Greek Nachos

from Not Without Salt

This fabulous idea was seen on Tastespotting and it combined my love of finger foods, easy prep meals and the wonderful Greek flavors that burst in your mouth. It turned out great, and Ben wanted to make it again the next night. Success!

4-5 pitas, cut into triangles and lightly toasted (pita chips would also work)

1 lb ground lamb (I used beef... it was fine)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp mint

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon pepper

4-5 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, diced

8 oz Feta (about 225 grams)

1 jar olives

Pepperoncinis, diced

Tzatziki Sauce (Greek yogurt sauce)

parsley to garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Put the pita chips on a large baking sheet (baking paper underneath for easy cleanup) and bake in the oven with a little oil and salt drizzled on top. You just want to make them a bit crispy so only a few minutes should do the trick.

In a large skillet combine lamb, onion, garlic and spices and cook until meat is cooked through. Drain grease and pour on top of toasted pita triangles. Add tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives and pepperoncinis on top and bake for 10 minutes until warmed through.

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with Tzatziki sauce or hummus on the side.

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

adapted from Elly Says Opa

I wanted to try a recipe using a glaze, and this chicken recipe was perfect. It would be ideal on a real grill in your backyard but since we are backyard-less right now the oven worked just fine. This Hawaiian luau chicken turned out sweet and tangy and would be perfect with some grilled pineapple and red peppers.

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup pineapple chunks

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 knob fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp powder)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2-3 chicken legs (or 5-6 skinless breasts)

1 tsp oil

Preheat the broiler or grill. Combine soy sauce, pineapple, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Rub the chicken with oil, and then broil skin side up about 6 inches (15 centimeters) form the element for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil on the other side for an additional 8 minutes. Then brush the chicken with the glaze and cook on one side. Brush and repeat 3 times (total of 16 minutes)

You can use other cuts of chicken (or meat for that matter) and just adjust the cooking time to how thick the cut is. Keep reapplying the glaze for a nice golden outside and keep flipping every few minutes until juices run clear.

Serve with rice, red peppers, and pineapple slices.

Spaghetti Carbonara

adapted from Allrecipes

Ok, this is not the healthiest dish around, but the hot creamy pasta on a cold rainy day is great for a once-in-a-while treat.

Serves 6

3/4 lb spaghetti

2 tsp olive oil

6 slices of bacon, cooked and diced (Pancetta is recommended)

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 zucchini, diced (peas and mushrooms would also work well)

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet cook bacon until crispy; remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and use it to saute onion and garlic until translucent, then add spices. Reintroduce the bacon and add the zucchini pieces, fry together until everything is heated through and zucchini is beginning to soften.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well, toss with 2 tsp olive oil and pour the bacon mixture on top.

In a small bowl, quickly beat the eggs and Parmesan cheese and add it to the pasta, tossing with tongs or a large fork until eggs are barely set. Add salt and pepper and serve immediately with parsley as a garnish.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

from Quaker Oats

I like oatmeal raisin cookies because they feel healthier, while still giving you a sweet little cookie. I have tried quite a few recipes, but the classic one one the Quaker Oats box is still my favorite.

1/2 cup + 6 Tbsp butter, softened (about 200 grams)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups oats

1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Add in eggs and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Sift together dry ingredients and combine with wet. Add in oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a light golden brown. Cool for one minute on baking sheet; then remove to wire rack.

Bake 8-10 minutes

(approximately 100 calories per cookie)

Fuzzy Navel Tea Bread

adapted from the Streaming Gourmet

This bread was inspired by the fuzzy navel smoothie - a delicate combination of bananas, peaches and oranges. It turns out sweet and fruity, it is perfect for breakfast or tea.

Makes 2 loaves

3/4 cup yogurt

8 Tbsp butter (about 100 grams)

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 ripe bananas, mashed

4 ripe peaches, mashed

1 orange, juice plus zest

5 cups flour

2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, and mix in yogurt, mashed fruit and orange zest. Whisk together dry ingredients, and add them to the wet mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. (30-40 minutes for muffins) Test with a toothpick, it should come out clean when inserted.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

adapted from Dlynz and Delighful Desserts

Warning: These are not healthy. But they do combine two of the greatest desserts of all time. Proceed with caution, and be sure there are plenty of people around to share, or you will be in a lot of trouble.

I made these in a baking pan and had some leftover batter so I made cheesecake brownie bites in the muffin tin. I actually liked the bites a bit better, the sheet brownies had some trouble baking in the middle which wasn't a problem when I baked them in the muffin tin.

Brownie Batter:

1 cup (225 grams) butter

2 cups sugar (they recommend superfine sugar)

1/2 cup cocoa

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

Cheesecake Batter:

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese; softened

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp flour

1/4 c sugar

* 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Cream together butter, sugar and cocoa of the brownie mixture. Then add in eggs, vanilla and salt until well combined and shiny. Whisk in flour and baking powder until just combined and spread into the bottom of your baking pan.

Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together cheesecake ingredients until smooth. Then dollop over brownie batter. You can swirl the two mixtures a little bit if you want. Or not. Bake until the edges are slightly puffed and the center is set, about 45 minutes (25 minutes if baking in a muffin tin).

Let cool before serving. I would even put this in the fridge for several hours to help it set. If you can wait that long.

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

adapted from Gina's Recipes

This chicken was excellent. It came out of the oven beautifully golden and the mixture of lime and Dijon mustard was a surprise hit.

3-4 large chicken thighs

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp light mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lime, juice and zest

3/4 tsp pepper

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 (204 C), rinse the chicken and remove the skin and fat. In a small bowl combine dijon, mayonnaise, lime juice and zest, garlic, pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Pat chicken dry and pour sauce over it, tossing well to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Spray a baking pan with pam to prevent sticking and place chicken to fit in a single layer. Bake until cooked through and juices run clear (about 40 minutes) then move the pan up to the broiler and finish the chicken until it is a golden brown.

You then use the pan juices to make a delicious tangy sauce. Pour the drippings in a saucepan and skim off the fat as best as you can. Turn up the heat to medium and add in 1 Tbsp flour and 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for several minutes until sauce is thickened.

Serve chicken with rice and sauce.

Panzanella Salad

adapted from Stacey Snacks

My family has always been of the "waste not, want not" philosophy, and I had a loaf of stale bread that I felt bad throwing out. So I made a panzanella salad instead. Panzanella is an Italian salad made from bread and tomatoes, tossed in a light vinaigrette. The bread soaks up the juices from the tomatoes and dressing, resulting in a delicious flavorful dish.

Dressing:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1 stale baguette (or other bread) torn into bite sized chunks

4-5 tomatoes

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Mix your salad ingredients and place them in a large bowl. Whisk your dressing and pour over the bread and tomato mixture until the bread cubes absorb the dressing. You don't have to use all of the dressing, just use as much as you deem appropriate. Let it sit in the bowl for about an hour to let the flavors mingle together and allow the bread to absorb the juices.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted from Savour Fare

Tomatoes at the grocery store are so cheap right now they beg to be taken home. Luckily Ben and I love them so it is easy to work them into meals, but today I had a huge abundance of very ripe tomatoes so I decided to try out this method of roasting them to bring out different flavors and have the whole batch as a part of our dinner.

6 plum sized tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

spices - you can use what you wish, here are some combinations:

basil/lemon pepper/oregano

thyme/rosemary

Preheat the oven to 200 (93 C). Cut tomatoes in half if they are small (I had large ones, so I cut them into quarters) and drizzle them with olive oil mixture. Roast on a baking sheet cut side up (baking paper underneath for easy cleanup) for 4-6 hours. The longer the better really. The tomatoes will slowly wrinkle and become caramelized and the flavor is just amazing.

These can be stored in the fridge (covered) for up to three days. They are beautiful in pasta, on salads or just eaten right off of the baking sheet!

Black Bean and Feta Quesadillas

adapted from What's for Lunch Honey

Quesadillas were a staple at my house growing up. They are so quick and easy to make, plus the variations are endless so you can really just make do with whatever you have on hand. I loved this unique combination of the spicy beans and creamy goat cheese.

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 can (about 1 1/2 cups) black beans

1 cup corn

1 large tomato, diced

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

12 oz goat cheese (about 300 grams) I used Feta

1 bunch of fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

8-10 tortillas

guacamole

sour cream

lettuce

Heat the oil and saute garlic and onions until soft - about 5 minutes. Then add beans along with spices and stir. Then add corn and tomatoes and cook mixture for 6-8 minutes. (Add water if necessary) Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro and set aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat, place one tortilla at the bottom, add a thin layer of beans and sprinkle the top with the goat cheese, leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge clear. Then sandwich it between another tortillas. Brown each side for about 2 minutes. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with guacamole or sour cream and a side of lettuce.

Basic French Bread

from Every Day Food Storage

Bread can be so tricky. There are so many techniques to achieve different textures and densities and then there are the many variables with all the kinds of flours, gluten content and temperatures. So many ways to screw it up! And I am definitely a novice. I can bake basic bread, but if it needs any special treatment I definitely need more practice.

Anyway, today I tried out a basic French Bread. It is cheap to make, versatile and can be used with so many different meals. This time I did some research and tried out some new techniques and these loaves came out better than ever. I still have a ways to go to perfecting it, but am happy to see improvements.

I watched this great how-to video on youtube and it really helped a lot.

Makes 3-4 loaves

2 Tbsp yeast

2 1/2 cups warm water

7 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

Dissolve yeast in water, add sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes or so (until foamy). Then add salt and 2 cups of water. Beat until well mixed. Add the rest of the flour and knead on a floured board (or in your mixer) for about 5 minutes (longer if you are using whole wheat). Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes (until doubled in size).

Grease a couple of baking sheets (or use baking paper) and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Take the bread and punch it down, kneading for 1 minute. Cut the dough ball in to 3 or 4 pieces and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.

Turn on the oven to 450 (232 C) to preheat. Roll each dough piece into a rope not quite as long as the baking sheet. Place on the baking tray and make sure there is ample space between loaves. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal cuts (about 1/2 inch) on the top of each loaf; then you can brush with an egg wash for shine or spray a little water and add sesame seeds or whatever else you want to put on top. Let the loaves raise until double (30-45 minutes).

While the bread is raising for the final time, you want to prepare a "steam oven" which will create the breads crunchy crust. To do this place an oven safe pan on the lowest rack or floor over your oven with several cups of hot water. When you put your bread in, the steam will be circulating in the oven and that will help make the crust nice and crunchy while keeping the inside soft.

Bake at 450 (232 C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 (176 C) for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. The bread should make a hollow sound when tapped. Remove from pans and cool.

This bread is best fresh and does not age well, so keep it wrapped in plastic overnight or it will get stale. If you aren't going to use it within 2 days, wrap in plastic and freeze until you are ready to use it.

Oven Fried Chicken

adapted from Weight Watcher Recipes

I had a hankering for fried chicken, but I am trying to avoid all fried foods on this blog so I found this pseudo-fried baked chicken and gave it a whirl. I was a little skeptical about using bran flakes, but it turned out great and was so easy that I can't wait to try it again.

Tip: I put this on the top rack and the legs in the back cooked pretty fast and almost burned so maybe put it one the middle rack or lower to prevent this from happening.

6 medium bone-in, skinless drumsticks (I used 3 legs)

2 1/2 cups bran flakes (corn flakes would also work well)

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

4 Tbsp light mayonnaise

3 tsp mustard

Preheat oven to 400 (204 C), line a baking sheet with foil and place beneath a wire rack to catch the drippings. Spray the rack with a little oil.

Crush the bran flakes into a grainy powder. In a bowl mix crushed cereal with salt, paprika, garlic powder, and peppers. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard. Using a cooking brush, brush the mayonnaise lightly on the chicken and then coat the chicken with the crushed cereal mixture. Place the chicken on the rack and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear.