Baked Feta, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta

If you spend even half as much time as I do on the Internet every day, then you’ve probably seen the latest (and most delicious-looking) trend to hit social media: drizzling blocks of feta cheese and loose tomatoes with wonderful, generous glugs of extra virgin olive and baking them at moderately-high heat until the tomatoes have ripened to the point of almost bursting, and the cheese has gotten so soft that when mixed with pasta, it melts like a dream. The original recipe was developed two years ago by Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen, but it wasn’t until this year, thanks to TikTok, that it went super viral. In fact, the recipe got so huge that Finland actually had a brief but significant shortage of feta cheese nationwide! I’ve seen countless videos floating around Youtube and Instagram in the last two weeks, and though I tend to be extremely particular when it comes to jumping on the latest trends, I knew this was one I desperately had to try.

In all the videos I watched, the basic breakdown of the dish was this: drizzle the feta and tomatoes with olive oil, season with black pepper, and sprinkle a liberal amount of oregano (usually fresh) on top. Roast everything in the oven, then mix in cooked pasta. It just doesn’t get any simpler - or more hands-off - than that.

The final product looked amazing every time, but I wanted to take things up a notch. What other seasonings would go well with salty cheese, sweet tomatoes, and earthy olive oil? Then it hit me: za’atar, my favorite Middle Eastern spice blend that consists of sesame, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and sumac! Oregano, a key ingredient in the original recipe, would still be present, and joined by some other stellar spices blended together in perfect harmony. And because I sometimes need to trick myself into eating vegetables: I threw in some spinach, too! When it came to pasta, I wanted to keep things pretty simple. In some videos, I saw cavatappi being used. In others, classic macaroni. But there was something about a small, long pasta shape that appealed to me, so I went with penne rigate.

The result was, and I’m not exaggerating, one of the best pasta dishes I have EVER had. This Baked Feta, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta is earthy from the za’atar, slightly sweet from the roasted tomatoes, and perfectly creamy, briny, and a little tangy from the baked feta. Though the spinach takes a backseat to the other flavors, just a few minutes of being tossed into the still-warm pasta makes it pleasantly tender and a great supporting character to the main act. And the best part is, dinner was ready in 35 minutes, with very little clean-up at the end.

Internet trends come and go at the speed of light, but this Baked Feta, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta was born from a social media moment that I know is here to stay!

Baked Feta, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta

What You’ll Need:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes

• One 8 oz block of feta cheese

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Za’atar

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Salt

• 16 oz penne rigate pasta

• 3 oz baby spinach

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the feta cheese and tomatoes in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle the feta and tomatoes liberally with extra-virgin olive oil, za’atar, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

While the feta and tomatoes are in the oven, cook the pasta in a heavy-bottomed pot filled with well-salted boiling water (the water should taste like the ocean). Follow package instructions for al dente. Just before the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.

As soon as the feta and tomatoes are out of the oven, add the pasta, spinach, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the baking dish and stir until the ingredients are well-combined. Add more freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.

TO STORE: Pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Power Bowl: Red Qunioa with Tahini Sauce, Avocado, and Fried Egg

Quinoa came into style right around the time I started taking cooking and food more seriously, around 2013 or so I’d say. It was the big super-food of the moment and much like kale a few years later, everyone on the television shows I watched and food blogs I followed were crazy about it. And even though it seemed like a pretty interesting ingredient to try, it wouldn’t be until MUCH later in my life that I would eat it, and later still, that I would finally understand what all the fuss was about. Quinoa, with its slightly earthy taste and chewiness, is one of the most versatile and relatively inexpensive grains you could possibly find. But if you ask me, nothing is more fun to make with quinoa than the infinitely-customizable grain power bowl. No matter how you build it, there’s just no wrong way to go!

Here are a couple notes about this particular grain bowl combination:

1. While this recipe calls for red quinoa, any quinoa will work fine! I just happen to love the taupe color of the tahini sauce, bright yellow of the fried egg yolk, and luscious deep green of the avocado mixed together.

2. The tahini sauce might seem a little intimidating to make at first, but the hardest part about it is honestly just cleaning the food processor afterwards. Trust me though, a little extra cleanup is TOTALLY worth it. (Tahini, a ground sesame paste, can be found at most grocery stores, usually in the international section, though I’ve found it at my local market with the nut butters!)

3. Another thing about the sauce: my recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that contains sumac, salt, sesame, thyme, hyssop, and oregano, but if you don’t have it on hand and don’t plan on getting it, I’ve also used 1 teaspoon of cumin in the past with good results. Keep in mind, the flavor will differ ever so slightly. If you prefer a more nutty taste, go for the za’atar. For more bittersweet, go for the cumin.

4. One more thing about the sauce: When assembling your bowl, you may feel tempted to take it easy with the sauce so as not to drown out the taste of everything else, but don’t do it! “Less is more” may be a good approach to some things, but without enough sauce, your quinoa might become too dry. No one wants dry quinoa. No one.

If you’re looking for a new way to jazz up your lunch or dinner hour, this red quinoa power bowl with tahini sauce, avocado, and fried egg is sure to fit the bill!

Power Bowl: Red Quinoa with Tahini Sauce, Avocado and Fried Egg

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup dried red quinoa, cooked according to package instructions

• 1 avocado half, cut into slices lengthwise

• 1 egg

• 1 cup tahini

• 2 lemons, juiced, plus 1 more lemon juiced as needed for flavor adjustments

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon za’atar

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

• 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

• Fine sea salt

Directions

Make the Tahini Sauce

Place the tahini, juice of 2 lemons, garlic, za’atar, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a food processor and pulse to fully combine.

With the motor running, add about 1/4 cup water to create a tahini mixture that’s just thick enough to spread and coat the back of a spoon. To adjust the thickness, slowly add more water in small increments with the motor running until it has reached your desired consistency. Be careful not to make it too thin or you’ll run the risk of a watery sauce that won’t hold up well when eaten with the rest of the bowl ingredients.

Adjust your sauce with more lemon juice, salt, or za’atar as needed.

Fry Your Egg

Preheat a small skillet on medium-low for two minutes, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. When the olive oil has taken on a slight shimmer in the pan, it’s time to add your egg.

Carefully crack an egg into the skillet and immediately season well with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Some crackling noises from the egg as it cooks are normal but if the egg starts loudly popping and oil starts going everywhere, adjust your heat closer to low. Do not touch your egg while it’s frying.

You’ll know your egg is ready when the egg whites have fully cooked, the edges of the egg whites have crisped up and turned golden brown, and the egg yolk is still shiny and jiggles slightly when you shake the pan. The frying process should take about 5 minutes.

Assemble Your Bowl

While your egg is frying, place your preferred amounts of quinoa, tahini sauce, and avocado slices in a bowl. Once the egg is ready, carefully transfer it from the skillet to the top of your bowl. Season with a little more salt and serve.

TO STORE: Tahini sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-7 days.

SOURCE: Adapted from The Haven’s Kitchen Cooking School

Fried Green BLTs

I think we all love a good BLT. I mean, it's a classic. But have you ever felt like you weren't getting that extra element of crunch? Sure, the bacon is supposed to pull triple duty as the salty, meaty, crunchy component to that sandwich, but still, sometimes you just need more. How about frying the tomatoes? Perfect.

On a particularly pleasant day, it's good to throw on your sun hat and shades, and your perfectly dainty fan to keep the heat at bay, and enjoy a nice, Southern-style sandwich out on the back porch. You're meant to enjoy food in warm weather, and you're most definitely not meant to spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing it.

These fried green BLTs are not only a super-fast, very fresh lunch option, they're also totally perfect for a spontaneous summer picnic. They hold up and travel very well, and I may just be imagining it, but I think they actually taste ten times better when eaten al fresco. That might just me though.

All you need is an egg, unripe green tomatoes, some cornmeal, a little vegetable oil, some nice crispy bacon, some baby spinach, a little mayo, and fresh thick-sliced bread (don't forget to toast it!), and you've got a totally fresh take on a pretty traditional sammie. Now all you need is a tall glass of ice-cold sweet tea to wash it down, and you've got the perfect summer day. Aaaaaahhhhhhh.

FRIED GREEN BLTs

What You'll Need:

• 4 slices of bacon
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• Salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 1 pound unripe green tomatoes, sliced (Note: I've found that using a serrated knife not only makes it easier to cut the tomatoes, but it also keeps them from getting mashed, releasing too much of their juices, and bruising)
• Canola or Vegetable oil
• 8 thick slices of your favorite bread, toasted
• Mayonnaise
• Baby spinach or arugula

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with two layers of aluminum foil. Lay your bacon on the foil, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until it has reached your desired level of crispiness. Once out of the oven, drain your bacon on paper towels.

Fill three separate bowels with flour, your egg and water mixture, and cornmeal. Season the cornmeal with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper. Dip each tomato slice in the flour, then the egg mixture (shaking gently to remove any excess) and then finally into the cornmeal, making sure that every bit of it is covered. Place the slice on a wax-paper lined platter or plate. Repeat the process until all of your slices are perfectly coated.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil until it is shimmering. Add the tomatoes, and cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden brown and crispy. This should take about five minutes. Drain your tomatoes on paper towels.

To Assemble:

Lay four slices of toasted  bread on a cutting board, and lightly spread some mayonnaise on each. Next, add at least two slices of tomatoes on top. Next, cut your slices of bacon in half, and add two halves of each on top of the tomatoes. Top with a few spinach leaves.

Now, if you like open-faced sandwiches, then you're done! If you like a classic sandwich, top each with another slice of toasted bread, and cut in half. Enjoy!

SOURCE: Delish

Ladies' Brunch!

 

I'd been itching to have a party for a while, so when my friend Grace mentioned an article she'd seen solely devoted to french toast recipes, I knew that a Ladies' Brunch was definitely in order.

As much as I love cooking and baking, I almost never do it for myself. Cooking for one can be a little depressing, so when given the chance to cook for others, I dive head first. All the bases were covered: a cheese plate, (a chalkboard plate I got on sale at Crate and Barrel!) a Florentine Fritata (I got the recipe from Breakfast for Dinner),  delicious and crispy brioche french toast with baked berries and maple syrup (curtesy of Grace!), and last but certainly not least, fresh and giggle-inducing grapefruit mimosas! At my house, you go big with brunch, or you go home.

A good brunch always needs fresh flowers. It brightens up any room, and reminds you that Spring has sprung, and you must embrace it.

Trader Joe's actually has a great selection of cheeses from all over the place, for excellent prices. My local grocery store was trying to charge me almost double, for less product. I don't think so!

It took me 20 minutes to make the mimosas, and I had the best time doing it. Cutting up those grapefruits made the house smell so wonderfully citrusy.

I thank my lucky stars everyday that I decided to keep the champagne glasses I impulse bought at Goodwill last year. I hardly ever use them, but when the time comes, these beauties come in absolute handy.

I've caught the entertaining bug, and I'm thinking a nice, classic dinner party is next!

Grapefruit Mimosas

What You'll Need:

1 750 ml bottle of Prosecco, chilled

4 large grapefruits (should make 3-3.5 cups of grapefruit juice)

Optional Sweetener or Simple Syrup

1. Fill a large pitcher with your freshly squeezed and chilled grapefruit juice, then add the prosecco. (Make sure your pitcher is big enough to handle both the juice, and the contents of the bottle, plus the foam. The foam is what ties it all together!)

2. Add sweetener to taste. (I added a couple spoonfuls of granulated sugar)

Yields about six servings

Source: Jason and Shawnda

If loving brunch is wrong, then I just don't want to be right.