Greek lentil soup (fakes)

What to have (3 portions):

1/2 package lentils
1/2 onion
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 can of tomato sauce
some olive oil
some balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
water





How to do it:

1. Clean and wash the lentils. 
2. Boil them for 10'.
3. Remove the water, add new (hot) water and bring to boil again over MEDIUM-SLOW heat.
4. Add the tomato sauce, the onions, garlic, bay leaves and water (to cover the lentils).
5. Boil for 30-40'. (Check that the water is adequate and stir in between.)
6. Add salt, pepper, the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil and stir. 
7. Continue for 5-10' until the lentils become tender.
8. Serve with feta cheese, bread and vinegar. 

cleaning the lentils (if they are not already :))

Lentils' close up!

chopped garlic, onions and daphne leaves

my mickey soup!

view from top

vinegar, bread and feta cheese: necessary companion

Pizza

 What to have:

 Dough

 400gr all-purpose flour

 dry yeast (1 packet)

 1 glass of water

 1 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon sugar

 1 tablespoon olive oil

 some pepper

Toppings:

tomato sauce

oregano

gouda cheese

feta cheese

ham / turkey

onions

olives

peppers

How to do it:

1. You mix the yeast with the flour. 
2. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Start adding the water and mix with your hands, until you have a dough. If the dough sticks in your hands, add more flour.
4. Start massaging the dough. The more you massage it, the more fluffy the pizza dough will become.
5. Leave in the bowl and place it in the warmest spot in your house (cover first with a towel).
6. After 30-50 minutes, the dough will be almost double. 
7. Add some olive oil on a pan. Spread the dough with your hands or using a rolling pin. 
8. Add the tomato sauce and some oregano. 
9. Then add the ham / turkey or whatever meat you want. 
10. Cover with cheese. 
11. Add the vegetables and sprinkle with some oregano.
12. Bake it in 400K for 20-25 minutes.

Dough after massage

The dough is resting...

Dough after it has risen.

You can use a rolling pin to open the dough (optional)

Use your fingers to open the dough.

spread the tomato sauce + oregano

I had some extra dough and made a small pizzette :).

Pizzette with the toppings.

Baked pizzette

Baked pizza

                                      

Extra tips:

! After the dough has risen, you can use some part of the dough to bake a pizza and use the rest some other day! But be careful, place it in a plastic membrane straight to the freezer! Then just unfreeze, open it, add your toppings and straight to the oven!

Aromatic baked potatoes

What to have:

potatoes
olive oil
honey (1 tablespoon)
mustard (1-2 tablespoons)
salt
pepper
oregano
thyme (optional)
water






How to do it:

1. You wash the potatoes and cut them in half (you could peel them as well).
2. Place them in a pan and add some olive oil (1/4 cup). 
3. Add all the other ingredients mix well with your hands. 
4. Add some water in the corners of the pan (so that the spices stay on the potatoes).
5. Bake in 350K for 1h30.

Pasta (or greek "hilopites") with tomato sauce

What to have (3-4 servings)

pasta (I used hilopites -- handmade from my grandmother :))
grated cheese (I used mytzithra -- handmade from my other grandmother :))
Sauce:
tomato sauce (1/2 can)
some water (1/4 cup)
1/2 onion
olive oil
salt, pepper, peppercorrns
oregano, daphne


How to do it:

1. Chop the onions and saute them in some olive oil.
2. In the meanwhile, boil water for the past.
3. Pour the tomato sauce and add all the other ingredients. Mix well.
4. Let the sauce in medium to slow strength until the sauce thickens.
5. In the meanwhile, prepare the pasta. (Follow the instructions on the package or taste every 4-5 minutes to see when they are done.)
6. Serve with grated cheese. Enjoy!

chopped onions

Add some olive oil in a saucepan.

The water is boiling...

All the spices into the sauce!

Serve with cheese and some spearmint or basil!

Extra tips:

! Lid in the saucepan is not necessarily needed. But it will keep your kitchen clean :). 

If you see that it becomes too thick, then use the lid. 

Greek salad

What to have:

2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 onion
1/2 green pepper
some olives
feta cheese
olive oil
salt
oregano



How to do it:

1. You chop all the vegetables in small pieces 
2. Add the feta cheese and olives
3. Add some olive oil and then season with salt and oregano
4. Mix it with your hands, and it is ready!

Simple to make, but very healthy! 

Extra tips:

! It can accompany any dish you like, or it can be the main dish as well. 

! If you don't like any vegetables, you can skip adding them of course :).

Chicken skewers!

What to have:

4 chicken breasts

Marinade:
olive oil
salt
pepper
red pepper
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons thyme
some orange zest
some lemon juice

For the skewers:
14+ skewers
some peppers or tomatoes (per taste)



How to do it:

1. Place the skewers in water. It will prevent them from getting burnt.
2. Cut the breasts in small squares.
3. Prepare the marinade: Every marinade needs some oil (here: olive oil), some acid (here: the lemon juice), and some aromas (here: peppers, orange zest, thyme). Mix all the ingredients and place the chicken pieces in the marinade. Cover with a plastic membrane and keep it in the fridge (ideally for 1-2 hours). 
4. Place the marinaded chicken breasts in the skewers, add tomato / pepper pieces per taste. 
5. Grill them in the oven for ~1 hour total. After the first 30 minutes, change sides. 

They are so tender and full of aromas! You can enjoy them with tzatziki sauce (more info in the future), pita bread, or some salad. I don't have a full picture as I was so hungry and ate them without thinking of this blog :).

Stuffed pork chops

What to have:

pork chops
some feta cheese
some gruyere cheese
1/4 green pepper
salt
pepper






How to do it:

1. Create a small pocket in the middle of the chops (see pics below).
2. Place your stuffing: pepper, salt, peppers, cheese.
3. Close the pocket with some toothpicks.
4. You grill them, as simple as that. 

Our pork chops are ready to get cooked!

I used this mix of spices, but salt and pepper would have been enough.

small pocket inside the chop

Gruyere cheese pairs perfectly well...

                                   

... with green pepper and feta cheese

                                     

Toothpicks keep the stuffing inside the pork chop :)

Add some olive oil on the grill (or pan).

pork chops on the grill

half ready pork chops

Extra tips:

! This is the second day in almost the same week (see older recipe here: pork chops with onions) that I have cooked and eaten chops, and it means something. I really like pork chops! You can combine both recipes (and grill them without the onions or the stuffing). It is a great and very fast dish!

Swordfish with thyme and honey

What to have:

2 swordfish fillets

1/2 red pepper 

1/2 green pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 garlic clove minced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup of thyme

pepper

salt

How to do it:

1. Wash the vegetables and cut them in small pieces.
2. Season the vegetables and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. 
3. Grill them, add half the balsamic vinegar and some thyme.
4. In a shaker or glass container, mix the following: honey, the rest of the balsamic, the rest of the olive oil, thyme, garlic, pepper, salt. Shake / mix  it well. 
5. Add 3/4 of this dressing on the fillets and grill them for 3-4 minutes each side. 
6. Pour the remaining dressing on the fillets, serve with the vegetables and / or  rice.

Extra tips:

! You can use any color of peppers you prefer. You can choose any vegetable you like better. 

Pork chops

What to have:
(for 2 servings)

Pork chops (4 pieces)
Onions (1/2 regular)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Ginger (optional)
Soy sauce (optional)






How to do it:

1. Marinate the chops in the soy sauce for a few minutes.
2. Saute the onions (1 onion for 4 people) in a pan with some olive oil until they become brown, remove them.
3. Season the chops with salt, pepper and ginger.
4. Saute the chops in new fresh olive oil until they become brown from one side.
5. Add the onions and cook the other side of the chops on top of the onions.
6. Serve with some salad.

Marinate the chops in soy sauce (optional...)

Heat some olive oil, and...

saute the onions until they become...

brown, and take them out of the pan. 

Season the chops per taste (salt, pepper, ginger) on the one side

add some olive oil and sautee them in the same pan

side 1: done!

throw again the onions until both sides become even

Extra tips
! If you marinate the chops, do not add (a lot of) salt.
! You can add more onions per taste.

! Sautéing

Ntakos

What to have:

1-2 ntakos (or toasted bread)
1/2-1 tomato
some feta cheese
oregano
olives
olive oil






How to do it:

1. You wet the ntakos (or keep the toasted bread dry)
2. You chop the tomatoes above the ntakos / bread to make it more wet.
3. You chop the feta cheese
4. Add some olive oil and the olives
5. Add some oregano and ENJOY!

No extra tips required! It is the fastest dish ever! 

Chocolate log

Today I am going to serve you a desert! It is too simple to be true. You are going to need 5' minutes to make it (at most), 1-2 hours to let it freeze and 10' minutes to eat it :).

What to have:

1.5-2 packets petite-beurre cookies
4-5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
250gr butter or margarine (one packet)
200 gr (1 cup) of powder sugar
some milk (1/3 cup)
some cognac or rum (optional)
some vanilla extract (optional)
2 eggs

How to do it:

1. You melt the butter, and in the meanwhile...
2. You crack the biscuits with your hands in a LARGE bowl in small pieces.
3. You pour the butter over the biscuits.
4. Add everything else.
5. Mix with your hands... ready!!!
6. You place it on wax paper, like a salami roll and fold it.
7. Cover it extra with foil oil and place it in the freezer for 1-2 hours).

These are the main ingredients I have used.

You chop the biscuits with your hands! 

Vanilla extract and Metaxa cognac optional. 

Everything is into the bowl!

This is 1/2 pieces (rolls) I have made. 

Extra tips:
! Do not chop the biscuits in the chopper, only by hand.
! You can add chopped walnuts, or other nuts.
! Serve it as it is or with vanilla ice-cream.