Category Archives: Appetizers

Spinach + Feta Braid

I’ve made something for you.

And if I could, I would serve it to you, too.

I’ve always liked the idea of entertaining guests.

I think it dates back to high school. My house was always a place where friends came to hang out. I loved having friends over. Once I really got into cooking and baking, I loved making them food. I remember cheesecake being a must-have at get-togethers for a long time. No get-together was complete without a big cozy welcome and a table full of food to snack on all night long.

I remember having my mom and dad come over to my new college apartment a few years back for cinnamon rolls I had just prepared. I could not wait to have them over to serve them these warm cinnamon rolls in my tiny one-bedroom. It didn’t matter that I saw them almost every day, I just wanted someone to entertain.

In Greg’s last tiny apartment, where I lived with him this summer, we had guests several times. When we did though, we spent as little time at the apartment as possible. When we did spend time there, one person could sit in a recliner, one on a kitchen chair, one on the desk chair and the other on the bed. Not so great for spending an entire evening.

Now that we have our new apartment, with space and a kitchen and a lovely and large dining table, I have such an urge to entertain. I’ve been thinking about it and imagining it. I imagine having people over, lighting some candles, playing some music, opening some wine and enjoying some beer. I imagine cooking and serving good food that will fill bellies. I imagine having nights full of good conversation.

There will be more than enough food to go around. It’s better to have more than you need than not enough.

I imagine serving this spinach and feta braid to my guests. Perhaps as an appetizer. I’ll pull it fresh from the oven, cut it up and serve it with dipping sauce. It will be enjoyed and followed by more food. By more wine and beer. By more conversation.

Our hunger will last long into the night, just as long as our stamina. With full bellies, we’ll all be ready for bed.

Whether you are entertaining guests or not, this dish will please. It’s full of flavor, easy to prepare and can be great to make for a crowd, or just two!

Spinach + Feta Braid

2013-08-19 12:24:29

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Ingredients

*This could make one or two braids, depending on how full you make them
1 or 2 sheets rolled out cresent dough
4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup feta cheese
2 garlic cloves
1 egg + 1 egg white

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400*.
In a food processor, combine the spinach, feta, garlic and one egg.
Process until smooth.
Roll out the cresent dough onto one or two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Using a pizza cutter or knife, make 2 inch cuts down each vertical side of the cresent dough (see photo above).
Spread the spinach feta mixture down the middle of the cresent dough.
Braid the cresent dough around the spinach feta mixture (see photo above).
Once braided, brush the top of the dough with egg white.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy!

Notes

-Like I said above, this can make one or two braids, depending on how stuffed you make them. I made one, with a little filling leftover. It could make two, they just wouldn't be as stuffed.

The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Simple Bruschetta

3 Replies

I remember the first time my mom and I made bruschetta.

It was many summers ago.

It was a time when we scoured the internet for recipes when we wanted to make something more often than we tried to come up with recipes on our own.

I remember finding the recipe, getting the ingredients and starting. It was a process. The recipe we used had us slicing an ‘x’ at the bottom of each tomato, plunging each tomato in a pot of boiling water, transferring them to a bowl of cold water, peeling the skin off, slicing each tomato in half, squeezing out the tomato seeds and then finally, chopping the tomatoes. Whew. It was quite the job.

I will say, I remember that bruschetta being so good. We made it that way several times, and it was always an impressive dish when served to others.

But, we started looking at it as a lot of work. If we wanted to whip up a quick meal, that bruschetta could never be a part of it. It was so delicious, but just too time consuming.

Over time, we looked for ways to streamline the process, and basically, this is what we came up with. It’s simple and easy, and something that many people, I’m sure, probably already do. It’s so easy that it’s silly to even call this a recipe. But, if anyone reading this is in our shoes and looking for a simpler bruschetta, this is it.

I do have to say, I don’t have anything wrong witht the process I talked about above. The way we made it before was great. It was delicious. There was nothing wrong with the taste. I wouldn’t even say I won’t make bruschetta like that again someday. This is just a way to make it any night of the week. If you’re in a hurry, or just really hungry, this is the best.

This version does have tomato seeds and tomato skin, while the other doesn’t. That was what the process was for — to remove the skin and seeds. For me, the skin and seeds aren’t a problem. It’s all about the flavor. Chopped tomatoes, basil and onion, good olive oil, a touch a salt and pepper, crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmesan. It’s simple deliciousness at its finest.

This dish is best with fresh, summer tomatoes. I got mine from Three Springs and they couldn’t be better! Enjoy this summertime dish!

Ingredients
1 baguette (I used a mini one!)
4 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons fresh basil
1 small red onion
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Dice the tomatoes. Chop the basil. Dice the red onion. Place all three into a bowl and stir. Add a drizzle of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons, and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well.

Slice the baguette. Brush each slice with some olive oil and place under the broiler for about a minute, or until the bread begins to get crispy. Spoon the tomato mixture onto each slice of bread. Sprinkle cheese on top of the tomato mixture. Place the bruschetta back under the broiler for several minutes, until the cheese is melted and bread is at desired crispiness.

Notes:
-The amounts I provided are a guide. If you like more or less basil/onion, adjust accordingly.
-Use any cheese that you like.
-The tomato/basil/onion mixture will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
-These are a bit messy to eat, but so worth it!

Enjoy!

Rosemary + Goat Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

9 Replies

I am so excited today.

I’m excited because I finally get to share this recipe with you!

I made these little twice baked potatoes on Friday, but this recipe has been long in the making. Let me start from the beginning.

My mom, dad, brother and I have a Christmas morning brunch tradition. It started years ago when we decided to stop exchanging gifts. In a search for a new December 25 tradition, my mom and I decided on a nice brunch.

It works out for everyone. My mom and I get to cook together and my brother gets to sleep in as late as he wants. Christmas brunch is the best tradition.

I can’t remember exactly the first year we did this, but we have had the same menu every year. It doesn’t need to change. It is so perfect. And I think about it all year long. We make stuffed french toast (maybe I’ll share that recipe with you someday too) and rosemary potatoes.

The rosemary potatoes are undoubtedly my favorite part. They have to be one of my favorite things, ever, actually. The thing is, we never make them, except on Christmas morning.

So, a few weeks ago, I asked my mom for the recipe, wanting to share on here, and also wanting to have the potatoes to eat, thinking I couldn’t possibly wait another five months to have them again.

She sent the recipe and I was so excited. And then I made a mistake. I decided that I would try to “lighten” the recipe up a bit. I use the word lighten loosely, because if you know me, you know I don’t like “light” things. If I’m eating something, I want the real, full version. The real version is always so much better. But, I thought, I will try to summer-ize these potatoes. I will take them from winter-time comfort food to something a bit lighter for summer.

Let’s just say: big mistake.

The potatoes were lighter. They were more summery. But they weren’t as memorable. They didn’t leave me feeling like I had just eaten one of the best things in my life. They were sustenance, and we ate them. But they didn’t touch the original. Sometimes butter, cream and cheese are totally worth it.

So, I set the idea aside for a bit. And then, one day, this idea came to me. What if I added the great taste of the original rosemary potatoes into little twice baked potatoes.

And without even trying, I did end up making the recipe lighter. In these twice baked potatoes, there is no butter or cream and there is only a small amount of cheese per potato.

But they seem to posses the same magic as Christmas brunch potatoes. They aren’t trying to be a lighter version of them. They are their own new delicious form of rosemary potato.

And if you ask me, no flavor goes with potatoes quite like rosemary does. And in these, add caramelized shallots and goat cheese and you’re in complete bliss.

Not enough good words could be said about these. Greg said they they are “one of the best things ever” and he could eat them every single day.

If you use small potatoes, they are perfectly pop-able and would make the perfect appetizer. I had some small potatoes and some larger ones, that needed to be eaten with a fork and a knife, and I definitely preferred the smaller.

While most twice baked potatoes are filled with butter and cheese, these use olive oil instead, and a smaller amount of cheese. They are not difficult, but do take some work. Once the potatoes are done baking, you do need to scoop out the insides, but that is the most time consuming part. Once that is done, just mash some ingredients together, fill the potatoes back up and put them in oven to finish baking. The taste of these makes the small amount of work totally worth it.

I will say that these have to be one of my favorite recipes on this blog. I hope that you get to try them and enjoy them as much as I do!

Ingredients
6 – 10 small to medium potatoes (I used red potatoes)
8 small to medium shallots
Olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2/3 cup goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dried parsley and additional goat cheese for topping, if desired

Preheat oven to 400*. Wash and dry potatoes. Pierce each with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 – 80 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. When done, potatoes should be soft when gently pierced with a fork.

While potatoes are roasting, thinly slice shallots and chop rosemary. In a small saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and slightly browned. Add rosemary and cook an additional 5 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and set aside.

When potatoes are done roasting, let cool for about 5 minutes, if desired. I got to work on them right away because it is best to not let them sit long. Carefully cut each potato in half, and using a small spoon, scoop out the inside bulk of the potato. Add the insides of the potatoes to a bowl. When all potatoes are scooped out, add the goat cheese, shallots, salt and pepper to the bowl with the insides of the potatoes. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the mixture together until no large chunks remain and all ingredients are well combined. Scoop the potato mixture into each scooped-out potato skin, filling each to the top.

Bake in a 400* oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through and slightly golden brown.

To serve, sprinkle with additional goat cheese and dried parsley, if desired.

Enjoy!

Roasted Corn + Pepper + Bean Sliders

2 Replies

I’m reminded once again how much I love making veggie burgers.

I just love making a big batch to enjoy with Greg for dinner, and then having enough to make lunch for each of us for days.

I usually keep it uncooked in a container, and then cook the burgers when I’m readying lunch.

These particular ones were sliders for us, but could totally be bigger if that’s what you want. We went with sliders because we received some awesome challah sliders from Wild Flour Bakery at market. They were so good, and made these burgers even better. The sliders didn’t last long.

These veggie burgers are utilizing the first sweet corn of the summer. I think about ears of sweet corn all year long, but when I eat it for the first time each summer, it’s like I forgot how amazing it really is. The corn in these burgers was my first this year and I just could not get enough. I never want veggie burgers without sweet corn again.

We topped these sliders simply. Just some cheese. That is not typical around here. We usually have more toppings on burgers than actual ingredients in the burgers. But, for this one, I wanted the patty to be the star. With a slice of melty cheese, it was, in such a great way.

This is a great, simple summer recipe. It utilizes fresh veggies and really has very few extras. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Ingredients
Olive oil
2 ears of corn
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 medium onion
3 medium celery stalks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can white beans
1 can black beans
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 egg
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Slider rolls
Cheddar cheese, for topping

Start with the corn. If you have a grill, I suggest grilling the corn. I don’t have a grill, so I broiled my corn. I lightly brushed each ear with olive oil, set it on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler for several minutes, until slightly charred. Once the corn is done, let it cool and then remove the kernels.

Finely chop the peppers, onion and celery. Place about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and stir. Add the peppers, onion and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until veggies are just soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the black and white beans with a potato masher or a fork. Add the onion powder, egg, breadcrumbs, cooked veggies and corn. Stir well, to combine everything.

To make sliders or burgers, shape bean/veggie mixture into patties and cook in a pan over medium heat until crispy on each side and heated through. I used olive oil to cook mine. Serve on rolls with cheese or go bunless!

Enjoy!

Carrot + Cucumber Peanut Salad

3 Replies

This little salad dish was born from farmer’s market loot.

On Sundays, Greg and I have been working at Headhouse Farmer’s Market for the always amazing Three Springs Fruit Farm.

Each week, we come home with our hands full of bags of market goodies.

This week, I am determined to base the dishes I make around what I got at market, rather than think of a recipe and have to buy groceries.

First up is this salad.

Crisp carrots and cucumbers slathered in some of this light and delicious peanut sauce and topped off with crunchy peanuts and sesame seeds and cool cilantro. This refreshing salad comes together quickly and is seriously awesome.

I am obsessed with using the vegetable peeler for these veggies. It is not a way that I have been used to enjoying raw veggies, but I think that I will be doing it much more often now. The veggies become almost noodle-like, but retain that great, juicy vegetable crunch.

The carrots and cucumbers + peanut sauce together are delicious, but it is really the toppings that make this dish. Most recipes I share on here are so customizable, but in this dish, the chopped peanuts, cilantro and sesame seeds are mandatory. You have to use all three if you make this, or it just won’t be the same. Amounts are customizable, but omitting one of those three ingredients will change the dish.

This summer salad is very good on its own. I would just make it as a side dish for a summer dinner. But I have big ideas for it too. Tomorrow I will share with you one of those ideas, so be sure to check back for a delicious meal featuring this salad.

I hope that you enjoy this tasty summer dish!

Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
3 large carrots
For the peanut sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 large garlic clove
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup hot water
Toppings:
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Large handful fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Using a vegetable peeler, slice the carrots and cucumbers into long and thin strips. Add the sliced vegetable to a large bowl.

To make the peanut sauce, place peanut butter, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and hot water into a blender or food processor and blend/process until completely smooth. This made 3/4 cup sauce for me.

Pour 1/2 cup peanut sauce over the sliced veggies and toss very well.

Top with chopped peanuts, cilantro and sesame seeds and toss again.

Enjoy!

The Dreaming Foodie

Sharing dreams. On food and life.

Category Archives: Appetizers

Spinach + Feta Braid

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