GREEK NIGHT~OPA!

Two of my favorite restaurants are Zoe's and Pita Stop. Hands down, Greek food is definitely on the top of my yummy goodness list. This week we decided to branch out of our "southern soul food comfort zone" and try Greek! Let's just say the results were FABULOUS! OPA!!!

L to R: Alison, Shelly, Julie, Caroline, Michelle's head, Lori, Brandi, Samantha

The girls talking about something surious :)

L to R: Michelle, Shelly, Julie, Brandi, Caroline

L to R: Lori, Sam, & Alison hanging out

Good thing Lori has 3 dachshunds at home, because this one was ALL OVER her. Buddy loves Lori!

Digging in to the deliciousness!

Yummy!

Now that brings us to...the recipes of the week!

DOLMADES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES) WITH TAZIKI SAUCE

Contributed by: Michelle

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 medium white onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 tsp salt

2 large lemons, jiuced

1 liter chicken or vegetable stock, heated

30 grape leave, rinsed and drained (from jar or use fresh but boil until tender)

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, saute the onion in 2 tbsp EVOO for a few minutes, add rice, dill and mint. Continue stirring until onion has softened. Slowly pour in half the heated stock. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 10 mins, or until rice is almost cooked but still very al dente. Stir in half the lemon jiuce and remove from heat, cool until easy enough to handle. Line the bottom of your pot with a few extra vine leaves you have so the dolmades will not burn while cooking (hint: use the broken or unusable ones). Take one leaf, place shiny side down, and spoon 1 tsp (only 1 tsp or they will burst open) or more/less according to size of the leaf, but you want to easily be able to tightly fold; remember that the rice will still expand more while cooking. Fold over both sides of the leaf towards the center, and begin to snuggly roll up from the bottom to top. You may have to slightly fold the top sides even more inwards (think slightly triangle) to get a prettier roll. Once you've finished rolling one, place it seam side down in the pot. Repeat placing the dolmades together so as to not leave any gaps and allowing the leave to split open. Try to stack the first layer all facing the same direction and when you begin the 2nd layer, switch the direction for a criss-cross pattern; repeat until finished. Sprinkle the top with remaining lemon jiuce and oilive oil. Gently pout the remaining stick just enough to cover the top layer. Place a flat weight - like a small, upside down plate - on top of the vine leaves, cover the pot, and simmer for 45-60 minutes - making sure not to boil, When close to the time, check one to confirm that the rice is tender, taking into account that they will also slightly cook a little more while cooling down. Remove from heat, remove cover, and let cool for another half hour. Transfer to a plate-dish and serve with lemon slices and taziki sauce.

GREEK PIZZA
Contributed by: Lori

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 1/4 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Ground black pepper to taste

1 (14 oz) pkg refrigerated pizza crust

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. If using a pizza stone, place in oven to preheat. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 mins. Add spinach and continue to cook and stir until all liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and season with basil, lemon juice, oregano, and pepper. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Unroll pizza dough on preheated pizza stone or a large baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Spread spinach mixture over dough, leaving a small border at the edge of the pizza crust. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Press tomato slices into seasoned bread crumbs until coated; arrange tomatoes over pizza. Spread remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and feta cheese over tomatoes. Bake in preheated oven until pizza crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

BAKLAVA
Contributed by: Alison

18 sheets fillo dough

150 grams melted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups walnuts

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 375F. In a food processor, chop walnuts into tiny pieces. Place chopped walnuts with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, toss to combine. In a separate bowl, melt butter. Lay out one fillo sheet at a time, brushing with melted butter. Cover the buttered sheet with another sheet, while brushing butter again. Repeat with the third sheet. You should have three buttered sheets. Apply 1/3 cup of walnut mixture onto the buttered sheet, spread evenly over the sheet. Roll up tight into a roll and set it on a baking dish. Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Brush baklava with melted butter. Bake it at 375F for 25 minutes. In a small pot, combine sugar and water, cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add honey and stir to melt. Pour liquid mixture over baklava and set to rest for at least 3 hours. Slice baklava rolls into your preferred sizes. 

FETA SPREAD
Contributed by: Caroline

1/2 lb feta cheese

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp minced fresh mint or 1 tsp crumbled dried mint

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more if desired

6 pepperoncini peppers, chopped

Ritz Crackers

In a food processor, combine the cheese, olive oil, farlic, mint, red pepper flakes and pepperoncini and process until smooth. Serve with crackers.

GREEK CHICKEN DIP
Contributed by: Samantha

1 package Taziki sauce (premade from the store)
1 can chicken
Pita chips

Drain chicken and mix well with sauce. Serve with pita chips.


MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD
Contributed by: Brandi

1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cups uncooked couscous
1 cup cubed plum (Roma) tomatoes (3 medium)
1 cup cubed unpeeled cucumber (1 small)
1/2 cup halved pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped green onions (approx. 4 medium)
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 tbsp dried dill weed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

In a 2 qt. saucepan, heat broth to boiling. Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. In large bowl, place tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onions and dill weed. Stir in couscous. In small bowl, beat lemon juice, oil and salt with wire whisk until well blended; pour over vegetable mixture and toss. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.


PASTITSIO
Contributed by: Julie

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE


FALAFEL PATTIES OVER GREEK RICE
Contributed by: Mallory

1 pkg greek rice (I actually think I used dirty rice...)
Taziki sauce for dipping (buy premade at the store)
2 cups roughly chopped white onion
6 garlic cloves
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (hint: I used canned garbanzo beans...same thing)
1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Canola oil, for sauteing

Add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse just until they are finely minced. Remove the mixture and set it aside. Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until they are roughly blended but not pureed. Return the onion mixture to the food processor, along with the baking powder and just enough flour so that when you pulse the processor, the mixture begins to form a small ball and is not sticky. (NOTE: start by adding 1/4 cup flour, and then the remaining 1/4 cup. You can add more if the mixture is still too wet.) Transfer the falafell mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Once chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or spoons to form the mixture into balls (NOTE: I just used my hands... you can also add more flour if it's too wet to scoop). Set a large saute pan over medium heat and add a liberal amount of canola oil so that the pan is well-coated. Let the pan preheat for 3 mins then add the falafel one by one, browning them on the first side for 3 mins, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout. Transfer to a paper towel-lined cooking rack (or a paper towel-lined plate like I did), and immediately season them with salt. Repeat this process until you have cooked all of the falafel. Serve with taziki sauce for dipping with or over Greek rice.


PASTA SALAD
Contributed by: Shelly

1 box tri-colored pasta noodles
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1/3 cup olives, chopped
Feta cheese, to taste
Greek seasoning, to taste
1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Cook pasta according to package, add remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Serve chilled or room temperature.

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Tonight, I leave you with two things:

1. A picture of muah with my first buck!! Thanks to my husband for putting me on this beautiful deer. Plenty of venison recipes to come :)

2. The Word of God

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

Thank you Jesus for the sacrifice that was made for us so undeservedly. Thank you for these women that are so dear to my heart and sacrifice every day for their families. Help us to have a fresh perspective each day and remember to put you first. To do everything to the best of our abilities each day in order to serve and glorify you and you alone, not man. In your name, Amen.