greek meatball mezze bowl

Meatballs

1 pound ground lamb
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons sweet or regular paprika
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
kosher salt and black pepper
sprinkle of chili flakes
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Combine the lamb, shallots, parsley, oregano, paprika, dijon, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a bowl. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, and roll the meat into 2 tablespoon size balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through on the inside.

Lemon Rice

1.5 cups Basmati rice
1 medium white or yellow onion, ends cut off
2 lemons, juice of (PLUS zest of 1 lemon)
3 cups chicken broth (or water and 1 tablespoon of chicken bullion)
1 tablespoon of butter

Add 1 small onion to the center of the Instant Pot. 

Add rice to the IP.

Add broth and lemon juice to the Instant pot.

Seal and use the Rice function to cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 9 minutes then release the remaining pressure.

Remove the onion, chop and return to the rice.

Stir in lemon zest and butter until completely melted.

Tzatziki-style dressing

½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, microplaned
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried or fresh dill
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir until fully combined. Taste test and adjust as needed per your preferences. 

Optional: chill before serving to allow the flavor to develop further.

Dressing

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped dill
salt and pepper

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dill and salt and pepper. 

Salad vegetables

Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, chopped
Peppers, chopped
Red onion, chopped
Feta, crumbled
Kalamata olives

Add lemon rice to a bowl, add meatballs, veggies and a spoonful of tzatziki, drizzle with dressing.

ground beef casserole

A tasty and easy one pan dish.

1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
6 ounce can tomato paste
2 cups Beef Broth
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
8-12 ounces Rummo gluten free spiral pasta
½ cup dairy free sour cream
8 ounces dairy free cream cheese, chopped into chunks
1 package of dairy free feta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast iron braiser over medium heat cook the ground beef until just a little pink remains. Add the chopped onion. Cook on medium heat until the onion is translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, seasonings, sea salt and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and heat to a simmer.

Add the sour cream, cream cheese, feta and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and browned slightly.

spinach cheese pie - hold the crust

We've doubled this recipe, and added even more cheese! You can never have enough cheese!

2 bags frozen spinach, thawed, moisture squeezed out
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup of white cheddar
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place cast iron skillet in oven and heat for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine spinach with eggs, feta, cottage cheese, cheddar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Remove skillet from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Spread spinach filling evenly over crust, and bake for 20 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

summertime soup

I haven't tried this myself yet, but a friend made it and it was spectacular! I've had a couple of watermelon gazpachos in my life but this was by far the best. Knowing the home it was made in I have a feeling that high quality olive oil is key. I hope that when I do make this I can do it half as well as my friend did.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence at FoodNetwork.com

Serves: 4 servings

• 1 large tomato, pureed
• 1/2 serrano chile
• 2 cups cubed fresh watermelon
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve.