The Weekend Cook continues with recipes and menus for this weekend; it really feels like spring! Even in the upper Midwest, where I live, the grass is green, buds are bursting, and it's nice and warm. Since I planted a lot of perennials last year, my garden is coming up nicely too. So celebrate the season with these easy recipes and menus.

I feel it's important to celebrate each change of season with a special menu or two.

There are specific signs I watch for each season: the first snowfall, the day when autumn leaves are brightest, and when I hear the peepers in the wetland near my home. I heard them last night! So now it's really spring.

Enjoy this weekend with these recipes and menus. Spend some time in your garden, fly a kite, go for a walk, and when you come home, these easy recipes will be ready and waiting.

Friday Night Company Dinner

• Sour Cream Pesto Dip
  Serve this excellent and super easy dip with some fresh crudités. Did you know that you can find prepared vegetables in the produce section of your supermarket?
• Red Snapper and Yellow Squash
  With just five ingredients and your microwave, this elegant dish is ready in minutes.
• Marinated Fruit Salad
  Make this salad Thursday night or Friday morning for best results, and choose the nicest fruits you can find in your market.
• Double Onion Muffins
  Since the microwave is making your entree, use your oven to whip up these delicious, light, and flavorful muffins.

• Lemon Truffle Pie
  This is one of my favorite pies in the world. Make it Thursday night for your party on Friday.

Saturday Breakfast

• Blueberry French Toast Bake
  On Friday night, have the whole family pitch in to make this wonderful french toast bake you simply pop into the oven on Saturday morning.
• orange juice, coffee, milk
• Grapefruit Avocado Salad
  I sometimes like to serve an unusual salad for breakfast - this simple four ingredient recipe really wakes up your taste buds.

Saturday Lunch

• Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches
  This excellent recipe is ready in minutes. Buy a rotisserie chicken or precooked chicken from the deli or cook chicken breasts overnight in your crockpot.
• strawberries and raspberries
• milk, fizzy water, green tea
• Florentines
  These special little cookies, made with dried fruit, are a great lunchbox filler too.

Saturday Dinner

• Blue Cheese Burgers
  Break out your grill and start the new season with these fabulous hamburgers. If it's nice enough, eat outside!
• potato chips
• Strawberry Asparagus Green Salad
  This beautiful salad is a perfect celebration of spring.
• Glazed Lemon Pound Cake
  This easy cake lasts for days because it's so moist. It's the perfect end to a spring meal.

Sunday Brunch

• Southwest Crockpot Breakfast
  Use your crockpot to make this spicy and delicious main dish recipe so it's ready when you wake up on Sunday morning.
• Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
  The melting smooth texture and sweet chocolate flavor of this coffee cake is the perfect complement to the spicy main dish.
• orange juice, coffee, tea

Sunday Dinner

• Pesto Chicken Packets
  End your weekend with this simple five ingredient grill recipe that's packed full of flavor.
• Herbed Spinach Salad
  The dressing for this delicious salad stores well for up to a week in your fridge. Use it during the week for simple salads and as a marinade for grilled meats.
• Basil Cheese Breadsticks
  This is my favorite way to treat bread when cooking on the grill. The super rich recipe is very indulgent - but so worth it!
• Grilled Angel Food with Fruit Salsa
  This is the perfect ending to a grilled meal. If you have fruit salsa left over, combine it with some buttermilk as in Frosty Fresh Fruit and freeze for after school snacks this week.