Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Tags

chicken, dill, garlic, Greek, lemon, oregano, yogurt

The weather we’ve been having lately is crazy. It’s cold and feels like fall one day, then the next day it’s warm again and feels like summer is coming back! We’re in one of the weird heat waves right now, so while it is not scorching hot, I don’t really want to use the stove. Hurray for the grill! This recipe is perfect for summer, or for the middle of winter when a craving for summer sets in. I have an iron cast griddle that I bought and it’s perfect for indoor grilling. I highly recommend it… perfect for grilling in the winter when it’s too cold or wet to go outside!

Now this recipe is a fun little Greek recipe. I haven’t had much in the way of Greek food before, and this is the first time I’ve actually made it myself. It’s very simple to make, and simple in flavors. The lemon, oregano, and olive oil are a classic Greek flavor combination and it is absolutely delicious! And once again, skewers are such a fun way to serve up food! They allow you to eat right off the skewer, or serve it up Greek-style in a pita.

Tzatziki sauce is another Greek treat. It can be served with souvlaki, as in this recipe, or it can be an appetizer served with bread or crackers. So if you feel like trying something a little different, give this a try!Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Souvlaki:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
½  cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper

To make the souvlaki: In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, oregano, olive oil, salt, and garlic. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, turning once.

Remove chicken from bowl and discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini onto skewers, alternating  between the chicken and the zucchini.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Add the skewers and cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once.

To make the tzatziki sauce: Combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt. Stir well and add ground pepper to taste.

Serve the tzatziki sauce as a dipping sauce for the chicken and zucchini, or use as a sauce in a pita with the chicken and zucchini, along with tomatoes and onions.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light and Two Peas & Their Pod

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Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Tags

pork, sandwiches, sauce, slow cooker

Happy Labor Day (a little bit early)!  I know a lot of people tend to do barbecues or picnics during their three day weekend for Labor Day. I’m jealous of these people… I haven’t gotten a 3 day weekend for a holiday in over 4 years! But for those of you who are off, enjoy yourselves and celebrate the end of summer! These pulled pork sandwiches would be a great way to send off summer. They aren’t officially barbecued, since the meat is done in the slow cooker, but they have barbecue sauce and could work well as picnic food.

Before this, I had never thought myself to be a fan of pulled pork. I had tried some pulled pork sandwiches that other people had ordered, and they just never seemed that great. But this stuff is awesome! The pork is moist and tender, and deliciously spiced before any barbecue sauce is even added, which means the addition of barbecue sauce makes it that much greater! Especially when you use a sauce you love.Now you can of course use your own favorite barbecue sauce, whether it be store bought or your own favorite recipe. But if you have never before made your own barbecue sauce, I strongly urge you to try it. It is so amazingly good, you’ll never be able to go back to the bottled stuff! The barbecue sauce I have listed is more of a vinegary one, so it’s on the thinner side and has a bit of tang to it, with a little bit of a bite from the cayenne pepper. But oh man, is this stuff good! I was so happy when my friend gave me her recipe and I made it myself. It was love at first taste! 🙂

As a reference for how much this makes, I could only find a 5½ pound pork shoulder, and I still got about 10 sandwiches. We were having them for lunches on our weekend and as quick dinners. They went pretty fast… this stuff is that good.Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Note: Feel free to use your favorite bottled barbecue sauce, or your own homemade sauce.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches:
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2½ cups barbecue sauce, divided, see below
Rolls for serving, such as Kaiser

Barbecue Sauce:
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground yellow mustard
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt

To make the pulled pork: To make the spice rub, combine black pepper through sugar in a small bowl. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.

Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker. Add liquid smoke, if using, and ½ cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid in liner. Pull meat by tearing it into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers; discard fat.

Place shredded meat back in slow cooker; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, or until hot. Serve on rolls, pouring additional barbecue sauce on top of the meat as desired.

To make the barbecue sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and heat through.

Source: Pulled pork slightly adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles; Barbecue sauce adapted from Renae

Checca Sauce

Tags

basil, garlic, Italian, pasta, sauce, tomato

I don’t care if the weather people say this isn’t a hot summer. If you had to work outside in it, you’d think it’s a hot summer, too! Therefore, I continue to try and find good summer recipes. Even though I still feel a need to bake and use the oven… and yes, I know I contradict myself right there, but I still need my sweets. 🙂

This is one of the simplest pasta sauces, and has become a regular for me whenever tomatoes are in season. Plus, no heat required. Always a good thing as the heat of summer continues! Combine the sweetness of tomatoes, the saltiness of Parmesan, the creaminess of mozzarella, and the pungent kick of garlic to make a deliciously simple sauce to top any pasta. An angel hair or other long stranded pasta would be best, or you can be like me and go for fun shapes! Checca Sauce

4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan, coarsely chopped
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor work bowl fitted with the chopping blade, combine the scallions, garlic, tomatoes, Parmesan, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped, but do not puree. Stir in the fresh mozzarella cubes and season with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately over hot pasta.

Source: Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Marinara Sauce

Tags

carrot, celery, onion, tomato, wine

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m all about pasta. This means I love the more complex pasta dishes, all the way down to the most simplistic. And what is more simplistic or basic than good ol’ spaghetti, which of course needs a basic marinara sauce. This is a staple for any pasta lover, so you can build upon it if desired, adding meat or mushrooms, extra garlic or basil, or anything your heart desires.The sauce starts out with a mirepoix, which is a fun and fancy French term which means the combination of onion, celery, and carrot. I add some wine to this sauce because it makes the sauce richer, without adding any wine flavor.

Marinara is about more than just spaghetti. It’s a great dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, zucchini sticks, or calamari. It’s a great accompaniment for Italian burgers, which I’ll be posting next. Another fun meal is eggs poached in marinara sauce, which is served over a nice, crusty slice of bread.This recipe doubles or even triples really well, if you have a large enough pot, then freeze it in large freezer bags and you’ll always have homemade marinara sauce on hand. And homemade food always tastes that much better than store bought!

Marinara Sauce

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup dry red wine
2 dried bay leaves

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and ½ teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 70 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce to the desired consistency. Alternatively, a blender can be used, working the sauce in small batches (hot liquids expand and can blast the blender lid off). Serve immediately, or cool, then cover and refrigerate for a day, rewarming over medium heat before serving.

Source: Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis