Small Spicy Meabals "Keftedes"

Small Spicy Greek Meatballs  "KEFTEDES"

 

1 lb ground meat (80/20%) or a mixture of beef and lamb

1 egg beaten

1 slice of stale bread soaked in milk and wrung out

¼ cup finely chopped mint

¼ cup finely minced or gated onion

1 garlic clove minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

½ minced jalopena pepper (optional but this is spice of the Spicy Keftedes)

¼ cup minced parsley

Flour to coat balls

Mix all very well.   

 

Roll into balls the diameter no bigger than a quarter.

 

 

 Roll in flour.  Fry on high heat in a bit of olive oil. The meat will emit more fat. Fry so the outside on all side is brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towels.

 

 

TIPS:

·        Serve with a Zatziki sauce or a spicy tomato sauce.

·        Serve warm or at room temperature

·        I served over Quinoa with vegetable mix.

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

I mentioned I would give you the rest of the luncheon menu’s recipes and here is the Spinach Salad. 

(Dessert to come)  This was one of the better salads I have ever made.  Very pretty and so refreshing with the use of spring strawberries.  Everyone went back for seconds. Make your spring table pop with a bright and pretty salad.

 

 1 shallot diced

1  cups strawberries sliced

3 cups spinach leaves¼ cup walnuts roughly chopped

½ large seedless cucumber sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

DRESSING

5 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons Raspberry vinegar

1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper bowl

Mix the salad in a bowl and the dressing in a separate. Just before serving dress the salad and serve.

  

     

 Dress your stable with red, which will bring out the

                       color of the strawberries.

 

 

 

 

TIPS:

·        I used a raspberry vinegar but you can change that up or just use all Balsamic

 

 

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

 

 

Chicken Tarragon Salad Whole Grain Sandwiches

Chicken Tarragon Salad Whole Grain Sandwiches

I

 just entertained a group of girlfriends for a luncheon and made these sandwiches.  They were yummy. Also, on the menu was a marvelous spinach salad and dessert to die for!  I will post those next time.  I was lucky to find wonderful whole grain croissants, but feel free to use any whole grain bread.

4 cups of chicken diced (bone in and roasted)

3 stalks celery chopped

1 tart green apple diced

 ¼ cup parsley chopped

¼ cup Basil chopped

½ red onion minced

1 lemon juiced

Good squeeze of hot sauce

1 cup mayo

Salt/pepper to taste

1 ½ teaspoon fresh tarragon

6 large leaves of butter lettuce

6 whole grain croissants or bread of choice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up in a roasting pan and sprinkle them with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.   Then remove the skin and bones and cut chicken into small cubes. Place chicken in bowl.  Mix the remaining ingredients and then add the chicken. Toss well.

Open rolls of pieces of bread of choice. Lay a piece of lettuce down and place a big ball of salad on top. Top with remaining bread.

TIPS:

·        Add more or less of the mayo as you like

·        Leftover salad is good stuffed in a large hollowed tomato

·        Leftover salad can be rolled in a tortilla, flat bread or lettuce to make a wrap

 

 

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

 

Guacamole

Guacamole

 

CINCO DE MAYO May 5^th   a celebration with great Mexican food; a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. I like any celebration and I am always looking for new ideas for cooking.  So with only a couple ingredients you can make a quick and easy Guacamole.  This is makes enough for two and easily will double –triple as you need.

1 ripe avocado (diced if you like it chunky)

3 small tomatoes, seeded, diced

1 tablespoon onion diced

1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (I use parsley as I am not a fan of cilantro)

Jalapeño pepper, finely minced (as much heat as you like)

½ lemon juiced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

A couple turns of ground pepper

Chop the tomatoes, onions, cilantro or parsley and peppers. Scoop out the avocado and chop for chunky style or mush for a creamier style.   

 

Mix all together and add salt, pepper and lemon. Stir lightly for chunky style and mush up well for creamy.

TIPS:

·        Invite friends over and make a big batch and serve on a nice corn chip

·        Add lime instead of lemon

·        Add some radish diced, garlic or a bit of mayonnaise

 

 

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

 

EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI AND FETA CHEESE PATTIES

EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI AND FETA PATTIES



Excuse the pan

I read a recipe that made eggplant patties and I decided to play a bit and came up with this and I  just think they are so good. The basil was the herb that just added such flavor.  The recipe I had seen used Kasseri cheese and substituted Parmesan.   I think it could be made in a loaf pan just as well and baked a bit longer.

1small or ½ large eggplant skin on -diced

1 medium zucchini  skin – on diced

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup feta crumbled

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1/8 cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg

Drizzle olive oil

Place eggplant and zucchini on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until tender and just lightly browned.  Place in bowl with all other ingredients and mix well.  

Form patties and place on the same baking sheet and bake 375 for about 15 minutes until set and lightly browned.

TIP:

·        I baked instead of frying them

·        You could add a coating of egg wash and bread crumbs and fry. But why add the calories?

·        I think the fresh basil is the main punch of taste but you could add oregano instead

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

 

I had a wonderful roasted chicken last evening and we ate only the leg portions and I have left over two lovely big breasts.  It was a “Roaster” chicken not a fryer and therefore quite big and meaty.

Found two nice Kaiser rolls, an avocado and some bacon and made a delicious chicken salad sandwich.

I choose to make a lovely chicken salad sandwich for today’s dinner.   

2 large chicken breasts chopped into bite size pieces

3 stalks of celery chopped finely

½ cup red onion chopped finely

10 grape tomatoes cut into 1/4ths

Good dash of hot pepper sauce

1/3^rd  cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix salad all together. Add more Mayonnaise if it is too dry for you. 

Chicken chunks are under the vegetables

 

 

Place of a Kaiser roll.

Serve with chips of choice

 

Top: with slices of avocado, and bacon which has been baked crisp.

Tips:

·        I had baked my chicken seasoned with Tarragon and therefore I did not add additional spices. You can add any spice of your liking.

·        Add some buttermilk to cut the use of allot of mayonnaise

·        Add lettuce, more onion, pickle

·        A store bought roasted chicken cut he time in half!

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

 

 

Broccoli and Mushroom Cheese Casserole

I had put “up”, froze actually, some fresh broccoli this past summer when it was abundant and inexpensive. I was a bit disappointed that it lost some of its integrity and was soft and a bit limp.  Still full of flavor but I thought it best to get into a baked casserole rather than just stemming it as I always do.  I found some mushrooms and cheese and tossed this idea together.

1/2 cup plain cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¾ cup milk

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter

Dash nutmeg

1 egg

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 cups broccoli chopped in large bite size pieces

5 big mushrooms sliced

¼ cup bread crumbs

Make cheese sauce by melting the butter, add the milk and whisk in the flour.  Add nutmeg and warm so the sauce thickens.  (5 or so minutes on medium heat) Remove from heat and cool a bit and whisk in the egg. Replace on the heat and warm so the egg helps thicken the sauce more.

Stem the broccoli and mushrooms until just wilted.  Drain and put in a casserole dish. Add the sauce and sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter.

 

Bake 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, just until the top browns.

 

 

 

 

 

TIPS:

·        Switch the cheese to blue cheese.

·        Many broccoli casserole use mayonnaise or yogurt instead of the cottage cheese.

·        I prefer panko crumbs

·        Red pepper flakes give it some kick!

·        1 tablespoon of butter to dot on the top (optional)

·        I sometime add seasoned stuffing mix instead of the bread crumbs

 

 

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!