Fresh Ricotta with Roasted Red Pepper Hearts Crostini

Greetings from wintery Pierre, South Dakota. Last week I had no idea I would be here. Like I was saying, this weekend on Valentine's Day, my sister Laurie is marrying her high school sweetheart in sunny California. Our sunglasses and bathing suits were packed and our hotel reservations were made. But then on Saturday morning, a phone call changed everything.

Grandpa. It wasn't too many months ago that we'd dashed up to visit the comeback kid in the hospital. But this time, it was the right time. If he would have known he was dying, he wouldn't have let it happen. But he drifted quietly and peacefully away in his sleep, unaware that at 92, he wasn't fighting anymore. And suddenly, it seemed very important to me that my children understand who Grandpa Bud really was. They had never seen his South Dakota farm, or heard the stories of how he had settled the land. How he was a true cowboy with hundreds of cattle to prove it. How he could fiddle and call auctions. How every tree on his property was planted by him. How he never had a fight with Grandma Boots. How he drove his children to the oneroom school house with a horse and sleigh. How he injured his hand by falling down the well during a blizzard. How he was still stronger than an all of us, one-handed. How he never complained, but was quick to share a poem, a song or a joke. How his blue eyes twinkled. And how he loved them and always had a tear in the corner of his eye when we said good bye.

Suddenly it seemed like being here, in frozen South Dakota for a Valentine's Day funeral, would help them to understand all of that. Oh the contrasts! We are not sad that he is gone, but then again, we will miss him. And I'm grateful we can be here, but then again I'm sorry to miss my sister's marriage and the celebration of Valentine's Day, too. I did pack up some Valentine party supplies and surprises for the little charges. We can still celebrate on a small hotel-ish scale. The death of a loved one is always a reminder to make every minute count, especially the time spent with family.

I really did have some lovely food planned for you, dear readers. This year I was thinking of Valentine's spaghetti and meatballs, with Lady and the Tramp and Moonstruck in the background. We'll just have to slurp the noodles together when I get back.

For today, I'll share my fresh ricotta on toasted baguette with sweet little hearts made from roasted red pepper. Making fresh ricotta is plain old easy-peasy and inexpensive, too.

While in Italy, we had loads of fresh ricotta spread on bread and it's just magical when it's plain and fresh.

Money Saving Tips:

Make fresh ricotta when milk is on sale. It takes a lot of milk to make a little ricotta. I've made ricotta with whole milk, 2 percent, and a combo of milk and cream. It's all delicious, but the fattier ingredients will make it creamier.

Easy Fresh Ricotta (1/2 cup)

1 and 3/4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, bring milk and cream to a simmer. Add lemon juice and salt. Simmer until curds form, about 1 or 2 minutes. Line a bowl with cheesecloth. Pour ricotta over cloth; drain very very briefly. Put ricotta curds in bowl. Pour a couple of tablespoons liquid back over ricotta. Refrigerate. Stir before using and adjust salt, if needed.
For the Appetizer, cut hearts out of roasted red peppers. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar around the plate. Easy!

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