Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

Eons ago, when I first consciously decided to become vegetarian - kind of on a whim, on Thanksgiving of 1992 - Moosewood Cookbooks were my first veggie cookbooks, and I adored them. Good, tasty, hippy food. And usually not requiring too exotic of ingredients. They introduced me to Arrancini, good homemade French bread and hummus.

As my culinary interest expanded, Moosewood figured less and less in my repertoire. So it was with a great sense of nostalgia that I came across this recipe for a simple chocolate ricotta mousse. Just three ingredients. I mean, really, how can you beat that! And ridiculously delicious!

If you are a frequent visitor and reader to Kirsten's Kitchen you know that desserts do not tempt me, and sweetness is not my favorite taste. But you can make this as sweet or not depending on your own desires, just adjust the type of chocolate you use!

Pan Roasted Romanesco with Pear and Sumac

Romanesco is one of those truly seasonal vegetables - grab it while it's here, cause when it's gone, its sayonara until next year!

I love it roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper, but if you're feeling fancy (or perhaps getting really for a really big feast that includes something called a gobbler...) you might give this one a try.

It sounds exotic, sumac and tahini, but it's really just gourmet comfort food!

Eggplant and Sardine Gratin, Sicilian Style

I know, I know, you are thinking, "What the hell kind of dish is this?" And, "she's taking an awful lot of poetic license with that name...!"

Yes and no.

It is cooked veggies - garlic, eggplant and some tomatoes (canned, pureed, I've even used a little leftover soup) plus sardines just for the fabulous taste of them, and mixed with some capers and hard cheese and baked with garlic breadcrumbs on top. So, sue me if the title doesn't quite fit the description. It is mind-blowingly delicious!

The Sicilian part is the eggplant and sardines; the gratin is the precooked portion mixed with cheese and topped with breadcrumbs. Now do you see how the name evolved? No? Forget about it! Just make it!

Homemade Fresh Ricotta Cheese - DIY Pantry

When it dawned on me that fresh ricotta has been a staple in my kitchen for at least five years and had never made an appearance in the DIY Pantry section of my blog, I was incredulous! Even easier than paneer and more of an instant gratification than other DIY Pantry items, it was next on the list no matter what was in the blog queue!

I freely admit that buying ricotta is easier, when confronted with a price tag of $8 for 15 oz of organic ricotta, my thrifty self says, "it's cheaper to make" and better tasting to boot! If you have the time and inclination (and truly it didn't take more than 20 minutes to make, and so little involves cook prep time!) go for it!