Since I feel that we are now in the homestretch towards Spring and sliding off Winter's radar, I felt it necessary to do some Spring Menu planning and testing as well as baking a few old favorites for fun. The Spring always gives me a strange sense of hope and motivation. As the hints of the return of outdoor life start to pop up here and there, I feel like a little puppy with its ears perked, waiting for the next clue to follow and chase down. The air starts to smell warmer, your car is hot from the sun when you get into in, you get the urge to prematurely crack a window on your ride home... Anyhow, it's happening. I'm stoked for March, since I get to release my St. Patricks Day flavor, cook a variety of traditional Irish fare, and drink lots and lots of beer. I have my Spring Menu planned out and awaiting testing and plan to launch in early March. But until then, here's a look or two at what I've been fooling with in the past month.