Zupas Tomato Basil Soup over Pasta

 This isn't really a recipe, just a suggestion...

Go find your favorite tomato basil soup and use it as a pasta sauce! Delicious! Zupa's Tomato Basil Soup is the best!

Linda Wylie's Pasta Salad

 

Greek Salad with Homemade Dressing

 By The Black Peppercorn

(19 reviews, 5 star)

1/2 C. olive oil

1 lemon, juice of  (about 2 Tbsp.)

(1/4 C. red wine vinegar)

(1 tsp. Dijon mustard)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. dried Oregano leaves (1/2 tsp. dried Oregano)

1 tsp. salt  (try 1/2 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. black pepper (1/4 tsp)

1 tsp. sugar (or honey?)

3 tomatoes

1 english cucumber

2 sweet peppers (red, yellow or orange)

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 C. feta cheese

1 1/2 C. black olives

1 large Romaine lettuce

...

Substitutions:

Dried Lemon Peel (1 teaspoon)

     1 to 2 tsp., grated fresh lemon peel or grated peel of 1 medium lemon (not the white, bitter part), or 1/2 tsp. lemon extract.

Garlic (1 clove fresh)

     1/8 tsp. garlic powder or 3/4 tsp. minced garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic salt.

Sugar (1 cup)

     1 C. light brown sugar (packed) or 2 C. powdered sugar or 3/4 C. honey (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup)

Tomatoes (1 can)

     2 1/2 C. chopped, peeled fresh tomatoes, simmered about 10 minutes.

...

Greek salad is jam packed with flavors and every bite is an experience. Fresh chopped veggies, black olives and feta cheese go so well together, buy my favorite part of the salad has to be the dressing.

This salad dressing is best made ahead so that the aromatics can blend together in the oil and red wine vinegar. Then, I toss the chopped veggies and black olives in the dressing and let them marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. Do not include the lettuce in this because the leaves would get too soggy. I toss the lettuce and feta cheese with the marinated veggies and dressing just before bringing the salad to the table. 

Other Greek recipes to try: 

Greek Marinade for Grilled Chicken

Lemon Roasted Potatoes- Greek Style

Greek Tzatziki

Hidden Valley Greek Tzatziki Roasted Vegetables

Oscar's Cafe Salad with Dill Vinaigrette

Picture of one of my favorite salads ever from Oscar's Cafe in Springdale, Utah, just outside of Zion National Park. Great Mexican food, but love this salad and dressing! Hoping this recipe will help me recreate it. I will be adjusting this recipe over time. YUM!

Dill Vinaigrette Dressing:  (All Recipes, 141 ratings--4 out of 5 stars)

1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. white sugar, granulated (or honey?)

1/2 tsp. dried dill weed

1/8 tsp. salt (Pink Himalayan)

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. dry mustard, or 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard* 

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

fresh
corn, cut off of cob

(juice of black olives?)

(juice of 1 lemon?)

(garlic cloves)

(dried oregano)

In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, dill weed, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard and pepper. Blend until smooth, cover and refrigerate until chilled. (Greek dressing ingredients in parentheses)

Salad: 

Romaine lettuce, broken into bite-sized pieces

black olives, sliced

grape tomatoes or tomato wedges

baby English cucumbers, thinly sliced

red onions, thinly sliced

carrots, grated, or matchstick carrots

mushrooms, sliced

feta cheese, crumbles

(sweet red, orange, yellow bell peppers)

Julie's Brussel Sprouts

Slice Brussel sprouts lengthwise, rinse and dry

Toss in olive oil, garlic salt or garlic powder and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Turn over a few times during baking...or if you're lazy like me, not once! 

Bake at 350 or 400 degrees until Brussel sprouts tender and edges are crispy.

Drizzle with honey or a balsamic glaze :)

Kung Pao Lettuce Wraps & Peanut Sauce

 2 Tbsp. peanut oil

1 lb. ground chicken

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

6 green onions, white and green parts, finely sliced

1/2 c. Kikkomen low-sodium teriyaki sauce

1 head of lettuce, halved

...

Matchstick carrots, or grated carrots

bean sprouts, optional

...

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add oil, and cook ground chicken. Break up until crumbled and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Season with a little ground black pepper. (It will have plenty of salt added later.)

Add the diced red bell pepper, the scallion whites and peanuts. Stirring until pepper is softened slightly; about 2-3 minutes. 

Stir in the teriyaki sauce and toss to coat. Cook stirring occasionally, until the sauce is absorbed.

Add scallion greens and stir. 

Transfer chicken mixture to a serving bowl and serve with iceberg or butter lettuce leaves, matchstick carrots, sprouts and our favorite homemade peanut sauce!

PEANUT SAUCE:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce, or tamari

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (We just use a few drops of chili oil), to taste

1 Tbsp. lime juice

3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated (I just use a squeeze of my garlic container)

1 tablespoon ginger root, grated (I just used jarred, minced ginger

2-4 Tbsp. water (to thin)

Put above ingredients into a small bowl or cup and use a wand blender until smooth. Increase water until desired consistency. We use 4 Tbsp. of water or more, but it's better if it's a little thicker.