St. Pady's Green Cake

I made this cake for St. Paddy's party last year.  It is easy to make and quite festive for the occasion.  Enjoy!

Makes 30 servings

Cake:

1 package yellow cake mix

1 package instant vanilla pudding

1 package Instant Pistachio pudding

1 cup water

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp green food coloring

Icing:

1 package Dream Whip

2 tsp Confectioners’ Sugar

1 tsp green food coloring

1 package Instant Pistachio pudding

3/4 cup skim milk

Directions

In a large bowl combine the yellow cake mix, one package of pistachio instant pudding, one package of vanilla instant pudding, the water the eggs, the vegetable oil and  the 2 tbsp green food coloring. MIx well. Grease a 13x9 cake pan and pour the cake mixture in. Bake at 350 F oven for about 1 hour or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Icing:

In a bowl mix together the one envelope of Dream whip, the one package of pistachio instant pudding with 2 tsp of confectioner's sugar and 3/4 cup skim milk. Add the green food coloring. Beat well till soft peaks form.

Assembly:

When the cake is cooled, take it out of the pan and put it on a serving platter. Frost the cake with the icing and sprinkle with the green sugar crystals. Cut into pieces and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (54.7 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 179

Calories from Fat 78

Total Fat 8.7g

Saturated Fat 2.1g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 22mg

Sodium 260mg

Total Carbohydrates 24.1g

Dietary Fiber 0.2g

Sugars 16.8g

Protein 1.8g

Lady Fingers Custard Pie

I made this dessert the other day and it came out delicious.  I found peach and strawberry pie fillings at the grocery store, which is not common, and I got excited about making this custard pie.  I used Dr. Oetker's vanilla pudding, that you can find at any ethnic food stores.  This is the boiled type pudding, the one you cook over the stove, but you can also use instant pudding and pie filling.  I use Dr. Oetker's, because it doesn't have any soybean lecithin or soybean oil, like the instant kind.  

As for the apricot brandy, is quite optional.  You can substitute for Metaxa brandy, or any other flavored brandy.  I thought the apricot will go nice with the peach topping.  Enjoy!

Makes 24 servings

3 oz Dr. Oetker's vanilla pudding

4 tbsp sugar

4 cups skim milk

17 cookies Lady Fingers

1/4 cup skim milk

1 tsp apricot brandy (optional) 

21 oz peach pie filling

21 oz Strawberry Pie Filling or Topping

In a saucepan pour Dr. Oetker's vanilla pudding and add the 4 tbsp sugar. Stir. Mix with the 4 cups skim milk, and cook over high heat stirring constantly till it begins to thicken. When it starts to thicken, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking, for another minute or so. Remove from heat. It cooks in about 3 minutes total.

In a bowl pour the 1/4 cup skim milk and add the 1 tsp of apricot brandy. Stir to mix. Soak the lady fingers one at a time and layer in a 12x7 baking dish.

Pour the custard over the lady fingers and refrigerate till set.

When set, spread the peach pie filling, and strawberry pie filling, alternately to create stripes. Refrigerate and serve when ready to eat.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 4.311 oz (122.2g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 178

Calories from Fat 6

Total Fat 0.7g

Saturated Fat 0.0g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 15mg

Sodium 102mg

Total Carbohydrates 39.3g

Dietary Fiber 0.3g

Sugars 22.3g

Protein 2.9g

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Meatloaf with Middle Eastern Spices

My daughter found out that she is allergic to gluten.  Therefore, when I decided to make this meatloaf, I had to use gluten free breadcrumbs.  I used Udi's gluten free whole grain bread that I crushed in the food processor.  You can substitute regular breadcrumbs for this recipe, or any other type gluten free breadcrumbs.  I have tried it both ways and either way comes out delicious.  I served this with Sweet potato mash with paprika and chill powder  (recipe below).  Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings (approximately 4.5 oz each)

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

2 oz Udi's bread (crushed in a food processor)

3/4 cup chopped parsley

1 cup shredded onion

2 tsp. crushed garlic

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1/2 cup olive oil

Peel and wash the onion. Place it in a food processor and pulse until shredded. Set aside. Clean the garlic and crush with a garlic press. Set aside. Wash and chop the parsley. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

In a blow mix together the ground turkey, the shredded onion, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, the bread crumbs, paprika, cumin, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well. In an ovenproof pan place the meatloaf mixture and pour over the 1/2 cup olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 2 hours.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (128.2 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 343

Calories from Fat 221

Total Fat 24.6g

Saturated Fat 4.7g

Cholesterol 87mg

Sodium 287mg

Total Carbohydrates 5.7g

Dietary Fiber 0.8g

Sugars 1.2g

Protein 24.4g

Sweet potato mash with paprika and chill powder

I made this dish to accompany the Gluten Free Meatloaf with Middle Eastern Spices below.

Makes 6 servings (approximately 7 oz)

2 1/4 lbs sweet potatoes

1/2 cup skim milk

3 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Peel and wash the sweet potatoes. Cut them in quarters and place them in a pot with water to boil. Or microwave them in a microwave bowl with water. When soft drain the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Add the butter, the milk and the spices. Blend well and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (198.6 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 263

Calories from Fat 58

Total Fat 6.5g

Saturated Fat 4.0g

Cholesterol 17mg

Sodium 261mg

Total Carbohydrates 48.7g

Dietary Fiber 7.2g

Sugars 1.9g

Protein 3.4g

Three Crust-less Broccoli/Cheese quiches

Here are three variations of Broccoli/cheese quiches that I have made in the past
Crust-less Broccoli Fennel Quiche, Crust-less Broccoli Red Pepper Quiche, Crust-less Broccoli and Turkey Bacon Quiche. I usually make crust-less quiches because they are easy; I don’t have to buy the pie dough or make it from scratch and I use items that I have on hand. It’s something that’s quick to put together and by serving it with a side salad you have yourself a meal, either for lunch or for a light dinner.

The first quiche published is the Broccoli Fennel quiche. Fennel has a distinct taste, more like anise or licorice but it’s not as strong. Some fresh produce or super markets will also name fennel anise. Fennel is used widely in Mediterranean cuisine. The stalk of the fennel plant is white and the leaves resemble fresh dill. In Greek fennel is called “Marathon” and it grows wildly in Marathon the place where the battle of Marathon took place (300 Spartans).

Enjoy all these three variations of crust-less quiches for either lunch or dinner.

Crust-less Broccoli and Turkey Bacon Quiche

Makes 16 servings

7.7 oz smoked turkey bacon chopped (approx. 1 cup)

2 red onions chopped (about 1.5 cups)

¼ cup olive oil

1 red pepper sliced (about 1 cup)

3 cups fresh broccoli chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cups low moisture park skim milk mozzarella (16 oz)

1 cup egg beaters

+ (plus) 4 eggs

1.5 cups skim milk

Chop the turkey bacon and sauté in a frying pan. Remove from pan when browned and add the 1/4 cup olive oil. In the oil, add the chopped red onion, the diced red pepper and the broccoli flowerets. Sauté until the pepper is slightly softened, and the broccoli turns bright green color. Remove from the heat.

In another bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella cheese, the milk, the eggbeaters and the eggs. Add the broccoli/turkey mixture to the cheese/milk mixture. Stir together and pour into two 9" plates evenly. Bake at 350 degree F oven for 45-50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 4.536 oz (128.6g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 193

Calories from Fat 128

Total Fat 14.2g

Saturated Fat 6.3g

Cholesterol 75mg

Sodium 436mg

Total Carbohydrates4.5g

Dietary Fiber 0.8g

Sugars 2.3g

Protein6.5g

Crust-less Broccoli Red Pepper Quiche

Makes 12 servings

1 red pepper sliced (about 1 cup)

24 oz frozen chopped broccoli (2-12 oz bags)

5 green onions chopped (about 6 oz)

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ cup dill

¼ cup parsley

1 cup Colby Monterey Jack cheese shredded

½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese shredded

6 eggs

1 cup skim milk

1 cup low moisture part skim milk mozzarella shredded

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

  

Saute the green onions and red peppers in the olive oil. Add the frozen broccoli and heat through till it's warm and slightly soft. Add the parsley and dill. Stir. Remove from heat. Combine the shredded colby chesse, mozzarella skim milk cheese and romano. Add the eggs and milk. Pour into the cooled broccoli-red pepper mixture. Mix together. Pour into two 9" pie plates. Bake at 350 degree oven for 45 min or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 5.686 oz (161.2g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 227

Calories from Fat139

Total Fat 15.4g

Saturated Fat 6.8g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 113mg

Sodium 453mg

Total Carbohydrates 8.7g

Dietary Fiber 2.6g

Sugars 2.9g

Protein 15.3g

Crust-less Broccoli Fennel Quiche

Makes 8 servings 

2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups sliced red onion
1 cup fennel cleaned, washed and sliced
12 oz frozen broccoli defrosted
2 tbsp fennel leaves chopped
1 cup low moisture part skim milk mozzarella cheese shredded
¾ cup Pecorino Romano shredded
1 ¾ cup egg beaters (approx. 1 carton)
1 cup skim milk

Saute the onion and fennel in the olive oil. Add the broccoli. Set aside to cool. Mix together the egg beaters, shredded mozzarella, romano cheese and milk. Add to the broccoli/fennel mixture. Butter a 9x2 inch pie plate. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the mixture into the pie plate and bake for 1 hour or till a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 7.09 oz (201g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 227
Calories from Fat 112
Total Fat 12.4g
Saturated Fat 6.0g
Cholesterol 31mg
Sodium 469mg
Total Carbohydrates 9.6g
Dietary Fiber 2.1g
Sugars 3.8g
Protein 19.9g

Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

This is the traditional way of making Greek Chicken Lemon Rice Soup.  I’ve seen recipes that will add cornstarch or a can of cream of chicken soup to make it thick, but this is the original recipe, more natural and very authentic.  You can omit the chicken altogether and have the plain version of Lemon Rice Soup, by using chicken stock.  I often make this soup with a whole chicken and I don’t add the chicken stock at all.  The whole chicken adds more flavor to the soup.  On this version, I added the chicken stock since chicken breasts don’t have much flavor.  You can also use chicken legs and thighs instead of breasts for more flavor.   

Greek Chicken Lemon Rice soup                

10 servings (approximately 2 cups = 16 oz each serving)

1.25 lbs chicken breast (2 large chicken breasts)

2 quarts water (about 8 cups)

4 cups chicken stock

6 cups additional water

1 cup rice (not parboiled rice but regular long grain rice)

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (or the juice of two (2) lemons)

Wash the chicken breast and place them in a pot with the water.  Let it cook for ½ hour to 45 minutes.  Make sure it doesn’t boil over.  Skim the froth that collects on the surface of the water till it’s clear. 

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot.  Add the chicken stock to the pot, the rice, the additional water, and the salt.  Let the rice cook completely to the point where each grain is almost split in half.  This will release extra starches thus making the soup thick. 

In the meantime, cut the chicken breast into pieces and add to the soup.  Let it heat through and remove the soup from the heat.   

Egg and Lemon Sauce:

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.  Set the egg yolks aside.  Squeeze the juice of two lemons.  Set that aside.  In a bowl whisk the egg whites till frothy.  Add the egg yolks while you continue beating.  Add the lemon juice while still beating.  Slowly ladle some of the soup into the egg/lemon mixture while continue beating.  Add more of the soup to bring the egg/lemon mixture to the soup temperature.  (The soup should not be too hot or the eggs will curdle).  Then slowly pour the egg/lemon mixture into the pot.  Stir and serve.  The soup will be thick and creamy.  Enjoy!

Note 1: The soup freezes well without the egg/lemon sauce.  You can freeze it, and when you are ready to use it, heat it through and then add the egg/lemon sauce.

Note 2:  When heating up the soup, heat it in medium-low heat.  Otherwise, the egg/lemon mixture will curdle the soup. 

Note 3:  If you are using a whole chicken, when the chicken is cooked pour the stock into a fat separator container.  The container will separate the chicken fat from the actual chicken stock.  Then pour the chicken stock without the fat into a pot and continue making the soup. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (476.4 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192

Calories from Fat 32

Total Fat 3.6g

Saturated Fat 1.0g

Cholesterol 81mg

Sodium 369mg

Total Carbohydrates 16.3g

Dietary Fiber 0.3g

Sugars 0.7g

Protein 22.0g

 If you try this recipe and like it please comment below.  If you like what you see on this blog, feel free to follow it.   If you have any questions post them in the comments box.  

Mexican Bean salad with a Greek twist

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday. 

I made this dish the other day to go along with the chicken fajitas. Beans are a popular dish in Greece but not the black beans or the corn. There are bean salads made with cannellini beans. I ended up incorporating some Greek ingredients into this dish. Instead of cilantro or lime juice, I used parsley and lemon juice. I also added the cannellini beans to the mix. We ended up with a wonderful bean salad that gave us both a bit of Mexican flair with a Greek twist. Enjoy!

Mexican Bean Salad with a Greek twist

Eight (8 servings) approximately 7 oz each

1 can – 15oz black beans
1 can -15.5oz cannellini beans
1 can – 15 ¼oz corn
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ c fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped shallots
½ cup grape tomatoes cut in half or quartered – depending how big they are
¼ tsp cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse the beans and the corn under cold water. Place them in a bowl. Mix together the beans, the corn, the olive oil, the lemon juice, the grape tomatoes, the parsley, the shallots, salt and pepper and the cumin. Refrigerate till ready to serve or leave at room temperature.  

Nutrition Facts  Serving Size 
1 serving (186.4 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 447
Calories from Fat 49
Total Fat 5.4g
Saturated Fat 0.9g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 26mg
Total Carbohydrates 77.9g
Dietary Fiber 23.4g
Sugars 4.5g
Protein 26.4g