfectly. Sometimes I add poppy seeds to the shortbread crust or sprinkle sumac on top just for fun. These can be made in a square pan and cut into bars, but look pretty cut in wedges too. Make these and I'm sure that they will disappear as quickly as they always did in our home.

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Butterfly Horchata

Aguas frescas vendors line parks in Mexico with their rainbow of brightly colored beverages. Of them all, horchata is my favorite. A creamy rice and almond blended brew with wisps of mild and exotic flavor from True Cinnamon. Refreshing and sweet, horchata cuts the heat from popular Mexican street food and makes a perfect pitcher for any backyard BBQ. This season, we've given it a festive color boost with ice cubes made with Butterfly Pea Flowers. Start a day ahead to make the ice and soak the ingredients for the horchata. The next day blend, strain, and pour! As the ice cubes melt they'll turn your horchata a lovely lavender color.True Cinnamon might be thought of as more powerful or better than Cassia Cinnamon, which isn't the case. Of the two, cassia actually has stronger and spicier flavors whereas true cinnamon is more mild and less heat-forward. True cinnamon's soft bark makes it quick and easy to grind at home but also makes it more evanescent. Having fresh sticks and only grinding when needed makes all the difference!

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Sticky Tamarind Salmon

Here's a stunning, fresh new recipe for your next side of salmon. The sticky tamarind glaze is layered with flavor - toasted cumin for nuttiness and Limón-Chile for a touch of heat. This glaze comes together quickly and gets brushed on the salmon both before and after cooking. The fish is started on the stovetop and finished in the oven to create the perfect texture. Spoon a generous measure of glaze over the top to finish the salmon with cilantro and orange zest. Accompany this salmon with rice or turn it into a sweet and sour fish taco. There's a fusion of flavors on this platter that will become a favorite.

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Asparagus Mimosa

The complement of texture and flavors that come together in this simple dish are a celebration of spring. Tender asparagus is kissed with Provencal Seasoned Salt and a little char from the grill. Watercress is nested in and the salad is topped with finely grated hard boiled eggs. The fine, fluffy eggs are said to resemble mimosa flowers for which the salad is named.To keep it simple and bright, our vinaigrette combines Lemon Herb Pepper, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. This dish is light, simple, and familiar. Easy to make ahead and serve cold. You can also add bacon, capers, radishes or other garnishes.

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Raspberry Pearl Sherbet and Cava Float

Jasmine Pearl tea is hand-picked and rolled green tea leaves. After harvest, the tea is laid out and covered with jasmine blossoms before being rolled. The resulting brew releases the light, heady scent of jasmine into your cup. Here we have combined the tea with tart raspberries and honey to compliment the floral aspects in Jasmine Pearl and created an elegant sherbet. With just a splash of vodka to preserve the flavor and consistency and after a quick spin in the ice-cream machine, voila! The flavors are sensational. While incredible on its own, this sherbet shines when added to a flute of brut cava or champagne. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries and you have the perfect drink to kick off patio season.

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Pancakes in the Wild

These pancakes are so good you'll want to enjoy them for more than just breakfast. In our family they began showing up at lunch, and for potlucks and then camping trips so they became "pancakes in the wild". Created by one of the the best Moms we know - here is their story:"Imagine a little boy who never stops moving. Even when standing still he is bouncing. He's a little engine that needs constant fuel and yet is mysteriously never hungry, won’t sit down to eat, and will then melt down from low or spiking blood sugar. Add a couple of diagnoses to that mix and you have my son, age 8.""He loves pancakes, and who doesn’t? One very smart doctor, who was also a mom, advised me to try to hide more nutritious foods inside the foods he likes. Oh, and did I mention he only will eat one food item at a time? Hot dogs, and nothing else, for days. Tortellini, and nothing else, for days.""So pancakes. I started with a regular pancake and little by little, so invisibly he didn’t notice, I morphed that pancake into a tasty bundle of protein and slow burning energy for him. Inflammation inhibits executive function. With this in mind, I started with the Gluten-Free mix to try to reduce any inflammation in the body that wheat might be causing. Next, I doubled the number of eggs. Eggs are brain food and protein! Then I used whole milk for calories, calcium, and more protein — a perfect slow burning fuel. Instead of butter, I opted for coconut oil, another brain food, and most importantly the almond flour. Nuts are rich with good oils and protein. They help hold down those blood sugar spikes that result in crashes.""As a result, I ended up creating a beloved family recipe. My son has been triumphantly devouring these pancakes for the past ten years! I tried more and more almond flour but there comes a point when they become too nutty tasting for him. Try working out your own favorite proportions. You can also thin the batter for a more crepe-like result and spread it with nut butter, apple butter or, best of all, Nutella (my daughter’s favorite)."A few pro tips:- For busy (or lazy LOL) parents, you can mix a big batch and keep in the fridge for several days. Just add a little more liquid each time so the batter softens up and you're good to go!- When you make a batch, make a few extra to have on hand as grab and go snacks for hiking or packing lunchboxes.- And for the campers and picnic-ers, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a lid and the wet ingredients in a mason jar and you’re set to go. Put the coconut oil in a tiny mason jar and you can use it to hold any bacon grease (if you go full classic American breakfast).

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Tostada Salads with Limón-Chile

Here's a great way to eat healthy and enjoy every bite, colorful tostada salad toppers turbocharged with Limón-Chile! Tostadas are a fried corn tortilla kept flat for easy loading of ingredients and we made two different salads to top this crunchy treat. Our first one was a shrimp salad, tossed in a creamy avocado and tomatillo dressing. To make the flavors sing, we garnished generously with Limón-Chile seasoning to add warm heat and tart 'pops' of flavor. For the second tostada, we kept it vegan with roasted Delicata squash. The cooked squash adds sweetness that contrasts with all of the textures in the raw vegetable medley. We lightly tossed the salad in olive oil and added our Limón-Chile, giving it a nice tang from the lime salt and sunny Marash chiles.Create your own tostada bar at your next neighborhood cookout! The sky's the limit with these crunchy canvases.

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Parilla Piñarita

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Citrus and pineapple combine to quench your thirst in this classic cocktail. Charred pineapple adds extra flavor by fire with a smoky garnish. As if all that wasn't enough, we rimmed the glass with our Limón-Chile seasoning. Inspired by the classic Tajin spice, this irresistible seasoning adds a powerful spark of lime and chili to each sip. Make the Parilla Piñarita your summer grilling go-to, it's easy to shake one up when you fire the grill.

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Noon Chai

Tackling new culinary challenges is one of my great joys, and I'm always on the lookout for new techniques to try. As it happens, I also love all things floral and pink so when I came across this Noon Chai, it went to the top of my list. Traditionally made for brides on their wedding day or for special occasions, the drink gets its beautiful color from aerating the green tea and adding a pinch of baking soda. The two react, creating a deep rouge color. Never did I realize that a cup of tea would require such a technique! After several failed attempts on mastering this delicacy, luck would have it that a wonderful customer at the spice shop gave me some important tips!The result was unlike any cup of tea I've ever had. The tea is creamy, floral and scented with Green Cardamom Pod, Star Anise and Roses — with just a little Himalayan Pink Salt. We garnished the tea with pistachios, rose petals and a star anise, making it a tasty afternoon treat. The marriage between sweet and salty is just perfect.A special thanks to Hassaan Arshad, for sharing his Mom's technique and giving me the tools to master this treat!

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