Weather Alert: March Heat Wave Grips Minnesota

It's been in the 60's. THE 60'S! After twenty degrees below normal all winter, we are now twenty degrees above. I'll take it. The grill was lit when we hit 40. I almost feel like I live back in New York - where the crocuses and daffodils are up, the forsythia is budding and tulips have nudged themselves above ground.

There will be no budding for awhile but spring eating will shake me out of of my windchill mentality. And just because Giuliano Hazan's book How to Cook Italian was still sitting on my cabinet from my "salmon-daze," I leafed through it. And voila! Marinated lemon chicken - on the grill!

GRILLED MARINATED CHICKEN WITH LEMON: Serves 4
POLLO MARINATO AI FERI
1 chicken - about 3-1/2 pounds (I used boneless chicken breasts - 4)
salt freshly ground black pepper
3 medium cloves of garlic
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary (mmmmm)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the chicken into pieces or use what you have. I am an adapter - of both plays and recipes. Mix smashed garlic (I minced it, it doesn't need to be - I just like it when little pieces stick to the chicken when grilling), rosemary, lemon juice and olive oil. Put chicken pieces in a baking dish that snugly holds them (very sweet). Pour lemon mixture over. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-12 hours.

Light your grill.

Place chicken on grill and let them brown well and turn them over. You can brush some of the marinade on them. Cook until juices run clear when pierced. Serve. Rosemary and lemon. It sings.

In retrospect, I could have decorated the platter. But we were hungry.

I roasted some asparagus in a 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes. First, I drizzled them with sun-dried tomato oil and put a wee bit of salt and pepper on them. When done, I chopped up a few of those sun-dried tomatoes and threw it on the asparagus.

Finally, I threw together a Greek Salad.

We are no longer "thinking spring." We are eating it.