Tortellini is one of my family's favorite. And of course, shrimp.
Shrimp pairs well with Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Asparagus, and Zucchini. Serve them on the side or toss them in with your pasta and sauce.
Ingredients
1 pound package Cheese tortellini pasta, cooked and drained 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 Tbsp salted butter 1 Roma tomato, sliced 2 basil leaves, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp all purpose flour 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat
Add Shrimp and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until no longer translucent,
Add in sliced tomatoes, basil and garlic and stir.
Saute 1-2 minutes and stir in flour.
Once flour in completely stirred in, add heavy whipping cream and parmesan cheese.
Stir and add in cheese tortellini. Toss to coat.
Serve with more shredded parmesan and minced basil.
Pork chops are a quick, healthy and simple dinner. Our method ensures juicy, tender and flavorful pork chops with little fuss.
PREP COOK TOTAL
4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick and 6 to 7 ounces each
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Prepare Pork Chops
While the pork rests, make the pan sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high then add the chicken stock, vinegar, and honey. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan so that any stuck bits of pork come up. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Taste then adjust the seasoning with salt, more vinegar or honey. Slide the skillet off of the heat and when the sauce is no longer simmering, swirl in the butter. Slide the pork chops back into the pan and spoon some of the sauce on top. Alternatively, slice the chops then place back into the pan. Scatter fresh parsley over the pork then serve.
NOTES
Make an onion-apple pan sauce: After removing the cooked pork chops from the skillet, add sliced onions, apples and a bit of fresh thyme. Cook until sweet and softened then pour in the stock, vinegar, and honey.
Pulse
walnuts and almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Combine
walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, and enough Grand Marnier to slightly
moisten the mixture in a bowl. Set aside.
Assembly:
One Athens
1 lb. box fillo dough, at room temperature
Brush
the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 in. baking pan generously with butter. Working
with one fillo sheet at a time, remove the top sheet, and replace the dry and
wet tea towels back on the stack. Arrange one sheet at the bottom of the pan.
Using a pastry brush, brush the fillo sheet with melted butter, first at the
edges and then in the middle. Repeat until the bottom layer is 8 sheets thick,
each brushed generously with butter. Spread 1/3 of the filling evenly over
the top. Layer 4 more sheets, buttering each. Spread another 1/3 of the filling
evenly on top. Layer 4 more sheets, buttering each. Spread the remaining 1/3 of
the filling evenly. Layer up to 8 or more sheets of fillo, buttering each. This
is your top layer. It can be as thick as you choose. Score the baklava into
squares or diamonds. Dot any remaining butter evenly all over. Sprinkle a few
drops of water over the top and place pan in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for
about 1 hour until golden brown. Check at 40 minutes, but as long as 1 1/2
hours may be needed for fillo dough to be as golden brown as desired. In the
meantime prepare the syrup.
Syrup:
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 Cup Honey
Cinnamon Stick
One lemon slice
Bring
all ingredients to a boil in a large sauce pan. Allow to simmer for at least
five minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon slice and any foam that
accumulates. As soon as you pull the baklava out of the oven, ladle the hot
syrup evenly over the top. Allow the baklava to cool and absorb the syrup
completely. It keeps at room temperature for up to 10 days in an air-tight
container. Baklava may certainly be refrigerated, but the honey will
crystallize and may alter the texture.
Working with Fillo Dough: Remove fillo dough from freezer and leave
overnight in refrigerator. At least two hours before preparation, leave the box
on the kitchen counter to fully come to room temperature. Remove fillo dough
from box and unroll carefully. Lay it flat on the counter top with its plastic
membrane underneath and a dry and a wet tea towel on top to prevent the dough
from drying out. If the top sheets are too wet, rotate to the bottom. It is
important to work quickly at this point. You may rotate the stack a few more
times as needed. Assemble as directed by recipe.
Did you know that we sell Gyro meat at Harter House on Republic Road?
A Gyro is a traditional Greek sandwich that is made with beef and lamb, seasoned with zesty spices, thinly sliced and piled high onto a fluffy pita bread. Add Onions, tomato, feta cheese and of course fresh Tzatziki (Zaat-Zee-Kee)
This is the best Tzatziki recipe I have found.
I think you will agree!
Authentic Greek Tzatziki
Ingredients
1 large English Cucumber, unpeeled
1 1/2 cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon white vinegar (I use Best Choice brand) 1/2 teaspoon salt Juice of 1/2 lemon heaping tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions Grate the cucumber and drain off all the liquid. Bounty paper towels work great. Combine the yogurt, garlic, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt in a large bowl Transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate several hours.
Serve chilled with pita bread for dipping Perfect for a Gyro sandwich. Try it on sliced roast beef also.
Many years ago, my good friend Maria Savvenas was a guest chef at Harter House World Flavors Sampling Station she demonstrated how to make Spanakopita, a Greek Spinach Pie.
At that time, I had eaten it before but had never made it myself. So I watched her put them together into small triangles and of course, she made it look SO easy. So I purchased all the ingredients and decided I would attempt to make them at home. Which I did do. It was time consuming, it took me at least 3 hours, but OMG, it was so worth it. I did get faster the next time because I then had a better understanding of the process. The time consuming part is taking the Fillo Dough, one sheet at a time, and basting each sheet with butter, using 4 sheets for each triangle, and trying to get them right on top of the 1st sheet. Today I feel like a pro. I make it often, my family loves it, and I love to take it when I need to "bring a dish" to my holiday parties.
Working with Phyllo Dough
I put wax paper on the counter, unroll the Fillo dough on the wax paper, and put another piece of wax paper on top of the phyllo dough, then put a damp towel on top to keep the phyllo dough from drying out. It's nearly impossible to work with the Fillo dough after it starts to dry out.
I was able to get 16 Spanakopita triangles from this recipe and 1 box of Athen's Fillo Dough.
Maria also told me that if I want to make a lot for a large group that I can use a 9x13 pan, putting phyllo dough on the bottom of the pan, then the mixture, another layer of Fillo Dough and mixture, and top with more phyllo dough sheets. Same process of buttering each layer.
Spanakopita
1 lb. Spinach (baby – Large Container)
2 Leeks – chopped
Large Onion – chopped
1 bunch Green onion – Chopped
2-3 cloves of Garlic – Chopped or minced
Dill
2 Eggs
2 Cups Crumbled Feta
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 lb. Fillo Dough
1 cup salted butter, melted
1) Remove fillo from Freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. As you prepare the filling, remove fillo from the fridge and leave on the counter
3) Unroll fillo dough from package. Lay it out flat on the countertop. Wet a dishtowel to cover the fillo you are not using to keep it from drying out. Use a sharp knife to cut fillo in half lengthwise to create two columns of equal size. Cover one column with a damp towel. Use other column to begin assembling.
4) Take one sheet and brush with melted butter, and then place another sheet on top of the buttered side and brush with butter again. Repeat until you have four layers of fillo.
5) Place butter fillo in front of you lengthwise. (The wider side toward you)
Drain spinach mixture in a colander. Press mixture with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture. Take a Tbl. of spinach mixture and place it on the bottom inside corner of the fillo. Take the corner of the dough, underneath the spinach mixture so that the corner meets flush with the other side. Continue folding until there is no more fillo and you have a triangle.
6) Repeat until fillo or mixture is gone. Place on a baking sheet and brush each triangle with more butter
7) Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the fillo dough is golden.
Tips
I like to use Plugra European Butter.
I also like Athenos Feta Cheese. Plain or mix it up with flavored varieties.
I like to chop all my vegetables before I start. They tend to cook faster than I can cut.
Open a bottle of your favorite wine and consume while cooking.
I'm always looking for new ideas for Tasty Chicken Recipes. This recipe, I am very excited about. Be sure to add it to your family's menu for this coming week!!!
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup basil pesto 1 cup ricotta (8 oz) 1 cup panko Juice of 1 lemon ¼ cup flour 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning Sea salt and cracked pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
To Prepare:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine flour and seasonings.
Separately mix pesto, ricotta, panko and lemon juice; set aside.
Lay one breast on a clean cutting board.
Use a paring knife inserting it gently into the thickest tip of the breast.
Make a horizontal incision in the breast, be careful to not cut through to the sides.
Use your fingers to deepen the cavity made by the incision.
Repeat process with remaining breasts.
Fill a pastry or Ziploc-style bag with basil-ricotta mixture.
Trim tip of bag then insert it into the the cut side of the chicken breasts squeezing in an even amount of filling into each.
Dredge stuffed breasts in flour mixture, evenly coating each side.
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium.
Lay each breast top side down in the oil, brown for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Gently turn chicken over then place skillet on middle rack of oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Serve with your favorite rice, rice pilaf, pasta, or roasted squash.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed peanuts, brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix in melted butter and stir to combine. Mixture should resemble wet sand. Press into the bottom and about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust 12-15 minutes until it is set and just beginning to brown. Cool completely.
Set the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter about 5 minutes or until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time; then add the vanilla. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Use a spatula to level the top. Bake 40 - 45 minutes until slightly puffed, set along the edges, and still a bit wobbly in the center. Let cool completely.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the jelly until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Pour evenly over the cheesecake. Spread lightly with a spatula to create a thin, even layer.
Refrigerate about 2 hours until the jelly is set. Cut into bars. Wipe off the knife between cuts to keep the edges of the bars clean. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
We love to make pork roast for a company meal
because it adapts beautifully to a wide variety of seasonings and
sauces, and it always yields great results. This recipe features a
simple, flavorful rub made with an ample quantity of garlic and an
assortment of fresh herbs. It's fabulous on this boneless cut of
pork.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 to 3-pound boneless pork roast (pork sirloin or Pork Loin)
For the rub:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
Boneless Pork Roast Preparation:
Bring the roast to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
Make the rub by combining the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme and orange zest in a small bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using your hands, coat the roast completely with the prepared rub.
Place on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1/2-inch of water into the
bottom of the pan.
Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 145°F, 50 to 60 minutes.
Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Makes 6 servings
Boneless pork sirloin roasts generally weigh between 2-1/2 and 3
pounds, enough for about 6 servings. If you're having a larger group,
simply cook two roasts side by side. This cut cooks fairly quickly, is
easy to carve, and, when done to the proper internal temperature, turns
out tender, juicy and full of flavor.
It's a great choice for smaller gatherings, or if you're short on
time or oven space and you won't be sacrificing quality or flavor.
