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Greek Party by Melanie Foster	No ratings Rating Details Rate this meal Printable View

Create a simple and delicious meal inspired by the flavors of popular Greek dishes. Make homemade gyros with tzatziki, a creamy cucumber accompaniment, lemon chicken skewers with hummus, and a rice and olive salad with white balsamic vinaigrette.

In addition to the recipes, you will also need the following for this meal:

1 pkg

pita bread pockets

1 pkg

pita bread folds

tomatoes

Recipes:

Hummus by Melanie Foster serves: 8	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

Quick and easy. Store bought can't even compare.

Ingredients:

15 oz

garbanzo beans, canned

garlic cloves

3 Tbsp

lemon juice

1/4 cup

sesame tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/4 tsp

ground cumin

1 tsp

salt

1/2 tsp

pepper

Directions:

Drain garbanzo beans, reserve liquid. Puree beans and garlic cloves in a food processor or blender until it's a fine mash. Add remaining ingredients plus ¼ cup bean liquid. Blend until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Categories:

Apps/Snacks & Beverages
Ethnic Foods
Vegetarian/Vegan

Lemon Chicken Skewers by Melanie Foster serves: 4	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

Use the best ingredients you can find for this deliciously simple recipe. Goes well with Tzatziki Sauce for dipping.

Ingredients:

1 lb

boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tsp

coarse Kosher salt

1 Tbsp

lemon juice, fresh

1 Tbsp

extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Cut the chicken into strips and put in a zip-top bag. Pour the salt, lemon juice and oil into the bag and seal. Squish the ingredients around in the bag until well coated and refrigerate from 1-24 hours.

(You can also freeze the bag at this point and the meat will marinate as it thaws out when you are ready to use.)

Preheat your broiler or grill. Thread the meat onto 6-inch skewers and grill or broil with high heat about 2-3 minutes per side, or until they are a bit browned and the juices run clear.

You can also make this with whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Categories:

Apps/Snacks & Beverages
Low Carb
Main Dishes
Poultry

Meatloaf Gyros by Melanie Foster serves: 6	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

Cook this tasty meatloaf ahead, then just slice thinly and pan fry for tasty Greek sandwiches.

Ingredients:

1 lb

ground beef

12 oz

ground lamb

6 cloves

garlic, minced

2 tbsp

dried oregano

egg

2 tsp

salt

1 tsp

pepper

Directions:

Mix meat and firmly pack into a loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 to one hour and fifteen minutes, until firm and golden brown. Let cool at least 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight. Slice thinly. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the sliced meat in a single layer until brown and slightly crisp on the edges, turning once, about 2 minutes per side.
To serve, heat pita bread in the skillet after the meat is all heated or under the broiler until heated.
Serve with sliced tomato and onion, Tzatziki Sauce, sour cream or any other favorite sauce.

Categories:

Ethnic Foods
Low Carb
Main Dishes
Meats

Rice and Olive Salad by Melanie Foster serves: 6	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

With roasted tomatoes and feta cheese. Great for a picnic, can be served cold or room temp.

Ingredients:

1 cup

long grain or basmati rice, uncooked

1 pint

grape tomatoes, rinsed

1/2

red onion, sliced

small bell pepper, any color

3/4 cup

kalamata or mixed olives (6 oz)

3/4 cup

feta cheese, crumbled or diced (6 oz)

6 Tbsp

olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp

lemon juice

1 Tbsp

white balsamic vinegar

garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 tsp

dried oregano

1/2 tsp

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the rice as the package directs and pour into a large bowl to cool.

Place whole tomatoes on a rimmed cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Roast in the oven (or in a perforated grill pan on the grill) at 400 for about 10 minutes until they begin to burst.

Slice the onion thinly and submerge in a bowl of icy water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside.

Dice the green pepper. Pit the olives if neccesary and cut in halves or quarters.

In a jar with a screw-top lid add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously.

Place all the vegetables and cheese into the bowl with the rice and toss gently. Add the dressing and toss again. Serve immedientely or chill.

Variations: Use leftover rice. Use brown rice. Use romaine lettuce instead of rice. Add cucumber in place of or in addition to any of the vegetables. Add canned garbanzo beans. Add leftover chicken or tuna for a main dish salad. Serve in a pita pocket as a sandwich.
Add a spoonful of plain yogurt to the dressing for a creamier version (especially if using lettuce instead of rice).

Categories:

Pasta/Rice/Potatoes
Salads
Side Dishes
Uses up Left-overs
Vegetarian/Vegan

Tzatziki Sauce by Melanie Foster serves: 6	No ratings Rating Details Rate this recipe Printable View Print Index Cards

Cucumber-yogurt sauce perfect to serve with Meatloaf Gyros.

Ingredients:

1 cup

plain yogurt

cucumber, peeled, seeded, grated

2 tbsp

lemon juice, or less to taste

2 cloves

garlic, minced

1/2 tsp

salt

1/4 tsp

pepper

Directions:

Mix everything together and chill. If you want a thicker sauce, grate the cucumber and squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can before adding it to the yogurt. Or use Greek yogurt which is thicker because it’s strained of its excess whey.

Categories:

Sauces