Happy Easter! Celebrate with candy-colored macarons, plump asparagus, lamb and more

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Look out, Peeps — your days are numbered. The Candy Land-colored macarons are all the rage in Paris, and their popularity is growing among American bakers, too. Cookbook author and blogger Dorie Greenspan shows you how to tackle these little delights, just in time for Easter.

If you’re still looking for a side dish to round out your holiday menu, how about asparagus? Check out this week’s California Cook column: Times Food Editor Russ Parsons points out that the seasonal vegetable is a rite of spring -- and easy, too. Two recipes are included: Chilled asparagus with vinaigrette and eggs mimosa and steamed asparagus with brown butter sauce.

Want more? Check out these two photo galleries, which include plenty more menu ideas including the ‘ultimate’ coconut cake, a chocolate meringue layer cake and roast lamb with fresh mint sauce.

But wait, there’s more:

Spring into spring: 22 recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

Celebrate Easter with a spring-fresh menu

-- Rene Lynch (Follow me on Twitter @renelynch)