Baked Feta and Cherry Tomato Pasta

This is the dish that went viral on instagram and tik tok. It looked so simple so when it was a cold rainy night I decided to make it. It was really easy to make and is definitely going to become one of my more used recipes when I'm out of creative ideas. 

Ingredients:

2 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes
1 shallot, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-oz.) block feta
3 sprigs thyme 
10 oz. pasta (I recommend penne or fussili)
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Grated parmesan cheese
2 Basil leaves, finely chopped

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large ovenproof skillet or medium baking dish, combine tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and most of the olive oil. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and toss to combine. 

2. Place feta into center of tomato mixture and drizzle top with remaining olive oil. Scatter thyme over tomatoes. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until tomatoes are bursting and feta is golden on top. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.

4. To skillet with tomatoes and feta, add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, and lemon zest (if using) to skillet and stir until completely combined. Garnish with basil and parmesan cheese before serving. 

Potato Salad

This recipe is honestly just for me to have for the future. No story, no picture :)

Ingredients:

3 Lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cup mayonnaise

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. lemon juice

¼ cup chopped pickles

½ tsp. paprika

¼ cup finely chopped chives

Salt and Pepper

 

Directions:

1. Peel and chop potatoes. Put into a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tbsp. salt to water. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until they are easily pierced with a knife, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl combine mayo, red onion, mustard, lemon juice, pickles and paprika. Stir until well combined.

3. Fold the potatoes and chives into the mayo mix.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.