FABULOUS FETA SPREAD/DIP

 

I’m a girl who likes the simple things in life, and who likes when life is simple.  

I have friends that aren’t happy unless they’re on the go from dawn ‘til dusk.  Even on vacation they have to be busy.  They don’t understand the folks that can just lie on the beach for a week and do nothing!

I don’t do complicated or busy very well and I love to lie around on a beach and do nothing except may be dawn a mask and snorkel, or collect sea shells.

Any hoo…When life seems to get too busy for me, I make this simple Fabulous Feta Spread, which doubles as a dip, and at times even a pasta sauce!  

  

For dinner serve Fabulous Feta spread on some good bread alongside of Chick Pea & Spinach Salad.

Dip your favorite veggies into it and call it Fabulous Feta Dip. 

 

Spread it on some toasted bread and top with tomato slices and balsamic glaze for an appetizer; or with halved strawberries and honey for an appetizer or a dessert.

 

Toss it into some hot pasta and add some spinach, cherry tomatoes and olives, and serve the pasta hot for dinner, or cold as a pasta salad.

Truth be told, I make a larger batch and use it as a bread spread for dinner one night, and then toss it in to pasta the next night’s dinner, making my life so simple!

Here’s what you do.

To the bowl of a food processor (I used my mini-prep) crumble in some feta cheese, plain Greek yogurt, the zest of a lemon, a touch of honey and lots of black pepper.

The honey and the lemon zest just help to mellow out the feta cheese. 

I love Target's Simply Balanced line of organic products, they're affordable and delish, and this honey has a lovey floral flavor.

Pulse the mixture until smooth and then toss in some chopped parsley.

Pulse just a few more times, until combined.

The mixture will seems a little loose, just refrigerate it for 30 minutes or even longer if you have the time and it will thicken up.

I like to spread Fabulous Feta Spread on some ciabatta bread and serve it with a salad.

 

It's also mighty tasty with some halved strawberries and a drizzle of honey to have as an appetizer or a dessert.

FABULOUS FETA SPREAD/DIP

Makes about 1 ½ cups

1-8           oz. block               Feta cheese

½             cup                     Plain Greek yogurt

2              tsp.                      Milk

2              tsp.                      Honey

1                                         Lemon, zest only

½             cup                      Fresh parsley, chopped

                                          Black pepper to taste

1.  Break the feta cheese into crumbles and add it to the bowl of a food processor (I used a mini processor).

2.  Also add the Greek yogurt, milk, honey, lemon zest, and some black pepper to the food processor.  Pulse until the mixture is smooth.  Add the chopped parsley and pulse just a few more times to incorporate.  Taste for seasoning and add more black pepper if needed.

3.  Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, this allows the Feta Spread/Dip to thicken.

Use Feta Spread on toasted Ciabatta bread or baguette and enjoy.  If you like top that with sliced tomatoes and balsamic glaze, or fresh sliced strawberries and honey. 

For a dip, just cut up your favorite vegetables and serve.

Feta Dip or Spread is also great to toss into hot pasta, with fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, and olives; which can be served hot, or cold as a pasta salad!

You may also like:

Quick & Easy Homemade Hummus

Guacamole plus Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

Mango Chipolte Salsa plus Salsa Chicken, plus Salsa Pasta

ROASTED GRAPE (Cherry, or Campari) TOMATOES

Ya know; sometimes the simplest dishes are my favorite.  Roasted Grape Tomatoes is one of those dishes.  I'm gonna call it, minimal effort for maximum flavor.  Roasting the tomatoes gives the tomatoes a richer, deeper and sweeter tomato flavor, that doesn’t even compare to a raw tomato. 

 

This is one dish that everyone should have in their repertoire, because it’s so gosh darned easy to make and totally versatile.  I like to use Campari tomatoes when I serve this for a side dish; it goes great with poultry, beef, pork, ham and seafood.  I use the smaller grape or cherry tomatoes, to toss into pasta, or to serve over fish, shrimp, or scallops.  When I made the  tomato dish this particular day, it was to use as a condiment on a Greek Minute Steak Sandwich, which turned out amazingly good (look for it soon)!  Roasted Grape Tomatoes would be great on a burger; even as an appetizer on crostada or crostini.  See, I told you, you need to know this recipe, look at everything you can do with it!

Here's what you do.

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.

A Pyrex pie plate is the perfect size to roast a pint of tomatoes.  To the tomatoes add a couple of cloves of sliced garlic and a tablespoon of fresh thyme.  Oregano would also be yummy.

Drizzle about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes.

Season with about 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Roast in a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the skins of the tomatoes begin to burst.

I removed the garlic from the tomatoes because it had released its flavor into the oil and juices; you can leave the garlic if you choose.  Roasted Grape Tomatoes can be served at any temperature, with a multitude of uses.

ROASTED GRAPE (Cherry, or Campari) TOMATOES

Serves 2-4

1              pint      Grape, cherry, or Campari tomatoes

2              cloves   Garlic, sliced

1              Tbsp.     Fresh thyme

1              Tbsp.     Olive oil

¼             tsp.       Salt

¼             tsp.       Pepper

  1.        Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

  2.       Toss all the ingredients together in Pyrex pie plate, or an 8 x 8 baking dish; be sure the tomatoes are well coated.

  3.       Roast in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin on the tomatoes begins to burst.

The tomatoes taste great at any temperature.  Serve Roasted Grape Tomatoes as a side dish, a condiment in a sandwich or burger, toss them into pasta, pour the tomatoes over fish, serve over crostada, or crostini.

*Note, the Campari tomatoes work great for a side dish, but are too large to work well as a condiment, stick with the cherry or grape tomatoes.