Family Table

By Lorie Thompson

I am always searching for food trends and the hottest new internet recipe. Two recent finds worth sharing are Feta Baked Pasta and my adaptation of Mystery Rolls. Both recipes are easy to make and budget-friendly. Perfect for a “Meatless Monday Meal,” or add a pan-sauteed chicken breast for the full meal deal. Let me share the recipes with you.

Baked Feta Pasta

2 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes

3-4 Cloves of fresh Garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

8-oz block of Feta Cheese or 8oz of Feta Cheese Crumbles Sprinkle of dried thyme or a sprig of Fresh thyme

10 Oz pasta of your choice

Zest of 1 lemon

Fresh chopped basil for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cherry tomatoes in an 8x11 baking dish and toss in enough olive oil to coat them thoroughly. Add the smashed garlic cloves. Add a very light sprinkle of kosher salt and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes. (Be gentle with salt as the cheese is very salty.) Add an 8 oz block of Feta Cheese to the pan’s center or 8 oz of Feta Cheese crumbles. Pour a little more olive oil onto the cheese. Add thyme on top of the cheese. Add fresh or frozen spinach if you like. Be sure to completely drain, and press the spinach as dry as possible. Roast the tomatoes and cheese for 40 minutes, turning the oven to broil for the last two minutes, allowing the tomatoes to blister.

While the tomatoes are in the oven, cook 10 oz of your favorite pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta reserving 1/2 C of pasta water.

When the tomatoes are blistered and soft, remove them from the oven and stir to incorporate the cheese into the tomatoes, adding the 1/2 Cup of reserved pasta water. Add the cooked pasta and lemon zest and toss to coat. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot.

Lorie Thompson is a REALTOR at Poss Realty in Clayton, Georgia. Her expertise in her industry is second only to her culinary talents. Lorie is a dynamo in the kitchen. Honestly if she prepares it, it will likely be the best you’ve ever had! Lorie and her husband, Anthony (Peanut), make their home in the Persimmon Community. She is the proud mother of Joe Thompson and Kendall Thompson.

Pioneer Woman’s cooking show recently featured a recipe for Mystery Rolls. She said her Mom made them in the 60s after the introduction of canned biscuits. The recipe calls for Blue Cheese Crumbles and two sticks of butter. She serves them with Marinara Sauce as an appetizer.

I adapted the recipe to serve alongside the Feta Pasta Bake using lots of garlic, parsley, basil, and Parmesan Cheese.

1 Can of Grands Flaky Style Refrigerator Biscuits.

1 Stick of Salted Butter

1 1/2 tsp of granulated garlic

Grated Parmesan (or cheese of your choice) parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place an 11x17 baking sheet into the oven with a stick of salted butter for 3 minutes or until the butter is fully melted. Add the granulated garlic to the butter. Open the canned biscuits using the “Wampum” technique. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each piece around in the warm butter, thoroughly coating them. Spread them out to bake. Bake for 12-15 minutes until they are brown. Remove from the oven and toss with lots of grated Parmesan and parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes.

None of my family realized they were eating canned biscuits. The Flaky style biscuit bakes into something similar to puff pastry. My bread-eating men love these!

Enjoy this easy-to-make feast at your family table!