Poppy Seed Rolls

 I made half a recipe.

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar divided
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, beaten
3-3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter
Poppy seeds

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Beat in milk, shortening, salt, egg and remaining sugar. Add enough flour to form a soft dough.

2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3. Punch the dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 18 pieces. Shape into balls. Place in greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

4. Brush tops with butter; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/poppy-seed-rolls

Pasta Crema di Porri e Zafferano

Facebook friend Lena posted this recipe.

12 oz/350 g di pasta corta/penne
2 porri
6 oz/150 ml di panna da cucina/heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken broth/60 ml brodo di pollo
1/2 bustina di zafferano/sachet of saffron
sale/salt
Pepe nero/black pepper
Burro/butter
olio evo/olive oil evo
granella di pistacchio/chopped pistacchio

Clean the leeks passing them under the water and eliminating the most part green and the outer leaf. Cut everything washers.

Heat a large frying pan a tablespoon of butter and olive oil, add the leeks and brown them. Add a pinch of salt, 1/4 cup chicken broth, and saffron. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for about twenty minutes, until the leeks are cooked well. If necessary add a little more water during cooking.  Add the cream.  Simmer 5 min. more.

With a hand blender purred the leeks mixture until smooth and creamy.

Cook the pasta in salted water, drain it al dente and toss with the sauce. Serve bit of chopped pistachios.

Lebanese Lamb Kofta with Tzatziki

A Macedonian friend that I have on Instagram made these.  Good idea to make these for the first time.  I made them Lebanese style.

4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1 pound ground beef chuck or lamb
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 egg

1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs 

1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes 
Olive oil, for brushing the grill

Directions:

Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear mixture to a coarse paste. Mix the paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt with the meat, onion, parsley, and spices.
Line a pan with aluminum foil. Divide the meat mixture into 28 rough balls. Mold each piece around the pointed end of a skewer (if you use wooden ones, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading them), making a 2-inch oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. Lay the skewers on the pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare a grill. Brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Working in batches, grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until brown all over and just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tzatziki and flat bread.

Pumpkins Muffins

I made these at a whim!  These muffins are so tasty and simple!

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prep and preheat: Heat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan (or two 6-cup muffins pans) with liners, or skip the liners and just grease the cups.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined.
Add the pumpkin purée: Mix in the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups so they are 3/4 of the way full.
Bake the muffins: Place the muffin tin in the oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a tester comes out with few crumbs.
Cool the muffins: Let the muffins cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pumpkin-muffins-224030

Greek Pizza with Spinach, Olives, and Feta

Made this pizza as a trial run for this weekend.

Pizza dough (I used the focaccia recipe)
8 oz fresh spinach
Chopped red onion
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Ground black pepper to taste
olive oil
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half

Sauté the spinach with red onions, add salt and pepper, put to the side.
Generously oil the baking tray.
Spread the olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper on the pizza dough,.
Line the tomatoes, Kalamata olives, spinach mixture, and top it with the feta cheese.

Bake on 450°F/230°C

Farro with Portobello Mushrooms

I made this fabulous side dish to go with the Greek Chicken Stew.

Ingredients:

8 oz Portobello mushrooms
1 quart chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 ½ cups farro
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms or wild mushrooms (or a mixture of the two), cleaned, trimmed and sliced
Salt to taste
2 large garlic cloves, green shoots removed, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/2 cup)
¼ cup chopped parsley

Preparation:

Place the farro in a bowl, and pour on enough hot water to cover by an inch. Let soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain.
Place the dried mushrooms in a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl, and pour in 2 cups boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes.
Drain the mushrooms through a strainer set over a bowl and lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water to remove grit. Chop coarsely if the pieces are large and set aside. Add the broth from the mushrooms to the stock. You should have 6 cups (add water if necessary). Place in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt to taste.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013008-farro-with-mushrooms

Greek Chicken Stew With Zucchini and Olives

Made this recipe from a post that Jackie made.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
•6 to 8 chicken legs and/or thighs,  skinned
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with   juice, pulsed in a food processor
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 small or 1/2 large cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, and sliced about 1/2 inch thick (I used thick cuts of zucchini)
• 12 kalamata olives (about 45 grams), rinsed, pitted and cut in half (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 to 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

PREPARATION

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep, heavy lidded skillet or casserole and brown the chicken, in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the pieces to a plate or bowl as they’re browned. Pour off the fat from the pan. Add the vinegar to the pan and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and let the onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is lightly browned and very soft.

Add the garlic and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is reduced slightly and fragrant.

Return the chicken pieces to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. If necessary, add enough water to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and kalamata olives and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the chicken is just about falling off the bone. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with grains, with the feta sprinkled on top if desired.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12308-greek-chicken-stew-with-cauliflower-and-olives