Sunset April 2015 Recipe Collection

Light, lively green garlic and a little cream make this a perfect winter-into-spring pasta dish. The thin noodles soak up the sauce fast, so serve it immediately.

This showstopping breakfast "pancake" will amply reward you for making the trip to Laurette Feit's cafe. Or make it at home. Either way, you'll be amazed at the treat's puff.

Meltingly tender, these mustard greens get a little snap from a drizzle of cider vinegar and a good quantity of spring onions. These onions resemble green onions, but the greens are thicker and the bulbs much larger; also, they have fairly sharp, bracing flavor that mellows when cooked. If you can't find them, use a triple amount of green onions (scallions) instead--it's equally good. The recipe comes from Tanya Holland, chef-owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side Baking Co. in Oakland.

To save time, look for precooked eggs, such as Eggland's Best, in the dairy section of the supermarket.

Rye-bread croutons and nutty gruyère work well together for this dinner-worthy omelet, but you can use any combo of bread, cheese, and herbs you like.

Oakland chef Tanya Holland puts a Southern spin on this classic Passover cake. It will rise as it bakes, and then sink rather dramatically in the center. Don't worry about this--just trim the top with a large serrated knife and save the pieces for snacks.

A sandwich for dinner makes perfect sense when it's as elegant as this one, with hot-off-the-grill swordfish and the tang of preserved lemon and olives. If you can't find the tapenade ingredients, blend store-bought mayo with minced garlic, lemon zest, and chile flakes for a tasty substitute.

An inextricable part of the Seder, haroseth represents the mortar that the Jews were forced to work with as slaves in ancient Egypt. Recipes vary widely, depending on region; this one leans toward the Mediterranean, with its dates and warm spices. It was given to us by Tanya Holland, chef-owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side Baking Co. in Oakland.

Buy smaller shanks if you can find them (3 lbs. or so each)--when crosscut, they make an ideal single serving size. Larger shanks will be just as delicious, though. This recipe works very well with beef shortribs too. The recipe comes from Tanya Holland, chef-owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side Baking Co. in Oakland. For another Seder-worthy main course from Holland, see her B-Side Brown Sugar Smoked Brisket recipe on sunset.com.

Frozen peas make this pasta especially fast, but shelled fresh peas are wonderful too; cook in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes before making the filling.

Oakland chef Tanya Holland typically puts cream and butter in her smoked sweet potatoes (often called yams), but to make them kosher for her Passover Seder, she uses coconut butter instead.

Light, fluffy matzo balls, afloat in a rich chicken stock, give this classic soup a spicy kick. Tanya Holland, chef-owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side Baking Co. in Oakland, served it as a first course for a Passover Seder.

With or without the vodka, this sweet-tart drink deserves a spot at brunch.

We could make a meal of this deliciously unexpected combination, but it's excellent alongside a grilled steak too. Sautéing the quinoa in oil before simmering helps it come out fluffy every time.

Streaks of berries throughout and more spooned on top make this classic Italian ice cream dessert a great finish to a spring dinner. For the most velvety texture, serve it half-frozen, just as the name suggests (semifreddo means half-cold).

"My family loves salads for weeknight dinners," says reader Marilyn Ritchie. Inspired by a recipe for warm mushroom dressing, Ritchie added chicken, goat cheese, and extra balsamic vinegar to come up with this luxurious main dish. When she wants to splurge, she uses shiitakes.