Persimmon Crisp

Our Cookbook Club tradition is to do a Friendsgiving event in November, where instead of using a cookbook everyone makes a dish that’s either a Thanksgiving tradition for them or something new they want to try this year. It’s persimmon season, and my friend recently gave me a bag full from her tree. I make…

Quince Custard

A friend of mine gave me some quince, which are in the pear and apple family but aren’t eaten raw. I baked them into a custard which my boyfriend liked so much he said it was the best dessert I’ve ever made (though I should make the disclaimer that he has a really short memory…

Rosemary Ricotta Lemon Bars

After making a full ricotta-themed meal (appetizer, main, dessert) with the best ricotta ever (no exaggeration), I had exactly 2/3 cup of ricotta left. I figured that was the perfect amount to mix into lemon bars for a little creaminess to smooth out the lemony tang. I also used rosemary in the shortbread crust to…

Lemon Ricotta Torte

I had made an appetizer and a savory main course with the ricotta from my friend, and I still had a few treasured cups left. So it seemed appropriate to try my hand at something sweet. Ricotta is so versatile! A crumb crust provides a nice bit of crunch to complement the creamy goodness of…

Roasted Garlic Ricotta Pasta

I was trying to come up with ways to use my bounty of ricotta and I hit on this idea that a creamy sauce of roasted garlic and ricotta with oyster mushrooms and corn over pasta sounded pretty freaking good. I am so glad that I figured out how to easily make roasted garlic in…

Garlicky Anchovy Pasta

I call this Garlicky Anchovy Pasta a “pantry pasta” dish because it’s made with ingredients that I almost always have around. Which means it’s fantastic for those nights when you need to whip up dinner, but heading to the grocery store is one step more than you have energy for. The anchovies add umami but…

Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli

This roasted broccoli works really well as an accompaniment to a rich pasta dish, with the lemon giving it a nice brightness. The roasting crisps the garlic and develops some nice crispy bits on the broccoli as well. Guessipe Toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, pepper, and the minced garlic. Spread on a baking…