Tzatziki & Keftedakia Recipe

Something that I have noticed over the past few years especially is that so many girls(& guys for that matter) have no idea how to cook anymore. I cannot tell you how many people I know tell me "I can cook macaroni & cheese & make a bowl of cereal & that's about it"...oh dear. Well if that's you don't worry this is Greek food made easy and its so delicious :)

I have been meaning to add a tzatziki recipe for a long time but never got around to it (or took pictures when making it) so today I finally am!

Tzatziki

4 cups plain Greek yogurt (I use fat free)

1-2 cucumber(s) seeded & graded

a large handful of chopped fresh dill

2 cloves of garlic, mashed(or pressed)

a good drizzle of olive oil

the juice of 1/2-1 lemon

2 leaves of fresh mint, chopped

a good pinch of salt

optional drop of Ouzo

Combine & serve!

Keftedakia

1 lb. ground beef &/or lamb mix

3 gloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. oregano, minced onion, & marjoram mix

2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt

pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl, make into small balls. Then cook/fry in a pan with heated olive oil.

Place on paper towels to collect grease, then serve with the tzatziki & some feta.

Keftedakia are pretty much "little meatballs" but don't underestimate them, they are delicious!

Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato, & Spinach Pasta Salad

I currently can't upload my pictures from Greece so in the meantime i have some recipes I've been wanting to add. This particular one i saw when searching for a new pasta salad recipe;

Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato, & Spinach Pasta Salad

adapted from Kalofagas



farfalle pasta (bowtie)
baby spinach
sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
red onion, diced
garlic
extra-v olive oil
red wine vinegar
Greek yogurt
fresh oregano, finely chopped
fresh basil, chopped
fresh chives, chopped
fresh thyme leaves
Feta cheese

Cook your pasta as usual & rinse. Add all ingredients except olive oil, yogurt, vinegar, herbs, & Feta to a large bowl. Mix oil, yogurt, vinegar & herbs together, add to salad. Then add cubed/crumbled Feta & toss.

As i've stated multiple times i am not the kind of cook that goes by measurements(for the most part) or strictly follows recipes so i didn't add the amounts for anything in the recipe but if you need them you can click on the link to Kalofagas' recipe (above the picture).
Something i really liked was the crunch of the red onions in this salad, it really made a big difference having that texture. Enjoy!

Also bear with me on the font craziness, i'm still working on the codes!

Bacon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

This recipe has been used in my house for about a year now and we love it.

Its a Tyler Florence recipe, & no offense to him, i usually don't like his recipes. But this one is a winner.

Bacon-Braised Brussel Sprouts

by Tyler Florence

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed,and cut in half

4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) bacon, cut into small squares

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed, plus 2 cloves, roughly chopped

4 sprigs thyme, plus 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only, chopped

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only, chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a large pan and set over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until fat renders 2 to 3 minutes. Add the smashed garlic clove, thyme sprigs and Brussels sprouts and cook gently until slightly caramelized. Add stock and reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and a little pepper, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Remove lid and add a splash of vinegar and reduce until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes.

this one was a little bacon-heavy lol

After Brussels sprouts are done cooking, put them in oven safe dish. In sheet tray and toss bread crumbs with rosemary, thyme leaves and chopped garlic, then drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture and Parmigiano over Brussels sprouts and bake in a hot oven until golden and crispy.

 

source:ToneItUp

I had a nice Memorial Day yesterday, went to the parade like we do every year, got some breakfast out, & brought my grandpa & great-grandparents' graves some flowers(grandpas both vets too) in the cemetery the parade ends at. Its the most beautiful cemetery i've seen in person, right on a lake & its has a few hills in it also. I'll take a few pictures next time i go.

..oh & Blogger is finally letting me upload pictures!

Asparagus & Bread Salad

In the midst of chaos this week as far as trying to get everything for for school(homework, finals prep, class registration) work(stress!), & finding out my insurance went up by $70, i have been trying to find the good things in life...one of which i will share with you today.

I have been wanting to do a bread salad & i found a lovely recipe from Three Greek Sisters that i based my salad off of..but..i was out of feta, it was a tragedy still i pulled through.

Asparagus & Bread Salad

adapted from 3 Greek Sisters

1 cup asparagus, chopped, 1 inch pieces

1 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt
4 cups day old bread, cut in 1 inch cubes
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled & chopped
red onion, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3-4 basil leaves, chopped


Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 oregano, dried

On a baking sheet, drizzle asparagus with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Put in preheated oven and broil for 4 mins on one side, turn and broil for 4 more mins. Remove from oven, set aside to cool.

Add the remaining ingredients to a salad bowl, along with the cooled asparagus.

In a small bowl, whisk the dressing's ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss and let sit for 15 mins to let the bread absorb the dressing.

*The best part of this salad is the bread after its had a minute to soak up all the juices, so good.

I am off to bed now!

Isn't it amazing how when you were little you hated going to bed, now i look forward to it all day, funny.

Chocolate-Banana Soft Serve

Χρήστος Ανέστη! και χρόνια πολλά σε όλους!

Well on this lovely Easter morning i made chocolate banana soft serve.

Chocolate-Banana Soft Serve

2 frozen bananas

1 scoop Amazing Grass chocolate powder

In food processor blend bananas, then add powder. Mix until smooth.

This is great stuff; so light & healthy!

I am still amazed it didn't rain today..can't remember an Easter when it didn't!

 

Wheat Berry Tabbouleh

I'm kind of obsessed with tabbouleh in many forms, its so healthy & delicious=staple in diet!

So when i saw on Monday Joanne from Eats Well With Others posted a recipe for a wheat berry & chickpea salad it just so happened i had wheat berries sitting in my pantry but the one day i'm out of chickpeas (darn it!) so i decided to modify it to what i had & like.

Wheat Berry Tabbouleh

wheat berries

cherry tomatoes, quartered

red onion, diced

green onion, diced

red pepper, diced

garlic, diced

fresh parsley, chopped

(arugula or spring mix if making salad)

dressing:(in order of amount of ingredient)

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

lemon juice

Dijon mustard

soy sauce

Bring water to a boil & cook wheat berries about 30-35 minutes. Add all chopped veggies to a bowl, add wheat berries. In a small bowl mix dressing, pour over salad, mix well.

(99% of the time i eye-ball my cooking so i add more here & there mostly without exact measurements, but taste testing should tell you everything you need to know)

*would'ev been great with:
chickpeas
mint
paprika
**you could sub wheat berries for bulgar

You can either serve this over a salad, which i did the night i made it (added a little more dressing then), or you can do what i did the next day; pulled it out & eat as is: amazing!

Sweet Potato Fries w/ Fiesta Dip

These are awesome & the way i make em, really healthy too.

Sweet Potato Fries w/ Fiesta Dip

sweet potatoes (as many as you'll eat)

olive oil

fat free sour cream

salsa

2-3 green onions

fresh cilantro

1 lime

Preheat oven to 450F.

Start out by cleaning & cutting the potatoes into slices, then place on a baking sheet. Put a few Tbs. of olive oil in a small dish & mix in spices; i used some garlic, Cajun, pepper. Then with a pasty brush coat the fries well. Place in oven bake about 20mins. check to make sure they are softened enough.

Meanwhile, in a bowl mix sour cream & salsa (about equal parts, maybe slightly less sour cream) then add roughly chopped cilantro & lime juice. Chop green onions & place 1 chopped into mixture, then garnish on top with the rest.

Serve immediately! It's nice to have the fiber from the sweet potatoes & no fat sour cream but still the great taste.

Delicious & healthy

Also i found out i was accepted into a study abroad program in Greece today! It would be in the summer & i have been waiting to talk about it since as i said i tend to jinx things. But unless an unforeseen expense comes up i will be spending most of my summer in Greece!! I am over the moon about it :)

Apricot Glazed Chicken w/ Garlic-Orange Green Beans

Tuesday night i invented a recipe for dinner, amazing i had that much creativity left in me after school!

Apricot Glazed Chicken

boneless,skinless chicken breasts halved lengthwise

1 jar apricot jam

1-2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

red pepper flakes-eyeball to your heat preference

Southwest chipotle seasonings, i used Mrs. Dash no salt & Penzeys Arizona Dreaming

Preheat oven to 375F. Start by mixing your glaze; put the apricot jam in a bowl, add the balsamic & spices, mix well. Place the halved chicken on a foil-lined baking dish. Spoon glaze over chicken applying an even coating. Bake for 30-40mins.

Garlic-Orange Green Beans

green beans

garlic

1 small orange

pepper

Clean & snap your green beans, then steam them. Once steamed drain your pot & place the bean back in adding a few cloves of garlic & the juice of an orange as well as some of the pulp. Cook for just a few minutes until garlic is aromatic. You'll probably want to add some butter to serve, i use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray butter.

A tip for this recipe is use the foil or parchment paper on your cookie sheet/baking dish...because once the jam caramelizes the sugars in it make it molasses-y & let me tell you the monster it becomes to clean lol.

Roasted Garlic Chicken

This recipe my mom found in a magazine & with all the garlic in it we had to try it!

So i made it for dinner on Tuesday.

Roasted Garlic Chicken

4 whole garlic bulbs

2Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 pkg. fresh baby spinach

freshly ground pepper

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves

6 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. all purpose flour

3 cups milk

2 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

cooked pasta

chopped tomatoes

parsley flakes or fresh

Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves) Cut tops off of bulbs(make sure to cut off whole thing) brush bulb in olive oil. Wrap each in heavy-duty foil & bake at 425^ for 30 mins. Cool for 10.

Meanwhile place spinach in greased 13x9 baking dish, sprinkle with pepper. In large skillet brown chicken (you'll noticed mine aren't halved at this point i forgot) place over spinach when done.

In large saucepan melt butter, stir in flour until smooth; gradually add in milk. Bring to boil, cook & stir for 1-2mins. Stir in 2 cups cheese, nutmeg, & some pepper. Transfer to blender, squeeze softened garlic into blender, cover & process until smooth. Pour over chicken. Cover & bake for 30-35mins. Meanwhile make your pasta.

Uncover sprinkle with remaining cheese & bake 5mins. longer.

(this was before the 5mins of cooking)

Serve with pasta & sprinkle with tomatoes & parsley.

We thought it was really good but i would add more spinach next time & make sure the chicken is halved in the first place lol. Over-all yummy!

Oh & tonight (Friday the 4th) my family watched Who Do You Think You Are? on NBC, i seriously love that show! I've watched every episode & can't wait till next week!

I really should have studied anthropology & archaeology in college..i suppose its not too late but i don't think you can make very much money at that.. oh well!

Oatmeal Spice Pancakes

These are my favorite pancakes, my mom made these & they were amazing; so full of flavor!

She found this recipe in a spice magazine.

Oatmeal Spice Pancakes

3/4 cup oat flour (grind 1 cup whole oats in food processor)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 Tbsp. honey
2 large eggs

Mix flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, & salt in large bowl. In small bowl stir melted butter, buttermilk, cooked oatmeal, honey & eggs together until thoroughly combined. Gently fold the wet ingredients into dry ingredients only until combined. Don't over mix.

Heat pan over med-high heat until sizzling spray with non-stick spray. Add the batter in 1/4 cup mounds. Flip when bubbling.

We used agave as our syrup & some fresh juice from an orange. This beats the heck out of a regular pancake.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

Geia sas!

I posted on my Twitter that i'd be adding this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins,

so here it is!

(my twitter @sassyagapi)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

one large egg

one large egg white

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 Tbs. applesauce

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (i used Ghirardelli they were awesome)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray muffin tin.

Combine dry ingredients and spices together in a large bowl.

Add pumpkin, applesauce, milk, and egg and egg white to a medium size bowl and mix thoroughly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient and mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake for 18 mins.

Voila!

I hope you like them, they taste really good. I love oatmeal in bakery & i don't even bake that much only when i'm convinced it'll be delicious!

...i was right in case you were wondering :D

 

 

Basilikos Lasagna Recipe

Geia sas!

So remember this post when i told you i'd share the recipe for Basilikos Lasagna?

Well guess what; today is that day!

Basilikos Lasagna

4 Tbs. butter

4 Tbs. flour

4 cups milk

4 cloves garlic

1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

1 large bag shredded mozzarella cheese(use as much or little as you like)

3-4 large tomatoes, sliced

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

fresh grated nutmeg(as much as you like, i use a good amount)

a pinch of cinnamon

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Sauce: In large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add garlic & cook till aromatic, about 1 min. Sprinkle flour over pan & cook for 1 min. Whisk milk into the pan & bring to a bubble. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, season with salt & pepper, & simmer until thickened(3-5mins.)

Lasagna: Ladle a small amount of sauce into bottom of a 9x13" pan & lay 3 lasagna noodles over sauce.

 Top noodles with about 3 tomato slices, a third of the chopped/torn basil, & a large hand-full of the cheese.

 Repeat until all ingredients are used up, top off the lasagna with a final layer of sauce & cheese.

Bake for 30mins. on bottom oven rack, then move to top rack & cook for additional 15mins. until cheese is slightly browned & sauce is bubbly. When ready to serve top with a few basil leaves.

Note: There will be a little extra sauce because there never seems to be enough! So add it all.

This is a family favorite & will stay in my family forever i'm sure. I hope you'll try it!

Kali Orexi!

καλή όρεξη

(bon appetite)