I love feta and eagerly prepare most recipes containing it. Last week I bought the 8 oz packaged Athenos feta that is in block form, as opposed to being crumbled. I prefer to buy it this way as it is easier to cut a piece off to snack on! I bought the feta to stuff in to banana peppers. I think that an associate principal, Lynn, from my teaching days gave me this idea.
Feta Stuffed Banana Peppers
10-12 fresh banana peppers (Look for these in the summer at the farmer's market. Make sure they are "sweet" or "mild" peppers.)
4 oz block feta cheese
extra virgin olive oil
The peppers can be sauteed or baked. If baking, preheat oven to 350 deg. Slice down the side of the pepper lengthwise. Make a T-shaped slit by slicing it across near the stem. Pry open and scrape out seeds and ribs.
Cut feta into thin slices that can be stuffed into the peppers. Stuff peppers.
Sauteeing Instructions: Secure closed with toothpicks. Heat olive oil in a skillet (I prefer cast iron.) over medium heat. Add peppers, and sautee until softened turning often.
Baking Instructions: In a 9 x 9 glass baking pan, slit-side up. Sprinkle peppers with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until peppers are tender.
Hummus and Feta on Rustic Bread
To build a sandwich, spread a tablespoon of hummus on each of two pieces of rustic bread. On one piece, place spinach leaves atop the hummus. On the other side, put slices of feta. Put two sides together to make a flavorful sandwich. If using bagged bread, toast before using.
Hummus and Feta Wrap
Spread two tablespoons of hummus on a whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes, crumbled feta, and spinach leaves. Roll up and enjoy! This was one of my favorite lunches while pregnant.
Greek Salad
I'm not sure if it is still open, but there was a restaurant named Harper's in East Lansing, MI. The Greek Salad at Harper's had finely chopped toppings. When the ingredients are chopped small, the flavors blend well. This is my favorite way to construct a salad:
5 oz bagged romaine or baby spinach leaves, sliced a little to make leaves slightly smaller
1 medium tomato chopped finely
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup crumbled feta, or feta cut into tiny cubes
1/2 cucumber, chopped finely
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup sliced calamata olives (can use black olives)
1/4 cup chopped pickled banana peppers (or garnish with pepperoncini)
Toss lettuce with toppings or top lettuce on individual plates with toppings. Generously sprinkle extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper on the salads. Serve with an ample amount of lemon wedges.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts with Jalapeno
We are trying to not eat red meat, but I still buy bacon! I love the flavor that it adds to chicken. Don't add salt because the bacon makes this salty enough.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts With Jalapeno
2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (I cut them to minimize the cooking time.)
four slices bacon
2 fresh jalapenos, cut in half lengthwise
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut the stems off of the jalapenos and scoop out the seeds and ribs using a grapefruit spoon. Slice each half lengthwise into 3-4 strips.
Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of bacon. Slip 3-4 strips of jalapeno under each piece of bacon. Lay in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes until cooked thoroughly.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts With Jalapeno
2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (I cut them to minimize the cooking time.)
four slices bacon
2 fresh jalapenos, cut in half lengthwise
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut the stems off of the jalapenos and scoop out the seeds and ribs using a grapefruit spoon. Slice each half lengthwise into 3-4 strips.
Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of bacon. Slip 3-4 strips of jalapeno under each piece of bacon. Lay in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes until cooked thoroughly.
Woodstock Vermont Scones
I spent a year in Turkey a decade ago, and my roommate Kristen (who is a great cook) would make these scones. They are a great way to use up sour milk or little bits of dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips lingering in your pantry. I've adapted the recipe by halving it from the original because my non-gluten-eating husband cannot help me eat these. Beware, the recipe calls for A LOT of butter!
Woodstock Vermont Scones
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt (I omit this because I use salted butter.)
3 sticks butter, softened
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, chopped dried apricots, craisins, etc
1 egg
3/4 c milk, sour milk or buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients (except fruit, chocolate and nuts) and knead 5 minutes. (I use the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid Mixer.) I usually divide the dough into two bowls and add different mix-ins to each.
Drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet by generous tablespoonfuls. Bake 15-20 minutes until edges are slightly brown.
Woodstock Vermont Scones
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt (I omit this because I use salted butter.)
3 sticks butter, softened
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, chopped dried apricots, craisins, etc
1 egg
3/4 c milk, sour milk or buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients (except fruit, chocolate and nuts) and knead 5 minutes. (I use the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid Mixer.) I usually divide the dough into two bowls and add different mix-ins to each.
Drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet by generous tablespoonfuls. Bake 15-20 minutes until edges are slightly brown.
Turkish Style Stuffed Zucchini
At the farmer's market last Saturday, I looked longingly at the zucchini. I reminded myself that I never buy it in the summer because inevitably, a gardening friend is begging to give it away to anyone interested. Sure enough, yesterday Ryan brought home a box full of produce including seven zucchini. Here's a recipe that I found on the internet in 1997. The website doesn't appear to be in existence any more. My printout from the web says that the recipe is from "The Moosewood Cookbook", 1977. It is great as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course. I leave out the flour to make it gluten free, and the eggs are enough to hold the filling together.
Turkish Style Stuffed Zucchini
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 T butter
3/4 c minced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 beaten eggs
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
3/4 c grated swiss cheese
2 T freshly chopped parsley
1 T fresh chopped dill or 3/4 t dried dill
1 1/2 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to sprinkle on top
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop out the insides of the zucchini to leave a 1/2 inch rim. Chop the innards into little bits and cook in butter with onions, garlic, salt, and pepper until onions are soft. Combine with flour, cheeses, herbs and beaten eggs. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Fill the zucchini cavities and dust the tops with paprika.
Bake for 30 minutes or until filling solidifies. Serve with a fresh tomato salad.
Turkish Style Stuffed Zucchini
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 T butter
3/4 c minced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 beaten eggs
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
3/4 c grated swiss cheese
2 T freshly chopped parsley
1 T fresh chopped dill or 3/4 t dried dill
1 1/2 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to sprinkle on top
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop out the insides of the zucchini to leave a 1/2 inch rim. Chop the innards into little bits and cook in butter with onions, garlic, salt, and pepper until onions are soft. Combine with flour, cheeses, herbs and beaten eggs. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Fill the zucchini cavities and dust the tops with paprika.
Bake for 30 minutes or until filling solidifies. Serve with a fresh tomato salad.
Dark Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
I always check the ingredients of macaroons when I see them packaged in stores. They always contain flour, and it frustrates me because I know that it must be a very small amount of flour because they aren't a doughy cookie. I came across this recipe in a magazine that doesn't contain flour. They are delicious, and Ryan approves, too. It calls for 8 oz bittersweet chocolate. I just used some chocolate chips. The chocolate was a little soft at room temperature but adding a little paraffin wax might help.
Dark Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
Makes 2 dozen
3 large egg whites
3 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
1 pkg (7 oz) sweetened flaked coconut
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1. Heat oven to 325 deg. F. You'll need 2 baking sheets lined with nonstick foil. (Make sure it's nonstick or grease it liberally.)
2. Whisk egg whites, sugar and extracts in medium bowl until foamy. Stir in coconut until evenly mixed.
3. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until set and browned. Cool on wire rack.
4. Dip bottoms and tiny bit up side of macaroons in melted chocolate. Place on same foil lined baking sheets. (Or place on waxed paper.) Let stand at room temperature until set.
Dark Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
Makes 2 dozen
3 large egg whites
3 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
1 pkg (7 oz) sweetened flaked coconut
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1. Heat oven to 325 deg. F. You'll need 2 baking sheets lined with nonstick foil. (Make sure it's nonstick or grease it liberally.)
2. Whisk egg whites, sugar and extracts in medium bowl until foamy. Stir in coconut until evenly mixed.
3. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until set and browned. Cool on wire rack.
4. Dip bottoms and tiny bit up side of macaroons in melted chocolate. Place on same foil lined baking sheets. (Or place on waxed paper.) Let stand at room temperature until set.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Jalapeno Poppers
One year I had a plentiful harvest of jalapenos from my garden. I created a jalapeno popper recipe for them.
Corn Tortilla Jalapeno Poppers
12 fresh jalapenos
1/2 block cream cheese
2-3 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Make a slit down the length of the jalapeno. At the stem end of the pepper, make a slit going across the top of the other one, forming a "T". Rummage in your utensil drawer to find a tiny spoon, knife or other instrument to scoop out the seeds and white ribs leaving the remainder of the pepper intact. Be careful to wear rubber gloves or try not to touch the innards of the pepper too much. After all peppers are scooped out, use a knife or spoon to spread cream cheese into the pepper. Put the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds to make them more pliable. Wrap the tortilla strips around the peppers and secure with a couple toothpicks.
Warm the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry peppers in small batches until tortillas brown and peppers soften. Drain on paper towels.
This next recipe was shared with me by my mom.
Bacon "Wrapped" Jalapeno Poppers
8 fresh jalapenos (if they aren't Texas-sized, use 12)
1/2 block cream cheese
4 slices uncooked bacon, cut into fourths
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off stems and cut peppers length-wise. Scrape out seeds and ribs using a grapefruit spoon. Spread cream cheese into each half-pepper. Set one piece of bacon a top each pepper. (I found that the bacon cooked evenly this way. You could also wrap the bacon around the peppers.) Place on a baking sheet for 30 minutes until peppers are soft and the bacon is cooked.
Corn Tortilla Jalapeno Poppers
12 fresh jalapenos
1/2 block cream cheese
2-3 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Make a slit down the length of the jalapeno. At the stem end of the pepper, make a slit going across the top of the other one, forming a "T". Rummage in your utensil drawer to find a tiny spoon, knife or other instrument to scoop out the seeds and white ribs leaving the remainder of the pepper intact. Be careful to wear rubber gloves or try not to touch the innards of the pepper too much. After all peppers are scooped out, use a knife or spoon to spread cream cheese into the pepper. Put the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds to make them more pliable. Wrap the tortilla strips around the peppers and secure with a couple toothpicks.
Warm the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry peppers in small batches until tortillas brown and peppers soften. Drain on paper towels.
This next recipe was shared with me by my mom.
Bacon "Wrapped" Jalapeno Poppers
8 fresh jalapenos (if they aren't Texas-sized, use 12)
1/2 block cream cheese
4 slices uncooked bacon, cut into fourths
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off stems and cut peppers length-wise. Scrape out seeds and ribs using a grapefruit spoon. Spread cream cheese into each half-pepper. Set one piece of bacon a top each pepper. (I found that the bacon cooked evenly this way. You could also wrap the bacon around the peppers.) Place on a baking sheet for 30 minutes until peppers are soft and the bacon is cooked.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Shepherd's Salad
This is a Turkish recipe called Shepherd's salad. It is very refreshing.
2 medium tomatoes, chopped in tiny pieces
1 cucumber peeled, chopped in tiny pieces
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 fresh mild banana pepper or other mild pepper, seeded and chopped
Optional: chopped green onions
Toss veggies together. Drizzle liberally with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
2 medium tomatoes, chopped in tiny pieces
1 cucumber peeled, chopped in tiny pieces
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 fresh mild banana pepper or other mild pepper, seeded and chopped
Optional: chopped green onions
Toss veggies together. Drizzle liberally with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
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