Mykonos Cheese Dip

This is one of my favorite recipes. I've been making this since 1987. I don't remember where I got the recipe. 

Serves 8-10 people.

Ingredients

1 large clove of garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 lb. Feta cheese, crumbled (include the liquid)
1 cup sour cream
1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped
1 Tablespoon of drained capers
Pepper to taste
A few dashes of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Pita bread or crackers to serve
 
Directions

Blend the first 3 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Chill.

My Notes:

It's better if prepared the night before so that the flavor of the garlic comes out.

Drizzle a little olive oil on top once finished.

Turkey Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

24 Jan 2024

December 2022: My friend Amy C made this for our book club. 

This makes 16 roll ups.

Ingredients:

1 package lasagna noodles (use the kind you Boil, not the no boil ones)

1 jar tomato sauce (I used Lowes Spicy Arrabbiata sauce)

1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 lb ground turkey

1 small container fresh baby spinach

32 oz. Ricotta cheese (I used part skim)

1 egg

~1 tsp Italian seasoning

~1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1) Boil large pot of water and cook lasagna according to package (suggest cooking in 2 batches so the noodles don't stick)

2) Mix tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes together

3) While lasagna is cooking brown ground turkey and drain off any excess liquid/fat then mix with a little bit of the fire roasted tomatoes

4) When lasagna is cooked, carefully coat with a bit of tomato sauce and then lay out flat to cool for a bit

5) Chiffonade (thin slice) the baby spinach

6) Mix together Ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste

7) When cheese, egg, etc. are well mixed add in spinach and stir well to coat it all and evenly distribute

8) Coat the bottom of a ceramic baking dish with a bit of sauce

9) When lasagna noodles are cool enough to handle lay out one at a time on parchment paper and smear with cheese/spinach mix leaving about 1-2 inches at top of noodle clear, sprinkle with a bit of turkey and shredded mozzarella

10) Starting from bottom roll up the loaded lasagna noodle

11) Place upright in the baking dish, repeat

12) Lightly drizzle top and dish side of noodles with any remaining sauce

13) Cover with tinfoil 

14) Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes 

My Notes: 

I made this on 22 January 2024 (photos below).

I had a large pot to cook all of the lasagna noodles (added 2 T of salt) at one time. I rinsed them in cold water after boiling and to stop the cooking process.

For the ricotta filling, Amy's recipe calls for 32 oz. I may not have used enough, as I had a lot left over (Tony made lasagna a few days later, so that worked out well). I will either add more filling the next time or just buy a 15 oz container.  I added some parmesan cheese and mozzarella  to the mixture. Next time I'll chop the spinach. 

For the meat sauce, I sautéed 1/2 cup of chopped onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic with 1 T olive oil before adding and browning the meat. I seasoned with salt and pepper. I added Rao's marinara sauce, the fire roasted tomatoes (drained), and some hot pepper flakes.

I laid out the lasagna on top of parchment paper so that it didn't stick to the counter and added the filling and meat mixture. Instead of standing these, I laid them on the sides seam down (14 in a glass 9x13 baking pan; two in a smaller baking pan, which I wrapped tightly and froze for a future dinner). 

I baked this for 40 minutes, then uncovered and broiled for 2-3 minutes until the mozzarella cheese was bubbly. 

This came out great and my friends that were over for dinner loved it. 

The next time I will do a combination of beef and Italian sausage. 

Artichoke Dip

There are many recipes for artichoke dip. This is mine. This makes a large batch and is perfect for parties. 

Ingredients 

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (not in oil), drained well, and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 
3 T. chopped onion 
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese + a little for the topping
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 4.5 oz. canned green chilies, drained
3 oz. cream cheese (not low fat!), room temperature
Dash or two of hot sauce (optional)
Pepper to taste 
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Crostini for serving with the dip

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Combine the dip ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Place in an 8x8 baking dish and top with additional mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. It should come out nice and golden on the top. Serve with crostini.

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html

Sandy Nielson's Asparagus Quiche with a Spaghetti Squash Crust

Recipe from Sandy Nielson, 26 June 2023

*Serves 6-8*
 
A delicious quiche that's crust-less. 
 

(Adapted from: https://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/asparagus-quiche-with-a-spaghetti-squash-crust/ and one of Sandy's other recipe she uses to make a quiche).

Ingredients:
 
13 ounces of asparagus - I used a dozen or so asparagus spears cut into bite size pieces and blanched
1 good sized medium shallot diced into small pieces (or 1⁄2 small onion)
1 - 2 garlic cloves (your preference)
1 - 2 teaspoons of olive oil
5 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 1⁄2 cups of swiss cheese divided (I used Trader Joe’s Swiss & Gruyere shredded cheese mix)
1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
1⁄4 teaspoon of pepper
3 cups approximately of cooked spaghetti squash (1 medium squash) **see note below on how to prep squash for the pie “crust”
1⁄8 tsp of red chili flakes (optional)
 
Preparation:
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Wash and cut off/snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Cut the asparagus spears into 1 inch long pieces and set aside. Chop the shallot or onion and mince the garlic.
 
Next, bring a pot of water to a boil with a tsp of salt. Toss the cut asparagus spears into the boiling water for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes (depending on their thickness) and then remove them quickly with a slotted spoon. Plunge them immediately into a bowl of ice water. Drain and set asparagus pieces aside on a dish towel to remove the excess moisture and so that they will cool off. This “plunge” keeps their vibrant green color!
 
Next, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and sauté the shallots or onion, and garlic for a few minutes until soft and translucent. *If you prefer not to blanch the asparagus using the above method, you can now add them here, and continue to sauté until the asparagus has turned bright green and is soft but not limp.
 
Whisk together the eggs, milk, cheese, salt and pepper, pepper flakes.
 
Grease a pie plate lightly with a butter or olive oil. Press the cooked spaghetti squash into the sides and bottom of the pan, forming an “even crust”. Spread 1⁄2 cup of the swiss cheese in the bottom of the pie pan. Then sprinkle the asparagus spears, shallot or onion mixture and garlic in the bottom of the squash crust. Pour the egg mixture into the pie plate. Add the last 1 cup of cheese to the egg mixture, and be sure it sinks in.
 
Bake for 40 - 50 minutes until the quiche is firm and enjoy!
 
*How to Prep the Spaghetti Squash:
 
Cut the squash in half. Remove all the seeds by scraping them out with a tablespoon. Brush with olive oil and lay both halves, cut side down on parchment paper. Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes at 425 degrees.
 
When the squash has cooled some, use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash and put it into a colander to drain any excess moisture. You can use the back of a large spoon to press or squeeze out the excess H2O in the squash as it sits in the colander. Next, put all the shredded squash into the pie plate and press it to form “the crust”. This part of the recipe can be done the day before if you prefer, so that it’s all ready to go the next day and it cuts down on the prep time the day of baking. Just cover the crust with Saran Wrap and put it in the refrigerator. (This simplified the process a bunch for me and was a timesaver.)
 

The next day you can remove the prepared crust from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes, to bring to room temperature. Next, bake the spaghetti “crust” for 7 minutes at 400 degrees. This is so that the spaghetti “crust” isn’t too “wet” or moist. Take it out of the oven after 7 minutes and then prepare the egg mixture. 

Solterito Arequipeño Salad “little bachelor from Arequipeño”

Tony and I hosted a Peruvian dinner with friends (15 June 2023). One couple made this wonderful salad.  It's a perfect summer salad. 

 
[My notes]
 
1 can corn, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. black olives (more to taste)  [sliced]
1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved or quartered  [seeds removed]
Colorful peppers chopped coarsely
Salt and pepper to taste
Smoked paprika to taste
1/2 c. cilantro (hold to end) sprinkle on top
1-1/2 c. queso fresco small cubes (hold to end)
1 avocado small cubes (hold to end)
 
Sauce: 5 T extra virgin olive oil, 3+ T Jalapeno [about 1.8 oz], blend in cuisinart – add at serving.
 
Make early to let salad marinate in fridge.
 
Hold off on avocado, cilantro, cheese when ready to serve.

Festive Olive and Cheese Appetizer

I made this appetizer last night for Christmas Eve. It's very easy and fast to make.

 

Recipe from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273496/festive-olive-and-cheese-appetizer/

Servings: 6
 

Ingredients

24 sprigs fresh rosemary
12 ounces marinated mozzarella balls, drained
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, rinsed and dried
¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and drained
¼ cup sugar plum tomatoes

Directions

 
Arrange rosemary sprigs in a 10-inch-diameter circle to resemble a wreath. Start by placing one sprig at a 45-degree angle with the leafy tip facing outwards. Continue adding sprigs in the same direction until you have formed a full circle.
 

Arrange clusters of mozzarella balls, olives, and tomatoes over rosemary sprigs.

Notes: 

The quantities for my dish was a little different. You can place any amount of cheese and olives, depending on the size of the dish. 

I purchased the mozzarella balls from Costco. They were not marinated, so I placed the cheese, olives, and tomatoes in a bowl and tossed them with olive oil, a little bit of crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then I placed everything on top of the rosemary wreath.

Baked Feta Appetizer

This baked feta appetizer is so easy to make. It was a hit at last night's Thanksgiving dinner (25 November 2021).  I served it right after taking it out of the oven.

 
This is the recipe I used, but see my notes at the bottom:   https://midwestfoodieblog.com/baked-feta-appetizer/
 
Ingredients:
8 oz. block feta (in brine)
1 cup pitted olives, drained
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
⅓ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
 
For serving:
 
Fresh chopped parsley
Sliced French bread or crostini
 
Instructions:
 
Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
 
Add feta to a small baking dish (I used an 8”x8”). Add olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the baking dish around the feta.
 
In a small dish combine olive oil, sliced garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. 
 
Pour over the block of feta, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.
 

  

Bake for 20 minutes [uncovered]. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
 
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sliced French bread or crostini. 

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html

 

My changes/additions:
 
I prepared this about an hour or so in advance to get the ingredients to room temperature.
I used both green olives (Italian Castelvetrano) and Kalamata olives
I added roasted red peppers
I added a little of the sun-dried tomato oil
I used Italian Seasoning Blend
I didn’t have parsley (wasn’t missed)
I didn’t broil at the end
I sliced up a baguette
 
Next time I won’t slice the garlic so thin. The slices almost disappeared.
I will slice the olives in half.
And I may add some lemon zest slices and cherry tomatoes.
Someone in the comments stated they added chopped dried figs; another mentioned artichoke hearts.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

This is my version of a healthy and tasty dish. Instead of deep frying, I baked the eggplant before assembling the dish.

Serves: 4

1 large eggplant, sliced thin into rounds
Salt
1 large egg, beaten
Black pepper
1/2 cup of Italian Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil
1 cup Rao’s Tomato Sauce
Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus some for a garnish)
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (or a little more if needed)
 
Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt, cover with paper towels and set aside for 30 minutes to drain the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Rub some olive oil onto a baking sheet.

Place the breadcrumbs onto a large plate; and the beaten egg in a bowl.

Dip each eggplant slice in the egg and then into the breadcrumb, turn to coat both sides. Place onto the oiled baking sheet. More breadcrumbs may be needed.

Bake the eggplants for about 18 to 20 (half way through, turn the slices over) until they are browned. Remove from oven, and let cool for 10 minutes.
 
Reduce the oven to 325°F.

In a 9 x 12 glass baking dish, spread some tomato sauce on the bottom and add a layer of the eggplant. Top with the grated parmesan cheese, basil and mozzarella. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste. Repeat this layer until all eggplant has been used. The final top should be a layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This should yield two layers of eggplant. If you want three layers, use a 8 x 8 pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the fresh basil.

Serve with your favorite pasta. 

 

22 June 2022:

I'm still enjoying this recipe. I made it last night and layered it (3 layers).  I diced the cheese.  

Boursin Cheese Dip

This is a very simple dip to prepare and goes pretty quickly at parties. 8 oz whipped cream cheese 2 T. butter, softened 1/4 t. minced garlic 1 T. chopped parsley 1 T. chopped chives 1 t. dill Mix all together in a bowl; chill in the refrigerator; serve with crackers.

Baked Brie with Preserves

This is a very easy recipe to make and takes only minutes.

Take a round of brie and trim off the excess covering.

Place the brie on a microwave-proof dish. Top the brie with your favorite preserves. I like the dark berries, such as black raspberry.

Microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until the cheese has become soft. Keep a close watch on the cheese so that it doesn't over 'melt.'

Serve with a French baguette, sliced.

Serves 8.

Note: You can also wrap the brie and preserve in a puff pastry, seam-side down onto a lightly greased baking pan, and brushed with an egg wash (bring to room temperature). Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Basil Cheese Spread

6 fresh basil leaves
3 medium cloves garlic
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

In food processor, process basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, walnuts, and olive oil; process until smooth.

Transfer spread mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve with assorted crackers.

Garlic Cheese Fondue

14 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
6 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
2 T. flour
1 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground white pepper
1 cup. white wine
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 french-bread baguette, crust left on,bread cut into 1 inch cubes

Combine the first five ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Add the wine and garlic to the fondue pot and turn heat on to simmer. Slowly add small amounts of the cheese mixture and stir until melted. Keeping adding the cheese until all is combined and smooth. Add another tablespoon or so of wine, if necessary.

Serve with the cubed bread.

Cheese Fondue with Champagne

4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-1/4 cups dry champagne (brut)
1 large shallot, chopped
7 ounces coarsely grated gruyere cheese
5 ounces coarsely grated emmenthaler cheese
3 ounces diced rindless brie cheese or camembert cheese
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch white pepper
1 french-bread baguette, crust left on,bread cut into 1 inch cubes

Stir cornstarch and lemon juice in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves; set aside.

Combine Champagne and shallot in fondue pot, simmer over medium heat 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Add all cheeses and stir to combine. Stir in cornstarch mixture.

Return fondue pot to medium heat and stir until cheeses are melted and smooth and fondue thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Season fondue with nutmeg and white pepper.

Keep fondue pot on low/simmer setting.

Serve with bread cubes.

Note: I used a teflon style fondue pot.