Change up your everyday meatballs and add some Greek into the mix. This easy Greek tomato sauce is cooked with turkey meatballs for a great meal.

Did you know that January is National Slow Cooking Month? Certainly makes sense as the temperatures continue to drop and we end up craving more comforting foods to compensate, which often can be prepared in a slow cooker. As such, I paired up with Farm Rich this month to create a fun recipe perfect for winter and slow cooking using their frozen Meatballs.

While I love making things from scratch, sometimes I don’t have time to do so every single day so it’s nice to have some frozen options. All of the Farm Rich products are made with wholesome ingredients, quick-frozen and carefully packaged so you can prepare great tasting food even with the busiest schedule. Their Meatballs are gluten free, and come in three varieties: Italian Style, Turkey, and Original.

I used the Turkey variety to make slow cooker Greek meatballs which are similar to Italian meatballs but with Greek spices and served over rice. First you make a Greek-spiced tomato sauce, place the Meatballs in a slow cooker, cover with the sauce, and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Viola dinner is served!

Can’t get enough meatballs? Try using these meatballs to make Spanish Meatballs.

The Farm Rich Meatball Truck Tour will be coming to greater Columbus, OH Walmart Supercenter locations (and other cities in Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio). At each stop, there will be free samples of Meatballs and recipes ideas to help you and your busy schedule during the New Year. The dates the tour will be in greater Columbus are January 4-8, 11-15, and 18-19 in 2017. Specific times and store locations can be found at: https://farmrich.com/meatball-tour.

One year ago: Spiralized Zucchini Pesto Caprese Salad

Four years ago: Baby Chicken Fingers with Apple

Five years ago: Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Six years ago: Homemade Vanilla Extract

SLOW COOKER GREEK MEATBALLS

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 (16 oz.) cans finely chopped tomatoes, with juice

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 (28 oz.) bag frozen Farm Rich Turkey Meatballs

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until flour browns very lightly.  Add the tomatoes, wine, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 30-40 minutes.  Add a bit of water during cooking if needed to keep the sauce from reducing too much. When done cooking, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender).
2. Place Meatballs in a greased slow cooker. Pour sauce over the top, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
3. When ready, serve Meatballs over rice pilaf, orzo, or mashed potatoes.

Source: Adapted from Marilena’s Kitchen.

These Greek stuffed peppers are a fantastic alternative to the tradition stuffed pepper. Packed with tons of flavor thanks to spices from Spiced Pantry!

Have you heard about Spiced Pantry? It’s a new food subscription box that takes your taste buds on a tour around the world! Their monthly global foodie box features a different world cuisine including 4 pantry ingredients (think spices, unique grains, legumes) and 4 recipes needed to make the region’s food. It costs a bit more than other spice boxes I’ve tried ($19/month) but you actually receive enough ingredients to make each recipe 2-3 times instead of just once, maybe twice, which is awesome because I definitely want to revisit the recipes I tried and may also get creative with my own recipes.

I got to try out the Greek spice box which included uncooked peponaki (resembles orzo), Athens spice blend, Greek oregano, and mahlab (powdered cherry seeds), and recipes to make chicken souvlaki, stuffed peppers, salad, and braided cookies. Talk about one heck of a meal! I wanted to make them all at once but decided to just do the stuffed peppers and braided cookies for starters and save the rest for another day. Thank goodness I did because these peppers were actually quite filling! They were stuffed with cooked peponaki, zucchini, tomato, onion, feta, and the Athens and oregano spices. Great vegetarian option, but I am tempted to try them with less peponaki next time in order to add in some ground lamb. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

As for the cookies, they incorporated the mahlab spice which I had never heard of until receiving it in this box – which is the whole point, trying new things! Just a teaspoon was used in these shortbread-like cookies which my boyfriend and I made together and had fun rolling and twisting the dough into the braided shapes. It made a little under 3 dozen so I brought a few to work and they were a huge hit. I am bringing the rest to TN this weekend to share with my friends!

After this delicious meal, I absolutely cannot wait to make the souvlaki served with the salad next. I don’t think my Greek-craving taste buds can ever be fully satisfied and I kind of wish I could get Greek boxes every single month! But other cuisines are tasty as well and I look forward to trying some more. Want to sign up and try it for yourself? Use SPIFFYCOOKIE5 and it will give you $5 off your first box (valid through July 16, 2016). It’d make a great Father’s Day present ;-).

One year ago: Oven-Fried Granola Chicken Tacos with Mango Crema

Two years ago: Greek Hummus Dip with Homemade Pita Chips

Three years ago: Breakfast Stromboli

Five years ago: Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies

GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS

Serves 5

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked peponaki (or orzo)

5 medium bell peppers, assorted colors, tops sliced off and seeds removed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)

1 (15 oz.) can whole tomatoes, drained and diced

1-1/2 tsp Athens spice blend (or other Greek spice blend)

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for serving

3/4 cup water

Tzatziki sauce, for serving (I used homemade)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add peponaki and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large pan of medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook 4 more minutes. Stir in tomatoes, Athens spice, and oregano and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the peponaki and feta.
4. Place the peppers in a 2.5 quart baking dish. Divide filling equally between the peppers, replace lids, and pour water into the bottom of the dish.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated and the peppers are starting to brown. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Source: Spiced Pantry

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I was just excited to try it out and was provided a complementary box. As such, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.

Don’t let the ingredient list fool you, this kofta platter comes together with ease and is packed with flavor. Make it tonight and you won’t regret it.

Jump to recipe

Relaxation is something we all need, yet the form in which each person finds relaxation varies. For many, a day sitting on the couch watching TV/reading a book or being alone with your thoughts is the ideal. I, on the other hand, have been accused of being incapable of relaxing. But I object – I just relax in a different way.

I find relaxation through going to the gym, marking things off my to-do list, spending time with friends, experiencing new things, traveling, and cooking a delicious meal. Might sound crazy but hear me out: working out makes me feel good and gives me energy, getting things done lessens my stress level, spending time with friends and experiencing new things brings me happiness, and food is pretty much what I think about 24/7.

Granted, that is not to say that I do not also find relaxation through being a couch potato but if there are things on my to-do list or a fun activity to partake in, more often I will choose between the latter two options. There is just not enough time for me to do, see, and eat everything I want to in this world!

Which brings me to another accusation of which I get accused – not cooking the same thing twice. Some of that stems from the fact that none of you would be sitting there reading this if I posted the same stir fry and spaghetti that I used to make back in my undergrad years, pre-blogging. But it is also because there are too many things that I want to make and eat! This just means that if I make something more than once, it was really good. This kofta platter? Yea, it’s one of those.

I swear, I am not trying to scare you away. I say that because today’s recipe ingredient list is even more daunting than the chicken satay I shared last week and tried to convince you that it really wasn’t as bad as it looked. But seriously, it’s not as bad as it looks! And neither is this recipe.

The kofta, feta-yogurt spread, salad, and salad dressing ingredients are all thrown together at once. Then all you have left is to cook the rice and the kofta. Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Once you get through measuring everything it’s smooth sailing ending in a paradise for your taste buds.

One year ago: Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Brisket

Two years ago: Spiced Pear Smoothie

Four years ago: Breakfast Burrito

KOFTA PLATTER

Print

Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 50 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

KOFTA

• 2 lb. ground lamb or beef*
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, divided
• 4 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 8 wood skewers (soaked 30 minutes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chili flakes

FETA-YOGURT SPREAD

• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)
• 1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano

GREEK SALAD

• 1 romaine heart, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 black or Kalamata olives, sliced
• 3 oz. crumbled feta

GREEK SALAD DRESSING

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano

RICE

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 whole bay leaf

Directions

1. Mix together the meat through cayenne pepper (using only 2 tablespoons of the mint) in a large mixing bowl, cover and leave for an hour (or longer in the fridge) to allow the flavors to blend.
2. When ready to cook, first prepare the feta-yogurt spread and salad. In a small bowl, stir together the spread ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl, toss together the salad ingredients. In another small bowl (or jar with a lid), add dressing ingredients and whisk (or shake) until blended. Pour over salad and toss to coat; set aside.
3. For the rice, heat the butter, turmeric, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir and heat until the butter has melted.
4. Add the dry rice to the pot. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes to slightly toast the rice and spices.
5. Add chicken broth and bay leaf, cover, increase the heat to high, and bring the pot to a rolling boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it rest an additional 10 minutes, covered.
6. While the rice cooks, divide the kofta mixture into eighths and shape into cylinders or sausage shapes. Skewer while squeezing it to mold it the skewer.
7. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Add the skewers and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Add the pine nuts and let them toast until golden brown. Add garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons mint, and chili flakes and cook for just a few seconds. Remove from heat.
8. Serve kofta over rice topped with sauce and with a side of salad (and hot pitas if desired).

Notes

*I have also made this with ground chicken.

Source: Adapted from Lady and Pups, About Food, A Day in the Life on the Farm, and Budget Bytes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

This St. Patrick’s Day behind us that leaves me with a unfinished list of St. Patrick’s Day recipe ideas. Every year this happens to me and I try to finish it off the following year but I always manage to come up with more recipes. Oh well, until next year let’s dive back into my Greek obsession.

We’ve all heard of the double decker burger, but it usually comes with a side of “I can feel my arteries clogging”. This burger is more like “I can feel my heart singing”. With a feta stuffed quinoa-chicken burger and homemade falafel this double decker burger is none like you have ever seen before. Top it off with homemade tzatziki sauce, feta, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and tomato. I even made small homemade pitas to use as the buns.

One year ago: Rutabaga Hash with Corned Beef

Two years ago: Hoisin Glazed Corned Beef with Colcannon

Four years ago: Stuffed Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies

DOUBLE DECKER GREEK CHICKEN & FALAFEL BURGERS

Serves 3

Ingredients:

FALAFEL

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 small red onion

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp cornmeal

FILLING

2 oz. feta, crumbled

1 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 Tbsp chopped Kalamata or black olives

BURGERS

1 lb. ground chicken breast

Half of the cooked quinoa from making the falafel

1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cumin

Pinch ground cinnamon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil, for cooking

ASSEMBLY

6 small pitas or 3 regular pitas cut in half (I made small homemade pitas)

Crumbled feta

Tzatziki sauce (I used homemade)

Lettuce

Tomato

Red onion

Cucumber

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes, until it pops into little spirals. Drain and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Process until well blended. Stir in half of the cooked quinoa, salt, baking powder, coriander, cumin, and red pepper (if using). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
3. Form 3 patties from the batter. On a small plate, combine the flour and cornmeal. Dip the patties (both sides) in the flour mixture.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. In a large skillet or heatproof pan, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for a few minutes so that side can get a little crisp to it. Flip the patties over, then immediately move the skillet (or pan) from the stove top to the oven. Continue to bake for 12-15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile in a small bowl, blend together the feta, cream cheese, and olives. Set aside.
7. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, half of the cooked quinoa, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix and divide into 6 patties, flattening with the palm of your hand. Place stuffing mixture onto the center of one patty, making sure to leave a space on the edge. Put the other half of patty over the top and seal the edges tightly. Do the same for remaining patties. Set aside.
8. In another large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the burger patties and sear until browned on both sides and cooked all the way through, 10–12 minutes total. Set aside.
9. Place one of each patty on top of one small pita, top with extra feta, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion and cucumber, and sandwhich with another small pita. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from A Beautiful Mess and my Chicken-Quinoa Burgers.

Made something from the blog?

Be sure to share it

on Instagram with the

tag #TheSpiffyCookie

Homemade baklava can be a bit overwhelming. But these baklava bars couldn’t be easier. With pistachios and Jameson for blended Irish-Greek spirit!

Over the past month I have consistently rotated around through Mexican, Greek, and more recently Irish/St. Patrick’s Day recipes. While today’s recipe primarily resides in the Greek category the green of the pistachios was good enough reason for me to double dip these into St. Patrick’s Day as well. To seal the deal, I even threw in a little bit of Jameson whiskey into the glaze because why not? I think these components would be good in the form of baklava thumbprint cookies as well.

One year ago: Mini Rainbow Cheesecake Bites

Two years ago: Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cupcakes

Four years ago: Irish Car Bomb Brownies

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA BARS

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) pouch sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 egg

FILLING

1-1/2 cups chopped roasted pistachios

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

8 frozen mini fillo shells

GLAZE

1/3 cup honey, plus more for garnish

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp whiskey or bourbon (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray, set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, combine cookie crust ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir pistachios, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt with a fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly.
4. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen fillo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown.
5. Meanwhile, in a small microwavable bowl, microwave honey, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon uncovered on HIGH for 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in vanilla and liquor, if using.
6. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over fillo. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
7. Cut into bars. Before serving, drizzle a little honey over each bar. Store covered at room temperature.

Source: Slightly adapted from Betty Crocker.

Items you may need (affiliate links):

Made something from the blog?

Be sure to share it

on Instagram with the

tag #TheSpiffyCookie

Looking for a side dish for your slow cooker gyros? These Greek lemon potatoes are a great option for any meal. Soft inside, slightly crisp outside and infused with lemon.

Jump to recipe

Welcome to #LemonWeek 2021 hosted by Lynn from Fresh April Flours!  What better way to welcome summer than with over 50 recipes featuring bright and sunny lemons? Come join me and my fellow Lemon Week bloggers as we bring you recipes from appetizers to drinks to entrées and desserts!

Alright folks these are not your regular everyday spuds. Not because they take over an hour to cook and convincing you to cook them on a regular basis would be crazy talk (or is it?) but because they are one the best potato side dishes I’ve ever had. Other than the cook time they are actually quite easy to make.

Greek Lemon Potatoes

The potato wedges are roasted in a mixture of olive oil, water, lemon juice, oregano, and garlic which gets infused through the entire wedge making them both soft and flavorful. Then with the help of a secret ingredient, flour, the outsides get just a little crispy. In the end these Greek lemon potatoes will be the star of your dinner plate, whether they be paired with the gyro photographed sitting beside them or One-Pan Mediterranean Pork Chops.

“And the award for best spot-light stealing side dish goes to…”

But if you prefer to sneak in some more vegetables, I also have a Greek potato casserole.

Friday #LemonWeek Recipes

• Lemon Mousse by Fresh April Flours
• Lemon Bundt Cake by House of Nash Eats
• Between The Sheets Cocktail by A Day in the Life on the Farms
• Strawberry Vodka Lemonade by SueBee Homemaker
• Greek Lemon Potatoes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing by Lemon Blossoms
• Bourbon Lemonade by Our Good Life
• Strawberry Vodka Pink Lemonade by Our Crafty Cocktail
• Baked Lemon Pasta by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lemoncello Tiramisu by The Redhead Baker
• Lemony Baby Bok Choy Apple and Miso Salad by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
• Greek Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette by Making Miracles
• Lemon and Rice Cheese Bombs by Magical Ingredients
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins by Devour Dinner
• Frozen Vodka Lemonade by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Post updated 5/27/21, Two photos above are the originals.

One year ago: Oven-Fried Mac and Cheese Ravioli Salad

Two years ago: Baked Banana-Pecan Oatmeal

GREEK LEMON POTATOES

Print

Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 lb. yellow potatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp fresh minced oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a roasting pan (or large rimmed baking sheet) with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. Cut the potatoes into wedges and place them on prepared pan. In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the potatoes, stirring to coat.
3. Bake for 70-80 minutes, flipping halfway through, until a nice golden crust has formed on the potatoes. If all of the liquid absorbs before they are done, add another 1/4 cup of hot water.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!
Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Day 3 of #TripleSBites! Today let’s talk about making sacrifices for love. For example, I cannot tell you the number of times I get scoffed at for not liking seafood with the pretense that since I am a food blogger I should love everything edible.

Well I hate to break it to you but I don’t love all foods. I only love the ones that I like to eat which happens to be quite a lot, it just doesn’t include things such as seafood, pickles, and coffee. However, that doesn’t stop me from utilizing those things in the occasional recipe (or being tempted by a homemade salmon burger), especially when I am cooking for someone who will greatly appreciate it.

Salmon is my sacrifice. It is the last thing I think of when picking a protein for dinner. Chicken, beef, pork, and even tofu occur more frequently than any kind of fish in my kitchen. In fact I think this is only the third fish recipe I am sharing on the blog. Since my salmon cooking skills have not been truly tested I rely on simpler, foil-proof recipes. Pun intended as this is a recipe for foil-wrapped salmon.

This easy Greek salmon and orzo was incredibly easy to throw together and while it baked I whipped up some orzo to go with it. I have to admit, I didn’t hate it. In fact it was quite good. It seems great sauces makes nearly anything pleasing to the palate.

Please make sure to check out all the other spicy, saucy, sexy recipes from an awesome list of 19 other bloggers, found at the end of this post! And don’t forget to enter the giveaway HERE!

One year ago: Mini Lasagna Stacks

Four years ago: Homemade Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (Nutella)

EASY GREEK SALMON AND ORZO

Serves 2

Ingredients:

SALMON

1 lb. salmon

Salt, pepper and/or lemon pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden oregano paste (or fresh minced)

1/2 Tbsp Gourmet Garden garlic paste (or fresh minced)

ORZO

1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup seeded and chopped cucumber

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 oz. feta, crumbled

1 tsp Gourmet Garden oregano paste (or fresh minced)

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil with overhanging sides, and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the center of the foil and fold up all 4 sides. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and garlic. Pour the mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon, covering completely and sealing closed. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. While the salmon cooks prepare the orzo. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente, drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss in olive oil then add tomato, cucumber, onion, feta, oregano and lemon pepper. Toss and set aside until ready to serve.
5. When the salmon is cooked, serve immediately over orzo.

Source: Adapted from Damn Delicious and Allrecipes.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary product as part of the #TripleSBites event. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Made something from the blog?

Be sure to share it

on Instagram with the

tag #TheSpiffyCookie

[inlinkz_linkup id=481755 mode=1]

If you love gyros then you need to make this gyro salad. It’s a Greek salad topped with grilled chicken, homemade pita croutons, and tzatziki dressing.

I do not repeat recipes often but when I do I typically change them up slightly. Today is one such example, where I deconstructed the recipe for my chicken gyros into a salad. Gyro-seasoned chicken is grilled to perfection and served over a Greek salad topped with homemade pita croutons and tzatziki dressing. The grilled chicken could easily be enjoyed by itself as it is tender, juicy, flavorful, etc… but the remaining components work to further enhance the experience. Although this recipe has quite a ridiculously long ingredient list do not be discouraged because it is relatively simple to throw together. Toss the chicken in the marinade, whisk together the dressing, toast the croutons (or use store-bought), chop up the salad and then grill the chicken. That’s only 5 steps and the longest task is marinating the chicken, which is inactive time.

One year ago: Funfetti Macarons

Three years ago: Mexican Mac and Cheese

GRILLED CHICKEN GYRO SALAD WITH PITA CROUTONS

Serves 6

Ingredients:

CHICKEN

1.25 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced (2-3 Tbsp)

2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)

1 Tbsp dried oregano

6 bamboo or metal skewers (soak bamboo in water)

Salt and pepper, to taste

TZATZIKI DRESSING

1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Tbsp dried dill

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

CROUTONS

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt, to taste

SALAD

3 Romaine hearts, chopped

1/2 of a 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled, cut in half length-wise and sliced

1/4 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives

3 oz. crumbled feta cheese, plus more for topping

Directions:

1. For the marinade, in a medium bowl whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, yogurt, and oregano. Add the chicken and rub the marinade in. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.
2. While the chicken marinades, place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees for the croutons. In a medium bowl, toss the pita pieces with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
4. Heat grill to medium-high, and brush with oil. Thread chicken pieces onto skewers and discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 10-12 minutes. Place on a platter and tent with foil while you prepare the salad.
5. In a large bowl, mix the salad ingredients together and toss with 2 tablespoons of tzatziki dressing. Divide onto six plates and sprinkle with croutons and additional feta. Serve with chicken skewers and additional dressing.

Source: Chicken, salad and dressing adapted from my Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce. Croutons adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks.

Transport your taste buds to the Mediterranean with this Greek Pizza, a vibrant explosion of bold, fresh flavors. Built on a soft, chewy, Greek yogurt pizza dough that crisps perfectly, this pie offers a delicious twist on pizza night. 

Jump to recipe

How is it that I cannot remember the details of a memory long ago or things of importance, yet when a song comes on the radio that I haven’t heard in over 5 years I can sign along as if I never stopped listening? Funny thing, the brain.

Random thought of the day… on to this Greek pizza!

Since my revival of pizza night last week I’ve been toying with the idea of other kinds of pizza crust. So take a wild guess as to what is my new favorite way to use Greek yogurt? In pizza dough!

The addition of Greek yogurt into the dough resulted in a fluffy interior with the perfect amount of crustiness on the exterior. I cannot believe how long it took me to put Greek yogurt into dough, but I foresee many Greek yogurt-bread products in my future (the first being Greek yogurt everything bagels).

This brilliant brain-child of a Greek yogurt pizza dough was also topped off with some special ingredients to create a Greek pizza: artichokes, tomatoes, red onion, red pepper, olives, garlic, feta mozzarella, and tahini. Add a squeeze of lemon on top and a little sprinkle of dill and it’s good to go.

Have I ever told you that I don’t even like olives? Or at least I used to, but lately I don’t seem to mind their presence. Either my taste buds are going numb or I’m growing up. But I don’t wanna grow up!! ::cue ToysRUs theme song::

Thirteen years later as I am updating this recipe post I can confirm that it holds up. The Greek yogurt dough is still one of my favorites and has renewed my inspiration to make more things with it again.

This time around I did reduce the quantity of some of the toppings. I am not sure how I fit an entire 15 oz. can of artichoke hearts, a whole roasted red bell pepper, 4 campari tomatoes, and 1/4 of an entire red onion on top when I first made this. I blame my grad school addled brain at the time. I also used garlic flavored Pomora olive oil this time around because I can never have too much garlic.

Two years ago: Peanut Butter and Oat Granola Bites

GREEK PIZZA WITH GREEK YOGURT PIZZA DOUGH

Print

Yield: 3-4 Servings Prep Time: 2 Hours Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

DOUGH

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% Chobani)
• 1-1/2 cup white whole wheat flour*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Olive oil
• Yellow corn meal

TOPPINGS

• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup tahini sauce
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (I used Pomora garlic)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 (7.5 oz) jar of artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 thinly sliced roasted red pepper
• 2 campari tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 oz. crumbled feta
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Fresh or dried dill (or oregano)

Directions

1. For the dough, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir 1-1/4 cups flour, Greek yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon salt into yeast mixture to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface or use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
2. Place dough in a large bowl coated with coil, turning dough to coat. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. When the dough is almost done rising, preheat oven to 500 degrees, with pizza stone on the lowest rack.
4. On a sheet of foil, place the bottom half of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, place the top half back on, wrap in foil, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. When the dough is ready, punch down, cover and let rest 5 minutes. Roll dough into desired shape on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal**. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim.
6. In a small bowl blend together the tahini sauce, olive oil, and salt. Spread evenly over the pizza dough. Layer on mozzarella cheese, artichokes, olives, red onion, red peppers, tomatoes, and feta. Scatter the semi-roasted garlic cloves over top. Transfer pizza to pizza stone** and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is golden and crust is crispy. Top with a sprinkle of dill and let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

*Can also use regular all-purpose flour or bread flour, but the amount of flour necessary may differ. **Can also use a regular pizza or baking pan.

Source: Toppings adapted from How Sweet It Is. Dough is The Spiffy Cookie original.

Speaking of washing your hands, be sure to also do so whenever you immerse your hands in raw meat to make burgers or these lamb meatballs. Mixing and forming raw meat is one of my least favorite tasks while cooking, so I took advantage of Bob since he was visiting for BBQ fest/a long weekend and delegated this step to him. Add that to the list of reasons why I like cooking with others O:-). Don’t worry, I was kind enough to turn on the faucet and dollop soap onto his hands afterwards.

These gyros would be a perfect weeknight meal because it comes together quickly and satisfies. But if you feel the need for a side, go for a Greek salad or if you have more time, oven roasted Greek potatoes.

One year ago: Spicy Basil Chicken

Two years ago: Buttermilk Ranch Mac & Cheese

SIMPLE LAMB MEATBALL GYROS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 whole grain English muffin, pulsed in a food processor for breadcrumbs

1 egg, lighten beaten

4 scallions, thinly sliced, divided

4 whole wheat pita breads

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used 0% plain Chobani)

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

1/4 cup freshly chopped tomatoes, for garnish

1/4 cup sliced red onion, for garnish

1 lime, for spritzing

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray, set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine the lamb, raisins, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, egg, 3/4 of the scallions, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Form meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Place them on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating every few minutes so they brown evenly on all sides.
4. Heat the pita bread in the microwave until soft and pliable. Place 3 to 5 ball on each pita bread. Dollop with a little yogurt and garnish with remaining scallions, mint, tomato and red onion. Spritz with lime and serve!

Source: Bev Cooks