Tag Archives: recipe

My Favorite, Easy Vinaigrette

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When my husband and I dropped our son off at college in Santa Cruz, California, we were blown away by the local ingredients (e.g. organic produce grown and served on campus) and loved how the student cafeterias featured other local products like salad dressings. We saw beautiful young adults from all over the globe sitting under trees reading books

Organic horticulture grown on campus at U.C.S.C. is served on campus to lucky U.C.S.C. students.

Organic horticulture grown on campus at U.C.S.C. is served on campus to lucky U.C.S.C. students.

and thought…..”How wonderful to be able to just read and learn every day while someone else cooks for you and you get to eat these types of wonderful ingredients!”. Youth may indeed be wasted on the young. 

 

But not all salad dressings are created equal. While there are many dressings in the marketplace that are healthy and free of GMOs, dangerous pesticides and other questionable ingredients, there are many that aren’t. Just pick up random bottles when you’re in the market and read the label. 

 

Not only are homemade salad dressings budget-friendly and quick and easy to make, but you can really taste the salad ingredients. In my opinion, the dressing should enhance the salad itself, not drown it’s flavor. 

 

The other trick that my friend Maura showed me is put VERY little dressing on the salad and be SURE to add Salt and Pepper directly onto the salad itself (not just the dressing). 

 

The trick to a great salad is very little dressing and Salt and Pepper on the greens.

The trick to a dressing a delicious salad is add very little dressing and add Salt and Pepper directly on the greens.

  • 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2-1 Teaspoon Dijon (or just a small squirt! I don’t usually measure frankly).
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

 

Mix with a fork. Add oil last. No need to add the oil slowly because the mustard will emulsify the dressing together. I also like to add sugar to this recipe when I top a salad that includes fruit.

easy dressing recipe healthy balsamic vinegar california restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Skewers with Balsamic Vinegar

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These really do not even need a recipe. Skewering any interesting mix of ingredients on toothpicks is one of my favorite things to do when entertaining because it’s just so simple to do. And with Cherry Tomatoes coming into season now, this recipe is a great way to use them up, especially if you grow your own. These are also great for picnics like summer Concert in the Park series. 

 

Tomato, Basil, and Cheese Skewers are beyond easy to make.

Tomato, Basil, and Cheese Skewers are beyond easy to make.

  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Chunks of Mozzarella or Small Mozzarella Balls
  • Whole Basil Leaves
  • Balsamic Vinegar 

 

Skewer each ingredients on a toothpick and drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar before serving. So easy!

easy picnic recipe fresh simple vegetarian gluten free appetizer party

Greek Bougatsa

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A traditional breakfast in Greece made with custard, "Sweet Pockets".

“Sweet Pockets”, a traditional breakfast in Greece.. Also makes a great dessert!

A simple, traditional Greek breakfast recipe that also can couple as a rich dessert.

 

Ingredients:

  • Phyllo Dough; thawed but still in package

  • Mizithra Cheese (A Greek Cheese that is a fresh and sweet goat cheese available at cheese shops and Greek Markets. Do not purchase the sour or aged versions for this recipe. If you can’t find it, you can substitute Marscapone or Ricotta).

  • Confectioners Sugar and/or Honey

  • ½ stick of butter melted for 20 seconds in a microwavable dish in the microwave.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Have the butter and a pastry brush at the ready.

 

Carefully unroll the phyllo dough from its’ package. You’ll need about 12 sheets.

 

Place the phyllos inside a casserole dish. The phyllo may hang over the edge. That’s ok.

Place about 1-2 Cups of the Misithra Cheese in the center and spread it around a bit so that it fills up an 8 inch by 6 inch rectangle. 

 

Brush butter around the cheese on the phyllo sheets.

 

Fold the corners of only 2 to 3 sheets of the phyllo sheets over the cheese to cover the cheese completely like you are folding an envelope.

 

Brush the surfaces of the remaining exposed sheet (that was not yet folded) and then repeat folding another 2 to 3 sheets of phyllos over the cheese again.

 

Continue until all of the phyllo is covering the cheese and you have a rectangle.

 

Brush the entire rectangle with butter.

 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the phyllos is golden brown and the cheese is warm to hot.

 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or honey. Slice like brownies to serve.

 easy, recipe, simple, greek, fun, kid friendly, 

Classic Roasted Chicken

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When having family or friends over, this is one of the easiest things we like to make.The

Simple Roasted Chicken.

Simple Roasted Chicken.

vegetables are cooked in the same pan and enhanced by the chicken fat flavor. I like to buy whole chickens when they are on sale and freeze them for later use.

 

  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • Butter (or Olive Oil) and Salt and Pepper
  • Rinsed and Whole Carrots, Small Potatoes (like Red Rose or Fingerling). Or, cut larger potatoes into 2 1/2 inch pieces after rinsing the exterior of the potato skin.

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

 

Remove the neck and bag from inside your Whole Chicken’s cavity (between the back legs there’s a hole, reach in and remove the neck, bag of giblets …)

 

Place the chicken in a roasting pan or casserole dish (we like to use a Paella pan. I like the fat of the chicken but if you prefer the fat to drop off more, use a rack or even the rack from your toaster oven works when placed underneath).

My husband likes to put whole garlic and rosemary under the skin. But just salt and pepper and some oil or butter on the chicken skin and potatoes and carrots is just as delicious. So simple

My husband likes to put whole garlic and rosemary under the skin. But just salt and pepper and some oil or butter on the chicken skin and potatoes and carrots is just as delicious. So simple!

 

Smother the chicken with Butter or Oil.

 

Place the Vegetables around the chicken and drizzle oil and salt and pepper.

 

Sprinkle Salt and Pepper (about a teaspoon or two of each) all over the Chicken in as many places as you can reach.

 

Place in the oven and cook for 75-90 minutes until chicken’s thigh temperature is 165 degrees and juices run clear when pierced.

 

After 30 minutes, using a Baster, baste the vegetables with the drippings.

 

When done, remove and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Note that the carrots are baked whole for ease and because otherwise, if smaller, they will cook too quickly. Let your guests cut them while eating them.

Easy Roasted Chicken. Great with a tossed simple salad.

Easy Roasted Chicken. Great with a tossed simple salad.

 

Alternatives: You can flavor your chicken with herbs and garlic if you want to spend a little more time in preparation. My husband will put about 10 cloves or more of whole garlic under the skin with pieces of rosemary that we grow in our front yard along with the salt and pepper and oil. You can experiment with other herbs like Sage or Tarragon.  Herbes Du Provence and Granulated Garlic is what we put on the Roasted Chicken at a restaurant I worked at for many years. And we would stuff the cavity with more whole garlic and season the bird inside and out thoroughly. Fennel is another great addition to the vegetables that surround the chicken (cut into quarters). Brussel Sprouts and even Broccoli also work!

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