RECIPE WED #21: Greek Chicken

This recipe to me says "SUMMER" and right about now I am summer dreaming, so to have little summer on my plate brings sunshine to my belly!!

Menu Mondays: December 17-23, 2012

Gearing up for the Holidays and trying to make it as easy and comfortable for everyone involved!!

I have an easy menu again OUT OF MY FREEZER storage... 

Pic Credit

IT is kinda funny to me as this freezer storage is reminding me of "The Widow's Oil" in the Old Testament, when the prophet Elisha blesses the widow's oil and the jar kept pouring out oil as long as she has empty vessels to fill. 

{2 Kings 4}...the freezer doesn't seem to have an end in sight!! 

That was one heck of a session I must have been preparing for Armageddon!!

Breakfast Options:
Fresh Fruit, Hot Cereal, Kashi, Granola, Dried Fruits, Baked Oatmeal, Choose Your Own Omelet, Blueberry Waffles, Toast Points

Lunch Choice:            Side Selections:
Pizza                             Apple Slices                Dried Berries          
PB & J  Roll-Ups         Carrots and Dippings    Oranges
Fish Cakes                    Grape Tomatoes           Banana Boats
Quinoa Burgers             Veggie Chips               Yogurt
Mac & Cheese               Crackers                      Grapes
Taco Cups                      Steamed Snap Peas      Apple Sauce
Grilled Cheese               Cream O' Tom Soup     Oster Crackers

Supper Offerings:   

Monday:
Baked Pasta w/Meatballs {Was pre-made and Frozen in bake and toss pan!!}, Toasted Homemade Organic Herb Garlic Bread, & Spinach Salad


Tuesday:
Chicken Picotta, Loaded Stuffed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Spinach Chopped Salad

Wednesday:
Crock Pot Salisbury Steak, Wide Egg Noodles, Hot Buttered Corn Nibblets, 

Thursday:
Crock Pot Chicken Swarmas, Tahini Sauce, Pickled Onions, Orzo Oilo, Spinach Salad

Friday:
Carniatas Meal in a Bag {I had made Carnitas one night and had so much left over I have enough for an entire meal for my family!!}

Satuday:
Repeats Buffet!

Sunday:
Christmas Dinner with In-Laws

Snack Fancies:
Fresh Fruit, Cottage Cheese, String Cheese, Crackers, Pickles, Yogurt, Applesauce, Cheddar Cheese Slices, Pepperoni Slices, Carrots & Dippings, Celery Ant Logs, Apple Lady Bugs, Peanut Butter Dip, Milk, Apple & Eve Fruitables Juice, String Cheese, Apple Rings w/peanut butter and raisins, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Veggie Chips, Rice Cakes, Ginger Bread Marshmallows, Keifer Smoothies w/frozen fruit & Veggie Purees.      

Linked to Menu Mondays 
 
 

The PERFECT {American Styled} Gyro!

I LOVE gyros!!!

 I know "the Perfect Gryo" is a BOLD title, 

but honestly 

IMO is MOST CERTAINLY is!!! 

I could eat them every day, I just can't afford the cost or the calories, but since I found this recipe online I make it more often. 

Photo Credit

I have adjusted it to meet my budget and family tastes- it is very flavorful & worth the extra steps to get that perfect texture and taste!!

I will make the pitas and the tzatziki sauce from scratch too I love that I know what the exact ingredients that is in my food. Though making it all from scratch does take time I will double or triple my efforts and place the extras in the freezer making it easier for me later in the month.

The Best part of this, though time consuming, is you can make it ahead of time and slice it broiling each slice as you desire a sandwich....

Ingredients

For the meat:

• 1 pound  ground 85% lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons picked fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 5 slices sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the yogurt sauce:

• 3/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced on microplane
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 
• 1/4 C Grated English Cucumber

To serve:

• 4 pieces soft, hand-pulled-style pita (not pocket pita or better yet homemade try my tips and recipe here)
• Chopped fresh tomato
• Finely sliced onion
• Shredded Lettuce 

Directions: {D

1. Combine ground beef, salt, pepper, and oregano in medium bowl. Mix with hands until homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to over night. 
   
   Meanwhile, place yogurt in fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl. Allow to drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. 
   
   Place cold meat mixture in bowl of food processor with onion, garlic, and bacon. Process until smooth puree is formed, about 1 minute total, scraping down sides with rubber spatula as necessary.
   
   
2. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. With moist hands, form meat mixture into rectangle about 1 1/2 inches high, 8-inches long, and 5-inches wide. Bake until center of loaf reads 155°F on an instant read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Allow loaf to rest at room temperature for fifteen minutes (or refrigerate for up to a week or freeze loaf at this point)
   
   
3. Meanwhile, make sauce. Combine strained yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, cucumber and parsley and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
   
   
4. Adjust broiler rack to highest position (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches from broiler element) and preheat broiler. Slice loaf crosswise into 1/8th to 1/4-inch thick strips (each strip should be about 5-inches long and 1 & 1/2 inches wide). Lay strips on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil until edges are brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil. 
   
   Warm bread by placing on rimmed baking sheet and broiling until soft and pliant, about 45 seconds per side.
   
   
5. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce over each piece of bread. Divide meat evenly between sandwiches. Top as desired, wrap with foil, and serve.
   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

RECIPE WED #9: Spinach & Feta Quinoa Salad

Found this here,  & tweaked it a bit to fit the appetite of my family...really tasty! even can make this with differnt types of quinoa and rice. a blend of wild and brown is scrumptious too!!

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 bunch spinach (roughly chopped)
2 cup quinoa

4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth or water)
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup dill (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup feta (crumbled)

sprinkling of capers or fincely diced black olives

--------------------------------
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts.
5. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth, parsley, dill and season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and hit it with a splash lemon juice. sprinkling of capers or black olives and mix in the feta.

Un-Stuffed Greek Chicken Giouvetsi

Ok, you got me...Giouvetsi in essence is a Greek version of a casserole...

If you read my blog with any type of regularity you will know my obstinate feeling towards thick, gloopy-gloppy, bland, flavorless casseroles.

I should have been this way my whole life, since my stepdad had extreme obstinate feelings attitude toward any casserole, I remember him saying anytime anyone mentioned that word, 

"I would rather eat a dead groundhog lying on the side of the road for 3 days then eat casserole." 

I used to think that was soo funny, but I did LOVE tuna noodle casserole, still do I just updated it with grown up flavors when I eat it....

Anyway I do digress {What's new, I am a rambling girl, LOL!}, I was making multiple dishes for my "poultry cooking Meal Session" and I was working on the Greek Stuffed Chicken, which is too delicious for even words. 

You start with a HUMONGOUS chicken breast you know the kind I am speaking of, it's the kind you buy and think how will this cook all the way thru? This is the MOST IMPORTANT part, because you can't stuff them correctly if you use the smaller ones [Ask me how I know! LOL!]...

Looks my dish but is from this web site and not my recipe

Ehemmmm, enter my new recipe...{I know this looks like a lot of ingredients and steps, but bear with me, it makes sense and if you read it in sections it is not that intimidating} I don't have a pic, Of Course, I will try REMEMBER to get one b4 we dig in tonight, but this pic looks similar to mine.

• 6 chicken breasts, placed in a freezer bag and pounded thin w/rolling pin to 1/4" thin.
• 1 bag 14 oz frozen chopped spinach- [Used 10 oz fresh baby spinach]
• ½ medium onion, minced
• 2 or 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 4oz Sundried tomatoes in jar or already hydrated
• 4oz Capers, drained
• 2 oz Homemade Ricotta Cheese {or store bought}
• 2oz Feta cheese
• 1 Lemon
• 1 C Chicken Stock (Homemade is BEST)
• 1 Lemon, juiced and Zested
• 1/4 C Soft dry White Wine
• Kosher Salt & Fresh Crack Pepper
• Granulated Garlic
• Parsley & Oregano
• Panko Breading
• 4 T Butter

Filling:

1. In a large sauté pan on low heat, add frozen spinach to thaw and the water to evaporate from the spinach.
2. Bring heat up to medium and move spinach over to side of pan Add a small amount of olive oil and place garlic and onion in the oil. In another spot in the same pan add the sundried tomatoes and capers.
3. After two minutes push all ingredients in the sauté pan to the middle and mix. Continue to move mixture to make sure nothing is sticking.
4. Turn heat off, but leave pan on burner.
5. Add the Ricotta and Feta cheese to the warm spinach mixture and mix well. Take pan off stove or to a cooler burner.
6.  Squeeze half a Lemon and zest part of the peel.
7. Sprinkle with dried Parsley and Oregano.

Chicken Breasts:

1. Place Chicken Breasts in a gallon sized Freezer bag
2. Pound 1/4" thin and place on a large platter
3. Season Breasts with granulated garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & fresh Cracked Pepper on both sides
4. Sauté Chicken breasts in 2 T EVOO until cooked through {About 5 min each side}
5. Remove the chicken Breasts and place on a clean platter and cover to keep warm

Lemon Butter Chicken Velouté Wine Sauce:

1. In same pan pour 1/4 soft dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scrape bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to get all the flavorful pieces of brown bit goodness, [I call them FLAVOR NUGGETS!!].
2. Add 2 T Butter and melt through
3. Add 1/4 C flour and cook 2 min over low heat
4. After a few minutes you can add a third of your stock, stir continuously, when all of that stock is absorbed, add the rest of the stock, stirring continuously. This will thicken as it cooks for another 5 minutes.
5. Add More liquid if seems too thick- cautiously

For Topping:

1. Toast the panko bread crumbs lightly in 2 T melted butter in small skillet, 
2. Remove from heat and add s & p, granulated garlic, parsley, and oregano.

To Assemble the Giouvetsi:

1. Spray 11"X9" pan with cooking spray.
2. Layer 3 chicken breasts in pan covering the bottom.
3. Spread the Filling over the top of Chicken Breasts
4. Place the remaining Chicken breasts over top of the Filling
5. Pour the  Lemon Butter Chicken Velouté Sauce over the chicken
6. Crumble the Panko Bread Crumbs over top.

Baking:

1. Preheat Oven to 350
2. Bake until filling is bubbly
3. Cover top with foil if top is getting to brown

Updated this IS my dish, was so AWESOME!!

Enjoy! This is rich & decadent Giouvetsi with just the right balance of creamy and acid from the capers and lemon juice, so many complex flavors that blend into deliciousness your mouth will just sing with happiness.  This is perfect for company, Potluck,  or for more of a FOODIE type Progressive Dinner, guests will just dive right in!

I really like the original recipe & the creative way of stuffing the breasts pushing ingredients inside instead of pounding thing and tooth picking them that such a dated way of filling. I also love the the chicken breasts texture is when baked in original form... but if you find yourself unable to stuff your breasts this is an incredible Giouvetsi and not your average casserole! 

I believe you could freeze this just fine since the sauce is not made from cream it won't curdle or break upon thawing and reheating, I think it would be just fine. 

But after a few days of making these scrumptious smelling and looking meals and not allowing my hubby more than a taste... yeah he might just flip his lid! He has been working long hard hours so I think this amazing dish will soothe him and keep him from digging into the Chicken Parmesan Cutlets I have to make after this post. Then half of my Chicken Freezer mini session will be done and I will concentrate on the rest of the "Crock Pot Kit" and "Dump" Chicken Freezer Meals....:-)

Linked to Gooseberry Recipe Round-Up, Weekend Pot Luck