Bowled over by ricotta mousse and blogging info

There's something hypnotic about ricotta. If it's mentioned in a recipe, I have to make it. If ricotta cheese jumped off of a bridge, I would likely follow. When ricotta cheese tells me to jump, I ask "how high." When it mentions it is high in "points" (that weight watching thing), I thumb my nose at point values. And yes, it is high in points.

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My downward spiral into ricotta-wonderland started as I thumbed through an old Tastes of Italia magazine looking for ideas for Carnevale weekend and saw "ricotta mousse," I knew I would be making it. When my son came home and announced we were going to get another foot of snow next week, I decided that waiting for the weekend was out of the question. I made it today. Even though it is white. Like the terrible stuff that falls from the sky.

Don't be fooled by the cloudy creaminess - it is flecked with toasted, slivered almonds and bejeweled with berries. There are a lot of tastes to lull you into happiness.

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Ricotta Mousse (adapted from Tastes of Italia)

16 ounces whole milk ricotta (commercial brand works best in this recipe)

1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar (you don't need the entire 1/2 cup unless you like it very sweet)

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup fresh berries

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Ricotta Mousse Preparation

1. Using a small, dry skillet, lightly toast your almonds.
2. In a large bowl beat the ricotta and powdered sugar till combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whip your cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form.
4. Fold cream into the ricotta mixture.
5. Fold in your almonds and berries.*
6. In a small pan or a microwaveable bowl, melt your chocolate.
7. Spoon ricotta mixture (I know, it's not really mousse) into goblets or ramekins.
8. Drizzle with chocolate and serve. Or - cover with plastic wrap and store for 24 hours.

*Tastes of Italia used 12 cherries - which are not available here. Inexplicably, the grocer had some mighty fine strawberries so I used that. I will make this again and I will use the cherries... in June. When the snow has melted.

Come September, I will be going to Italy with Minnesota-husband and am looking for some off-the-beaten track villages, restaurants, ideas, foods to be enjoyed. If you have suggestions about places, foods, sites that made your heart skip a beat, please let me know. I am compiling a folder and would be most appreciative.

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Meanwhile, David Lebowitz had a most informative and gracious blogging post filled with advice for food bloggers. Find it here. There's a wealth of information and reading Mr. Lebowitz is always a bright spot. And Dianne Jacob has a pointed post on Will Write for Food regarding the new coding that Google search is requiring for its recipes. Find it here. And while you are "finding stuff," if you find my muse, please Fed-Ex her to me. I am in need of her.