It has taken me awhile to realize that ricotta cheese is an incredibly versatile ingredient. For most of my life, I only ever encountered it in lasagna. But years of cooking and research has shown me that it is good for so much more. Now when I say this, I mean good, whole milk ricotta that is rich and creamy and moist, not the skim variety that can get a bit dry and leaden in … [Read more...] about Strawberry Ricotta Cake
Fruit
Fresh Strawberry Iced Tea
Strawberry season is in full swing and I am incorporating them into as many delivery systems as I can. With baskets and baskets of berries in my house and family coming over for lunch, I decided to veer from my normal sweet tea punch and put the berries to good use. This flavored teas is miles and miles from any packaged product packed with “real fruit flavor.” The fresh … [Read more...] about Fresh Strawberry Iced Tea
Hummingbird Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and Pineapple Cream Cheese Glaze
I love a traditional Southern cake, but my ability to successfully make beautiful layered creations is limited at best. So I am always looking for ways to reimagine the classic layer cakes in Bundt, loaf or sheet form. I can’t make a tall caramel cake or a lusciously frosted red velvet, so I developed cheats that offer all the deliciousness without the wonky, lopsided, … [Read more...] about Hummingbird Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and Pineapple Cream Cheese Glaze
Strawberry Almond Morning Cake
The strawberries are here! The strawberries are here! I anticipate strawberry season all year. I know you can buy strawberries every day now, but there is nothing like a fresh, seasonal, locally grown berry. So I wait. I may use some frozen berries during the out-of season-months, but I rarely buy the berries in the produce section. The farmers markets here start before … [Read more...] about Strawberry Almond Morning Cake
Sweet Citrus Sauce for Fruit
Serving fruit to a group of guests can present a challenge. We’ve all seen that desultory grocery store platter of chunked fruit languishing away at the lonely end of the buffet table. There’s always the carved watermelon basket with balls of melon, but that is way to much work for me. I have never been a fan of savory dressing for fruit salads – those mustard and poppy seed … [Read more...] about Sweet Citrus Sauce for Fruit
