Recipes

Athenian Pasta Salad

This is an excellent recipe. I love the Mediterranean feel of this recipe with the feta and the oil. The red pepper really makes this recipe so don’t skip this step unless you don’t like red peppers.

This is a recipe that would be great at a pot luck or just as a simple side dish. It’s easy and delicious and it’s something you can make ahead of time.
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill
  • 1/2 cup of parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green onion
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 6 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 8 ounces pasta shells
  • 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

  1. Place dill in a food processor.
  2. With machine running, drop garlic through feed tube and mince.
  3.  Add oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix a few seconds.
  4. In a bowl add green onions and red peppers
  5. Add pasta, parsley, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese
  6. Add dressing from the food processor to the bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
  7. Refrigerate covered at least 3 hours or overnight.
  8. Serve pasta salad at room temperature

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Recipes

Lebanese Spinach Pies

I will be honest with you this is not an easy recipe to make, but well worth the trouble. If you are lucky enough to have a mediterranean grocery store near by you maybe able to by the dough pre-made. As I have said in my previous Lebanese recipe post this is an aquired taste, but one that dances in my mouth.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 12 ounces of frozen spinach
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 3 large onions, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons ground sumac
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon thickened pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
 
For the dough

  1. Sift the flour into a working surface. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre.
  2. Pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid.
  3. Add water gradually. Knead the dough into a ball (if the dough is too stiff add some water).
  4. Knead the dough on a floured working surface until it is smooth and elastic this can be done in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a food processor.
  5. Form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly floured bowl, covered with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size- about 6 hours.
  6. Filling.
  7. Prepare dough Leave aside and cover for an hour to rise. Make sure dough doubles in volume.

Filling:

  1. Remove roots and yellow leaves from spinach. Chop finely then wash well and drain, rub with ½ tspn salt. Drain spinach again with your hands to dry.
  2. Mash the onions with remaining salt. Add pepper and sumac. Add spinach to onion, then mix in oil and pomegranate. Put aside.
  3. Roll out dough using a rolling pin till dough is as thin as possible (5 mm). Invert a tea cup on dough and press to have equal circles.
  4. Place a tbls of spinach filling on each piece. Bring up sides at 3 points to form a triangular shape.
  5. Press edges firmly with fingertips to seal completely (put flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
  6. Place pies on oiled baking sheets. Bake in a hot oven 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Watch as your over may cook faster or slower)

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Recipes

Lebanese Tabbouleh

I love Tabbouleh! I will say it is an aquired taste. I grew up with Lebanese neighbors so I quick found my love for their food. I really like adding it to my pita wraps I normally add ham, cheese, and tabbouleh, and wah-la I have a excellent low cal lunch! In this recipe it’s important to use fresh ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches fresh Italian parsley or flat leaf parsley or fresh parsley, finely chopped.
  • 1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
  • 4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 3 lemons, juice of (Freshly Squeeze)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup bulgur or burghul
  • 1 cup water, boiled
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all together and serve in a wrap, as a dip, or a salad.

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Recipes

Aunt Donna’s Dinner Rolls (Bread Machine)

These are my aunts famous dinner rolls. I love them so much. They are a holiday staple for our family. I slide them all the time in between the holidays.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk (110 degrees F.)
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 3 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine.
  2. Select dough setting and press start.
  3. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface (or use nonstick cooking spray).
  4. Form dough into an oval, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
  5. After resting, divide the dough into 16 pieces; shape as desired.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  7. Cover rolls and place in a warm spot to rise, approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
  8. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

 

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Recipes

Paul Deen’s Crisy Fried Shrimp

This is a Paula Deen Recipe and it’s FANTASTIC! The shrimp come out crispy, and very flavorful!! I can’t wait to make these again!!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup hot sauce
  • 2 cups self-rising flour
  • 1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails left on
  • Peanut oil, for frying (I used vegetable)

Directions:

Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking tray with paper towels and set aside. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together milk, buttermilk and hot sauce. In a separate shallow baking dish, whisk together flour, cornmeal, pepper and salt. Make sure your shrimp are dry and dredge in the dry mixture first, then wet mixture and finally the dry mixture again. Shake off excess between each dredging.

Deep-fry in batches, but do not overload the fryer. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towel lined baking tray. Serve warm.

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