3 Easy Recipes that Look Complicated
Whether you’re planning your next dinner party or need to bring a great dish to a company event, finding the right recipe can be difficult. If you’re low on time or culinary prowess, we’ve got the perfect recipes for you. These easy recipes have a luxe result, making them perfect for anyone who wants to dazzle their friends, family, or colleagues.
Appetizer
Garlic Confit
With just five minutes of prep time, three ingredients, and two hours of passive cooking, you can create creamy garlic confit (and garlic oil!). Simply peel as much garlic as you’d like, and add it to an oven-safe dish with rosemary and enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the garlic. Roast it in the oven for around 2 hours at 195 degrees Fahrenheit. It doesn’t get much easier than that. The result is a creamy, mild, spreadable garlic that goes well with crusty bread. Serve it alone or as part of a charcuterie board to really impress everyone. Note: be sure to practice meticulous food safety when making, storing, and serving garlic confit, as it has an increased risk of botulism.
Ingredients
3 garlic heads
Fresh rosemary
1.5 cups extra virgin olive oil
Yield: about 3 cups of confit
Instructions
Separate and peel the garlic cloves.
Add the items to a baking dish. A smaller dish with high sides will work best. Add enough oil over to submerge the garlic entirely.
Slow roast the garlic in the oven for about 2 hours at 195ºF (fan-assisted). When ready the garlic will be tender and lightly golden.
Allow the garlic confit to cool. When cooled, transfer to a sterilized glass jar and move to the refrigerator immediately.
Entrée
Roasted Feta Pasta
This viral pasta recipe is as simple as it is delicious. In an oven-safe dish, add a block of feta cheese, tomatoes, cloves of garlic, a shallot, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, and fresh basil. Coat everything with extra virgin olive oil and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. While this is roasting, prepare your favorite pasta (we love fettuccini for this recipe!). Once everything is ready, add the pasta and a scoop or two of the pasta water to the baking dish. Stir and serve.
Ingredients
2 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes
1 shallot, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-oz.) block feta
3 sprigs fresh thyme
10 oz. pasta
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium baking dish, combine tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and all but 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and toss to combine.
Place feta into center of tomato mixture and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Scatter thyme sprigs over tomatoes. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until tomatoes are bursting and feta is golden on top.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
To skillet with tomatoes and feta, add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, and lemon zest (if using) and stir until combined. Garnish with basil.
Dessert
Cheesecake
Cheesecake seems like a very difficult, impressive dessert, but it doesn’t have to be complex. Of these three recipes, it is the most difficult, but still attainable for most beginner chefs. Top it with your favorite fruit compote or chocolate sauce for an even more impressive presentation and flavor!
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
Instructions
Heat oven to 325°F.
Combine graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with Mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
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