It's been unbelievably sunny and warm in Seattle, and last week we were invited over to a friend's for a backyard barbecue. These friends were house-sitting for a couple that owned a fancy grill and we made great burgers, grilled asparagus and a simple salad. It was almost enough to make us want to buy our own barbecue this summer — but not quite.

I grew up in a household of musical-lovers. My sisters and mother and I spent hours snuggled up under blankets on the couch, watching Singing in the Rain and Brigadoon and other classics. One of our favorites was a 1935 piece of sparkling fluff called Naughty Marietta, with Jeanette MacDonald as a French princess who flees an loathsome marriage — all the way to the New World, where she meets the handsome Nelson Eddy, a militia captain who of course falls for her bubble-headed charm. 

Where is this going, and what does it have to do with roasted vegetables? There is a punchline in Naughty Marietta we loved to quote, giggling, where the practical captain indignantly instructs the princess in disguise, who has no idea how to cook a meal: "You don't cook a radish, you eat it alive!" Sorry, dear Nelson — you could sing the moon out of the sky, but you didn't know too much about radishes. 

We have a great Middle Eastern grocery a few miles north of our house in Seattle, and given that my boyfriend Sam is Lebanese, we visit often to stock up on chickpeas, good feta and tahini — the latter being the one non-negotiable; we're always stocked with tahini. And this recipe was born, really, from a few leftover beets and a love of tahini. That's all you need.

It's not very often that I whip up a plated lamb dinner for friends. Good-quality lamb is a real splurge, but sometimes life's events call for nothing less than the best. This simple, showstopping menu does just that.

For me -- and for many Southerners, I presume -- Easter is the first real mark of spring. We dress our houses and tables (and even ourselves) to impress, pulling out all the stops from the freshest flowers to the fanciest flatware. We join together to celebrate a time of joy, renewal, and life. And then we eat! Here's a look back at my own Easter weekend celebration, with a recipe for a classic Southern ham, warm and glossy with a mustard glaze.

I picked up a bunch of asparagus and a spaghetti squash at the farmers' market over the weekend, which is an excellent reflection of the season right now: the very end of winter transitioning into the briefest hint of spring. What fun it would be to come up with a light supper dish that uses both of these ingredients! Inspired by Emily's Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage and Pine Nuts recipe, I roasted the squash and the asparagus and combined them with ricotta and pine nuts for richness. I used lemon and thyme to add brightness and acidity, resulting in a fresh, tasty dish that hints at spring's arrival while still anchored in a favorite winter staple. More

They'd been sitting on your counter for awhile: a lonely box of forgotten cherry tomatoes. Almost completely full, the container had been there for a bit too long and the tomatoes had a slightly shriveled, wilted look. They hadn't yet gone bad, but they weren't exactly good. What to do? Roasting to the rescue! More

You probably already know that roasting winter vegetables turns them soft, caramelized and irresistible. But what you might not know is that tossing them with a three-ingredient dressing of miso paste, lime juice and walnut oil gives them a savory, bright and beguiling flavor that will make people wonder why the roasted vegetables you make are so much better than the roasted vegetables they make.

The first time I made these roasted vegetable tacos, I had few expectations beyond using up odds and ends: some leftover tortillas, a handful of carrots and parsnips, a lone sweet potato, half a head of cabbage. Enlivened with a pinch of pantry spices and a squeeze of lime, however, the tacos turned out to be worthy of making again and again, with intention and pleasure. More

Sweet, creamy roasted garlic is a favorite for slathering on bread or adding to soup, pasta, and mashed potatoes (and that's just the beginning). Popping a whole head of garlic in the oven may be the most common method, but there are lots of ways to get your roasted garlic fix, whether you use the oven, stovetop, microwave, or grill. More