Spinach and Feta Turnovers

I've been making these Spinach and Feta Turnovers from Everyday Food Magazine for a while but they don't have the recipe on their site so I never posted it. I was passing the recipe onto a friend and found the link listed.

As a side note, like one of the comments, I always have way too much filling left over. So, I either buy two boxes of puff pastry and freeze them with directions from the magazine. Or I will use the filling the next day (or two or three) cooked with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Sort of a Greek Breakfast Scramble, if you will. It is a win-win in my book.

To freeze: Freeze unbaked turnovers on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, wrap turnovers individually in plastic wrap; store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To bake from frozen: Unwrap frozen turnovers, and bake as directed, adding 5 to 10 minutes to baking time.

Greek salad dressing and the salad, too

This salad dressing is the root cause of why practically half of the meals I consumed in August either involved Greek salads or had me wishing I had a Greek salad in front of me.

I found it at a random TV station's Web site that popped up during a Google search for "Panera greek salad dressing recipe." Their recipe makes two cups, but since I half it and only make one cup at a time, I'm posting my halfsies recipe along with my modifications and secret ingredient. The original recipe is available at the link above.

Jennifer's WBIR Panera Greek Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced green onion
• 1 teaspoon oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon basil (I used dried, but you could do fresh, too)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Squeeze of lemon juice (Secret ingredient that MAKES this dressing. Not sure how much I actually squeeze in here. Maybe about a small wedge's worth)
• 1/2 cup and 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients except olive oil in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking.

For the salad itself, I go with romaine lettuce, kalamata olives, red onions, grape or cherry tomatoes and feta. If you like cucumbers, those would fit in nicely as well. The salad is best tossed with the dressing so everything is coated. Drizzling the dressing on top just doesn't cut it. Enjoy!

Favorite One-Pot Meals - Egg Lemon Soup (Avgolemono)

This soup is one of our absolute favorites. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like it once they try it even though it might sound kind of odd. Having a good stand mixer is key to making it.


Ingredients:

96 oz. Chicken Broth
12 oz. Orzo
9 Eggs
6 tablespoons of Lemon Juice
1-2 Fresh Lemons
Black Pepper

1. In large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.
2. Add 12 oz. of orzo to broth and cook per directions on box. *
3. In two smaller bowls, separate whites and yolks of 9 eggs.
4. Whip eggs whites on high until they have a stiff peak.
5. With mixer running continuously on medium, fold in yolks, one at a time.
6. With mixer running continuously on medium, add 6 T. (or more to taste) of lemon juice.
7. With mixer running continuously on medium, slowly add 2-4 c. of broth to eggs, until egg mixture is heated throughout, being careful not to cook the eggs.
8. While wisking the pot continuously, pour the heated egg mixture into the pot with the orzo and broth.
9. Continue to stir the soup, folding from the top down to dissipate foam, over low heat.
10. Serve with fresh lemon slices and black pepper to taste.

Makes about 8 servings.

*It is key that the egg mixture is ready about the same time the orzo is finished cooking. Letting the eggs sit, waiting for the orzo, will make them lose their peak.

Image courtesy of http://www.hort.purdue.edu/

Bistro Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

Here's a tasty pasta dish I found by lurking online. It's from Erica in Utah.


Ingredients

*4 C penne pasta

*1 C halved grape or cherry tomatoes

*1 4 oz. package crumbled feta cheese

*1 C Italian seasoned dressing (Dry packet of dressing, prepared. Not the bottled stuff.)

*1/3 C fresh basil leaves (torn)

*1/4 C chopped red onion

*1/4 C chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)

*2 chicken breasts cooked & cut into strips

Instructions

Toss together and enjoy hot or cold.

Favorita Pasta - Salad Part 2

For some reason, coming up with a favorite pasta was hard for me and its been a busy few weeks around here....

I make this pasta salad often and like any good recipe, it can be altered to suit your own tastes. Sometimes I add grilled chicken for some protein. Sorry, as usual I don't have specific measurements!

1 box bow tie pasta
a couple of tomatoes
1 can of garbanzo beans
feta
fresh spinach
kalamata olives (optional)
store bought greek salad dressing OR your own oil and vinegar and herb combo

Make pasta according to directions on box. Run cold water over the pasta after cooking and draining it. Chop tomatoes and feta into bite sized pieces and add them to the pasta along with the drained garbanzo beans and the kalamata olives. Mix with dressing. Tear fresh spinach and add it just before serving.

Roasted shrimp and orzo

This recipe is one of my 8 million favorite pasta dishes, very quick and well suited to modification (leave out what you don't like and substitute what you do).

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 handful of fresh oregano
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 handful of sundried tomatoes, chopped
feta cheese crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper (I usually reduce the amount of oil and up the lemon juice but do what tastes good). Toss dressing with veggies and oregano. Cook orzo till al dente, drain, and add to the veggies.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic slices. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through.

Toss shrimp and as much feta as you like with the pasta. This dish is great served warm or chilled in the summer.