Whole Wheat Linguine with Kale, Yellow Tomatoes, and Ricotta by Heather

I just got the Meatless Cookbook by Martha Stewart, and had to make a version of their linguine with kale and tomatoes- the picture was so pretty!  Normally I find Martha Stewart recipes to be a little lacking in flavor, so I amped up with recipe with lemon juice, white wine and added some Greek yogurt to the ricotta mixture.  This recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes, so it's a great weeknight dinner option.



Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh, whole wheat linguine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 pint yellow tomatoes (also known as zima tomatoes)
3-4 large lancinato kale leaves, roughly chopped
4-5 stalks broccolini (you can add more if you like), roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
2 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup ricotta (I used goat ricotta)
pinch of red pepper flakes

White Bean and Ramp Crostini by Heather

It's finally starting to feel like spring around NYC, and for Easter, I wanted to make an appetizer that took advantage of some seasonal ingredients.  Brandon and I have had some really good spring-y crostini around the city the past couple of weeks.  Locanda Verde's creamy ricotta crostini is to die for, and Cookshop's ramp salsa verde crostini is also excellent.  This crostini combines the best of both of these.  You'll have a ton of the white bean mixture left over, so it's also great to serve as a dip with some veggies or pita chips.

Ingredients:

For the white bean mixture:

2 cans cannellini beans

1/4 cup greek yogurt

2-3 tbs. basil oil or normal olive oil

1 tsp. chives

1/4 cup parsley

juice and zest of 1 lemon

3 tbs. goat ricotta or regular, whole milk ricotta

salt and pepper to taste

For the ramps:

1 tbs. butter

3-4 tbs. white wine

1 bunch of ramps, cleaned with ends removed

1 loaf bread, sliced

olive oil for drizzling

Special Ingredient: Marinated Lamb with Mint Pesto and Pea and Feta Salad by Heather

To celebrate the coming of spring, peas are the secret ingredient for March!  This dish is light enough to really bring out the flavors of the peas and mint, and I think these ingredients really complement the lamb.

Ingredients:

For the pea and feta salad:
8 oz. fresh English peas
1 cup parsley, chopped
about 5 oz. feta, diced
juice of half lemon
zest of 1 lemon

For the mint pesto:
1/2 cup fresh mint, leaves removed from stalks
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup olive oil- add this in increments until the pesto is runny
2 tbs. water or more depending on thickness
juice of 1 lemon

For the lamb + marinade:
1 lb. lamb, cubed (you could use lamb chops if you wanted)
2 tbs. cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. parsley, chopped
2 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped