Easier than it sounds...and just as tasty as you think.

 

Spanokopita with Tzatzki Sauce

Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Serves: 4

Ingredients for Spanokopita:

1 pkg of frozen chopped spinach, well drained (squeeze all the water out)
1/3 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped finely
1 and 1/2 cups of feta cheese, grated
1/4 tsp of pepper
1-2 eggs
Phyllo pastry
Olive oil or melted butter

Directions:

Combine spinach, dill, green onions, feta cheese and pepper and mix well. Mix in 1 egg, and if mixture seems dry, mix in the second egg.
Cover the phyllo pastry with a damp towel. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo together, brushing the first sheet with oil or butter. Cut the pastry in half crosswise, then each half in three to make 6 strops. Place about 2 tsps of filling on the end of each strip and roll up flag style. Brush all over with oil or butter and place each triangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. At this stage you may freeze them if you don't plan to cook them immediately.)


Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce:

1/2 of a small cucumber
1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 and 1/2 tsp of olive oil
1 and 1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp of fresh dill, finely chopped
Pepper
Salt

Directions:

Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a little salt and place in a sieve to drain away the liquid that the salt will draw from the cucumber. Combine the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and dill and mix well. Mix in the drained cucumber and chill covered until needed.

A tasty way to cook rice in the oven

Baked Greek Style Rice

We didn't even know you could cook dry rice in the oven until we were given this recipe in a cooking class. The rice really is full of flavour from soaking up the broth and onions.

Cook Time: 25 mins
Prep Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps of olive oil
1 small cup of onion, finely chopped
1 cup of white rice (dry)
1 clove of garlic pressed
1 and 3/4 cup of boiling chicken broth
1 tsp of dried leaf oregano


Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and gently saute until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes Add the rice and cook and stir to get all the rice covered by oil. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat and put the ingredients into an oven proof dish. Pour over boiling broth and oregano, quickly stir, cover with a lid and place in a 350F oven for 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. During the cooking, check the rice periodically to make sure the oven temperature is correct and the rice has sufficient liquid in it.

A tradition Cajun dessert from good ol' New Orleans

Delicious Banana Foster

Servings: 4
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

4 bananas
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 cup of whipping cream
**optional alcohol which will be flambeed such as rum or cointreau

Directions:

In a large non stick fry pan, melt butter. Add sugar, cinnamon and orange juice. Boil until reduced by half. Add whipping cream and reduce by half. Then add sliced bananas and heat until bananas are hot. Serve with ice cream or alone and if you like with french toast, crepes or waffles as we have done.

Cajun Cookin' made easy and delicious

Cajun Chicken with homemade Cajun Spice ( blackened Chicken)

**Make your own spice rub from scratch, saves you sodium and money!**

Makes: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins


Ingredients: 

2 and 1/2 Tbsps of paprika
2 Tbsps of All purpose seasoning
2 Tbsps of garlic powder
1 Tbsp of Pepper
1 Tbsp of Cayenne
1 Tbsp of Oregano
1 Tbsp of Thyme


Directions: 

Mix all spices together in a bowl and this will make 2/3 cup.

In a  frying pan, heat some oil.
Take about 1 tsp of your cajun seasoning and season chicken with it. Sautee your chicken until one side is brown and then flip and do the other side. Serve with  either creole veggies(veggies sauteed with the same spice rub and tomatoes in a fry pan) and a rice pilaf or with asparus and mashed potatoes with creole butter as we did.


Easy peasy and delicious!

How to make Creole Butter:

Ingredients:

1 lb. soft butter
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Ground black pepper-fresh
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Chili flakes
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
2 oz. beer
 

Directions:

Beat all ingredients together in a bowl,
then  serve and refrigerate the rest.

A succulent way to cook fish

Almond Crusted Sole

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4

• 
  
• Ingredients :
• 
  
• 4 Pacific sole fillets (6 oz. each)
• About 1/2 tsp of salt
• About 1/2 tsp of  freshly ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided 
• Fresh lemon wedges
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 475° with a rack set at the top level. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, then set on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush tops of fillets with 2 tsp. olive oil and squeeze a little lemon on top.
2. 2. Combine panko, parmesan, nuts, parsley, zest, remaining 1 tsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Evenly cover fillets with almond mixture. Bake until fish is opaque in center, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon juice drizzled on fish.
3. 
   

Delicious Thanksgiving fare! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Turkey with delicious Sage butter, Rapini and Rice stuffing! 

Cook Time:** For a 12 pound turkey about 4 hours (20 mins a pound)
Prep Time: 40 mins
Servings: 12



Tip: Rubbing butter under the skin of the turkey before roasting helps to keep the meat from drying out and adds great flavor to the pan drippings!

Ingredients: 

• Turkey:
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 1 lemon, halved
• Stuffing:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 packed cups roughly chopped rapini, thin stems and leaves)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese      

Directions:

For the turkey: Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mash together butter, sage, pepper and salt; set aside. Rinse inside and outside of turkey well and pat dry; arrange breast side up in a rack set inside a roasting pan. Gently work fingers under the skin around the breast and legs of the turkey, being careful not to tear the skin. Stuff sage butter under skin, spreading it evenly across the breast and around the legs and thighs. Squeeze lemon halves over the turkey, then arrange the rinds in the cavity. Roast turkey, basting it every 30 minutes and tenting with foil if it gets too dark, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and set aside to let rest for 20 minutes.

For the stuffing: During the last hour the turkey is roasting, grease an 8- x 8-inch baking pan; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium hot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until moisture is absorbed and rice is just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside to let rest for 5 minutes; discard bay leaf and fluff rice with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, pepper and salt. Add cooked rice, rapini and cheese; toss to coat. Transfer rice mixture to prepared pan and bake until hot and just golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Carve turkey and serve with rice stuffing and pan drippings to drizzle over the top.

Chocolate Pecan Pie perfect for Thanksgiving!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Cook Time: 70 mins
Prep Time: 20 mins
Servings: 12

Ingredients: 

• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust (in pie pan)
• 8 ounces 65% to 72% dark chocolate, cut or broken into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cup chopped pecans      

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pie crust with parchment paper or foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool, then remove weights and paper or foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Melt chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Mix sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and pecans in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in chocolate mixture, then transfer to pre-baked pie crust and bake until set in the middle, about 1 hour. (Watch the crust while baking and cover edges with foil to prevent burning, if necessary.)

Set pie aside to let cool until warm or room temperature then cut into slices and serve with whip cream or ice cream or both!