Seasonal Recipes

May is the sweet spot of the year — markets are brimming with the first bright strawberries, citrus is still at its peak, and the longer days are calling for meals that feel both fresh and satisfying. This month’s collection leans into all of that: a Lemony Salmon-Orzo Bake that brings together flaky fish and bright citrus in one easy pan, Hot Honey Cheddar Egg Cups for a bold-sweet brunch moment, an Easy Strawberry Spoon Cake that lets those peak-season berries shine, and a Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake that’s as light and golden as the month itself. Whether you’re cooking for a lazy weekend or a weeknight dinner, May has never tasted better.

Lemony Salmon-Orzo Bake

Total Time	Servings
45 Minutes	4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons fresh juice, plus wedges for serving
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh dill and parsley 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together mustard, pepper, salt, paprika, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Pat salmon dry using paper towels, and rub mustard mixture all over top and sides of salmon.
2. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add salmon, skin sides down; cook, undisturbed, until skin begins to crisp and release easily from skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip salmon; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes (salmon will not be fully cooked through). Transfer salmon to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to skillet. Add shallot; cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir orzo into skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until orzo is partially tender and broth is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. Stir in asparagus, heavy cream, and lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer over medium; remove from heat. Arrange seared salmon fillets, skin sides down, over orzo mixture.
6. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake in preheated oven until salmon is just cooked through and flakes easily using a fork, asparagus is tender-crisp, and orzo is tender and creamy, 9 to 10 minutes.
7. Sprinkle dill and parsley over top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.

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Hot Honey Cheddar Egg Cups

Time	Servings
55 Minutes	6

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking spray
• 20 ounces (about 4 cups) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup) 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 6 large eggs
• Hot honey and sliced fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third position. Generously coat a 6-cup jumbo muffin tray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Toss together hash browns, cheese, cornstarch, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl until evenly distributed. Place 3 tablespoons of the hash brown mixture in each well and firmly press into bottom. Divide remaining hash brown mixture evenly among wells and press firmly up the sides.
3. Bake the hash browns until golden brown around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove tray from oven, carefully crack eggs into each well, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Bake the egg cups until whites are set and yolks are runny, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool in tray for 5 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around edges to loosen. Carefully transfer egg cups to a platter, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garnish with hot honey and chives.

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Easy Strawberry Spoon Cake

Total Time	Servings
4 Hours 25 Minutes	8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups halved or quartered strawberries
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, melted/lightly browned
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk is OK too)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam

Directions

1.  Toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Let the fruit sit for 10 minutes to release some of its juices.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-12 inch baking dish.3. In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the egg, buttermilk (or milk), and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the egg, buttermilk (or milk), and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Spoon the macerated strawberries over the top, then go back and spoon out all the juices. Add small spoonfuls of jam; do not stir. Bake for 30-40 minutes until set around the edges and jammy in the center. Let the cake sit for 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the cake into bowls, getting all the strawberry juices. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Total Time	Servings
1 Hour 20 Minutes	8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium-large lemons*
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) Friendly Farms Original Oatmilk
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
• 1 3/4 cups (210g) Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (112g) Simply Nature Organic Cane Sugar
• 1/2 cup (112g) Simply Nature Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) or 8×4-inch (20×10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some paper overhang to use as handles.
2. Zest the lemons to get 1 tablespoon of zest. Set aside. You’ll use more zest to finish the cake (and if making the Strawberry Topping).
3. Juice the lemons to get ¼ cup (60 mL) of juice and combine with the oat milk; set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This is the vegan “buttermilk.”
4. Pour the aquafaba into a small bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, whip the aquafaba on medium speed for 45-60 seconds, tilting the bowl as needed to get the bottoms, until uniformly foamy.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to ensure the leaveners are well-combined.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and olive oil. Mix using the electric mixer until well combined. Add in the whipped aquafaba and mix again until incorporated. Add the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and vanilla, and mix again until combined.
7. Add half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until well- combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until almost smooth, then switch to a silicone spatula to finish combining. Important: do not overmix to prevent the cake from becoming dense. The finished batter should be light and airy.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with the spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center top (insert the toothpick at a slight angle) comes out clean and the top is lightly golden. I always check a few minutes before 35 minutes.
9. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Then use the parchment paper handles to lift the cake out of the pan and onto the wire rack and cool for another 10 to 15 minutes.
10. If you made the strawberry topping, spoon the strawberry compote over the cooled lemon cake and then top with the macerated strawberries. Finish with some extra lemon zest on top.

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