Dolmades

Plate of Dolmades

Midday Mezze
Readers who have followed this blog for a while might remember a post I wrote in September of last year about crawdad lunch. For those of you who are not familiar, crawdad lunch is what my family calls a lunch that consists of salami, cheese, crackers, and maybe some fruit. It has evolved over the years to something a little more sophisticated.

I still have crawdad lunches—especially when the weather is warmer. In fact, I had one yesterday, but this was not your five-year-old’s crawdad lunch. My lunch consisted of pita bread instead of crackers, salami, grapes, mixed pitted olives, some hummus, and, lastly, dolmades.

If you are not familiar with dolmades, they are cigar-shaped stuffed grape leaves and they are yummy. They can be made the classic way with meat but are just as tasty in their vegetarian form. Dolmades can be eaten on their own with a squeeze of lemon or dipped in some tzatziki for a pop of tartness. Either way, they make for a perfect lunch.

I made these over the weekend for my daughter who is having a busy week and wanted to food prep her lunches. Dolmades are a great choice because they will last 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. And, they have a bit of everything you need to get through the day—carbs, protein, veggies, and of course, flavor. They are also extremely portable for those beautiful Spring days when you want to be outside and need to pack a lunch.

This recipe makes quite a few, so feel free to half it.

Dolmades Recipe
Adapted from The Mediterranean Dish
Yields 60

This flavorful, traditional Greek dish is made by stuffing grape leaves with a delicious mixture of rice, meat, and loads of fresh herbs and warming spices. Then they are cooked in a bright lemony broth. Read more…

Amy’s Tzatziki

Amy's Tzatziki Sauce in a bowl

Spin Cycle
My sister’s washing machine blew up a few weeks ago, which is never good. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to wash your clothes, she now has to deal with getting the repair person out, having them figure out what’s going on, and all the rest of the hassle. The good news is that she lives five minutes from me which is so much better than the laundromat. And, it is why we found ourselves having a throwback Sunday family dinner while she did a few loads of laundry.

Growing up, Sunday nights meant dinner at my grandmother’s house—which I loved and hated at the same time. I loved having dinner with my grandparents because the food was fantastic. But, I almost always was dragged kicking and screaming. I didn’t want to stop playing out in front of our house with my friends, not to mention having to shower and put on decent clothes.

Anyway, when I got the call from my sister asking to use my washing machine, I immediately started planning for a Sunday dinner a la Gammy which meant some sort of roasted beast. I opted for a leg of lamb. Now, a leg of lamb isn’t cheap. And, normally it wouldn’t be my first choice. But, I had ulterior motives.

I knew that a leg of lamb would be too much for the number of people eating. But, I also knew that the leftovers would be great the next night wrapped in warm pita bread with tomatoes, sliced onions, and one of my favorite things in the whole world, tzatziki.

I love tzatziki and have been known to have just that with some fresh pita slices for dinner. You can buy pre-made tzatziki from the store and it will be tasty. But, it is so worth the minor effort it takes to make it fresh. Plus you have the opportunity to customize it to your liking. I go pretty heavy on the garlic. Thankfully, my husband likes it that way too. Otherwise, we would be sleeping in different bedrooms because of lingering garlic breath…

Amy’s Tzatziki recipe is good on so many things like lamb meatballs, kababs, and sandwiches. Use it as a veggie dip or chip dip. Any way you can think of to get some in your mouth will work. Bonus…because it’s made with yogurt, tzatziki is pretty good for you, too.

Amy’s Tzatziki Recipe
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip or sauce made from simple ingredients that are both tangy and garlicky. It is made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon, and sometimes fresh herbs. A full-fat Greek yogurt works well in this quick-to-prepare recipe. Read more…

Opening Oysters

Opening Oysters — photo of open oysters in their shell on a black plate with lemon

Coming Out Of Their Shell
I have come to the realization that no matter how long you do something or study something there will always be those moments that surprise you. For example, I was today years old when I found out that you can open an oyster without using a shucking knife and potentially losing a finger. Mind Blown.

I have had oysters on the brain lately which makes sense because of Valentine’s Day. Although, honestly, after 23 years of marital bliss, I think my husband and I will celebrate over a bucket of chicken. We’re fancy that way. Never fear, my love and I will be celebrating with dinner out on Friday when it’s not such a scene…

Anyway, back to the oysters.

I am one of those people who loves oysters. I love them raw. I love them baked. I do not however want them anywhere near the Thanksgiving stuffing. (I think that’s weird.) The issue is, I have a fear of shucking. My hands are covered with scars from cuts and burns I have earned over the years. And I know, I just know, that I would be the one to injure myself greatly while shucking. So, what’s an injury-prone gal to do?

Turns out there are a few ways to open an oyster sans oyster knife. They are listed below. And to all of those oyster-loving, ten-fingered Valentines out there, you’re welcome!

Opening Oysters
Read more…

Savory Loaded Shortbread Cookies

photo of Savory Loaded Shortbread Cookies from the cookbook

Short(bread) Debate
Now that Christmas has come and gone and you find yourself with a little extra time, I offer up something to occupy your brain while you stare out the window in a post-holiday stupor. Does a cookie need to be sweet in order to call it a cookie?

There are plenty of examples of so-called cookies that are so borderline in their sweetness—you could call them more of a cracker or biscuit than a cookie. Shortbread is the perfect one. All you need to make shortbread is flour and some sort of fat. Typically, that fat is butter which gives the shortbread most of its flavor. Sure, there is sugar added but the overall taste leans more towards butter than sugar. And yet, most people would still consider it a cookie.

Shortbread gets its name from the crumbly texture. The fat, usually butter, inhibits the formation of long wheat protein (gluten) strands when mixed with flour thus its famous melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

So, by that reasoning, if all you need to make a crumbly cookie is fat, who is to say you couldn’t do it with, say, bacon fat? You would still have the same occurrence with the lack of gluten development. And, in theory, the same texture. But, does the bacon fat automatically mean the shortbread is now more of a cracker?

These are the kinds of things that run through my head at weird times and have people avoiding me at parties. Or perhaps I have been watching too much Lessons in Chemistry

Either way, I’m whipping up some of these Savory Loaded Shortbread Cookies if only to start the debate.

Savory Loaded Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Cookies: The New Classics by Jesse Szewczyk
Yields 24 Cookies

Cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and bacon combine in this savory cookie. It takes full advantage of all the flavors of a stuffed baked potato by swapping a buttery shortbread base for the standard russet.

They make a wonderful appetizer that is infinitely easier to manage than a baked potato. Read more…