Spanakopita with a Cheesy Twist

As a fan of dough and all things cheese related, I thought why not give the traditional Spanakopita a little cheese boost. Here is familiar recipe with a slight twist – a cheesy one.

Ingredients

• Phyllo Dough (1 pack)
• Olive oil (2 tbs)
• Melted Butter (2-3 tbs)
• Salt & Pepper (2 -3 tbs)
• Baby Spinach (12 oz)
• Ricotta Cheese (7 oz)
• Crumbled Feta Cheese (6 oz)
• Shredded Mozzarella (3-4 tbs)
• Shredded Cheddar (3- 4 tbs)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the garlic and onions. Finely chop the spinach and add to the skillet. Mix this mixture with the eggs (beat in a separate bowl), add the salt & pepper, ricotta cheese, crumbled feta cheese, shredded mozzarella, and shredded cheddar.

In a non stick pan, add a 1/4 of the phyllo dough with a 1/3 of the spinach mixture. Continue until you add the last layer of phyllo dough and brush it with the melted butter to give the top layer an extra browned and crispy crust.

Cook for 34-40 minutes on 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

 

 

Quick & Easy Seafood Paella

This recipe is really quick to make and takes about 10-15 minutes to make!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2 people)

• Cooked Spanish rice (2 cups)
• Olive oil (2 tbs)
• Saffron (2tbs)
• Paprika (1-2 tbs)
• Salt & Pepper (1-2 tbs)
• Crushed Garlic*
• Calamari (1/2 cup)*
• Shrimp (1 cup)*
• Muscles (1 cup)*
• Peppers (1/2 cup)*
• Peas (1/2 cup)*

*I used frozen vegetables and seafood to make this quick and easy. 

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the frozen crushed garlic, calamari, shrimp, muscles, peppers, and peas and saute until they are thawed. Add the cooked rice and season with saffron, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Mix everything together, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes with the rice on low heat. Serve.

Enjoy!

Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Alfredo

Tonight I decided to make some rigatoni with creamy mushroom alfredo sauce. This is a simple recipe that is pretty quick to make and does not require many ingredients – perfect for a family dinner on a lazy Sunday!

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb rigatoni pasta
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1-2 cups milk, depending on desired thickness
• 1-3 tbs flour
• 1/2 lb pound mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup onion
• Salt & black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan

 

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally, about 10-13 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter to skillet along with the garlic and onions. Add salt and pepper. Once the garlic and onions are slightly browned, add the mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes until they are soft.

Add the milk and add a spoon of flour to control the desired thickness. Add the parmesan. Garnish as desired.

Buon Appetito!