Mediterranean Mostaccioli With Feta Recipes

TOMATO FETA SALAD (MEDITERRANEAN SIDE DISH)

Steps:

• Slice your tomatoes in 1/3" thick slices and arrange them in a single layer on an oval serving plate.
• Top tomatoes with sliced red onions (moons or half moons).
• Add freshly chopped parsley and mint.
• Add chunks of good quality Feta cheese.
• Combine all the Dressing ingredients in a mason jar, shake to mix well and pour over the salad. Serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN PESTO PASTA SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions (a little more than al dente as pasta will firm up as it cools). Drain well and toss with olive oil (to prevent noodles from sticking together) and spread out onto a baking sheet to cool while you're preparing remainder of ingredients. OR, in a pinch, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• Place cooked pasta in a large bowl, stir in pesto (start with 3/4 cup). Then stir in red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, marinated artichoke hearts and chives. Note: if you want things more saucy, stir in remaining 1/4 cup of basil pesto.
• Stir in arugula.
• Finally, stir in feta. Serve and enjoy!

MEDITERRANEAN PENNE PASTA AND BEANS

Steps:

• Cook penne to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, beans, Italian seasoning and sugar; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
• Add spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently.
• To serve, arrange cooked penne on large serving platter. Top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and olives.

15-MINUTE MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook it according to package directions.
• While the spaghetti is boiling, add the garlic and olive oil to a small pan. Heat the oil over medium-low heat and let the garlic gently cook in the oil, for about ten minutes. Adjust the heat, if needed, so the garlic doesn't brown too quickly. After ten minutes discard the garlic and turn off the heat.
• Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and return it to the pot. Add everything, except the feta cheese, to the pot with the spaghetti and toss it all to combine. Add 3/4 of the feta, reserve some for serving, and give it one more gentle toss. Serve right away with the extra feta on the side.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta, until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water before draining pasta and setting aside.
• Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat (make sure skillet is large as you'll be adding all ingredients to it!). Once hot, add sliced chicken sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, until sausage is cooked through and browning around edges. Remove sausage to separate bowl or plate and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to skillet, along with broccoli and garlic. Cook until broccoli is bright green, about 5 minutes.
• With heat on low, add chicken sausage back to skillet, along with sliced olives, cooked pasta, feta, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add half the reserved pasta water. Toss well to combine and warm. Add remaining pasta water if desired.

MEDITERRANEAN MOSTACCIOLI WITH FETA

Steps:

• Cook mostaccioli in large saucepan as directed on package, adding zucchini to the cooking water during the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking time. Drain mostaccioli mixture; return to pan.
• Add remaining ingredients; cook until heated through, stirring frequently.

EASY MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 12 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large stove top pot over medium-high heat, cook diced onion in a couple of drizzles of olive oil until it's translucent and beginning to brown. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste then add the crushed red pepper flakes.
• To the pot add both jars of Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup of milk, and cream cheese.
• Mix well, then simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring just until the cream cheese melts.
• To the pot add Parmesan cheese, basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes, chicken and 1 1/4 cups of shredded cheese. Mix well.
• Add the cooked penne pasta and the baby spinach. If you'd like the sauce a little thinner, add extra milk. [Tip: At this point, you could skip the oven and serve this dish as is....Stir all of the cheese into the mixture and simmer on the stove top until heated through. Then sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese just before serving. For a little crunch, top with toasted pine nuts.]
• Pour the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella on top.
• Toss together crumbs and butter, sprinkle over cheese.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.
• Serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA IN MINUTES

Steps:

• Boil water for pasta in a pasta pot, fitted with a strainer. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken strips until no longer pink -- about 3 minutes each side. Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic to skillet. Saute for 2 minutes. In the meantime, add the fresh pasta to boiling water, cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
• Now add the basil, artichoke hearts, olives and feta cheese to the skillet. Saute 1 minute then stir in the cream. Strain the pasta and transfer to a large pasta bowl. Add the chicken saute to the pasta and toss. Season with oregano, salt and pepper before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN PENNE

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook penne according to package directions.
• (I sometimes like to add vegetable boullion to the water during cooking to give the penne a little extra flavor); Drain and set aside.
• In a large wok style pan combine onions, peppers, garlic and Italian herbs with olive oil and sauteé until tender crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Mix in the kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes, cook another 2 minutes, or until heated through.
• Add the cooked penne, feta and freshly ground black pepper to the pan and toss gently to mix.
• Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until feta begins to melt.
• Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.