I recently picked up some lamb chops at the local Costco. These are the ones that look like tiny thick t-bone steaks. I usually like these grilled but did not feel like standing over a hot grill, so I roasted them up in a sauce. I previously posted a roasted lamb chop recipe that was made with a lemony and oregano marinade. This time, I decided to do it with a tomato based sauce for a change up. The idea was the same as before: instead of marinating them before grilling, I would cook them tucked into the sauce in the oven and brown them up at the end. The sauce this time was a combination of ..read more

After over a year of posting recipes, and mainly Greek ones, I have come to realize I have not posted what is probably the most commonly eaten dish in Greece: roast chicken with potatoes. Every yiayia and mom makes Kotopoulo me Patates. Often. At the heart of this dish are the ingredients that define Greek cooking: lemon, oregano, and olive oil. The simplicity of the ingredients speaks to the heart of Greek culinary cooking to let the simple ingredients shine. The basic recipe is simple. Put a chicken in the pan, add potatoes, cover with some olive oil and lemon, sprinkle some oregano on it ..read more

I felt like having some fish for dinner last week. Late spring is the best time for getting some halibut. Halibut is really good for you. Packed with lean protein, halibut is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for heart health and brain function. And it is not a stinky fish to cook at home. I eat quite a bit of fish at home and it’s either salmon or halibut. Halibut is an ideal canvas for the vibrant flavors of pesto. Its mild flavor readily absorbs the herbaceous notes of basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese found in a classic pesto sauce. It’s a dish that’s perf ..read more

I had a refrigerator of produce that needed to be used, and ended up with this. I had a couple of peppers and mushrooms that needed to be used. I already had some chicken I was going to use for another recipe, and plans changed. My take on this recipe is centered around paprika, which may not be traditional. It appears there are many variations on Tavuk Sote. All use chicken, peppers, and tomato in a sauce. Most use garlic and onion, some use zucchini, most do not use paprika, some are more like a stew with much more liquid. My version is unique as I did not have any garlic on hand and decide ..read more

Greek Easter is on its way and roast lamb is the traditional Easter main dish. I grew up with the anual garlic studded roast leg of lamb with potatoes. As all Greek mamas do, the lamb is roasted to well done and the potatoes are soaked in the pan juices.. I kind of missed it Lamb has been plentiful and on sale in the stores recently, so I decided to indulge in racks of lamb to roast. Instead of roasting it as a whole rack (which is also fantastic), I decided to cut them into chops and roast those. I also trimmed about half of the extra fat from these chops as these had a real thick fat layer ..read more

Almost every culture I know of has some form of chicken soup.  All are wonderful in their own way. The Greek Avgolemono soup is quite a unique one. It’s a basic chicken soup with rice that is kicked up about a million notches with the addition of an egg and lemon sauce. The result is a silky, rich with the egg sauce and also light and refreshing lemon flavor. It’s an easy and straightforward recipe that involves only one unique technique of tempering the egg sauce. You would not want chicken soup with a float of scrambled eggs, so the eggs need to be brought up to temp in a measured manner. L ..read more

Kounoupidi means Cauliflower in Greek. A vegetable that’s had a love/hate relationship with the human race. Undoubtedly super healthy Like others in the Brassica family, is loaded with vitamin C, . It also has moderate levels of vitamin K, several of the B vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. It’s often made as a mash, or gluten free pizza crusts, cut as steaks, or jest eaten raw on a veggie tray. It’s also avoided by many for it’s tendency to have a funky odor when cooking and reputation of having no flavor. But believe me when I say this is THE SINGLE BEST WAY to make cauliflower. It’s really ..read more

This afternoon I had no idea what to make for dinner. I did have a lamb chop and some pearl onions I did not use for Thanksgiving dinner. I remembered my mom would make a simple braised piece of meat, usually beef, in a small metal braising pan. I have that pan now.. I decided to put it to use and make a quick version of lamb stifado. Regular lamb stifado is more complex than this version. You would brown the meat before simmering really slow on the stovetop with tomato, spices and onions. Sometimes with a potato in there also. I decided to skip the browning. I just tossed the lamb pieces wit ..read more

Looking for a tasty sausage to cook? If you can find Isernio’s Parsley and Pecorino Chicken Sausage, get them. We discovered these delicious sausages at our local store and couldn’t resist sampling them. After trying them, we were hooked and decided to forget our dinner plans and roast 6 of them with some peppers. The best part? These chicken sausages only have 110 calories each, making them a healthy option for any meal. When it comes to cooking sausages, grilling is usually my go-to method. However, grilling can be time-consuming and often results in dry, split sausages. On this occasion, I ..read more

Kotopoulo me araka is greek for chicken with peas. This is one of the more popular ways to braise chicken. Nothing is tastier than nice braised chicken with a savory sauce of tomato, onion, peas and plenty of dill. With the potato pieces in the pot, you have a fantastic dinner. Agriculture is a way of life in the greek countryside. Kotopoulo me Araka was often prepared during the spring and early summer months when fresh peas were in abundance. I use my oval dutch oven to make braises, so the batch I make can feed an army or have leftover for a few days. One unique thing my recipe has is it’s ..read more