Lately I have been getting the hungries; I’m like a bear out of hibernation constantly sniffing out yummy recipes.  Everything attracts me, but especially starches.  I hear the call of the potato everywhere.  Although my upbringing was heavy on the rice (Persian father, Filipina mother), I have always had a warm, fuzzy place in my heart for potatoes.  I love them boiled, baked, French fried, hash browned, sautéed, flambéed and any other way they can be served.  This ricotta mashed potato recipe caught my eye because I’m a huge fan of my mother’s cream cheese mashed potatoes.  As I love ricotta cheese and have been looking for a way to use my cute little ceramic ramekins, I decided to try the recipe.  The ricotta adds a nice tangy creaminess to the potatoes, and while the broiling in ramekins is a nice touch, you can opt out if you are a) ramekin-less or b) frankly too excited to eat mashed potatoes to accomplish an extra step. Ricotta Mashed Potatoes From Country Living Serves: 10 Yields: 5 cups Ingredients 2 pound(s) Yukon Gold potatoes 2 teaspoon(s) salt 1 and 1/2 cup(s) fresh ricotta 1/2 cup(s) whole milk 3 tablespoon(s) butter 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper Directions Heat oven to broiler setting. Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes more. Drain and return all but 1 cup of potatoes to the pot. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in the ricotta, milk, butter, remaining salt, and pepper to blend. Add the reserved potatoes and mash just until combined. Spoon 1/2 cup potatoes into...

Why would anyone bake a tiny baby doll inside a cake? The king cake is a succulent and fun way to celebrate Mardi Gras. It’s time to introduce everyone to this dessert that’s just a darn good time! A few years ago, a friend from New Orleans introduced me to the tradition of the king cake. The large and colorful cakes are a part of the party fun at Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras (or Carnaval) is several days of eating, parades, dances, and partying. The celebration comes to a head with Fat Tuesday, the last night before the Catholic Lent season begins, and at which time the faithful are expected to fast and obey church law. There are many different varieties of king cakes and countries around the globe have their own versions, with many being served at Christmas time. The cakes are usually decorated in Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. Some of these high fat cakes are deep fried like a donut, while most are baked with some type of inner stuffing such as cream cheese, strawberry, or in true Louisianan style – cinnamon. The cakes are then coated with icing and sprinkles. I’ve enjoyed some on several occasions and each time it reminded me of eating a gigantic cinnamon bun. Most feature a small, plastic baby baked inside which is meant to resemble baby Jesus. Finding the piece containing the plastic kid, designates that person gets to receive special treatment such as “king of the day” and in many cases is expected to provide the cake for the next celebration. The host of the party can purchase a cake without the baby baked in, and insert into the cake just before serving to have an idea of where it is. ...