spinach

(NewsUSA) – High-quality ingredients make any meal shine, whether it be a weeknight pasta or a lavish holiday dinner.

Take feta cheese, a favorite among food enthusiasts for its fresh, vibrant and tangy flavor. The 2008 ChefsBest award, a prize given by an independent judging organization that tests America’s best food products, went to PrĂ©sident Crumbled Feta (www.PresidentCheese.com), a cheese available in most grocery stores. The ChefsBest awards are judged by a panel of professional chefs looking to find the highest-quality, American-made ingredients.

Feta is the perfect cheese for salads and is great sprinkled over pizza or sliced in sandwiches. It pairs well with olives, cucumbers, herbs de Provence, tomatoes, beets, endive, dill, and mint. The soft cheese crumbles easily, effortlessly bringing complexity to vegetable dishes. Because a little goes a long way, with meals using feta cheese, you can eat less and still feel satisfied.

If you’re one of the many Americans hoping to create more gourmet recipes at home, try these two salads. Both use fresh vegetables and feta to create a simple lunch or a satisfying accompaniment to pasta or chicken.

Spinach Salad with Crumbled Feta

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces crumbled feta (try President)
  • One bunch of spinach
  • One cup of red grapes
  • 1/2 cup smoked almonds
  • Three tablespoons of optional bacon bits
  • 1/3 cup Greek dressing

Rinse spinach and place in a serving platter. Add red grapes, smoked almonds, bacon bits, and feta. Serve with pita crisps and a side of Greek dressing.

 

Tomato and Olive Salad with Crumbled Feta

Feta salads

  • 6 ounces crumbled feta (like President brand)
  • Four large, ripe tomatoes
  • One red onion
  • 1 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
  • One teaspoon minced garlic
  • Three tablespoons minced parsley
  • Fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup vinaigrette

Cut tomatoes and onions into slices and arrange on a platter. Mix vinaigrette with minced parsley and garlic in a bowl. Pour vinaigrette over the tomato and onion slices and sprinkle with crumbled feta. Add kalamata olives and fresh basil.

For more information, visit www.PresidentCheese.com.