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I was recently introduced to the wonder that is marinated feta cheese in olive oil, which mellows out the sharpness of this cheese. Following the fabulous David Lebovitz's instructions for making this own my own, a commenter on his blog wondered about adding jalapeño. That's all the nudging I needed. Adding two jalapeños gives a sultry heat to the finish of the feta. More

Note: This cheese sauce is gooey and tangy. For a spicier version, substitute half the cheddar cheese with Pepper Jack and add 2-3 minced pickled jalapeños, or to taste. To reheat the sauce, microwave it on high heat, stopping and... More

This unique, full flavored soup is another winning recipe from Susana Trilling's Seasons of My Heart. Her Oaxacan recipes use humble and simple ingredients, yet create incredibly complex and refined dishes. The roasted poblanos add some heat to this soup, but also a gorgeous smokiness to every bite. Requesón, a delicate fresh cheese, calms the spiciness. A good ricotta can stand in for the requesón. More

I'm not always a huge fan of quesadillas, especially the ones that shun fresh masa and just use a folded flour tortilla. But I realize that they do have their place. Take this recipe from the blog Closet Cooking. At first glance it looks like just a really basic version, but it doesn't taste like one at all. It's the small details here that make for a more flavorful meal. More

Once I brought the beets and chard home I turned to the pages of Farm to Fork by Emeril Lagasse for a bit of inspiration. And what I found was this Roasted Beet Salad with Walnut Dressing and Cheese Crisps. Roasted beets? Yes, please. But raw chard? I had never used it in its raw state but the young chard that I brought home had much thinner, softer leaves that seemed like they would work beautifully in a salad. More

This Tomato, Zucchini, and Leek Galette with Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese is a perfect example of Emeril's newfound reverence for fresh produce. Ripe summer tomatoes, zucchini, and leeks are seasoned with just a touch of salt and white pepper, layered on a bed of herbed goat cheese and puff pastry. It's a gorgeous and simple dish that lets the true character of the ingredients come through with all of its summery goodness. More

These Cheesy Herbed Popovers from Farm to Fork by Emeril Lagasse are possibly even simpler to put together than other recipes that I've made in the past, since all of the batter ingredients are simply whizzed together in the blender. The popovers are a wonderful way to use any leftover chunks of cheese and miscellaneous herbs that you have on hand. More

Whey ricotta is quite a different beast from the fluffy white goop that's saturated the American market. Even packaged low-fat ricotta sold in most supermarkets is made from part-skim milk, not whey, and usually contains all kinds of wonky stabilizers to make up for the lack of fat. The process for making whey ricotta is basically the same as that for making whole-milk ricotta, except that you begin with fluid whey instead of fluid whole milk. More

Ricotta is one of the easier cheeses to make at home—it's especially tasty when fresh from the cheesecloth. The single step that makes cheese is adding acid to the milk, be it from lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk, in varying proportions. For this recipe you will need a big ol' pot, a non-reactive stirring spoon, a colander lined with cheesecloth, paper towels, butter muslin, or a very clean flour sack dish towel, and a reliable thermometer. It's pretty simple, and you get to call yourself a cheesemaker after. More