Pitas are the perfect way to serve a sandwich. The "built in" pockets allow for some interesting combinations. I'll be using these more in the future as well as maybe making them from scratch. For the following combo I made minted lamb patties first and garnished with a bit of balsamic, goat cheese and avocado. The choices are endless. Olives would have gone nicely in these as well.
For the lamb patties:
1 lb ground lamb
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp egg substitute (or use 1 egg white)
1 handful chopped mint
1 handful chopped basil
Mix the above well and make patties. Cook on a grill or in a skillet until done. Have on hand the garnishes you prefer. I broke apart the lamb patties to stuff them into the "pockets" better. For mine, I assembled the pitas with chopped lettuce, goat cheese, avocado, and thinly sliced cucumbers that were marinated in balsamic dressing. Roasted red pepper hummus would have been good inside; maybe next time!
If you don't like lamb, try them with ground chicken or turkey! Be creative in the kitchen...
Originally I named this dish "Santorini Pasta" because of the Greek influence (it's also a place to visit on my bucket list) but somehow the chicken didn't lend itself to the authenticity of a Greek dish. What's in a name, anyway? I renamed it fanfare farfalle because of the shape of the pasta, "little double fans", and because the taste deserves a fanfare or trumpet blowing. It's that good!
I would venture to say that most of my signature dishes are pasta. I can custom make it according my taste and most of the time it comes out great! This pasta has 8 simple ingredients; Put them together and you have reason to celebrate your own fanfare with your family.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1 Tbsp oil
1 chicken breast, cooked, skinned and meat shredded
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp onion, sliced
14 oz can of artichoke hearts (drained and rinsed well), sliced
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet heat the oil, add the onions and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Reduce the heat and add the artichoke hearts, peppers and garlic and chicken meat. Stir slightly and set aside. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water to al dente, and reserve some pasta water (about 2 ladles full) Drain the pasta and add to the skillet with the feta cheese. Mix well. (If it needs more moisture you can add some reserved pasta water) Pour into a baking dish, cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes. If you want to shorten the prep time you can serve without baking. Just increase the pasta cooking time by a few minutes. Enjoy!
Now that the weather is cooperating, it's surely time to fire up the grill. Once in a while hubby gets a craving for real beef. It must be a man thing! He likes a good burger and fries with that, too. Over the years, I've quenched his cravings by frying up some potatoes alongside that mound of meat. But, I'd like to keep him around for a long while so I've tried to come up with healthier alternatives...NO FRIES!
This "zola" burger gets most of its flavor from Gorgonzola cheese, thus the name.
1 lb lean hamburger
1/4 c Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp butter
3 bella mushrooms, diced
In a small skillet melt the butter and toss in the mushrooms. Saute until soft. In a mixing bowl place the remaining ingredients and the soft mushrooms. Mix well and form into patties. I did mine the size and shape of the bread. (That my streak of perfectionism showing.) Serve with what ever condiments you like. Who needs fries with all those carbs!
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| Delicious and Juicy |
I don't know about you, but if I don't have variety in the foods I eat, I feel like I might as well be a dog! The same kibble over and over, again! No offense to those dog lovers out there. Actually, these days there are animal refrigerator sections in the grocery stores with gourmet meats, etc. What?!
Anyway, I try to add variety by using spices or combinations of them in dishes that would otherwise be bland. I got a good deal on some ground lamb the other day. (More about this in another post. I just hope it wasn't from the "dog gourmet refrigerator! Just kidding but, something to think about.) Now, what to do with this find. Lamb is a favorite in Morocco although rare because of its cost. I know if I travelled to Morocco I would savor the cuisine with its lamb, eggplant, couscous and heavily spiced foods. But, until then I created a meatball with Moroccan and Greek influence.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground lamb
1/8 c feta or goat cheese
3/4 c french type bread (soaked in water and squeezed out and crumbled)
1 egg
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp red pepper (not flakes)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp allspice
2 T fresh chopped basil
1 T fresh mint (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Make meatballs the size of a walnut and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for a total of about 25 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time. Serve with couscous or orzo or by themselves. These would be great as appetizers with a spiced yogurt sauce. Yum!
