Best Pasta Cheese And Trees Recipes

Pasta, Cheese and Trees image

Provided by dicentra

Categories Healthy

Time 25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 lb broccoli floret
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb pasta (shells or elbows)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, cut up
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese or 1/2 cup romano cheese

Steps:

Put a big pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
Separate the broccoli into small trees by pulling them apart. Trim off the woody stems of your trees so you can break them up.
Put the broccoli florets (trees) into a pot and add water enough to just cover the tops.
The broccoli should cook about 5 minutes once the water comes to a boil. Drain.
When the pasta water boils, put 4 pinches of salt into the pot and add pasta. Cook to al dente (that's Italian for "done but still with a bite to it"), according to package directions.
Pour oil and butter into a deep frying pan and heat it up over low heat. When the butter melts, add the garlic and cook it 5 minutes.
Add the broccoli to the garlic.
Drain the pasta and add to broccoli. Add the ricotta and grated cheese, and have the GH stir it all up in the big frying pan.
Add a little salt and pepper and taste the pasta and trees to see how the seasoning is.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 699.7, Fat 22.8, SaturatedFat 11.8, Cholesterol 57.6, Sodium 331.4, Carbohydrate 94.2, Fiber 3.7, Sugar 3.4, Protein 30.2

Antipasto Cheese Ball Christmas Tree image

Provided by Bonnie G 2

Categories Spreads

Time 1h

Yield 1 Tree, 14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 cups cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced (or capsicum )
1/4 cup dill pickle, finely diced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt, to taste (optional)
1 1/2-2 cups pitted mixed olives (I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives, dried with paper towel)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped (dried with paper towel)
6 rosemary, to decorate
Ritz crackers, water crackers or pretzel, for serving
salami, slices for serving
prosciutto, slices for serving
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap (you may need two pieces to cover it).
Use your hands to mould the cream cheese into a tree shape. Then, carefully pick up the tree with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the tree with your other hand. Place the tree straight onto a serving plate.
Use a cake spatula to smooth the edges. Decorate with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary leaves/sprigs, lightly pressing each element into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavour)!
Top with a star cut out of a yellow or orange bell pepper OR a thick slice of cheese.
Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up!
Recipe Notes.
The cream cheese is more stable in a wider tree shape rather than a tall, thin tree. The taller tree folds over and collapses.
If you find your cream cheese has softened too much and won't hold its shape, refrigerate it until it thickens again (about 20 minutes).
Pat dry each olive and sun dried tomato on a sheet of paper towel before decorating your tree to make sure they stay on, or they may slide off if covered in oil from the jar.