My favorite cooking vessel is my cast-iron skillet. I call it one-stop shopping in the kitchenware department. Not only is a cast-iron skillet handy on the stovetop, you can use it in the oven and even on the grill. Recently, I made a simple carbonara pasta dish in my cast-iron skillet.

Carbonara is the Italian version of chicken soup -- a comforting dish for all ages -- which consists of pasta and cured pork (guanciale) or bacon, whisked in a sauce of eggs and grated Pecorino cheese. The method is quick. It relies on the heat from the freshly cooked pasta to sufficiently cook the eggs and melt the cheese while the sauce is vigorously stirred to prevent the eggs from scrambling. From start to finish, this dish can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.

I often mix vegetables into my carbonara, which add extra oomph to the recipe and allows me to call it a one-dish family meal, replete with the nutrients from the veggies. Peas are a year-round contender since frozen peas can easily be added to the mix. In the springtime, though, I like to add fresh asparagus.

Asparagus Carbonara

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

8 ounces thick-cut bacon (or guanciale), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1 pound orecchiette

3/4 pound thin asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the bacon in batches in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break into small pieces. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.

Whisk the eggs and cheese in a bowl until blended and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to the package instructions until al dente; drain.

While the pasta is cooking, add the asparagus, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until asparagus is bright and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the drained orecchiette to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the eggs and cheese, stirring constantly to coat the pasta and to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Add the bacon to the skillet and stir once more. Serve immediately and garnish with additional grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

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It's easy to be greedy at this time of year when fresh spring produce clutters the farmers market tables. I can't resist buying a rotation of asparagus, sweet peas and early strawberries, which pass through our kitchen to the dining table on a daily basis. You'd think that we would tire of all of this seasonal goodness, but it never seems to be the case.

It does help to have a variety of recipes to choose from, though, just to change things up a bit, which is why I like to make this strawberry cake. While nothing beats fresh sun-sweetened strawberries, eaten au naturel or swiped through a cloud of whipped cream, try putting aside a pint or two to make this simple cake. It's light, gently sweetened and generously studded with as many strawberries as you can fit. (This is when it's good to be greedy.) I halved the jumbo-sized strawberries in the pictured cake, but I recommend quartering them if they're very large; they'll break down into juicy puddles while baking and mark the cake with luscious streaks.

Strawberry Cake

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, divided

1 pound strawberries, halved (or quartered if very large)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie or baking dish.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the butter and the 3/4 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and almond extracts, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest; mix to combine. Add the flour and mix to thoroughly combine without overmixing.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Arrange the strawberries, cut-sides down, on top of the batter, gently pressing to partially submerge. Squeeze in as many strawberries as possible and reserve the rest for serving. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake the cake until the top is light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Cool slightly and serve lukewarm or at room temperature with whipped cream and extra strawberries.

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If you like spring rolls, then you will love this salad. All of the goodness typically stuffed into a rice paper-wrapped Thai or Vietnamese roll -- rice noodles, shrimp, crisp veggies, fresh herbs and peppers -- is jumbled together in a big bowl of salad. The result? You might be tempted to call it a deconstructed spring roll, with all the great flavor minus the labor of actually making a roll.

Once the ingredients are prepped, it's quick to assemble for a light and healthy dinner. The dressing is the magic touch that pulls this colorful dish together. It has the ingredients you'll usually find in an Asian dipping sauce and then some: ginger, garlic, Sriracha, lime and peanut butter. The trick is to blitz all the dressing ingredients in a food processor (including the lime sections) to form a thick and potent sauce. In fact, you might want to make extra dressing to keep on hand -- it's a great dipping sauce for crudites or tossed with cooked Asian noodles.

Shrimp and Rice Noodle Salad With Peanut Sauce

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Dressing:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 lime, peel and pith removed, quartered

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons coarsely grated peeled ginger with juices

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sriracha

2 teaspoons runny honey

Salad:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound large (18/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

4 ounces rice noodles, cooked per manufacturer's instructions, room temperature

3 scallions, ends trimmed, white and green parts sliced on the diagonal

1 large carrot, cut in matchsticks

1/2 English cucumber, seeded and cut in matchsticks

2 cups coarsely chopped Napa cabbage

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 red jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnish

1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

Place all the dressing ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the shrimp in one layer; sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and lightly season with salt. Cook until the shrimp are pink on both sides and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a plate.

Place the rice noodles, scallions, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, bean sprouts, snap peas, jalapeno, mint and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and half the dressing and toss to combine.

Divide the salad among 4 plates. Scatter the peanuts over the salads and garnish with additional mint and cilantro. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

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