Entertainment
Squash Tart with Herby Ricotta
I have a lot of Instagram crushes, but these days one man definitely takes the lead…
That man is Julius Roberts, the former London-based chef who fled the restaurant rat race to raise pigs, chickens, goats, and sheep on an impossibly picturesque farm in the English countryside near the Dorset coast. His life is enviable, of course, but it’s his style of cooking and recipes that got me in the first place. He’s always pulling some veg-forward, rustic looking showstopper from the rusty old oven in his outdoor shed, and I’m pretty sure I forward 99% percent of these posts to my husband with the message “we are making this,” if he hasn’t already done the same to me.
This past spring, for instance, Roberts demo’d a beautiful asparagus tart with ricotta and spring herbs (it’s also in his excellent book, The Farm Table). Then, in the summer, he made basically the same thing, but with zucchini and basil. So, last week, I came up with what I know would be a Julius-Roberts-approved fall interpretation: Honeynut Squash with Herby Ricotta. And I was reminded that yet again that the best cookbook authors don’t just teach specific recipes — they teach technique and confidence.
Here’s the recipe, but as Roberts would say, “frankly, you can make it with your eyes closed.”
Squash Tart with Herby Ricotta
I served it with a gem lettuce salad tossed with toasted buckwheat, scallions, a sprinkling of nutritional yeast (instead of Parm, which felt like cheese overload with the tart), and a basic vinaigrette, but my go-to Green Salad would be just fine, too.
Herby Ricotta
1 cup ricotta
3 ounces feta, crumbled (plus more for garnish)
1/3 cup dill (plus more for garnish)
1/3 cup chives or parsley (plus more for garnish)
zest from 1/2 lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Tart
1 sheet puff pastry (such as Dufour Brand), fully thawed
Herby Ricotta (above)
12-14 ounces butternut or honeynut squash, sliced thin on a mandoline
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
1 egg, whisked
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Make the herby ricotta: Add the ricotta, feta, herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a food processor and whirl until creamy and blended. (If you don’t want to break out a major piece of machinery, just finely chop the herbs and vigorously whisk everything together in a mixing bowl.)
Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface, then transfer to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Using a knife, sketch a rectangle in the middle of the dough, leaving a 1-inch perimeter around it. (This will help make your puff pastry rise appealingly on the edges.) Using a rubber spatula, evenly spread the ricotta cream inside the rectangle, then top with squash slices, a little overlap is fine.
Brush the perimeter of the dough with the egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes until dough is puffy and golden and the squash is cooked through. Sprinkle with a little more crumbled feta, some red pepper flakes, and more chopped fresh herbs, which I forgot to do for the photo.
P.S. Twenty-minute coconut chicken soup and eight things to do with almost-rotten produce.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
-
Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
