Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

Whip yo' feta, gurl. // Instagram @kguymon

Last night could have very well been my last hurrah in the kitchen for quite some time. I'm having a baby in a couple of weeks, so I decided to go all out and treat my family to a meal that required hours of prep versus only twenty minutes (like I've been doing most of the summer).

I heard through the grapevine o' friends that Barefoot Contessa's whipped feta crostini was the bees' knees, and now that my tomato plants are producing some little red cherries, I thought it was the perfect addition to our menu of peach-glazed porkchops, German potato salad, and peach-goat cheese-spiced pecan salad.

Creamy, crunchy, tangy... I'm definitely digging on this crostini.




Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta [adapted from Barefoot Contessa]

-5 oz. crumbled feta
-3 oz. cream cheese
-2/3 cup of olive oil, divided
-juice of one lemon
-kosher salt
-fresh cracked pepper
-2 shallots, diced
-2 teaspoons of minced garlic
-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
-2 10.5 oz. containers of cherry tomatoes, quartered (or about 30 from your garden)
-20 slices of baguette, cut into 1/2 slices and toasted
-2 tablespoons of pine nuts

1. For the whipped feta, place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and process until smooth.

2. For the tomatoes, up to an hour before serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plates, sprinkle with the pine nuts, and serve.

Homemade Guacamole

Photo by Katie Guymon

A few summers ago, I decided it was high time that I create a signature guacamole recipe. I mean, who doesn't have one? This process required me thumbing through a ton of other guacamole recipes, picking and choosing the ingredients I liked, and then figuring out the best proportions.

There are obviously a million ways to make The Big Green Condiment, but here is the recipe, after lots of experimenting, I've decided I like the best.

Guacamole

-4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, and diced
-1 lime
-1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
-1 tablespoon garlic, minced (roasted garlic is nice, too)
-1 large tomato, seeded and diced
-1/2 large white or red onion, diced
-1 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
-1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)




How to prep your avocados: 
1. Use a knife to halve the avocado. Twist the two halves of the avocado until the fruit is open.

2. Use the knife to "chop" into the seed with one swift motion. Only go about 1/4 of an inch into the seed. Twist the knife until the seed comes out.

3. Very carefully, use a paper towel to remove the seed from the knife blade.

4. Dice into small pieces.

How to make the guacamole:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, squeeze the juice from both halves of a lime onto the diced avocados. Add the garlic and salt.

2a. For chunkier guacamole, use a fork (or other utensil) to mash the avocados to just above the preferred consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and do a little more mashing.

2b. For a smoother guacamole, add the remaining ingredients and use a Smart Stick or food processor to blend. You can do more rough chops on the ingredients if you go this route. I like the Smart Stick for easier clean up.

3. Wear a sombrero and drink a Corona or five.

4. Also, eat the guacamole with your favorite tortilla chips.