Spano-Articho-Kopitas

Sometimes you just feel like taking your time in the kitchen. As an infrequent baker, I rarely work with complex doughs or multistep preparations. A few Sundays back the Husband was away and I literally had NO plans. No laundry, no work, the blog was even broken. So naturally I busted out some phyllo dough and NPR (do Republicans ever say that?). The dog took up interest and even hung out under the table.

I'm a spinach freak, so have always loved a good 'ole Greek spanokopita. I decided to put a little twist on tradition by adding artichokes. Frozen artichokes are great for spontaneous times like this.

It all starts with familiar friends. Unassuming freezer ingredients prepare to take centerstage.

You must squeeze the spinach of liquid. Repeat... MUST... even if your hand looks like a weird deformed claw.

Eggs bind everything together.

Since phyllo dough can dry out quickly and be a general high-maintenance bitch, get everything ready to go. And yeah... I just called dough a bitch. A damp paper towel protects the wimpy phyllo from the harsh conditions of my kitchen.

Butter calms the whole situation and generally makes life easier to deal with.

The flag folding skills you learned at sleep-away camp will come in handy.

Bake until golden.

And dig in for god's sake...that was a lot of work!

Spano-Articho-Kopitas
Makes about 20 pastries

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
20oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove extra liquid
8-10 frozen artichokes, thawed and chopped
4 eggs, beaten
Bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups crumbled feta
3 tablespoons almonds, toasted and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 package frozen phyllo dough, thawed (mine came with two rolls of 24 sheets)
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat olive oil and add chopped yellow onion. When onion becomes translucent, add artichokes and scallions and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

In a BIG bowl, combine spinach, eggs, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, parmesan, allspice, salt and pepper. It is imperative that the spinach be firmly squeezed to remove the liquid BEFORE you combine with other ingredients. Add artichoke and onion mixture and gently fold in feta and almonds.

Gather all of the ingredients to assemble the pastries, since you will need to move quickly. Phyllo can dry out easily, so place sheets on a cookie sheet and cover with a damp paper towel.

Lay first sheet of phyllo dough and brush with butter and lightly sprinkle with bread crumbs (just enough to keep the dough from sticking). Continue to layer, applying the butter and crumbs each time, until you have four sheets of dough placed. Slice lengthwise. Place one heaping tablespoon at the end of the dough and starting with the corner fold into a triangle, continue folding like you would a flag. Place completed pastry seam side down and brush lightly with butter. Sprinkle a bit of salt.

Once all pastries are complete, bake for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For leftovers, freeze unbaked and sealed in a zip top bag. Thaw before following baking instructions above.

Annnnnd We're Back....

Praise the sweet internet Lord... my blog is back! So sorry for the prolonged absence... in a ploy to control the planet Google shut down all kinds of Blogger jazz for the past week without any kind of explanation. So incredibly frustrating!

I've got a few things coming your way in the coming days including a PARTY! So for now...

Note: I didn't create this image, but totally forgot to save down the link to it. Kudos to whoever put this together.

Curry Chicken Salad

Survey says ya'll like chicken salad. Enough that you made my Basil Chicken Salad one of the most read recipes on the blog to date. So when I had leftovers from 5-Spice Beer Can Chicken, I naturally thought of you, dear blog readers. 

Let's take a detour to spicy town, shall we? Curry makes this chicken salad extra special, in a sassy kind of way. And HELLO color!

The sweetness of the golden raisins provides a lovely balance to the punch of curry, while cilantro provides brightness.

Curry Chicken Salad
1lb chicken, chopped
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 heaping tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
S&P

Combine yogurt, curry and S&P until mixed. In a separate bowl, toss chicken, almonds, raisins green onion, cilantro and celery. Toss dressing and chicken mixture.

Enjoy as a sandwich or with pita chips and vegetables.

Today is Special

One year ago I married the greatest guy in the world. Thanks for your constant support, neverending appetite and for always doing the dishes.

We celebrated in classic fashion this weekend. Cheers my love.

Kofte Kebabs

Beer and travel have a way of bringing people together. In college I went to Istanbul to study Ottoman history and architecture (useful, I know) and drank beer and met great people along the way. One of these dears popped in to remind me this weekend of the Bud Light equivalent beer that we enjoyed so many nights in Istanbul, Efes. While we've both since moved on to greener brewed pastures, the flavors bring back fond memories.

With Istanbul in my heart, I set out to recreate another Constantinople classic -- Kofte. This spiced meat kabob is incredibly flavorful and is just about the best street meat you can find.

But before we get to the meat on the stick. Sigh and reflect with this snapshot goodie of yore. Awww... makes me miss it!

One of the better things I picked up in Istanbul is a mini spice grinder. With just a few cranks you'll unlock incredible spiced flavor.

This is what makes things so tasty... garlic, finely minced onion and a mess of spices. Should you have the chance to visit Istanbul, the Egyptian Spice Market cannot be missed. With aroma hanging heavy in the air and luscious stacks of fresh spices... your senses are overwhelmed. Plus there are samples.

Combine ingredients like you would a meatloaf or meatball, but you'll form these around skewers for grilling.

Okay... maybe not the most glamorous food, but hey, it's street meat! Even if you're not in the mood to reminisce, this is the tastiest meat on a stick this side of the Bosphorus.

Kofte Kebabs
1lb ground beef
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons onion, finely minced
1/4 cup parsley, finely minced
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
S&P

Soak wooden skewers in water. Combine ingredients and gently combine by hand, taking care not to overmix the meat. Form into 1 inch balls and gently press on to skewer. Allow to rest in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Grill over medium, direct heat for 3-5 minutes per side.

Serve with tzatziki sauce and with tabbouleh or couscous.

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos

Raise your bloggy hands if you're having a BBQ this weekend! What? You can't raise your hands and type at the same time? You should see someone about that. 

Don't worry guys, I tried it out first for you. I had a party just so I could blog for YOU... well and so I could drink lots of beer and sing Stevie Nicks in my backyard with my friends. "Just like the white winged dove, sing a song, sounds like she's singing... BBQ BBQ BBQ." Sing like you mean it girl. 

We had a crowd, so needed something 1) low maintenance and 2) cheap. Pulled pork is a natural and since this wasn't a seated meal, I served in taco form, rather than the traditional bun. 

Tacos in action...

If you're going to make something simple, the key is to do it really well. For me, that meant making homemade BBQ sauce.

Spiced and ready to simmer.

You're know it's done when it's reduced by about half. Also... taste it... it's done when it tastes good.

Pour homemade sauce over 2-inch chunks of pork shoulder. I've added a few chipotle chilis and adobo for extra smokey flavor.

Now for the waiting. Try your hardest not to open the lid... the pressure is what makes the slow cooker work. Advise husband to keep hands off or even consider a sassy note.

After about six hours (during which you clean up your cluttered apartment), you're ready to shred some pork. Nothing fancy needed here... two forks will get 'er done.

Tortillas are ready at the wait.

Finished tacos again. Also... when you drink lots of yummy beers in your backyard, you sometimes forget to take more than one photo of your finished food. Also, when your friends drink lots of yummy beers in your backyard, they will think this is the most delicious thing ever.

BBQ Pulled Pork
5lbs pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch chunks
3 cups BBQ sauce
4 chipotle chilis, in adobo

For the BBQ Sauce -- makes 4 cups
6 garlic cloves
3 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
3 teaspoons BBQ spice
1 tablespoon applewood smoke spice (or substitute with Liquid Smoke)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
S&P

Combine BBQ sauce ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes (or until reduced by half). Place pork into slow cooker, top with chipotle chilis and 3 cups BBQ sauce. Cover slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours.

Once cooked, use two forks to shred pork. Combine with remaining 1 cup of BBQ sauce and serve in warmed corn tortillas, topped with coleslaw.

Weeknight Salmon with Grits and Greens

Does it hold true in the blog world that absence makes the heart grow fonder? Probably not… damn. My real world job has been just that lately, a job. Said job also has me coming to you from a plane to the west coast. There are lunches to be sold people!

With busy times like these, it’s good to have a few easy, healthy recipes up your cute three-quarter, stripey sleeve. Fish is great for occasions like this and when you add greens, you’ll sound like one of those healthy meal examples newly-thinned celebs give in magazines. Except that this is way tastier than “grilled chicken and salad with 6.5 almonds” every day for lunch. Annnnnnd… it has grits to keep you grounded in the reality of your non-famous, slightly soft rear end.

I know I’m not the only one jumping on this bandwagon, but kale is delicious. It’s a bit of a “gateway green” too; meaning once you get down with kale, you’ll find yourself seeking all sorts of other leafy lovers like mustard greens or chard. And let me tell you, these foods are seriously good for you.

 Still working on this evening lighting situation. Your patience and unwavering blog love is appreciated.

Weeknight Salmon with Grits and Greens

1-2lbs salmon

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil (or any other neutral oil)

2 tablespoons BBQ spice

4 heaping cups kale, loosely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1 cup grits (preferably stone ground)

1 can jalapenos

2 tablespoons butter

Start by heating broiler and boiling water for grits (follow package instructions, as quantities may vary based on the type of grits you purchase). Cover a cookie sheet in aluminum foil and place salmon. Brush salmon with grapeseed oil and season both sides with spice mix. Broil salmon for 6-8 minutes, until firm (depending on the thickness of your fish). Tip: Lightly poke your salmon with a fork and if it flakes, it’s cooked all the way.

Continue cooking grits in accordance with the package instructions. In the last 10 minutes, add jalapenos and butter.

When your grits are 5 minutes from being done, heat olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and stir until aromatic. Add greens and use tongs to toss and distribute garlic and oil. Saute for 2 minutes, then add water and cover for another 2 minutes.

Serve immediately.