Loaded Campfire Nachos

Perfect for a camping trip, a backyard fire, or cozy inside your home! You can prep the ingredients ahead just assemble and heat over the fire or in your oven!

Prep ahead: Bean Dip + place all toppings in disposable containers

1 can refried beans

1 can slightly drained ranch style beans

1 can fire roasted tomatoes (or jar of your favorite salsa)

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 cup sour cream

1 bag tortilla chips

1 pound shredded Mexican blend cheese

1/4 red onion - chopped

1 Roma tomato - chopped

1 avocado - cubed

1 container of queso or cheese dip, optional (Ponchos is my favorite)

Home: Mix together beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and sour cream then transfer to a disposable container. Prep all toppings and place in disposable containers. Store everything in a cooler bag - this will all sit just fine for a day.

Campsite: On a cast iron skillet, layer the chips, bean dip, and cheese. Top with the red onion, tomato, and avocado. Cook over the campfire until cheese starts to melt and beans are warm. Drizzle with queso dip if desired. Serve with extra chips.

If cooking at home: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Layer the chips, bean dip, and cheese and cook in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with onion, tomato, avocado. Drizzle with queso dip if desired. Serve with extra chips.

Creamy Feta Tomato Dip

Whip up this one-pot, stovetop to table dip in under 15 minutes! Inspired by a dish we had in Santorini, this dip is fresh, creamy, and simply delish. It’s perfect for game day or a dinner party appetizer, and it won’t last long. 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

1/2 yellow onion - diced 

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper 

3 cups grape tomatoes - diced 

3 garlic cloves - minced 

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flake (or to taste)

1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes - drained and crushed by hand 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

10 ounces traditional block feta cheese 

1/4 cup minced dill, plus more for sprinkling 

Pita, veggies, or crostini - for serving 

Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron pan over medium low heat. Add the onion with a dash of salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add the grape tomatoes, garlic, chili pepper, San Marzano tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook for about 8 minutes - or until the tomatoes are completely broken down and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the butter, half of the feta cheese, and the dill until completely melted and combined. Crumble the rest of the feta and more dill on top. Serve hot with pita, veggies, crostini, or all three! 

Southwestern Tuna Salad

Before this recipe, I refused to eat tuna out of a can. After I created this recipe, I decided tuna out of a can - in this dish - is one of my favorite lunches ever. I make this dish almost weekly. It makes a great no-carb lunch wrapped in lettuce cups and is the perfect dip paired with crackers for entertaining or picnics. It keeps in the fridge for several days and soaks up all the flavors each day - making it even better as I eat on it all week.

Watch the full video on how to cook this dish on my IGTV channel on Instagram @Andreas_Cooktales!

4 servings

2 (7 ounce cans) tuna - packed in olive oil - drained

1/2 cup minced red, orange, or yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup minced red onion

3 tablespoons minced cilantro

2 limes - zested and juiced

1 1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno

1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until completely combined. If it seems dry, add fresh olive oil (this also adds a lot of flavor). Serve in lettuce cups for lunch or with rice crackers as a dip.

Southern Bilinis with Smoked Trout & Maple Creme Fraiche

I made these for Valentine’s Day but quickly decided they’re perfect for any small gathering, cocktail hour, brunch, or just to snack on. I put a southern twist on original bilinis by making these with cornmeal and buttermilk. The maple creme fraiche makes them pancake-like, and the smoked trout atop brings together that perfect happiness of sweet and savory. They’re a breeze to make and can be stored in the fridge until ready to assemble. 

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for thinning

1 egg

1/3 cup creme fraiche

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Smoked Trout filets - torn into pieces  

Microgreens - for garnish

In a medium bowl, add the flour, cornmeal and salt and whisk together. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and egg. Whisk all ingredients together until completely combined. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter - if it’s too thick, thin it out with more buttermilk. 

Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with butter. When butter starts slightly smoking, use a mini scoop - aka a cookie scoop - (If you don’t have one a tablespoon will work) to make mini pancakes on the skillet. When the batter starts bubbling at the top, about 1 to 2 minutes, flip the bilinis and cook for another minute.

Let bilinis cool. Mix together the creme fraiche, maple syrup, and lemon zest. Smear each bilini with a heavy dollop of creme fraiche, top with a piece of smoked trout and microgreens.

** Tip: Refrigerate any leftover bilinis. Heat in the microwave for breakfast and top with maple syrup or jelly.

5 Retro Recipes for Your Tacky Sweater Party

Every tacky sweater party needs a couple of old school snacks to pair with the retro theme. These 5 fun apps/drinks are throwback with a typical Cooktales modern twist. If you're hosting the party, make them all. If you're attending the party, bring one to share. Some may seem a bit silly, but I would never have you eat something that doesn't taste fabulous - it's seriously against my nature and these party snacks are the real deal! 

Chorizo Smoked Gouda Sausage Balls  

Shrimp Cocktail with Green Goddess Dressing  

Hot Buttered Rum  

Oyster Cracker Bites  

Cherry Herb Jello Mold  

Boozy Cherry Herb Jello Mold

It's hard to believe these jelly molds were all the rage some years ago, but here I am attempting to bring them back - ha! While this particular mold is fruity, booze-filled, and yummy, I really just see this recipe as something fun to have at your tacky sweater party. Or better yet, bring it as a hostess gift! It'll go right along with your silly outfit. 

6 ounces cherry gelatin mix 

1 cup boiling water  

1 cup whipped cream or vanilla vodka  

1 cup pitted, sliced cherries - fresh or frozen 

1 tablespoon minced mint leaves  

Rosemary sprigs - for garnish 

Stir gelatin into boiling water until dissolved. Add the vodka, cherries, mint, and mix together. Pour into a greased bundt pan or circle mold. Chill several hours - overnight to be safe.

Before serving, dip the bottom of the mold in warm water to loosen. Place a plate or cake stand over the top of the mold and slowly turn over. Garnish with rosemary sprigs. Cut into slices to serve. 

Shrimp Cocktail with Green Goddess Dressing

Retro, fun, and cutely presented, shrimp cocktail is a holiday party favorite that's oh so quick and easy to prepare! This particular recipe uses green goddess dressing instead of cocktail sauce to modernize and dress the classic appetizer up a bit. Here, I give my green goddess dressing recipe, but you can also cut a corner with a good quality store-bought as well (I love Organic Girl Herb Goddess). Present them in clear, miniature cups to give everyone their own little dip bowl and make socializing easier! 

 1 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup parsley leaves

1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves

2 tablespoons tarragon

2 tablespoons chives

1 small garlic clove - peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 large lemon - juiced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper  

 1 pound large, cooked salad shrimp 

2 to 3 lemons - cut into small wedges 

Make the dressing by adding the yogurt, mayo, herbs, garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and a heavy dash of salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse together until smooth. Add about one tablespoon of dressing to each mini cup.

Cut slits in the bottom of the shrimp and hook 2 to 3 onto each mini cup. Cut slits in each lemon wedge and add one to each cup. Arrange on a platter and serve. 

Chorizo Smoked Gouda Sausage Balls

Sausage balls ARE Christmas to me. Such an old school recipe that never actually gets old - I simply insist they're at every gathering! I wanted to amp them up a bit last year though, giving them the Cooktales twist, and this recipe was the big winner! Chorizo and Smoked Gouda... seriously y'all, just think about that for a second. Heaven. 

1 pound chorizo - room temperature 

1 pound Jimmy Dean hot sausage  - room temperature 

5 cups shredded Smoked Gouda - room temperature 

4 cups biscuit baking mix 

* This recipe makes an extra large batch, but balls can be cooked and frozen for a later use. For a frozen batch, just reheat for 8 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the room temperature chorizo, hot sausage, cheese, and baking mix until thoroughly combined. Using a miniature ice cream scoop (or a spoon) form sausage balls - they should be about 2 tablespoons in size. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden in color. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Monster Meat Head

If you're going for the scariest meat board ​out there, this is it! I love this board particularly because it's little work for a huge impression. So easy and your guests will love it! Feel free to play around with the charcuterie used - it doesn't have to be exactly like mine. Be creative! 

​​What You'll Need: 

​A plastic or styrofoam skull head 

A dark or wooden board ​

12 to 16 ounces of prosciutto or similar meat

Pepperoni (as much as you need to fit on your board, feed your guests)

Salami (as much as you need to fit in your board, feed your guests) ​

Turkey, Ham, or both (​as much as you need to fit in your board, feed your guests)

Kalamata Olives ​

Banana Peppers ​

Petits Poivrons or cherry tomatoes 

Anything else you like with your meat

Place skull in the center of the board. Drape prosciutto over the skull head (make sure the head is clean before you begin). You may have to tear and stick meat together as you go. Assemble the rest of the meats with the accompanies however you please. Serve. 

Witching Fruit Board

My pretties, THIS is the most witching cheese boards of all cheese boards: The Witching Fruit board.. #3 in the Top 5 Halloween Meat and Cheese Board Countdown (see the Darling Pumpkin Board and the Spooky Sausage Board)! It's complete with delicious creamy, light, crowd-pleasing cheeses and the most delightful fruit to pair. I can't even deal with how Halloween-glam this one is. How something can be stunningly elegant and disturbingly sinister at the same time, I don't know but this board does it!! I think the extra large antique-ish platter does it - I found it at Michael's! Have fun with this one - purple fruits, red fruits and all the best cheeses! 

​​Brie (bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes)

​Pomegranate​ seeds 

​Balsamic syrup ​

​​Aged white cheddar

Gouda​

​​Any other white cheese you love 

​Cranberry Goat Cheese ​

​​Purple grapes

​Figs ​

​Blueberries ​

​Plums ​

​Dates

​Fig or Grape jam ​

​​Brown rice crackers

​​Place the baked brie in the middle of the board. Cover in pomegranate seeds and drizzle with balsamic syrup. Arange the other cheeses, fruits, jam, and crackers around the baked brie. Serve. 

Spooky Sausage Board

Introducing #2 of 5 Halloween Meat and Cheese Boards to inspire you to entertain this month: the Spooky Sausage Board happens to be one of my favorites! I make this one for our Halloween party every year because it feeds a lot of people at a lower cost - we've had close to 100 people at our Halloween party before so this big board of meat comes in handy. It's also a lot of fun for friends to get a "flight" of different sausages to sample. Plus, it's the perfect centerpiece for an erie Halloween table. Make sure you get all the props: skull heads, skeleton arms, and plastic spiders - all also low cost at any dollar store! 

What You'll Need: 

6 to 8 different sausages - you can get as creative as you like with the selection - I like: 

• Kielbasa

• Andouille

• Cheddar Bratwurst

• Chicken Apple

• Chorizo

• Mild, Spicy, or Sweet Italian - or all

• Another chicken variation

2 to 3 sauces - I like:  

• Good Quality BBQ Sauce

• Whole Grain Mustard

• Dijonnaise or Honey Mustard

Sliced Pickles

Small Bowls for Sauces  

Extra large wooden board or several small boards placed together 

Sticker labels (I like chalkboard because they're black and go with my tablescape)  

Glitter Skulls  (Dollar store)

Plastic skeleton arms or hands (Dollar store)

Plastic spiders (Dollar Store) 

Toothpicks

Grill all sausages until fully cooked. Place each kind together on a separate plate - make sure you label each plate so you don't forget which sausages are which. When cooled, slice each sausage into pieces and set aside on the same plate. Spoon sauces into small bowls. Place pickles into another small bowl. Line the bowls down the middle of the board or your table. Arrange sausages on the board or boards, keeping like sausage together. Label each sausage. Decorate with skulls, skeleton arms, and spiders. Add container of toothpicks to the side or on the board. 

Darling Pumpkin Cheese Board

The first of Five Halloween Meat and Cheese Boards I have coming to you this month! I particularly love this one because it's so dainty and beautiful. It could also be stretched on to use for Thanksgiving if you don't have a reason to make it for Halloween. Or make it for both! For crying out loud, it's ALL PUMPKIN!!! 

Pumpkin Baked Brie:

• Brie cheese wheel

• Pumpkin Butter

• Ground cinnamon

Nutty Pumpkin Goat Cheese: 

• Goat Cheese log

• Candied or Praline walnuts or pecans

• Pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Seed Smoked Gouda:  

• Smoked Gouda chunk or wheel

• Toasted pepitas

• Pure maple syrup

Pumpkin Mascarpone: 

• 4 ounces Mascarpone cheese

• 2 heaping tablespoons pumpkin puree

• 2 tablespoons (or to taste) maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Other Accompanies: 

• Pumpkin trail mix (I got mine at Target)

• Pumpkin butter or jelly

• Candied ginger slices (nut and wellness aisle of the grocery store)

• Pitted dates

• Extra pepitas

• Extra candied/praline nuts

• Whole grain or Flax Seed crackers

• Cinnamon crackers (Blue Diamond Honey Nut Thins are to die for)

• Rosemary sprigs

• Mini pumpkins or gourds

Bake Brie for 5 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees until soft but not oozing. Top with a heavy dollop of pumpkin butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Set aside. 

Place Goat cheese on a plate. In a food processor combine about 1/4 cup of the candied nuts with about 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice until it turns to a dusty crumble. Pour over the goat cheese and roll cheese in the nuts until completely covered. Set aside. 

Place Smoked Gouda in a plate, top with pumpkin seeds and drizzle with maple syrup. Set aside. 

In a bowl, stir together the Mascarpone, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon into a small white, brown, or copper bowl and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. 

Put ingredients such as nuts, pepitas, and pumpkin butter in small bowls. Arrange cheeses and accompaniments on a marble, white, or copper platter - or a mixture of all - it's fun to stack and get creative. Add cheese knives and serve. 

Healthy Baked "America" French Toast Minis

It's always necessary to splurge on any holiday, but in July, it's swimsuit season! We have a beach vacay coming up, so I'm doing everything I can to keep it together. Something about my healthy eating habits have resulted in me waking up every morning completely starving, and while I'm typically not a sweets person, I've been craving something sweet lately to go with my morning coffee. These are the perfect healthy breakfast or even dessert to have on Independence Day! As a matter of fact, I've made them every week for the past month! 

Nonstick spray

6 to 8 slices of whole grain bread - cubed or torn into pieces

8 strawberries - cubed small

3/4 cup blueberries

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese - cubed small

8 eggs

1/4 cup almond or cashew milk

3 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon  

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-cup mini loaf pan or a 12-cup muffin tin well. Evenly distribute the bread pieces, strawberries, blueberries, and cubes cream cheese in each tin. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour evenly into each loaf or muffin cup. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Time will vary depending on tin used - watch closely. Serve warm or room temperature with a drizzle of maple syrup or fat-free whipped cream. 

3 Must Serve Game Dips

Dips are easy, they're fun, and people love them at parties - especially Super Bowl parties. These 3 dips are literally the only dips you need at your Super Bowl party!  

 Buffalo Hot Wing Hummus 

A combo of hot wings and hummus  - this dip is healthy and you won't be able to stop eating it. 

 Cream Taco Dip

I can't say enough about this dip. Once you pop you can't stop takes on a whole new meaning. When I say this is the absolute best dip you'll ever eat in your life, I'm not lying. This dip is beyond. And it takes about 10 minutes to make!  

Truffle Dip with Duck Fat Fries  

The fries are crispy, the dip is truffly and creamy, and your guests will flip over this appetizer!  

CHEERS TO A HAPPY SUPERBOWL!!!

Easy Tips for the Perfect Deviled Eggs

No matter how many times you've made them, I would bet you dread peeling hard-boiled eggs every, single, time. I mean... Am I right?! Even for a southerner who has made more deviled eggs in my time than I can even begin to imagine, I always dread when it's time to peel them.

Luckily, I've had enough experience doing it (my TRUFFLE DEVILED EGGS WITH CANDY BACON are a top seller with my clients) that I've picked up a few must-do tips along the way. Follow these rules on The Perfect Deviled Eggs, and you'll dread making them a little less this Easter. 

To make:

• Completely submerge in water, place over high heat on the stove, bring to a roaring boil for one minute, take off the heat, cover with lid, and wait 12 minutes.

• Transfer to an ice bath to slightly cool.

• Place them back into the pot with no water and shake the pot back and forth, cracking the eggs in several places.

• Begin peeling.

To peel:

• For the easiest to peel eggs: USE OLDER EGGS before boiling them. I cannot emphasize this enough, people. I have made thousands of deviled eggs in my life, and this is the #1 tip I can give for an easy-to-peel egg. Buy the eggs you plan to use a week or two before Easter. Nothing will ruin your holiday like buying eggs to boil the day before you make them. Trust me.

• Before beginning to peel each egg, tap the tops and the bottoms of them, then start peeling there - this is where you'll find the air pockets.

• Run your fingers along the air pocket once you find it. At this point, the shell should slide right off in one whole piece or a few large pieces.

• If the shell gets tricky to peel, dip the egg back into cool water and continue peeling (again, if you use older eggs, this shouldn't happen).

To prep: 

• For the smoothest smashed yolks, use a fork, and don't add any other ingredients until yolks are well-smashed.

• Rinse the egg whites and pat dry once yolks are removed. This makes for a cleaner, prettier deviled egg.

• Use a hand-held or stand mixer for an extra-smooth filling. Whip ingredients together until smooth.

• Make life easier by boiling the eggs and making the filling the day before, then refrigerate. I like to store my whites in an air-tight plastic container and my filling in a piping bag or plastic bag. On Easter Day, all I have to do is pipe the mixture into the egg - easy peasy!

Dont forget to try my famous Truffle Deviled Eggs with Candy Bacon! And for more traditional eggs, try these: 

SLAWESOME DEVILED EGGS

MOMMA'S DEVILED EGGS  

Tuna Skewers with Mojito Sauce

Many of you may have tried the full dinner portion of one of my most popular dishes: Caribbean Seared Tuna with Mojito Sauce. For a few of my holiday parties, I had cocktail platters including fish requested. Since this dish is absolutely TO DIE FOR (no joke y'all... It's ridiculous and super healthy!), I turned it into a cocktail platter and everyone went wild! This is easy, elegant, and would be a perfect New Years Eve dish! 

Grocery list (makes 25 to 30 pieces): 

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 (6 oz) good quality tuna steaks

• 2 tsp Kosher salt

• 2 tbsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp granulated garlic

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• 1 large ripe mango or papaya – core removed and chopped

• 1/3 cup vanilla or plain greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 lime – zested and juiced

• 1 large handful of mint – chopped, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium high heat. Combine the salt, Jamaican Jerk seasoning, paprika, garlic, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut tuna steaks in bite sized, square pieces. Cover the top and bottom of each tuna steak piece liberally with the mixture, pressing to adhere. Let sit until they come to room temperature and the pan is hot. 

2. Make the mojito sauce by combining the mango or papaya, yogurt, honey, lime zest and juice, mint, and salt together in a blender. Blend at high speed until smooth.

3. Sear each tuna steak piece for 20 seconds on each side for rare. They should form a crust on each side and be pink in the middle. Transfer to a plate and stick a decorative toothpick through the top of each square. Pour half the sauce into a small bowl and decorate the platter you plan to serve on with the remainder sauce, spooning it where you plan to line the skewers. Line the skewers on the plate and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

CHEERS TO A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

Smoked Oyster Cracker Bites

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT?! Where I use unique but commonly found ingredients and teach you how to cook with them! This week's ingredient is honeycomb!

As weird (and maybe unappetizing) as these may sound, I'm gonna go down memory lane on this one and share a story with you. When I hated seafood and wouldn't touch it, my father-in-law had this appetizer at a holiday gathering. He is a crazy good cook - like one of the best - and Tres was able to talk me into trying these smoked oyster crackers. And guess what?! Little Miss Picky loved them! I've graduated from my picky stage (thank the good Lord above), and now I'll eat just about anything. But when I didn't think I'd ever like seafood, I liked these. And you will too! 

Grocery list: 

• 20-25 fancy, round crackers

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese - room temperature

• 1 (3 oz) package smoked oysters - drained and rinsed

• Hot pepper jelly

• Fresh dill

• Fleur de sel or Sea Salt

Directions: 

Spread a generous amount of cream cheese on each cracker and top with a single smoked oyster. If you don't have enough oysters for each cracker, cut larger ones in half to make extra. Spoon a large dollop of hot pepper jelly over each oyster. Top each with a sprig of dill and sprinkle of fleur de sel. Serve on a white platter for beautiful presentation. 

CHERRS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

What Do You Do with That: Canned Smoked Oysters

Drop by my blog every week to see an unusual, out of the ordinary, yet easy to find ingredient. I'll teach you about it, give you a quick flavor profile, and of course several recipes and new ideas on how to cook with it!

This week, it's an ingredient that may scare you a little bit but it shouldn't because it's delicious! If it helps at all, the first time I had these I was the most picky eater on earth and refused to eat seafood. My father-in-law made the Smoked Oyster Cracker Bites appetizer, and Tres talked me into trying them. I'm not gonna lie: I loved it and it inspired my very first "What Do You Do with That?" post! 

Recipes

Smoked Oyster Cracker Bites 

Seafood Pasta with Smoked Oysters

Fun Facts

• They're at their freshest when packaged! Canned Smoked Oysters are usually steamed when they're fresh, smoked for extra flavor, and finally packaged in oil.

• They're easy to find! You can get them at just about any grocery store in the same section as canned tuna and crab.

• They're affordable! They are anywhere from $2 to $3 for a small can that will have anywhere from 20 to 30 small oysters in them.

• They're a lovely way to eat "rich" on a budget! They're just so darn fancy looking, and they have that slight fishy taste that makes you think of caviar. Now, let me get this straight, they are NOT the flavor of caviar, they just can be served similar and have that slight "ocean" taste.

Flavor Profile

• Meaty

• Smoky

• Slightly salty

• Slightly fishy

What else to do with them: 

You can do almost anything with smoked oysters that you do with any seafood. Try them in your seafood stew or soup the next time you make it. Replace your crab or tuna dip with a smoked oyster dip. Try them on a crostini or as a replacement for any basic oyster recipe. Or maybe do your next Oysters Rockefeller or Oysters Bienville dish using them!

Video: Pork Rind BBQ Nachos

Homemade Ricotta

I made homemade ricotta for the first time for a dinner party because I wanted ricotta crostini but didn't want store-bought. I had just got back from Italy where homemade ricotta was abundant, and it was there, I fell in love with the cheese. So I thought, why not make it myself? I was shocked to learn how easy it was and now I make it like crazy for quick, impressive crostini when we have people over. My favorite way to use it is in my Homemade Ricotta Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage sauce recipe. To die for! 

See the the video on making homemade ricotta!  

Grocery list:

• 4 cups whole milk

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar

• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions: 

1. Make the ricotta. In a large Dutch oven or cast iron pot add the milk, cream, salt and stir together over medium heat. Let it come to a complete boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. 

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let the mixture sit for several minutes (I wait at least 6-7 minutes) until it curdles. There will be large chunks throughout the mixture. Set a large sieve covered with a damp cheese cloth over a deep bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the sieve, and let the liquid drip out into the bowl. 

3. Occasionally discarding the liquid in the bottom of the bowl, let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until it’s the consistency you desire. The longer it sits, the thicker it gets. When it’s to your liking, pour into bowl drizzle with about a tbsp. of olive oil and mix together. 

* Refrigerate until ready to use. It will last up to 5 days.