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I’m at the point where I am just going to will spring into fruition. I am becoming a bitter Minnesotan and am sick of these temps,  the snow and the wind. I just want to go out golfing, get a little bit tanned, and be able to wear shorts. Is that too much to ask?

Despite temps in the 30s most of the week, I am going to share spring recipes here like it’s a normal, mild cool day with the birds chirping and the sun shining. Maybe it will help turn our luck around.

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Pork chops are a perfect spring grilling meat. They aren’t super heavy like beef, don’t take a ton of time, and really the key to a great pork chop is just make sure you brine it during the day. I’ve highlighted brining here before, but the short of it is put your pork chops in a ziplock bag in the morning with ice cubes, cold water and a few tablespoons of kosher salt and leave the bag in the fridge all day. Rinse the pork chops before cooking and season as normal.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS
6 bone-in pork loin chops (about 1-inch thick)
1/2 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt, for seasoning
Ground black pepper, for seasoning
Fresh thyme, for garnish

Place the pork chops in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and thyme. Pour the marinade over the pork chops; cover and let them marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight, flipping halfway through your desired marinating time.

Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile, pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400  degrees. Oil the grill grates well. Remove the pork chops from the marinade; discard the remaining marinade.

Grill the pork chops uncovered until grill marks appear, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the chops and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove the pork chops from the grill and cover with foil; let rest 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh thyme, if you like.

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It doesn’t get much more fresh and springy than mint paired with a pasta in this one pot meal!

PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH PEAS & MINT
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for cooking the pasta
1 lb. fettuccine
8 oz. snap peas, trimmed and cut into thirds
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. heavy cream
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. fresh mint, chopped, plus more for topping
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente.

With about two minutes of cooking time left, add the snap peas and frozen peas to the pot and cook until bright green and crisp-tender. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and peas.

Return the pasta and peas to the pot and place over medium heat. Add the parmesan, heavy cream and 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the parmesan melts and the heavy cream starts to thicken, about two minutes. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if the pasta seems dry.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, mint, one teaspoon salt and the pepper; stir to combine. Serve in bowls and top with more mint.

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This might be a little early for an Easter recipe, but I love ham, and I love root beer. Barq’s Root Beer is always what my aunt had stocked in her fridge when she would host our family Easter. She unfortunately passed away last week, so I’m definitely going to be incorporating this recipe into my Easter plans to remind me of Aunt Lisa!

ROOT BEER 
GLAZED HAM
1 fully cooked bone-in half ham (10 to 12 pounds)
1 12-ounce can root beer
1 1/2 c. plum jelly
1/2 c. spicy brown mustard
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8 inch deep. Place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan, tent it with foil and bake for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat the root beer, jelly, mustard and vinegar in a small saucepan until bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about 30 minutes. (Be careful—the mixture can easily boil over.)

After two hours of baking time, remove the foil from the ham and brush with the root beer glaze. Continue baking, uncovered and brushing with more glaze every 20 minutes, until nice and glossy, about one more hour. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

TFD: Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring.

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