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Sunday Slow Cooker: Greek Stuffed Peppers

YumSugar — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 06:00:29 -0800

Looking for a low-key Sunday night meal? Look no further than tender, slow-cooked red bell peppers, stuffed with a Greek-inspired filling of fiber-rich cannellini beans, crumbled feta cheese, scallions, and herbed couscous.

Like many Mediterranean specialties, this meal is satisfyingly hearty, yet light and nutritious at the same time. For a low-carb or gluten-free version, consider swapping out the couscous for a grain like quinoa. To make this for your next meal, read more.

Greek Stuffed Peppers
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)
1/2 cup couscous
4 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Slice a very thin layer from the base of each bell pepper so they sit flat. Slice off tops just below stem. Discard stems; chop tops, and place in a medium bowl. Remove ribs and seeds from peppers.
To bowl, add beans, feta, couscous, scallion whites, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Stuff peppers with bean mixture; place upright in slow cooker. Cover; cook on high, 4 hours.
Sprinkle peppers with scallion greens; serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Chicken Breast With Avgolemono Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:45:02 -0800

One of my favorite soups of all time is avgolemono, a traditional Greek soup made of lemon, chicken, and eggs. I love it so much that even when I'm not in the mood for steaming-hot soup, I'll still search for something else (like a pasta) that incorporates the same creamy, tangy flavors.

This chicken, plated with orzo, carrots, and avgolemono sauce, is exactly the type of recipe I'd turn to. Serve it if you've got a leftover bird and are seeking a contemporary take on an everyday protein. To make this fuss-free meal, read more.

Chicken Breast With Avgolemono Sauce
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 1/2 cups orzo
4 carrots, quartered and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and add to the pan. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken; add the broth, dill, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is just done, about 4 minutes.
Remove the chicken and cover lightly with aluminum foil to keep warm. Set aside the pan with the broth.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo for 6 minutes.
Add the carrots and continue cooking until the orzo and carrots are just done, about 6 minutes longer.
Drain and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, beat the eggs, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper until frothy.
Bring the chicken broth back to a simmer and add to the eggs in a thin stream, whisking. Pour the mixture back into the pan and whisk over the lowest possible heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Do not let the sauce come to a simmer, or it may curdle.
Put the orzo and carrots on plates and top with the chicken and sauce.

Serves 4.

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Greek Salad Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:00:09 -0700

A Greek salad is a dish every home cook should master: In Summer the hearty dish is a meal of its own! While a Greek salad traditionally has certain key ingredients, such as tomato, feta cheese, olives, and onions, the term can be used liberally, and you can experiment by adding Mediterranean elements like cucumbers, spinach, shrimp, lamb, etc.

To get you started, I've found two recipes. The first is perfect for someone who has limited time or patience in the kitchen; it simply requires chopping and tossing. The second salad toys with texture, employing gelatin to whip the feta into an airy mousse. Get both recipes when you read more.

Beginner Greek Salad
From Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Leaf lettuce, optional

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.
Just before serving, add salad dressing and oregano; toss to coat.
Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl if desired.

Serves 6.

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Expert Greek Salad
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

6 ounces Greek feta cheese, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin softened in 1 1/2 tablespoons of water
Freshly ground white pepper
2 1/2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced, quartered or halved
Fleur de sel and coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions

In a small skillet, combine the feta and cream and simmer over moderate heat until the feta is slightly melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the softened gelatin and transfer to a blender. Puree until fairly smooth. Season with white pepper. Scrape the mixture into a shallow bowl and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
Bring the feta mousse back to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Whisk the mousse until loosened. Spread the mousse in the center of each plate. Top with the tomatoes, lightly seasoning each layer with fleur de sel and black pepper.
Drizzle with the olive oil, garnish with the olives, red onion and oregano and serve.

Serves 4.

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Killer App: Greek Salsa

partysugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:50:16 -0700

Lately I've been all about dips. OK that's somewhat of an understatement, since it seems I'm always all about dips. Seven-layer dip, nacho cheese dip, artichoke crab dip, Buffalo chicken cheese dip - you get the idea. Well, last week I tried out this recipe for Greek salsa, and it is officially my new favorite dip (for now)! It's everything one could ask for in a dip. It's super easy to prepare (especially when you let the food processor do the chopping), can be made in advance, and is deliciously addictive. Thanks to the wide variety of ingredients - tomatoes, cucumber, hot peppers, olives, feta cheese - it's incredibly layered in both texture and flavor. From creamy to spicy to briny to salty, each bite is different, but equally divine. Greek salsa would be an excellent addition to a tailgate or informal cocktail party, so get the recipe and read more.

Greek Salsa With Pita Crisps
From Sips and Apps by Kathy Casey

Ingredients

Pita Crisps
6 large pocket-style pita breads (about 12 ounces total)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Salsa
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely diced ripe plum tomato (about 3 tomatoes)
3/4 cup finely diced, peeled, and seeded cucumber (about 1/2 a cucumber)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, finely chopped
2 to 2 pickled or fresh hot cherry peppers, stemmed and minced

Directions

Make pita crisps: Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut each pita into 8 triangles and then separate each triangle into 2 pieces.
In a large bowl combine olive oil and salt. Add the pita wedges and toss well coating them evenly with the oil mixture.
On two large baking sheets, spread out the pita wedges in a single layer. Bake for about 4 minutes, then turn the pieces over and continue baking for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until golden and crisp. Let cool before serving. The crisps can be made in advance, cooled, and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Make salsa: combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Serve immediately with pita crisps.

Makes 4 cups.

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Yummy Links: From Chile Peppers to Tyler Florence

partysugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:50:56 -0700

A visual guide to chile peppers. - Chow
A detailed look at Fall's cookbooks. - Eat Me Daily
Find out which brand of Greek yogurt tastes the best. - Serious Eats
Rachael Ray's not the only one with wacky recipe names; Guy Fieri's are pretty out there, too. - Food Network Humor
Easy secrets for doctoring up packaged foods. - The Epi-Log
Learn how to make a rooftop garden. - Grub Street
Tyler Florence is doing more than just television: he's opening several restaurants and stores. - Eater SF

Would You Be Interested In a Peter Andre Cookbook?

PopSugarUK — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Peter Andre has reportedly signed a £1.5million cookbook deal for recipes designed for families. It will apparently be a single man’s guide to feeding the family and could include barbecue food, pastas, soups, Greek recipes and oriental recipes. Katie Price is doing well in the book charts with her latest novel Sapphire, so it wouldn't surprise me if Pete was keen to find success in that arena too. He could easily write a coffee section too! I'd love to know what you think, so vote below to let me know: would you be interested in a Peter Andre cookbook?

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Must-Read: Dinner At My Place

YumSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:30:49 -0700

Over the past few months, I've been testing recipes from Tyler Florence's recent cookbook: Dinner At My Place $13.57.

Although Florence has penned several other cookbooks, this one has a particularly intimate feeling because it includes his family's favorite recipes along with great menus for dinner parties.

To find out if you should add it to your cookbook collection,
read more.

Pros:

The book is divided into innovative menus and theme parties. Some examples are Crab Season, Tolan's Birthday Dinner, and Sunday Dinner. There are a wide variety of recipes in each menu, which can be easily mixed and matched.
Many of the recipes offer substitutions in case some of the ingredients are not in season or are unavailable.
The last chapter, Cheat Sheet, has over 20 basic recipes (such as creamy parmesan potato gratin, Japanese beef broth, classic French Vinaigrette) that are fast and easy staples perfect for livening up any meal.

Cons:

Tyler is the father of three children, however, I thought it was overkill to dedicate an entire chapter to baby food. Perhaps a separate book or a smaller section? After all, I'm not making puree of anything for my adult guests anytime soon.
Directions for the recipes are in paragraph format rather than number.

Recipes: There are a wide variety of recipes in each of his pre-planned menus. Here are some that caught my attention.

Garden Puree Bruschetta
Blender Béarnaise
Watermelon Nectar with Lime Salt
Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Relish
Corn Pudding with Poblano
Artichoke Fritters with Meyer Lemon Salt
Beet Cakes with Sweet Greek Yogurt
Chinese Chicken Stock
Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Imagery: There are tons of pictures, which I promise will get you salivating.

Overall Rating: This cookbook has plenty of recipes perfect for a dinner party. It's not filled with lengthy and difficult culinary challenges, but rather tasty comfort foods that an average family is sure to enjoy.

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Cat Cora Set to Open Disney World Restaurant

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:30:32 -0700

It's looking to be quite the year for celebrity chef Cat Cora. Not only does the female Iron Chef have a bun in the oven, but she's also announced she will open her first signature restaurant in Disney World.

The chef, whose Food Network bio says she's currently working on her signature restaurant will open Kouzzina by Cat Cora, a Mediterranean restaurant at Disney's Boardwalk Resort this Fall.

Cora, a native of Jackson, MS, recently opened CCQ, a quick-service barbecue restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA, but the descendant of Greek restaurateurs is famous for her Mediterranean cuisine. Cora says, the new restaurant will feature "time-honored recipes passed down from my ancestors, as well as my favorite Greek and Mediterranean dishes that my family loves."

I'm excited that the Iron Chef will finally have a chance to serve her signature dishes to the public. Are you curious to check out her restaurant?

Source

Discover Your Napastyle With Michael Chiarello

partysugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 12:58:32 -0700

Last Thursday evening, YumSugar and I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with one of my favorite Food Network chefs and the creator of Napastyle, Michael Chiarello. Michael specializes in homey Italian influenced Northern California cuisine and has been the host of many television shows including Season by Season on PBS, Easy Entertaining on FN, and Napastyle on Fine Living. I love Michael for his friendly, easy going approach toward food and his fresh, delicious, recipes. In October of last year Michael opened his first store, Napastyle, in Berkeley - which is where Yum and I spoke with him. The event was a private party, tasting, and demonstration. In person, Michael is a lot like his TV personality: charming, welcoming, laid back and surprisingly he's more charismatic, incredibly personable, and quite funny.

Before the demonstration began, guests were invited to taste wines from his wine club (if anybody wants to surprise me and get me a subscription to it I would be ecstatic), sample homemade sausages and dips from his store, and to mingle with Michael. Once everyone had passed by the sample table (my favs: the parmesan dip & the rosemary garlic salami), the demonstration began.

For Michael's philosophy on food and life, the difference between taste and flavor in a dish, what he has to say about fellow Food Network celebrity chefs and our interview (including a video with a fantastic Julia Child impersonation), read more.

Growing up, Michael learned at a very young age the importance of sustainability, seasonality, and eating locally. He was raised on a farm in the California Central Valley where his mother taught him about the love that is put into making a meal. He doesn't believe in fast food - which he defines as any meal that is not worth remembering and has jokingly told Rachael Ray, "I can't even clean the kitchen in under 30 minutes."

Michael enjoys turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, being a guest at his own parties, and gray salt. Although his life is beyond busy, he inserts self-imposed speed bumps or meditation time to spend time with his 14 month old baby boy (maybe we should set him up with KatieSugar), 3 older daughters, and his wife (whom he lovingly refers to as his girlfriend because it "sounds better").

Afterwards Michael took a moment to chat with us and even set me up on a date with his sous chef! Here's how it went:

PartySugar/YumSugar: What did you eat today?
Michael Chiarello: For breakfast I had organic cheerios, mangoes, and strawberries. For lunch my wife made me asparagus soup with Point Reyes blue cheese and I drank dinner.

P/YSugar: What are you inspired by?
MC: My mother. That little girl in the crowd, Samantha, who watches my show every Saturday. The fact that food can open your heart and bring people into your life. One time a woman came up to me and told me that she had never gotten along with her mom and when she asked her mom why she had never tried making pasta, the mother answered it was because she didn't have anyone to help her, so the daughter offered. Cooking brought them back together as a family. The best food is like gospel music, it makes you feel good.

P/YSugar: What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
MC: The Greeks set aside time while building the Parthenon to eat, so eat well even while busy. Set aside the time to eat well.

P/YSugar: A successful party is…
MC: Spending half as much time at the table as your guest do. When somebody else cleans up. When the wine is wonderful.

P/YSugar: What’s in your fridge?
MC: Organic Greek yogurt. Mango and papayas. Organic milk. Lots of cooked and ready to go protein.

P/YSugar: What is your guilty pleasure food?
MC: Ruffles.

P/YSugar: Is your show filmed in your house?
MC: No, my first show that aired on PBS was but not anymore.

P/YSugar: Did you read the Omnivore's Dilemma and if so what did you think of it?
MC: Yes, I read it twice. Michael Pollan is an amazing writer and he presents the facts as good as he can. He is conventional and brilliant.

Michael jokes about being upset by the fact that he rarely gets invited out to a friend's house for dinner and dislikes that his favorite organic milk is available only in glass bottles. And while his style is definitely different, he loves that his buddy Emeril has brought millions of people back into the kitchen.

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Loukoumades, The Great Greek Doughnut

YumSugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:58:31 -0700

When I was in college, there was a Greek food festival every year. My housemate and I would jump on our bikes and head down there in order to load up on tasty treats. There were a lot of great things to try, but my favorite was definitely an order of freshly fried loukoumades (imagine plump balls of deep fried dough, coated in sugar syrup or honey!). The festival is only once a year, but I decided I had to learn how to make them myself. To find a recipe and celebrate our Greek food coverage, as well as National Doughnut Day, read more

Loukoumades - Greek Doughnuts
From Greeks in LA

1 envelope active dry yeast
3 cups warm water
4 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Vegetable oil, for frying

For the syrup:
2 cups honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water

Cinnamon, ground, to taste

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water, proof for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, whisk to incorporate. Add in the milk and eggs. When fully mixed, add in the other 2 cups of flour. Batter should be thick but not solid, if necessary, thin with more water. Whisk in vanilla. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.

For the syrup, in a small pot mix together the honey, sugar, and water and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer until completely dissolved and keep warm.

Heat the oil to 360 degrees and with a large spoon, drop the batter into the hot oil. It will immediately puff and come to the surface. When golden brown on both sides, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drizzle with warm syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

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