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.

Cantaloupe-Pancetta-Feta Pasta Salad

"I love thee to the depth and breadth..." // Instagram @kguymon

Good grief, how do I appreciate a refreshing variation on the good ol' pasta salad? Let me count the ways.

The summer standby is always a go-to for holiday get-togethers and backyard barbeques (duh!), but sometimes you just want a new and exciting flavor combination, you know?

I stumbled upon a list of Bon Appétit's list of "30 Memorial Day Side Dishes That Eclipse the Mains" and instantly decided to make my own version of their melon-pancetta-ricotta salata salad, one that promised a hefty amount of leftovers. 'Cause it's one of those weeks where Matt and I are passing ships in the night, and the sit-down family dinner just isn't happening.

The dressing is nowhere near the star of the show (you could double the amount, if you'd like); however, the sweet-salty mix of the melon and pancetta/feta definitely is. The fresh mint cools the spice of the red pepper flakes perfectly.

Gotta say, I am thrilled with the results! This one's a keeper.

Cantaloupe-Pancetta-Feta Pasta Salad [adapted from Bon Appétit]

-1 lb. campanelle pasta
-4 oz. sliced pancetta
-6 oz. crumbled feta
-16 oz. cantaloupe, diced into 1/2" pieces  
-3 green onions, thinly sliced
-3 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
-5 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
-4 tablespoons of olive oil
-1 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of pepper
-pinch of red pepper flakes (or more, to your liking)

1. Boil the pasta in a big pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water so pasta does not clump.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a foiled roasting pan, spread the pancetta slices out so that they do not overlap. Bake until crispy, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool, then break into bite-sized pieces.

3. To make the dressing, add together the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk well. 

3. Add pasta, pancetta, melon, feta, and dressing to a large bowl. Toss well, then garnish with onions and mint.

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

Photo by Katie Guymon

Here's a fair warning: don't make this pasta salad unless you want to go into labor. Mostly because you have to leave all the leftovers at home while you're eating crappy hospital food. All jokes aside, this was what I was eating when our little daughter decided it was time to make her big debut. Or, for a more accurate metaphor, to start tiptoeing her way to the stage.

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions
-1/4 cup red wine vinegar

-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

-1 teaspoon honey

-1/2 cup olive oil

-6 cups chicken broth

-1 pound orzo

-2 cups red grape tomatoes, halved

-1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

-1 cup fresh basil, chopped

-1 cup green onions, chopped

-1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. 

2. Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

3. Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature.

Greek Salad

Yesterday, my friends and I celebrated the dawning of Loufest II with a little pre-music festival lunch. Of course, I picked a Barefoot Contessa recipe to bring to the par-tay because, really, Ina's never done me wrong. It was the first time I've really used the kitchen in our new house, and it was the first time that I've put my camera together in a long, long while. It felt good to make something yummy and then creepily take 15 million pictures of the finished product. I'm back, baby!

I think this lettuce-free Greek salad is a fantastic late summer recipe. All the veggies are ripe and tasty, and it's about the most colorful salad I've ever seen. (Please notice that the color black is missing from the above picture in the form of black olives. I forgot to buy them at the grocery store.) I think next time around, I'll have to add some pepperoncini. It would only be right.

Greek Salad
Salad:
-1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
-1 red bell pepper, large-diced
-1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
-1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
-1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
-1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
-1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

Vinaigrette:
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
-1 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/2 cup good olive oil

1. Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly.

3. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.