Whipped Feta with Roasted Red Peppers

This girls loves a cheese plate. Like, eat-the-whole-thing-without-realizing-and-then-be-too-full-for-dinner, loves a cheese plate. Something about sitting around with a glass of wine and good conversation before a meal is oh so pleasing. In college, when we were too poor for anything but the hot dogs sold until the EL train (true story), my roommate and I used to go out to my Aunt and Uncle's house and spend hours devouring their expertly selected cheese and antipasti. Heaven for food-loving 19-year-olds.

But here's the thing about cheese plate... everyone always seems to do the same thing. Yes, I love a triple-cream brie or a smoked gouda, but some times you gotta mix it up! This whipped feta is the perfect remedy for cheese plate boredom. The roasted red peppers bring some flair and the cheese....so damn easy. 

The ingredients are straightforward and easy to find. Crumbled feta, whipped cream cheese, lemon juice, red pepper and of course, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Food processors are pretty much man's greatest invention. Or at least the greatest invention for time-crunched and/or lazy cooks like myself. Yeah cars and life-saving medical devices are pretty swank, but come on, easy chopping and mixing up in here!

I mean, it 30 seconds it turns simple ingredients into this amazing, creamy goodness.

So the red peppers are easy too... you basically just burn the shit out of them. Seriously. Char their skin until it peels off. Boom.

Serve on a pretty board with cracker of your liking or freshly slice baguette. A spread of cheese and bite of pepper on top. Break the chains of cheese plate monotony. Onward food soldiers!

Whipped Feta with Roasted Red Pepper
2 red peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Heat oven broiler to high. Coat red peppers with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Place directly under broiler and turn every few minutes, until all sides are charred and black. Times will vary by oven. Once cooked, remove peppers from cookie sheet and immediately place in a plastic freezer bag and seal. Allow peppers to cool in bag before peeling away blackened skins. Slice peppers, discarding seeds and stems.

In a food processor, combine feta and cream cheese. Slowly stream in olive oil until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crackers or sliced baguette. Cheese and peppers can easily be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated separately. Enjoy!