500 west recipes

Crispy deep-fried ricotta fritters coated in ladyfinger crumbs with orange zest and nutmeg, served warm with raspberry sauce. An Italian-style dessert that's golden outside and creamy within.

Instead of reaching for the margarine, try this sweet butter that is sure to a kick to sandwiches or toast.

A quick microwave cherry sauce made with dark sweet cherries, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spoon over ice cream or cake in under 10 minutes.

Orange yogurt cheese spread made with nonfat yogurt cheese, fresh orange juice, and orange zest. A light, citrusy spread for bagels, toast, or pancakes that doubles as a fruit dip.

Holiday crescent rolls filled with chopped cranberries, orange zest, ginger, and cracker crumbs. A quick, festive appetizer or snack using store-bought crescent dough.

Orange ginger cream cheese dip blends cream cheese with sour cream, fresh orange juice, zest, and ground ginger. A sweet-savory five-ingredient dip for fruit, gingersnaps, or graham crackers. Ready in 10 minutes.

Easy baked orange chicken with a four-ingredient citrus glaze made from orange juice, zest, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Pours straight onto frozen chicken breasts and bakes hands-off.

Sesame mustard rub: crushed garlic, mustard seeds, lime zest and juice mashed into toasted sesame oil. A five-ingredient marinade for beef, chicken, pork, lamb, or fish.

Shrimp and plum kebabs with jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. Sweet-smoky summer skewers that hit the grill in 8 minutes and bring heat, char, and stone fruit in every bite.

Classic duck a l'orange roasted with sweet red wine and served with a glossy orange sauce made from fresh juice, honey, ginger, and orange sections. A French bistro showstopper you can absolutely pull off at home.

Ricotta pudding baked in individual cups until puffed and golden, made with part-skim ricotta, lemon zest, and a folded egg white for souffle-like lift. A light Italian-style dessert.

Smoked trout crackers with lemon-dill mayonnaise top thin whole-grain crackers with sliced smoked trout and a bright lemon-dill aioli. A five-ingredient elegant appetizer.

Party lemon bisque is a vintage no-bake chilled dessert: lemon gelatin and partially-frozen sweetened condensed milk whipped into a cloud-light mousse over graham cracker crumbs. Tangy, sweet, and built for a crowd.

Cream cheese lemon pound cake from a doctored boxed mix with cream cheese, lemon zest and lemon gelatin. Tender, tangy bundt cake that tastes anything but boxed.

Roman egg and cheese soup (stracciatella alla romana) with beaten eggs, Parmesan, bread crumbs, and lemon zest swirled into hot beef broth. A classic Italian comfort soup ready in minutes.

Roasted cod with plum tomatoes, orange zest, and caramelized onions. A one-dish Mediterranean fish dinner with bright citrus, fresh thyme, and sweet roasted vegetables layered over flaky white fish.