Orzo with arugula and dried cranberries

This is a nice summer dish that can accompany any meat.  You can substitute the arugula with spinach.  I tried it, and it tastes good both ways.  Before serving I sprinkled the salad with sliced roasted almonds that you can get at any grocery store.  You can even serve it warm in the winter time.  

Enjoy!!!

Makes 6 servings (The nutritional information below is for 2 oz of dry orzo. For some reason the website that I put in the ingredients it only takes the orzo as a dry ingredient. 2oz of dry orzo is about 6oz of boiled orzo).

1 cup dry orzo
1 cup chopped arugula
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 tbs diced shallot
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 oz Pecorino Romano shaved cheese
½ cup toasted walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)

Boil the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside. Wash and pat dry and chop the arugula. Add to the orzo. Dice the shallot and the parsley and add to the orzo. Add the olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, the dried cranberries and the shaved Pecorino Romano cheese. Toss together and refrigerate till it’s time to serve. You can add ½ cup toasted walnuts or sliced almonds.



Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 2.053 oz (58.2g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 210
Calories from Fat 97
Total Fat 10.8g
Saturated Fat 2.1g
Cholesterol 5mg
Sodium 253mg
Total Carbohydrates 22.9g
Dietary Fiber 1.5g
Sugars 1.9g
Protein 5.3g

Lamb and Chicken Kabobs

Last Sunday was Father's day and my daughter's birthday.  For the occasion I decided to make lamb and chicken kabobs.  Lamb and chicken kabobs are very traditional dishes in Greece.  Souvlatzidiko or shish kabob place, as they are called in Greece, are in almost every corner of the cities and towns over there.

Every year, when we'd go back to visit, the shish kabob place was the first place we'd visit as soon as we'd set our foot there.  I always told my mother not to bother to cook for us, the day we arrived, because we'd get shish kabob or gyro for dinner.  The shish kabobs and gyros in Greece are served on a hot pita bread, and smothered with onions, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, a mixture of spices like thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, all rolled together and wrapped up half way in aluminum foil, so that you can eat it as a sandwich.  The shish kabobs and gyros are also served with french fries.  And their fries are to die for.  I haven't been able to recreate the flavor of the fries over here to taste the same as over there.  I'm trying though.  Yesterday, we attended our OPA Fest at our Greek Church, and this is what I have always forgotten to do: sprinkle the french fries with - a mixture of oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper.  I will have to remember that, the next time I make them.

In the meantime, I have mastered the taste of shish kabob.  Here are the recipes for both chicken and lamb kabobs. The ingredients are pretty much the same, depending on the amount of meat you use. The portions are quite large.  Don't let the calories scare you away from making it.  And besides, you are not eating chicken or lamb kabobs every day.  

Lamb Kabobs

Makes ten 12” skewers. Approximately 8 oz each

4.5 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut up into 2” cubes

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp fresh crushed garlic

1 tsp ground pepper

½ tsp salt

Wash and pat dry the lamb. Remove any excess fat. Cut it up into 2” cubes and place in a large bowl or large pan. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, oregano, the crushed garlic and salt and pepper. Mix it all together till all the pieces are coated with the lemon/olive oil marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

With the marinade

When ready to grill, skewer them into 12” inch skewers.

Skewered - before they go on the grill 

Heat the BBQ grill to as hot as it will get. Place the skewered kabobs on the hot grill. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally so that they won’t burn. You don’t want to overcook them as the meat will continue cooking while resting. Serve. Enjoy.

Ready from the grill

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving (222.3 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 479
Calories from Fat 232
Total Fat 25.8g
Saturated Fat 6.9g
Cholesterol 184mg
Sodium 272mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.3g
Sugars 0.2g
Protein 57.4g

Chicken Kabobs                              

Makes eight 12” skewers approximately 9 oz each

4 lbs chicken breasts cut into 2” cubes

¼ cup lemon juice or the juice of one lemon

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp fresh crushed garlic

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp fresh oregano*

½ tsp salt

Wash, clean, and pat dry the chicken breasts.  Cut them into 2” cubes and place them in a bowl or a large pan.  Add the lemon juice, olive oil, the crushed garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.  Mix them all together, till they are all coated with the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple or hours.

Marinaded chicken 

When ready to grill, skewer them on a 12” skewer. 

Skewered chicken

Heat the grill.  Place the skewered chicken kabobs on the hot grill and grill for 20 minutes turning occasionally so that they won’t burn.  When ready remove from heat and let them stand for a few minutes before serving.  The meat, as with any meat will continue cooking even when removed from heat.  Serve.  Enjoy.

 Hot off the grill

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 8.805 oz (249.6g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories                                                           498

Calories from Fat                                            195

Total Fat                                                          21.7g

Saturated Fat                                                  4.2g

Cholesterol                                                      193mg

Sodium                                                            316mg

Total Carbohydrates                                       1.4g

Dietary Fiber                                                   0.4g

Sugars                                                             0.2g

Protein                                                             70.5g

* For the chicken kabobs I used fresh oregano right out of my husband's garden, chopped fine.  But you can use dry oregano.  It will work just fine.

Meatloaf stuffed with hard boiled eggs

This is another dish that my mother used to make as a Sunday meal.  It's a nice alternative to plain meatloaf.  You can serve it either with rice (my mother used to make rice with it, or french fries) or mashed potatoes.  I prefer it with mashed potatoes and a bit of gravy from the pan drippings on the side.  Enjoy!!!

Makes 8 servings (approximately 5oz each serving = 2” slice)

1.5lbs ground turkey

½ cup shredded onion

1 tsp shredded garlic (about 2 small cloves)

½ cup chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

¼ cup bread crumbs

4 hard-boiled eggs

Before baking:

¼ cup olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

Turn on the stove and boil 4 eggs in water for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off. Leave the eggs in the hot water till you are ready to use them.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees Farhenheit.

Peel and wash the onion. Shred it in a cheese grater. Set aside. Peel and shred the garlic or press through a garlic press. Set aside. Clean, wash and fine-chop the parsley. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the ground turkey, the shredded onion, the shredded garlic and chopped parsley. Add the breadcrumbs to hold everything together. Add the salt and pepper. Mix together till all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

  Meatloaf mixture

Cut a large piece of wax paper and set on the counter. This is where you are going to roll out the ground turkey mixture. Take the ground turkey mixture and flatten it with your hands in a rectangle, about ½ inch thick.

Meatloaf mixture flattened

 In the meantime clean the eggs. Take one egg at a time and lay in the middle of the ground turkey mixture. Take the edges of the wax paper and roll up till you have the eggs covered with the ground turkey mixture. 

Roll all the way till the eggs are completely covered and press together to seal the eggs inside the ground turkey mixture.  Tuck the ends under. Place in an oven proof pan. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and drizzle it with the olive oil.

Cover with aluminum foil. 

Bake at 350 degree oven for one and a half hour. Towards the end uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes, till golden brown. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy from the pan drippings. 

Enjoy!!!

 

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 4.568oz(129.5g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 310
Calories from Fat 184
Total Fat 20.4g
Saturated Fat 4.5g
Cholesterol 180mg
Sodium 440mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.8g
Dietary Fiber 0.5g
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 26.7g

Traditional Greek dishes for March 25th Celebration

This past Sunday, March 25, Greece and Greeks all over the world celebrated Greek Independence Day. March 25th 1821 marks the day when Greeks declared their independence from the Ottoman Turks after being under their rule for 400 years. On this day, Greece and the Greek communities all over the world also celebrate the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. On March 25th, Greek students parade in their traditional Greek costumes (the boys dressed in the skirt outfits with the 400 pleats that symbolize the 400 years under the Ottoman rule, and the girls dressed in traditional folklore costumes). This is a big celebration in Greece and on this day every Greek is very proud to be called Greek.

This time of the year, in Greece, is also a very nice time. With the flowers and the almond trees blooming, everyone is in their celebratory spirit. As with any Greek holiday, Greeks are very much into good food and drink. On this day there are a couple of special dishes that Greeks prepare. As you will see on my post I, too, made the traditional dishes that are expected to be eaten on March 25th.

Greek Garlic and Bread Dip - Skordalia

Served with Fried Cod

On this dip I went a little bit too far with the garlic. I love garlic and the amount I put in the recipe, that’s what you should use. But I had an extra clove peeled and couldn’t resist but put it in there. When my husband walked in the house from outside, the smell of garlic overwhelmed him. But despite all that the dip came out to taste delicious.

Greek Fried Potato Salad

The Greek potato salad is always prepared with boiled potatoes that you let cool and then add the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley and chopped green onions. I went a bit far this time and wanted to fry the potatoes after I boiled them. The crispness on the outside and the tender, mushiness of the boiled potato inside, gave it a bit of texture and more taste.

Fried Cod in Beer Batter

Batter for cod

Thanks to my sister in law, in Greece, who told me to put beer in the batter. She also suggested that I put a bit ouzo in there too, to give it an extra flavor. But I decided against it. I didn’t want to be drunk after dinner. It’s enough I had to finish the rest of the beer, that I didn’t use in the batter.

Cooking these dishes

These dishes make quite a mess in the kitchen. Be prepared to wash down your stove, back splash and maybe your floors. It’s much easier to go out and buy fish and chips or even go to a restaurant and enjoy them there. But where is the fun in dirting so many pots and pans and having to clean them up after? (I’m joking here). All joking aside, and besides all the mess I a made, and the fact that oil splattered on my clothes, my hands, and I needed to take a shower after, because I smelled like I came out of the kitchen of a greasy greek restaurant joint, where you hear the waiters shouting "cheeburger, cheeburger" (remember John Belushi on Saturday Night Live), these dishes came out delicious. My husband would have been happy with just spaghetti and plain marinara sauce from a jar. But I had to go all the way and make these dishes. After all they did turn out to be delicious tasting. And if you ask me if I would do it again, yes I would, next year this time or on Greek Palm Sunday when Greeks eat this type of meal again.

Enjoy!!!