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The Shop Cheap kitchen is in full bloom with dozens of daffodils and sweet strawberries. Recipe researcher Sheila Kern has been busy making the switch to spring. Here's what she found:

Spinach-Asparagus Salad with Strawberry Dressing

From www.calstrawberry.com

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup California strawberries, stemmed

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tbsp. raspberry vinegar

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 tsp. honey

1/4 tsp. salt

8 cups trimmed spinach leaves

1 lb. asparagus spears, blanched and drained

4 tbsp. toasted slivered almonds

Directions

To make dressing: Combine strawberries, juice, vinegar, oil, honey and salt in container of electric blender or food processor. Pulse on and off, dressing should be slightly chunky. Cover and refrigerate. For each serving, measure 2 cups spinach onto each of four plates. Top each with one-fourth of the asparagus and drizzle with about 1/3 cup dressing. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. almonds.

Strawberry and Cucumber Salad

From www.calstrawberry.com

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups (1 1/2 pounds) California strawberries, stemmed and quartered

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

3/4 cup Italian parsley leaves

4 green onions, chopped

6 radishes, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

To make salad: In large bowl, toss salad ingredients with vinaigrette until coated. Mound salad on 6 chilled plates, dividing it equally. Serve immediately. To make vinaigrette: In bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except oil. Whisk in oil until blended.

 Strawberry Salsa

From www.calstrawberry.com

Ingredients

1 English or seedless cucumber, finely chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. cilantro cut into strips

3-4 tbsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 cups fresh California strawberries, hulled and diced small

1 yellow pepper

Directions

Mix cucumbers, green onion, cilantro and vinegar. Cover and chill at least one hour. Just before serving, add strawberries.

Southwest Iceberg Slaw

From www.tasteofhome.com

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1 cup cubed avocado

1/2 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1/4 cup shredded carrot

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, lime juice, onion, jalapeno, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and carrot. Add dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Iceberg Lettuce Chopped Salad with "French" Dressing

From www.foodnetwork.com

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Show: 30 Minute Meals Episode: What's Warm, Cozy and Fast? Dinner!

Ingredients

1 head iceberg lettuce, core removed and chopped

4 radishes, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1/3 seedless cucumber, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

Dressing

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and white pepper

Directions

Combine lettuce and chopped veggies in salad bowl.

Add all of the dressing ingredients into a blender. Put the top in place and blend on high until dressing is combined. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste.

Pacific Red Snapper Veracruz

From www.ca-seafood.ucdavis.edu

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. Rockfish (Pacific red snapper)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1 bell pepper (red, green, or yellow), thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tsp. jalapeno or Serrano chile, chopped (or to taste)

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. salt and pepper

Juice of 2 lemons, 1 lemon sliced

Garnish

Sliced avocado

Cilantro sprigs

Directions

Place Pacific red snapper fillets in shallow baking dish. Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until vegetables are limp. Add herbs, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over fish and arrange lemon slices over top. Cover tightly and bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, just until fish turns opaque in center and begins to flake. During last 5 minutes, check for doneness and add liquid if needed. Continue to bake uncovered until fish is done.

Cajun Red Snapper

From www.allrecipes.com

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 (6 ounce) fillets red snapper

salt to taste

Directions

On a large piece of wax paper, mix together paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, basil, garlic powder, and oregano.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter or margarine with oil. Brush both sides of the snapper filets with the butter mixture, reserve the remaining butter mixture. Coat both sides of the filets with the seasoning-mixture.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Drizzle half of the remaining butter-oil mixture on one side of fish fillets. Place fillets butter side down in pan. Cook over a high heat until the fish is deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Drizzle remaining butter-mixture over the fish and flip the fish over. Cook until fish is browned and flakes when tested with a fork, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt.

Pam Dinsmore is the Reader Interactive Media Editor at the Sacramento Bee.  Read more of her blogs at SacMomsClub.com