Scalloped Potatoes, Lemon Mousse, Spinach Ricotta Pie ... Oh, My!

It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kick-off to summer. Well, according to the calendar, anyway; you certainly couldn’t tell by the weather here in NorCal. While there’s been nothing a barrage of summer- and grilling-inspired recipes buzzing coming across the channels—social and otherwise—I’m playing catch up from my last month’s worth of cooking, which includes Easter. (Yep, I’m a little behind. Hopefully I’ll get to summer fare before Labor Day!)

Here are three standouts from my recent kitchen escapades—two of which are certainly seasonally appropriate. The one exception, the Three-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes I made for Easter dinner, may not be typical warm weather fare. As far as scalloped potato dishes go, this one is on the lighter side, with not too much cream or cheese but lots of flavor. The recipe was inspired by one I had made at a cooking class several years ago at CasaLana in Calistoga, Calif. CasaLana is both a bed and breakfast and cooking school. It’s a great getaway if you want to both relax and learn something new.