Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta (from Real Simple, Total Time: 20 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         4 oz. Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)

·         1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.       Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Another simple recipe that was pretty tasty.  My only complaint is that it was a little too salty for me, so when I make it again I’ll omit the added salt.  Overall, though, it was good.  The gnocchi was light, soft and chewy.  When paired with the crisp yellow squash, it was fantastic.  My husband also really enjoyed this dish, which is always a plus in my book.  I may add a little more garlic next time, but other than that, no changes (except less salt!).

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta

Gnocchi with Summer Squash, Basil and Feta (from Real Simple, Total Time: 20 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 pound gnocchi, fresh or frozen

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         3 yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         4 oz. Feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)

·         1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.       Add the squash to the gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the Feta and basil. Season with pepper.

Another simple recipe that was pretty tasty.  My only complaint is that it was a little too salty for me, so when I make it again I’ll omit the added salt.  Overall, though, it was good.  The gnocchi was light, soft and chewy.  When paired with the crisp yellow squash, it was fantastic.  My husband also really enjoyed this dish, which is always a plus in my book.  I may add a little more garlic next time, but other than that, no changes (except less salt!).

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta with Feta (slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes, Total Time: 30 minutes, Servings: 6)

Ingredients

·         3 cups chopped, ripe tomatoes

·         ½ cup  thinly sliced fresh basil

·         2 Tbsp.  olive oil

·         1 clove  garlic, minced

·         ¼ tsp.  salt

·         ¼ tsp.  ground black pepper

·         8 oz.  radiatore pasta (radiator-shaped pasta), uncooked

·         1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions

1.)    Mix tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

2.)    Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.

3.)    Toss hot pasta with tomato mixture and feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Another easy summer recipe!  We had a ton of cherry tomatoes from our own garden, so I decided to make a pasta dish with fresh tomatoes as the sauce.  I used 3 cups of the tomatoes, but then added even more to leftovers because it didn’t seem like enough (and I still had a lot left over).  This dish is easy to make and the taste is light and fresh – good for a hot day.  I really enjoy the combination of tomatoes, basil and olive oil, so the flavor was very pleasing.  The garlic and feta just helped enhance that flavor – nothing was overpowering.

I actually used penne instead of radiator because that is what we had in the pantry.  The only change I recommend is adding more tomatoes! 

Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad

Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad (slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes)

Ingredients

·         3 cups wheat rotini pasta, cooked, cooled
·         1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
·         1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
·         1 cup chopped cucumbers
·         ½ cup Zesty Italian dressing
·         ¼ cup finely chopped red onions

Directions

1.)    Combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Stir just prior to serving.

This one was a big hit at a recent party that I hosted.  I only had one serving left over, which my husband promptly at the next day.  I have used both regular and tri-colored rotini with this recipe.  The tri-colored gives it a little more color, but I prefer the regular wheat pasta.  I omitted the black olives from the original recipe, but feel free to add them back in if you want.

The cucumbers and onions add a nice crunch to the soft, chewy pasta (I cook to al dente).  The Feta imparts a slightly salty flavor, but makes a major impact on taste – with its cheesiness filling each bite.  I like the Italian dressing with this dish, as opposed to a Greek, probably because I started eating salad with Italian dressing when I was younger.  The Zesty Italian adds a little kick of spices that a regular Italian dressing does not.  It works nicely with the Feta and the mild cucumbers.

Chickpea & Feta Dip

Chickpea & Feta Dip (from Kraft Recipes, Total Time: 15 minutes, Servings: 24 servings of 2 Tbsp. each)

Ingredients

·         2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed

·         2/3 cup  crumbled Feta Cheese, divided

·         1/3 cup drained roasted red pepper strips, divided

·         1 clove  garlic

·         3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

·         1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

·         Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1.      Place chickpeas, ½ cup cheese, ¼ cup peppers and next 4 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth.

2.       Spoon into serving bowl. Top with remaining cheese and peppers.

I made this as an appetizer for a Progressive Dinner in my neighborhood.  I served with various crudités (celery, carrots, pepper strips, etc.) for a healthy option during our Dinner; I also used fat-free feta to help cut back on some fat and calories.  I find the consistency to be more of a spread than a dip, and it was a little dry and clumpy, not creamy like hummus.  It tasted overwhelmingly like chickpeas, I would have liked a little more of a feta or red pepper taste.  I do not plan to make this dish again, but feel free to try your hand at it!

Spinach Tomato Linguine

Spinach Tomato Linguine (slightly adapted from Taste of Home, Total Time: 25 min., Servings: 4)

Ingredients

• ·         8 oz.  uncooked linguine
• ·         3 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
• ·         1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• ·         ½ cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• ·         1 tsp. olive oil
• ·         ¼ tsp. salt
• ·         ¼ tsp.  garlic salt
• ·         4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, sauté the tomatoes, spinach and onions in oil until tomatoes are softened. Sprinkle with salt and garlic salt. Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese; until heated through.
3. Drain linguine; transfer to a serving bowl. Add tomato mixture; toss to coat.

I said at the beginning that I have had some not so good vegetarian meals - and unfortunately, this recipe was one of them - it did not taste as good as it looked or sounded.  It's pretty healthy, yes, but taste is much more important to me.  I thought that the garlic salt, feta, and green onions would be pretty tasty mixed with pasta, tomatoes, and spinach.  There was next to no flavor, though.  Maybe garlic powder instead of garlic salt - and a lot more than 1/4 tsp. - would help out the dish.  Or parmesan.  I do not plan on making this meal again - it's not worth it to me to figure out what can make it better when there are so many other good options out there!

Feta Potato Salad

Feta Potato Salad (slightly adapted from KraftFoods, Servings: 12, Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes)

Ingredients

·         3 lb.  small red potatoes, quartered

·         1 cup  Zesty Italian Dressing

·         12 oz. Mediterranean Feta Cheese, crumbled

·         1 medium  red pepper, chopped

·         1 medium  cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

·         ½ cup  sliced green onions (green and white parts)

Directions

1.)    Cook potatoes in boiling water 15 min. or just until tender; drain. Place in large bowl.

2.)    Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover.

3.)    Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Stir before serving.

I made this for a family picnic and everybody loved it!  I wanted to try a no-mayo potato salad option for both the health and taste benefits (I’m not a huge fan of mayo.)  This fit the bill!  The potatoes soaked up some of the Italian dressing, which made for a nice bite.  They were soft and added a nice contrast to the crispy veggies.  I may use regular feta in the future as I don’t know how much taste the Mediterranean actually added.  Either way, this will be a go-to picnic item for me – easy and tasty!

Stuffed Peppers - Somebody Else's Way

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/stuffed-peppers-my-way/detail.aspx

This stuffed pepper recipe was good, but not great.  I think that it would taste much better with a red, orange, or yellow bell pepper to add some sweetness.  The green peppers were a little too bland for my taste.  The recipe says that it takes 1 hour, but if you multi-task (i.e. roast the peppers while cooking the rice mixture), it only takes about 30 minutes. 

The only change that I made to the recipe was with the Italian seasoning - we didn’t have any, so I mixed together some onion powder, oregano, and sage – it worked well with the other flavors of the dish.  The rice mixture had a somewhat salty taste – from the feta and extra salt – so I plan to cut the salt back to about ½ tsp., or even omit it completely.  The texture of the rice was a good contrast to the more firm consistency of the pepper, but I will roast the peppers for less than 25 minutes so that they are more firm.  Overall, a good dish, but could use some improving to make it more “My Way”.