Celebrate Spring with These Delicious Recipes from Our Staff!

If you know the Milnor team at all, you know we love eating good food and sharing it with our friends and family. So today we are sharing a few of our favorite springtime recipes!

Spring and strawberries go together like peas and carrots, which is why we have three recipes featuring this delicious fruit. First up is Jessica’s s trawberry spinach feta salad.

• 10 cups spinach
• 1½ cup sliced strawberries
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ½ cup toasted nuts, roughly chopped (pecans, slivered almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts work well)

• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp minced garlic(or ¼ tsp. garlic powder)
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Instructions

Combine salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.

 

Next is Allie’s fresh strawberry goat cheese crostini:

Fresh Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients

• Crusty baguette
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 oz Goat cheese, softened
• ½ c sliced strawberries
• Fresh basil
• Balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice baguette and place slices on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden, flipping slices halfway through.
4. Spread goat cheese on each slice and top with sliced strawberries, fresh basil, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

 

And last but definitely not least, Darbi’s strawberry pretzel salad:

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients

• 2 c pretzels crushed
• ¾ c melted butter
• 1 8-oz package cream cheese
• 1 8-oz package frozen whipped topping
• ¾ c sugar
• 1 ½ c boiling water
• 2 3-oz packages strawberry Jell-O
• 2 10-oz package frozen strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish and bake until set, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. Mix together cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, and whipped topping in a large bowl until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust, making sure to spread completely to the edges.
4. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water and mix in frozen strawberries. Allow to set until slightly thickened, then pour over the cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm and serve.

 

These deviled eggs from Katie would make an amazing appetizer or side:

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces smoked salmon, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped ( plus 18 tiny sprigs for garnish and a handful of sprigs for the platter)
• 9 large hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons capers,roughly chopped (plus 18 left whole for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• zest of 1 small lemon

Instructions

1. Cut each of the salmon slices into 18 thin strips, about 1/2 to 1-inch wide. Roll each strip as tightly as possible to make a rose, and place them on a plate. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator.
2. On a clean dry surface, carefully slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Very gently remove the yolks from each egg half and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Spread out the “handful” of fresh dill sprigs on a large serving platter and then arrange the egg white halves on top. (The dill will keep them from wobbling.)
4. Use a fork to mash the yolks, and then add the sour cream. Mash until you don’t see any lumps from the yolks. Then add 2 tablespoons of the onion, tomato, chopped capers, 1 tablespoon of dill, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt pepper and cayenne. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
5. Add the yolk mixture to a large zip-lock bag and then cut about 1/4-inch off one of the bottom corners, to turn it into a pastry bag. Gently squeeze the mixture evenly among each of the 18 egg white halves. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of onion on top of each one.
6. Remove the salmon “roses” from the refrigerator and carefully place one on top of each deviled egg, using a bit of pressure so that it’s partially inserted into the yolk mixture. Add 1 caper and 1 tiny dill sprig to the center of each salmon rose, and then sprinkle them with the lemon zest.
7. Serve!

 

Dr. Milnor says this mango-cucumber salad goes great with fish:

Mango-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lime
• 2 Persian cucumbers
• 2 mangos
• Chile flakes to taste
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
• 3-4 scallions

Instructions

1. Juice the lime.
2. Peel cucumbers if desired, cut cucumbers in half lengthwise, then on the diagonal into ¼ inch thick slices.
3. Trim the ends of the mangos, cut away the peel, then cut the flesh away from the pit into halves. Thinly slice the halves crosswise.
4. Trim root ends from scallions, slice on the diagonal.
5. In a medium bowl stir together sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and as many chile flakes as you desire. Add the cucumber, mango, and scallions. Toss to coat and season to taste. with salt and pepper.

 

Now onto the main course! Allie recommends Hawaiian Kielbasa Kabobs:

Hawaiian Kielbasa Kabobs

Ingredients

• Hillshire Farm® Rope Smoked Sausage Beef Polska Kielbasa, sliced into rounds
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 or 2-inch pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 or 2-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 or 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into 1 or 2-inch pieces
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• 3 tablespoons pineapple juice

Instructions

1. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Thread kielbasa alternately with peppers, pineapple, and onions onto wooden skewers.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce and pineapple juice. Brush sauce evenly onto the kabobs, reserving at least half of the sauce for basting.
4. Grill kabobs for 8 to 10 minutes (or until sausage is browned and vegetables are crisp-tender), turning and brushing occasionally with remaining sauce.

Note: If you don’t have a grill available, you can also sear the kabobs on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

 

Here’s one for the seafood lovers from Darbi:

Grilled BBQ Shrimp with Citrus Corn Salad

Ingredients for Shrimp

• 10 large or jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, or more if desired

Ingredients for Citrus Corn Salad

• 16 oz frozen corn
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ¼ c diced red onion
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions for Shrimp

1. In plastic container or bag, add shrimp, cilantro, lime juice, black pepper and sea salt, place in refrigerator and allow to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes (overnight will give the best flavor).
2. Set grill to medium heat.
3. Place marinated shrimp on sheet of heavy duty foil, pour BBQ sauce over shrimp, fold foil up and fold over twice, fold each end. Leave enough room for air to circulate in packet.
4. Place packet on grill and cook 6 to 8 minutes.

Instructions for Corn Salad

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add corn and granulated sugar, allow to cook 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add ice and water to large bowl and pour corn into bowl, drain in colander when corn is cool.
3. Pour corn back into the bowl and add the cilantro, celery, red pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. Mix together.

We hope you enjoy these tastes of spring. If you have a favorite spring recipe you’d like to share, please do so on our Facebook page!