My FFFF: Feta Cheese

The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

March Issue 113

www.thenewsyneighbour.com

Article Provided By: Kathryn Hartwell for The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

My Favourite - Fantastic - Fabulous - and Fun Stuff!

Isn’t food just fabulous? I love food. I also love to cook; there is not a day that goes by that I am not creating something new. I am always looking for creative and delicious recipes and I love to experiment with different herbs and spices, just by adding a little bit of this or that you can completely change the way your dish will taste. Cooking and creating just seem to go hand in hand.

Out of all the thousands of food creations you can make, one of my favourite ingredients to change up a recipe besides herbs and spices would be cheese. I suppose cheese is considered a food but in my books, it is so much more than that.

Specialty cheese comes from all over the world and they all have a distinctly different flavour. I could never tell you I have one or two favourite cheese’s because I have dozens of favourites. There’s brie, asiago, muenster, Swiss, gouda, Roquefort, camembert, mozzarella, emmental, cheddar, gruyere, American, smoked, goat (chèvre) cheese, blue, Havarti, Danish, farmer, jarlsberg, feta and a few thousand more. There are also thousands of recipes for each and every one of these different cheeses; oh, just think, the possibilities are endless!! Doesn’t it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside dreaming of all the possibilities? For the sake of a total cheese melt-down for this article I must focus on just one of these delectable choices and I chose “feta” because I love it so.

I am going to share just a few of my most favourite feta recipes, but remember there are so many other ways you can serve feta—in your salads, soups, casseroles, stews, even desserts.

This first recipe is perfect for entertaining and is extra delicious and easy!

Spicy Feta Dip

Made with feta cheese and spicy peppers. A great addition to any cheese board.

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons good quality olive oil (plus a little extra for drizzling on top)

2 teaspoons fresh spicy peppers, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

In a small food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Add more olive oil, a little at a time, as needed to produce a smooth and creamy textured dip. Serve immediately or place covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour to allow flavours to develop. Can be topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh or dried oregano.

This easy recipe for Garlic Feta Dip is ready to go in less than 10 minutes and a guaranteed crowd pleaser! This "skinny dip" is lightened up with Greek yogurt, but no one will ever guess your secret.

Garlic Feta Dip

6 ounces crumbled feta cheese, divided

4 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Crackers, fresh veggies, and/or pita bread or pita chips, for serving

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place two-thirds of the feta, the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic cloves, lemon juice, oregano, and black pepper. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, then sprinkle with the remaining third of the feta, diced bell pepper, and parsley. Serve immediately with crackers and veggies as desired, or refrigerate for up to 1 day. If making ahead, sprinkle with bell peppers and parsley just before serving.

You will be making this over and over.

Oven-Baked Feta Cheese Dip

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of your favourite tomato sauce

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small oven-safe baking dish, or a clay pot, layer the crumbled cheese, covering the entire bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the minced garlic on top of the feta cheese. Spoon on the tomato sauce, covering the entire cheese and garlic mixture. Mix together the mozzarella cheese and the cheddar cheese; layer on top of the tomato sauce. Bake it in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve it warm with a side of flatbread or tortilla chips.

Just made these the other day and served them with soup and they are fantastic.

Spinach and Feta Muffins

1/2-pound frozen spinach, thawed

1/2-pound feta cheese

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/3 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups. Cut the feta into small cubes. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Combine the spinach, beaten eggs, olive oil and milk in a separate bowl. Add the dry mixture to the spinach mixture; do not over mix. Fold in the feta. Divide the mixture evenly in the muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes.

The feta with the lemon is completely fabulous.

Sweet Paul's Famous Feta & Lemon Dip

7 ounces feta cheese (about 1 cup crumbled)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish

1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Crackers, chips, toasts, or pita crisps, for serving

Place the feta, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and whir until combined but still slightly chunky. It’s dense, so you may need to stir it with a fork once or twice. Taste, and if it’s too salty add more lemon juice. Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of pepper flakes and some lemon zest.

If you have ever looked at a container of feta at your grocery store and wondered “what on earth could I make with that?” well, now you know. Feta has a soft, crumbly texture and a salty, tangy flavour. It is lower in calories than many other types of cheese and can be a healthy addition to any diet. Go ahead, add a little spice to your life and give feta a chance; you will not be sorry you did.

Kathryn Hartwell

References: tastyeverafter, wellplated, diethood, 12tomatoes, giverecipe.com, sweetpaulmag.com