Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1/3 cup finely crushed chocolate wafers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1 orange, zested
1 egg
Butter, for greasing

Special equipment: mini muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each mini-muffin cup and press down firmly.

In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the mini muffin tin with butter. Fill the cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Place the mini muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.

Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Top each individual cheesecake with about 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

For the Parmesan Frico Cups:
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Spinach Salad:
6 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 6 cups)
1 orange, cut into segments
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Special equipment: a silpat mat, a muffin tin, and a small drinking glass

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the Parmesan Frico Cups:
Place a silpat mat on a baking sheet. Place 6 (1/4-cup) mounds of Parmesan cheese on the mat and gently tap down until each mound is flat and 4 1/2 to 5 inches in diameter. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Working quickly, use a thin spatula to transfer the Parmesan Frico to a muffin tin. Gently place a small drinking glass on top of the Parmesan Frico to mold it into the shape 1 of the muffin cups. Let cool until firm, about 5 minutes. Continue with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a tight-sealing plastic container. Shake to blend.

For the Spinach Salad:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Divide the salad among the Parmesan Frico Cups and serve immediately.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Expert
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings