I always hear conflicting instructions from different chefs and home cooks. Preferences over what primary salt you should cook with, home made versus store bought stock, salted or unsalted butter even salted water against oiled water for boiling pasta. Everyone’s got their opinion and it’s great that everyone finds their own groove and knows what works for them and gives them consistent results. This however, is not me pushing home made ricotta on you. I had the ingredients on hand, and I find ricotta so versatile it can be used in so many different dishes – because anything with cheese tastes better – from cheesecake to ravioli to cannoli to the perfect accompaniment to fresh fruit.

Directions are simple and the results come fast. Boil together your five ingredients, drain them and squeeze out the excess. Your fresh ricotta can be saved for later use or can be eaten right away.

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A few months ago my mom gave me her treasured cast iron skillet — not any cast iron skillet, but a very special cast iron skillet. It belonged to my Great-Great Grandmother, and has been passed down mother-to-daughter for four generations, so this baby has been around for a while.  When I received this piece of history, let’s just say it had seen better days. So if you have a cast iron skillet that is really old or been stuffed in the cabinet for so long that it looks like an ancient artifact, here are a few quick how-to’s to get that skillet back to its former glory.

First, you will need to take a damp cloth or paper towel and wipe out any dirt, grime, or rust that has collected. Next, heat up the skillet over medium heat — it is always important to preheat your cast iron before use. Once your skillet is preheated, pour vegetable oil in the pan until it is about 1/4-inch deep. Let the oil heat up a bit. Pour 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of coarse salt into the skillet. While wearing an oven mitt, take some paper towels and scrub the pan until the rust and grime are gone. Rinse the skillet out in hot water, washing out all the oil and salt.

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