Mediterranean Monday: Chicken Souvlaki with Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce

Picture: There's a Newf in My Soup

Chicken Souvlaki with Roasted Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce
Adapted from Bobby Flay's Souvlaki with Merguez Sausage and Piquillo Pepper Yogurt Sauce and There's a Newf in my Soup

Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 garlic cloves, pushed through the garlic press
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (the recipe calls for 1/4 tsp)
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders

Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 pocket pita breads
1 yellow onion, sliced into thick rings, and grilled
2 pieces roasted red peppers
2 lemons, cut in half and grilled briefly

Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for about 15 minutes, then skewer the chicken onto the wooden skewers, and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the onions, red peppers and lemons, and set aside. Then, grill the skewered chicken until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a platter. Grill the pita on both sides for about 20 seconds to warm through. Serve on pitas with yogurt sauce

Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce:

1 small container plain Fage Greek yogurt
2 strip roasted red peppers (I used Trader Joe's jarred)
2 cloves garlic, pushed through the garlic press
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a blender and blend until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture from http://newfinmysoup.blogspot.com because this is all that was left of mine. Thanks for the recipe!

Variations on a Theme: More Peach Salad!

I should know better. My main craving with Eliza was peaches. No, people, I am not prego, but I still love some peaches.

Today, I used leftover steak from dinner last night. Therefore, I didn't want cheese (well I wanted, but...) to increase the fat level to astronomically high. Here is what I did:

- Leftover Steak

- Peaches (today instead of grilling, I threw them in the microwave. They are better grilled.)

- Baby Greens

- Basil (You need the basil. It makes it soo.... good!)

- Cashews

- Light Sesame Asian Dressing (It really needed more garlic. Next time, I'll make my own.)

Enjoy!!

Grilled Peach Salad

I had some peaches that I didn't know what to do with. I improvised. It was HEAVENLY. You should try it. Here is the line up:

-Mixed Baby Greens

-Grilled Chicken

-Grilled Peaches (spray them with olive oil & bit of salt & pepper)

-Basil, Roughly Chopped

-Chevre

-Pecans

-Balsalmic Vinegar

-Honey

-A touch of EVOO

-Pepper

Cook the chicken and the peach. Mix your salad. Eat it. Mmmmmm...

My husband HATES cooked fruit, but I have to do it again.

3rd Birthday Cake

Wow! So this cake evoked memories of my mommom's cakes! It was AWESOME! It is till missing something, but I think that is because my mommom chain smoked Winstons, and this added a little extra "something." Since I'm not willing to do that, I'll have to stick with this. The crumb is amazing and it is SO moist.

Best Yellow Layer Cake

via Smitten Kitchen

Yield: Two 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes), then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Butter Cream

1 cup butter, softened(2 sticks)

6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Awesome Sausage Potato Soup with Autumn Salad

We've been doing movie nights each week with friends. They are lots o' fun. This past time it was my turn to cook. Here is what we did:

Autumn Salad

This salad is pretty awesome. The creamy goat cheese dressing is killer!
Adapted from Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes
Salad
-Mixed Greens
-2 Apples, Sliced
-Grapes, cut in 1/2
-Craisins
-Walnuts

Dressing
Blend this together:
-A tub of goat cheese (4-6 oz)
-1.5 T honey
-2T EVOO
-2t Apple Cider Vinegar
-2T Lemon Juice
-1T Water

I also made this soup. Don't tell anyone the secret ingredients. Keep 'em in the dark. They will go crazy trying to figure it out.

Adapted from the former Cafe Johnsonia

-5-6 potatoes, cut into 1" chunks

-1 med onion, chopped

-6 c. chicken broth

-1lb. bulk pork sausage

-1 c. half & half

-1/2 stick butter

-1.5 T vanilla

-2T balsalmic vinegar

Boil potatoes & onions in chicken stock until tender. Brown the sausage in a separate pan. Add to potatoes. Add half & half and butter and cook until melted. Add vanilla and vinegar right before serving. It's good stuff.

Secret Ingredients!

I have a secret, but sorry Californians if you want some, you have to hit up the internets. My secret is this:

The Spice Corner

This is a small store in the Italian Market in Philadelphia. Not only are their spices super fresh, but they have a few homemade blends that have no equal.

My favorites:

Tuscan Blend - This is NOT your normal italian spice. There are hints of anise and other unknown italian crack that will make your red sauce heavenly!

Pot Herbs - No, my friends, you do not smoke it. You put it in your roast or as I did recently, beef stew. It really makes it. I have no clue what it is that makes this so awesome.

Sazon - I've tried many a sazon, but none have magic like this. Rub it on your ribs straight. You will thank me.

Foodie Giveaway

I frequent this site:

This week they are giving away a new olive oil. Check it out!