Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Spinach Salad with Oranges and Feta Cheese, Citrus Vinaigrette and Greek Pasta Casserole

Yesterday afternoon, I got home at 5:00, and decided to make homemade fococcia, a pasta dish, and a salad with homemade dressing-and all this had to be ready at 6:30 (when Mr. Sexy Veggie was scheduled to arrive for dinner!) So I had a crazy busy hour and a half, plus a very messy kitchen, but it was worth it!

The salad I made was SPINACH SALAD WITH ORANGES AND FETA CHEESE. Olives were supposed to be included in this salad, but I don't care for them so they were omitted. Along with the fresh oranges sections and crumbled feta cheese, the recipe calls for CITRUS VINAIGRETTE to top the salad. The vinaigrette is another recipe from the book. The dressing is easily assembled by mixing fresh lime juice, fresh lemon juice, orange juice concentrate, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper in a jar. The result was tart and tasty! The combination of the spinach and the tangy orange bites, feta, and dressing was wonderful!

The entree for the evening was GREEK PASTA CASSEROLE. It is another easily assembled dish. You boil the pasta, and saute minced garlic in olive oil for 30 seconds. After the pasta is cooked, you mix the garlic oil with the pasta shells and let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, chopped roasted red peppers, diced tomatoes, and feta cheese are mixed in. After baking for 30 minutes, the pasta dish is hot and ready to enjoy!

YUM!! I loved this dinner. The salad was a great way to start, crisp and fresh, and the dressing was great. The casserole was excellent, the flavors meld together perfectly to make a warm and satisfying dish. Mr. Sexy Veggie enjoyed both dishes as well, including the vinaigrette, which he doesn't usually care for!

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