Greek Spinach Pie
Serves 8
Filling
16 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 bunches flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 eggs
10.5 oz quality feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
Freshly-ground black pepper
Pastry
1 16 oz package Fillo Dough, thawed
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Before you begin mixing the filling, be sure the spinach is very well drained, and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the remaining filling ingredients. Stir until all is well combined.
Unroll the phyllo sheets and place them between two slightly damp kitchen cloths.
Brush the bottom and sides of a 9” X 13″ baking dish with olive oil.
To assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush with olive oil. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them with olive oil. Repeat until two-thirds of the phyllo is used up.
Now, evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo crust. Top with two more sheets, and brush with olive oil.
Continue to layer the phyllo) sheets, two at a time, brushing with olive oil until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a few drops of water.
Fold the flaps or excess from the sides, you can crumble them a little. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil.
Bake in the 325 degrees F heated oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Greek Salad For Two
Ingredients
Salad
¼ of a medium red onion, sliced thin
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ of an English cucumber, sliced
8 jarred pepperoncini {peppers}
20 Greek pitted Kalamata olives
1 small romaine lettuce heart, chopped
Dressing
Kosher salt, a pinch or to taste
4 tablespoons quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 tablespoon of dried Greek seasoning
Topping
4 Blocks of Greek feta cheese do not crumble the feta, leave it in large pieces
Directions
Divide the salad ingredients between two salad bowls.
Combine the dressing ingredients and pour some over each salad. Mix and top with the feta cheese blocks and serve.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 slices of baked deli ham
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1:2!teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Toss the bread crumbs with the butter, garlic powder, and thyme. Spread in a shallow dish.
Butterfly each chicken breast.
Pound each piece of chicken into a thin sheet between plastic wraps.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add a slice of swiss cheese and a slice of ham to one side of each chicken breast.
Fold the uncovered part of the breast over the ham and cheese side.
Whisk together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Slather it over the chicken, coating it on all sides.
Press the bread crumbs mixture onto the chicken to completely coat.
Place in the prepared dish and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
Fennel, Potato, and Leek Bake
Ingredients
14 oz baby yellow potatoes, cut into half
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 leek, sliced in circles
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
2 tablespoons. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the top is golden brown, 20 minutes longer. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.
Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
2 Cod fillets
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Lemon Sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fish Coating
3 tablespoons s all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1:2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl (do not add the garlic yet). Set aside.
In another shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, spices, salt, and pepper. Set next to the lemon sauce.
Pat the fish dry. Dip the fish in the lemon sauce then dip it in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon sauce for later.
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about 2 minutes on each side). Remove the skillet from heat.
To the remaining lemon sauce, add the minced garlic and mix. Drizzle all over the fish fillets.
Bake in the heated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 8-10 minutes Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
¼ cup chopped onion
1celery stalk, diced
1garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
15 oz can of cannelloni beans, drained
Directions
Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat down, cover the pan, and heat the mixture until hot.
Oven Baked Zucchini Sticks
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, cut into 8 sticks
½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Place the bread crumbs, cheese, and oil in a plastic bag. Shake well. Add the zucchini and shake gently until coated. Place the zucchini on a sheet pan covered with oiled foil. Bake at 400 degrees F until light brown, about 15 minutes.
Steak
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Steak Seasoning
1 T-Bone Steak
Directions
If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat your air fryer.
Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Season your steak with salt and pepper on each side.
Place the steak in your air fryer basket. Do not overlap the steaks.
Medium Steak: Set the time to 12 minutes and flip the steak at 6.
Medium Rare: For a medium-rare steak, cook the steak for 10 minutes and flip it at 5 minutes.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Salt
3 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream
Directions
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until very soft, about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them into a ricer and press the potatoes back into the cooking pot. Add the butter and just enough cream to moisten. Taste for salt and warm the potatoes.
Caesar Salad
2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed and finely chopped
1 cup croutons, see recipe below
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Dressing
1 anchovy, finely chopped or use anchovy paste
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise made with olive oil, if available
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Add the anchovy, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce to a bowl and whisk together.
Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup of olive oil, whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
Place the chopped lettuce in a bowl and toss it with the dressing, and croutons. Top the salad with extra cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Croutons
Ingredients
2 cups cubed bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl combine the bread cubes and olive oil. Toss well to coat.
Pour the bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Spread them into a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Ingredients
Dough
5 cups Unbleached Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) melted butter
For the filling
1/2 cup (213 grams) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup almond butter at room temperature
Directions
For the dough
Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them—by hand, electric mixer, or bread machine¬—until you’ve made a smooth, somewhat sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it should have expanded somewhat, but won’t be wildly puffy.
For the filling
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and almond butter.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 18″ by 15”. Spread the filling evenly over the dough leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge. Starting at the shorter side, begin rolling the dough away from you. Moisten the far edge with a little water and seal. You should have a log that looks like a pinwheel on the sides. Cut the log into 12 (2-inch) rolls.
Butter the inside of a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Place the rolls in the pan and allow them to double in size, for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Allow cooling slightly while preparing the glaze.
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Combine and drizzle over the pumpkin rolls.
Tuna Patties
Ingredients
2- 4 ounce cans of Italian tuna in olive oil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salad
Salad greens
Sliced red onion
Sliced tomato
Kalamata Olives
Hardboiled Eggs
Pita bread
Italian salad dressing
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cucumber, peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh dill, stems removed
2 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely minced
Directions
For the tuna patties
Place the tuna and its oil in a bowl, and add all the ingredients except the 2 tablespoons of flour and the olive oil. Mix well.
Place the 2 tablespoons of flour on a small plate. Form medium-sized patties, place them in the flour, and cover them lightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook the patties for about 7 minutes on each side until lightly brown.
For the salad plate
Line individual plates with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion, olives, and sliced hard boil egg. Drizzle the plates lightly with your favorite Italian dressing. Place the 2 patties on each plate. Add a scoop of Tzatziki sauce a pita bread.
For the tzatziki sauce
add a handful of feta cheese to the sauce for more flavor/
Grate cucumber into a colander resting over a bowl. Sprinkle salt on grated cucumber. Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
Chop the dill and then add it to a bowl with the Greek yogurt, olive oil, and pressed garlic. Mix well.
Squeeze the water out of the cucumber in a kitchen towel or paper towel and then add to the tzatziki. Salt, to taste. Refrigerate for several hours.
Using a few products from the market can create these easy bars for dessert.
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
1 box of yellow cake mix
½ cup salted butter, melted
1 egg
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Top Layer
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Combine cake mix, butter, lemon juice, and egg in a large bowl; mix until thoroughly combined. (Batter will be crumbly) Spread the mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking pan with your fingers, patting it down firmly.
Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and, lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pour over the top of the cake mixture.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar for an attractive presentation.
Ingredients
Make this sauce ahead and refrigerate it. This step will save you time when you cook the meal.
Sauce
Half a medium yellow onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28 oz can of finely chopped Italian tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
Sea salt to taste
8 leaves of basil torn
Additions
8 oz Italian sausage, sliced thin
1 cup diced onions
2 cups diced green bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
17.6 oz package of Calamarata Italian pasta {Large oval pasta rings, see photo} or any short pasta you like
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large heavy-bottom saucepan heat the olive oil and saute the onion with a pinch of sea salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let them cook only for a few seconds until you can smell them and don’t get any color on them.
Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and partially cover it with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer away on low flame for about 1 hour until thick and concentrated in flavor. Make sure to stir often, every 10 minutes or so, making sure the sugars in the tomatoes do not burn.
Turn off the flame and season to your taste with the sea salt. Stir in the fresh basil leaves.
In a deep skillet or dutch Oven, heat the oil and saute the sausage until brown and cooked thoroughly. Agg the peppers and onions and saute until tender. Add the prepared sauce and heat the mixture until completely hot.
Cook the pasta until al dente, about 12 minutes. With a large spider, scoop the pasta up and place it in the sauce. Heat the pasta in the sauce for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese and spoon it into individual pasta bowls. Serve with breadsticks and a green salad.
Italian Breaded Pork Chops
Ingredients
¼ cup rice flour or All Purpose Flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
¼ cup Olive Oil
2 thin Pork Chops, about 5 oz each
Marinara Sauce, homemade or store-bought
Directions
In a shallow dish, beat together egg and mayonnaise.
In a separate bowl, place the flour mixed with salt and pepper to taste, and in another shallow dish place the bread crumbs/
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Dip each pork chop into flour, egg, and then into the bread crumbs, coating evenly.
Place coated pork chop in the skillet, and brown for about 4 minutes on each side.
Serve with warm Marinara sauce.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
I am not a fan of leftover spaghetti squash, so I was happy to find a small squash {about 1 ¼ lb} at my market that will be just the right size for two.
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
Non-fat cooking spray
Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, spray lightly with the non-fat cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bake at 350° for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure and the inside is tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out the squash flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands. Place in a serving dish and serve hot. Total servings per recipe will vary depending on squash size.
Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
1 pound thin green beans (haricots verts)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim off the tough end of the beans and arrange the beans on a nonstick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melts and forms a crisp shell over the beans, about 10 minutes. Let the beans sit for a few minutes for the cheese to cool slightly. Lift the beans out onto a platter and serve.
Herbed Italian White Beans
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, crushed, or to taste
1 teaspoon. dried sage
1 (14-oz.) can cannellini beans (Italian white beans), drained, or 2 cups homecooked
2 cups grape tomatoes cut in thirds crosswise
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, shredded
2 teaspoons wine vinegar or to taste
Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sage. Sauté about 2 minutes.
Add drained beans and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until hot/.
Uncover the pan and remove from heat. Immediately add basil and vinegar and serve.
Greek Style Lamp Chops
Ingredients
2 loin lamb chops
2 tablespoons Greek seasoning
Marinade
1 garlic clove, mined
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Directions
Combine the marinade ingredients in a plastic bag. Add the lamb and refrigerate for several hours.
When ready to cook, coat chops with a tablespoon of seasoning.
You can grill the chops in a grill poa or in the broiler for about 4 minutes per side. You can cook them in an air-fryer at 400degrees F for 12 minutes or cook them in a skillet for about 4 minutes on each side
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Break off the woody bottoms of the asparagus and wash in cold water.
Arrange trimmed asparagus in a baking dish and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon.
Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes.
