January | 2022 | dmarie-dining

My hubby inspired me to make this recipe. On one of the several occasions I made my Sausage and Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes, he suggested I just serve the roasted feta cheese and tomatoes and let everyone take spoonfuls of it. Of course, his idea did not work with the meal I was preparing at that moment so I tucked his suggestion aside to try sometime later.

Well, later is now. Bruschetta with Roasted Feta Cheese was adapted from hubby’s idea. Bruschetta is very easy to make and refreshing. It is basically marinated diced tomatoes. A classic Bruschetta has diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. So I took a classic bruschetta and stepped it up by adding roasted garlic and feta cheese. Absolutely delicious!

Hubby didn’t quite give me the side eye when he saw me mixing everything together. But, he did give me a skeptical look. I told him his idea inspired me to create this dish so he was game to try it as an appetizer during our little happy hour.

After gobbling down three, he went looking for more! There were only two left and I give him credit for asking me if I wanted any more. I didn’t so he was quite happy to gobble up the rest. Whenever hubby goes back for seconds I know the recipe is a hit and blog worthy. Thanks Babe for once again inspiring me to try new things!

Bruschetta with Roasted Feta Cheese

Ingredients:

6 – 7 Roma tomatoes

2 cloves of peeled garlic

1 small French baguette sliced

1 block of feta cheese

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves removed and chopped

¼ cup olive oil + 2 tbsp

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp dried basil

½ tsp Kosher salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

pinch chipotle seasoning

pinch red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds. Chop tomatoes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup of olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, balsamic glaze and Parmesan cheese. Stir to mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate the flavors for 30 minutes.

Place block of feta cheese in the center of a small baking dish and place garlic cloves in one corner of the dish. In a small bowl mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, rosemary, red pepper flakes and chipotle seasoning. Drizzle mixture over the feta cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and smash the garlic. Let the cheese cool slightly.

Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Place sliced bread on a rimmed cookie sheet and brush with a little olive oil. Place cookie sheet into the oven and brown the bread on each side. Remove from the oven.

Combine the cooled feta and garlic with the tomatoes then top each bread slice with a little of the mixture. Serve immediately.

I have learned over time that the best way to bring out the natural flavors of vegetables is to roast them. Whether it is to create a delicious soup, add to a favorite recipe or to just have a medley of veggies, roasting is the way to go.

This past summer proved to be a veggie delight for me and hubby. Between the tomatoes and peppers we grew on our porch and the beautiful vegetables we bought from local farmers we were in veggie heaven.

To pack a lot of flavor into one vegetable side dish I roasted zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onions and peppers together. The prep time was quick and the end result was fantastic. Also, using a sheet pan to roast the vegetables kept clean up time down to a minimum.

Next time you want to have a flavor packed side dish or just a bowl of good veggies, try roasting a bunch of your favorite vegetables together for a Healthy, Quick and Easy recipe.

Roasted Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Other Veggies

Ingredients:

1 lg zucchini quartered

1 lg yellow squash quartered

1 pkg Campari tomatoes cut in half

1 lg onion cut into wedges

1 small jalapeno pepper sliced thin

1 medium green pepper diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray then add the vegetables to the pan. Sprinkle with all of the seasonings then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to mix and coat the vegetables. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and cooked to your desired tenderness. Serve with your favorite meat or over rice as a vegetarian meal.