Calypso was rescued in 2000 in Long Island Sound, weighing just six pounds with an infected left front flipper. The flipper had to be amputated, which meant Calypso could not be returned to the wild. She was donated to the National Aquarium in 2002.

We got to see her feeding the last time we visited the aquarium and made a mental note to bring romaine lettuce with us on our next visit (kidding!).

Calypso has been off exhibit since September 2012, but will be back soon in the aquarium’s new Blacktip Reef exhibit.

Servings: 8 sandwiches
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour

Jill’s note: Fresh strawberries are an instant mood booster for me this time of year. They signify warmer weather and summer fun. While I’m content eating them by the handful, I wanted to try something new this year. I decided on a strawberry shortcake cookie recipe (which I adapted slightly from Martha Stewart) because they’d be easy to freeze. Shortly thereafter, I realized they’d be even better with ice cream sandwiched between them. (I was right!) I used vanilla, but another obvious choice would be strawberry.

Ingredients
2 cups halved and sliced strawberries
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
½ cup sugar plus 1 tbsp (plus more if you want to sprinkle some over the cookies)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ quarts ice cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, zest, and 1 tbsp sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and ½ cup sugar together. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender. (Pastry blenders are fairly cheap, but if you don’t have or want to buy one, you can pulse the flour mixture and butter together in a food processor. They should resemble coarse meal once combined.) Stir in the cream until the dough starts to come together. Then, stir in strawberry mixture.

Let the dough chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes. (This will keep the cookies from spreading out too much.) Drop the dough onto baking sheets, spaced evenly apart. Sprinkle with sugar, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.

Freeze the cookies in a single layer until firm, about one hour. Place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom of one cookie, and press the bottom of another cookie on top of the ice cream to make a sandwich. Wrap each sandwich in aluminum foil or plastic, place in a freezer bag (for extra protection), and store in the freezer until it’s time for dessert.

Servings: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Nancy’s note: This hot crab dip is always a crowd pleaser. The ingredients create a wonderful combination of comfort and extravagance. The recipe can be prepared up to a day in advance. Just store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. A half hour later, it will be bubbling and hard to resist.

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
½ cup chopped red onion
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp garlic powder
⅓ cup chopped scallions
8 oz crab claw meat

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat, add the onions, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Set aside to cool.

Add the onions, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and garlic powder to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix together on a medium speed until well combined. Mix in ¼ cup of the scallions, and reserve the rest. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and fold the crab meat in by hand.

Spoon the dip into a casserole dish, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with the remaining scallions. Serve with toasted baguette slices or sturdy crackers.

Servings: 12
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Chill time: 4 hours

Nancy’s note: My husband, Richard, has two great loves (aside from me): dark chocolate and cheesecake. I created this special cheesecake just for him (though Jill loves it, too). I used the same filling ingredients as my Oreo Cheesecake, minus the Oreo cookies, and covered the cheesecake with a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache.

Ingredients
1 cup crushed Oreo cookies
1 cup crushed Nilla wafers
½ stick butter, melted
24 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the crushed Oreo cookies and Nilla wafers together. Add the melted butter, and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan.

Add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix together on a medium speed until smooth. On a low speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Pour the filling over the crust in the springform pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until center is set. When cool enough to handle, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator, and let it chill for one hour.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream together over a medium-low heat until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from its pan. Pour the chocolate over the cheesecake, covering its top and sides. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill for another three hours before serving.

Much like my Oreo Cheesecake and Light Banana Pudding Cheesecake, this cheesecake freezes really well. After cutting it, put whatever slices you want to save in the freezer to harden them up a bit. Then, individually wrap the slices in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer bag for extra protection. Whenever you want a slice, just take it out, and let it thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Servings: 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 4 hours

Nancy’s note: Taking Mom to brunch this Sunday? Surprise (and impress!) her with these fun, flavorful Bellinis as a pre- or post-brunch treat. While Prosecco is typically used in Bellinis, any sparkling white wine—particularly your mom’s favorite—will do.

Ingredients
½ cup sugar
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and bruised with the back of a knife (or ¼ tsp ground ginger)
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp fresh lime juice
15 oz canned apricot halves
bottle of Prosecco

Directions
In a saucepan, combine ½ cup water with the ½ cup sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, remove from the heat, and cool. Chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

If using fresh ginger, strain the sugar mixture through a colander, and remove the ginger. Place ⅓ cup of the sugar mixture in a blender or food processor. (Save the rest for more Bellinis or another use.) Add the lime zest, lime juice, and apricot halves, and blend until smooth.

Spoon 2 tbsp of this mixture into eight glasses. Top with Prosecco, stir, and serve.

Servings: 80 cookies
Prep time: 45 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes

Nancy’s note: Around Mother’s Day, I get nostalgic for recipes I used to make with my mother when I was a little girl. I remember not wanting to make these cookies with her because I thought they were too much work. Now, they’re one of the easiest cookies I make!

The cookie dough is made with just three ingredients: butter, cottage cheese, and flour. Preserves are added to the center of each cookie for a hint of sweetness. My mother always used strawberry because that was her favorite. You can use any flavor you like.

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups flour
strawberry preserves—¼ tsp per cookie, so a little less than ½ cup total
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the butter and cottage cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix together on a medium speed. Add the flour, and mix until well combined. Cut the dough into four even parts, wrap them in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into thin sheets (no thicker than ¼ inch), and cut into 3-inch squares. (I use a pastry cutter, but you can also use a knife.) Place ¼ tsp of preserves in the center of each square.

Pinch two opposite corners of each square together. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer to a cooling rack, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.

Servings: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes

Jill’s note: If you’re looking for a quick margarita recipe for Cinco de Mayo, this one is perfect. It’s unique and requires little effort. I prefer to drink the margaritas over ice, which makes them even easier and cuts down on the clean up. You can also blend the ingredients with 4 cups of ice or churn them in an ice cream maker for a slushy consistency.

Ingredients
2 cups grapefruit juice
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 ½ cups tequila
¾ cup triple sec (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
6 lime and/or grapefruit slices (optional)

Directions
Mix the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec together. Chill for 30 minutes, and serve over ice. Garnish glasses with lime and/or grapefruit slices. (Whole grapefruit slices look fun, but aren’t all that practical. You may want to cut yours down.)

Servings: 2 14-inch pizzas
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 to 16 minutes (depending on what pan you use)

Jill’s note: Summer is fast approaching, and this pizza recipe is perfect for warmer weather. Traditional beans, salsa, and cheese are topped with a refreshing mix of guacamole, lime, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and cilantro. Pair the pizza with margaritas for a fun, festive meal!

Ingredients
Easy (Almost) Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
15.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 limes
2 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, diced
salt to taste
1 cup guacamole
½ cup cilantro leaves

Directions
The first thing you want to think about is making the Easy (Almost) Whole Wheat Pizza Dough. It only takes 10 minutes to prep, but needs 6 to 12 hours to rise properly. So, plan ahead.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bake the pizza as indicated in the Easy (Almost) Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe with the beans, salsa, and cheese layered on top.

While the pizza is baking, combine the sour cream, the juice of one lime, and 4 tbsp water together in a small bowl. In another bowl, toss the lettuce and tomatoes with the juice of the other lime, and season with salt.

Remove the pizza from the oven, and let it cool for a few minutes. Dollop the guacamole evenly onto the pizza. Top with the lettuce and tomato. Drizzle the pizza with the sour cream, and top with the cilantro leaves.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Zero
Chill time: 1 hour

Nancy’s note: This is a take on a recipe I used to make that Jill loved. The ingredients for that recipe were just chicken, cream cheese, green onions, and tortillas. A simple combination, but it was one of her favorites. This chicken club version is a great party hors d’oeuvre that can be prepared up to a day in advance. Store the rolled tortillas, and cut when ready to serve. Shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, or diced red onion could also be added to the ingredients.

Ingredients
4.5 oz can of white meat chicken, drained
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 bacon slices, cooked and chopped
1 Roma tomato, diced with seeds removed
3 10-inch tortillas (I used spinach tortillas in the recipe pictured)

Directions
Add the chicken and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix together on a medium speed. Then, mix in bacon and tomato. (You can mix the ingredients by hand, they just won’t be as smooth.)

Divide the mixture evenly among the tortillas, and spread it out to the edges. Roll each tortilla up as tightly as you can. Wrap each tortilla roll in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut each roll into slices as thick or as thin as you want, and serve.

Servings: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Jill’s note: Winter may be over, but comfort foods (especially desserts) are always in season. Bread pudding is an indulgence of mine year round. This banana bread version uses simple ingredients with delicious results. If you want some extra sweetness, add ¾ cup chocolate chips in addition to or instead of the ¾ cup chopped walnuts.

Ingredients
3 large eggs
3 cups milk
¾ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, cut into ½-inch thick slices
¾ cup chopped walnuts
12 slices cinnamon swirl bread, cut into even pieces
2 tbsp powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, honey, and vanilla together. Set aside.

In a 6- to 8-cup baking dish, arrange the banana slices in one layer. Sprinkle the walnuts over the bananas. Cover the bananas and walnuts with the bread. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread.

Place the baking dish on a baking sheet, and bake for one hour, until the pudding is puffed and set in the center. The top should be browned. If it’s not, you can briefly broil the pudding.

Remove the pudding from the oven, and let it cool. Sprinkle the pudding with the powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.