Remember to enter the cookbook giveaway!

*** UPDATE ON MARCH 11, 2009 – WE HAVE A WINNER!!! ikkinlala from Canada!****

This month’s R2R challenge – homemade ricotta - is brought to us by Lauren of I’ll Eat You.  The first time I tried to make it, I discovered that my milk had gone sour, BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE, and I hadn’t yet opened the container.  But that is an issue I will take up with my local merchant.

The next time I made it, things worked a lot better, even though I didn’t have the right kind of cheesecloth.  The process is not complicated at all, albeit a little time consuming.  In terms of the end product, what I noticed is how much creamier and sweeter homemade ricotta is from the commercial variety.  Instead of making a savory dish (I had planned on lasagne), I had to think fast.  I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and that has really put a crimp in my cooking.  Oh, and the fact that I was without an oven for about a month.  So, I threw together a light . . . something.  It could be dessert, or it could make a nice light snack or breakfast.  I combined the ricotta with some non-fat yogurt and homemade passion fruit sorbet, then topped the whole thing with frozen blueberries.

The result?  I am shocked to say this was delicious.  The ricotta was slightly sweet, the yogurt was tart, the sorbet was tart and sweet, and the blueberries added some texture and another flavor element.  This was so good, that I’m seriously thinking of eating this on a regular basis.  Thank you, Lauren, for a great pick.  Be sure to enter the giveaway, and check out what others made with their ricotta!

This month, Meeta of What’s for Lunch Honey? chose “Mango Mania” as the theme for the Monthly Mingle.  The thought of something fruity, light, and refreshing immediately came to mind.  Believe it or not, I get tired of baking fattening desserts (although I don’t get tired of baking bread), and the 92 degree heat outside makes me crave healthier foods.

This lassi is so easy to whip up, and you can use fresh or frozen mango.  If you use fresh, be sure to throw some ice cubes in the blender.

Mango Passionfruit Lassi

Servings:  1 large or 2 medium

1 mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 Tbsp. frozen passionfruit puree
1 cup plain yogurt (I used unsweetened.  If you use a sweetened or vanilla flavored yogurt, adjust the amount of sweetener you put in the lassi)
1/2 cup almond milk (or soy milk or regular milk)
2 tsp. honey or agave nectar (how much you use will depend on the sweetness of the fruit and the tartness of the yogurt, so taste as you go along and adjust the amount accordingly)
pinch of mace
ice cubes (optional, but about 5 if you choose to use them)

Throw everything in a blender and give it a whir!  Enjoy in a tall frosty glass.