Heres my incredibly simple take on spinakopita, meditteranean orzo and a really awesome salad dressing. The ingredients for all three recipes are similar. This means, your grocery shopping will be a piece of cake. Trick your guests into thinking you toiled your day away, little miss paula deen...
Salad: Spinach leaves, grape tomatoes, sliced strawberries, walnuts, cucumbers....and whatever else you'd like. (personal suggestions: Goat cheese, avocado, mangoes!!) The aesthetic appeal from the splash of colors makes this even more scrumptious!
My secret super duper balsamic dressing: 6 tablespoons Balsamic vinaigrette, 1 teaspoon of EVOO (yes i will quote Rachael Ray my hero...evoo= extra virgin olive oil), 1 pinch salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper (or less...up to your taste specifictions), 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tspn of fresh lime juice, (now here's the secret part dun dun dun...) 1-2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice! Whisk it all together in no particular order and TADA!!!
*Spinakopita, my version.
Buttery, flaky, wholesome and entirely delish. This appetizer is a no fail, even with the most minimal culinary skills.
1 package of frozen/thawed chopped spinach
1 cup feta cheese
EVOO
1/2 stick butter
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp of fresh squeezed lime
1 pckg of Phyllo pastry sheets - I like the pillsbury ones, but whichever works for you
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp of chopped parsley or oregano or dill (optional)
1 diced onion
Crushed red peppers
Process: Preheat oven to 350. In a seperate pan, saute onions and garlic with melted butter. When onion is tender and beginning to brown, place thawed spinach in pan. REMEMBER to squeeze out ALL the water from the spinach before adding it to the pan....the excess water is an absolute no-no. Once the onions turn golden-brown and the spinach begins to wilt, add oregano, parsley, dill and feta cheese and allow to cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, lime, 1 tsp of pepper and crushed red peppers to taste specifications.
Oil or pam a baking pan, lay 1 sheet of phyllo and add one even layer of cooked spinach mixture, place another layer of phyllo and add more spinach mixture. The last layer should be oiled lightly with EVOO. Allow to bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Mediterannean Orzo pasta
Ingredients:
1 box orzo
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
2 tbspn lime juice
1 tsp salt
EVOO
Cucumbers, grape tomatoes
1 cup olives (if you like them)
1 small diced onion
1 cup feta cheese
Herbs: Your choice of fresh dill, parsley, basil, oregano (1/2 cup of any combination)
Process:
To pot of boiling water add 2 tbsp EVOO and 2 tbsp salt. Add orzo and cook as directed per package. REMEMBER, orzo cooks much faster than any other type of pasta so be sure not to over cook, because the surface area is much smaller so it boils much faster. El-dente is best :)
In separate pan add 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp minced garlic, onions. Once garlic browns slightly add tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, herbs, pepper, olives, lime juice on very low heat.
Drain the orzo and add the veggie mixture and toss. And....voila, there's your entree. In less than 15 minutes. Can be served hot or cold. Effortless meal with a pizazz of flavor.
My secret super duper balsamic dressing: 6 tablespoons Balsamic vinaigrette, 1 teaspoon of EVOO (yes i will quote Rachael Ray my hero...evoo= extra virgin olive oil), 1 pinch salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper (or less...up to your taste specifictions), 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tspn of fresh lime juice, (now here's the secret part dun dun dun...) 1-2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice! Whisk it all together in no particular order and TADA!!!
*Spinakopita, my version.
Buttery, flaky, wholesome and entirely delish. This appetizer is a no fail, even with the most minimal culinary skills.
1 package of frozen/thawed chopped spinach
1 cup feta cheese
EVOO
1/2 stick butter
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp of fresh squeezed lime
1 pckg of Phyllo pastry sheets - I like the pillsbury ones, but whichever works for you
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp of chopped parsley or oregano or dill (optional)
1 diced onion
Crushed red peppers
Process: Preheat oven to 350. In a seperate pan, saute onions and garlic with melted butter. When onion is tender and beginning to brown, place thawed spinach in pan. REMEMBER to squeeze out ALL the water from the spinach before adding it to the pan....the excess water is an absolute no-no. Once the onions turn golden-brown and the spinach begins to wilt, add oregano, parsley, dill and feta cheese and allow to cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, lime, 1 tsp of pepper and crushed red peppers to taste specifications.
Oil or pam a baking pan, lay 1 sheet of phyllo and add one even layer of cooked spinach mixture, place another layer of phyllo and add more spinach mixture. The last layer should be oiled lightly with EVOO. Allow to bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Mediterannean Orzo pasta
Ingredients:
1 box orzo
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
2 tbspn lime juice
1 tsp salt
EVOO
Cucumbers, grape tomatoes
1 cup olives (if you like them)
1 small diced onion
1 cup feta cheese
Herbs: Your choice of fresh dill, parsley, basil, oregano (1/2 cup of any combination)
Process:
To pot of boiling water add 2 tbsp EVOO and 2 tbsp salt. Add orzo and cook as directed per package. REMEMBER, orzo cooks much faster than any other type of pasta so be sure not to over cook, because the surface area is much smaller so it boils much faster. El-dente is best :)
In separate pan add 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp minced garlic, onions. Once garlic browns slightly add tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, herbs, pepper, olives, lime juice on very low heat.
Drain the orzo and add the veggie mixture and toss. And....voila, there's your entree. In less than 15 minutes. Can be served hot or cold. Effortless meal with a pizazz of flavor.
