It’s the first Monday of the month which means it’s another Secret Recipe Club reveal day. This month I was assigned to Anna’s blog Cheese with Noodles. At first I was deciding between her slow cooker honey basil parmesan pork or peanut butter melts, but with a blog name like that way easily swayed to make this casserole recipe instead. I was also excited to make use of all the fresh herbs currently growing in my garden.

This casserole did not disappoint. Such creamy, cheesy goodness that reminds me of mac and cheese but this is a slightly more adult version with the use of Monterey jack, parmesan, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes. I served it along with a side salad to justify that second helping of pasta ;-). Thanks for the great recipe Anna! Be sure to check out her blog, I know I will be revisiting soon to make her ginger apricot cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!

One year ago: Bacon Peanut Butter Swirled Scones with Chocolate Drizzle

Two years ago: Roasted Garlic Kale Hummus

Three years ago: No-Bake Funfettinutter Granola Bars

Four years ago: Blue Cheese Ball

CREAMY HERB AND TOMATO PASTA CASSEROLE

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 lb. shell pasta

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried basil (or 2 Tbsp fresh)

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh)

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 cup milk, divided

4 Tbsp cornstarch

8 oz. freshly grated parmesan, divided

8 oz. grated monterey jack cheese, divided

1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large pot of lightly salted water, boil pasta until just before al dente. Drain, return to pot, and cover.
3. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add 3-1/2 cups of the milk and heat almost to a simmer. In a measuring cup, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into sauce and stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in all but 1/2 cup of the parmesan until melted.
4. Add sauce to pasta and stir to coat. Taste and add more salt if if desired. Pour half of the pasta into the baking dish and top evenly with the stewed tomatoes and 1 cup of the monterey jack cheese. Top with remaining pasta, the rest of the parmesan, and the rest of the monterey jack.
5. Bake until lightly golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Cheese with Noodles

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.

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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.

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My favorite gyros are now ready and waiting for dinner – slow cooker chicken gyros! Complete with an easy homemade tzatziki sauce.

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Ever since I reentered the working world after a year off post graduate school, cooking dinner has been a struggle. Per my usual working-life schedule I usually go straight to the gym after work and by the time I get home, shower, and cook, dinner won’t be on the table until 8pm at the earliest. This combined with the never ending frigid temperatures has given rise to more slow cooker meals. I hope whoever invented that magical contraption won some sort of award.

Enter, Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros

One such slow cooker recipe that has appeared was these slow cooker chicken gyros. I modeled the recipe after my non-slow cooker version. The very delicious success of these gyros has spawned my desire to attempt to turn all kinds of older recipes into those suitable for the slow cooker. If any more of them turn out as good as this one, you better believe I will be sharing those as well.

After preparing the chicken for it’s hot bath in the slow cooker, mix up the tzatziki sauce and refrigerate. The flavors will marry while the slow cooker does its job. Then when you get home for dinner all you have to do is slice up the chicken and any other toppings you prefer before stuffing it all in a nice soft pita. Just don’t forget the tzatziki sauce!

This would also be delicious served over a copycat Jennifer Aniston Salad made with quinoa, chickpeas. cucumber, red onion, feta, and pistachios. On the side, I love serving slow cooker chicken gryos with Greek lemon potatoes. Unfortunately I don’t have a slow cooker version of those yet. But I promise they are worth the 1+ hour cooking time. Tender potato wedges, with crisp edges, bursting with lemon flavor.

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

One year ago: Smoked Sausage with Peppers and Onion

Three years ago: Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mozzarella and Pesto

Four years ago: Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Quesadillas

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN GYROS

Print

Yield: 4-6 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 4 Hours 4 Hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHICKEN

• 1.25 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 heaping Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• Salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste

TZATZIKI SAUCE

• 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) minced dill
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

ASSEMBLY

• 4 pocketless pita breads
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced red onions
• Salad greens
• Crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Spray the inside of a slow cooker bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside.
2. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients together pour over chicken. Add more water if necessary to just cover the chicken. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8 hours.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the tzatziki sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. When the chicken is done, drain, and shred or thinly slice chicken. Serve with pita bread, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, feta, and tzatziki sauce.

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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.

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These easy garlic rolls are made with a tube of refrigerated pizza dough, butter, garlic, and herbs for a quick and delicious side to your favorite pasta dinner.

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Garlic bread is an awesome addition to many meals. A little while ago I made garlic knots, which are easy and spectacular. So why on earth would I be sitting here about to tell you about another type of garlic bread if I’ve already found an excellent one? Because I like to continue to try things just in case!

The difference about these garlic rolls? Not much, really, when considering the overall flavor. Instead of tossing post-oven as with the garlic knots, you bake the garlic rolls with the butter, garlic, and herbs already spread inside of them. The result might be a bit less moist and also not quite as soft, but the flavor is still excellent. Just depends on what kind of texture you’re going for!

These garlic rolls are extra cute because they remind me of cinnamon rolls in appearance. But obviously with green things inside instead of sugary sweetness. In fact a coworker mistook one that I brought for lunch the next day as a cinnamon roll until I started scooping up the leftover pasta sauce with it.

The thing that remains the same between the previous garlic knots and these garlic rolls is the use of pre-made dough, making these super easy to put together. But if you would like to go the extra mile and make the dough instead of purchasing it, feel free to make a batch of homemade pizza dough.

No matter how you make it, or which recipe you choose, these are the perfect side to your pasta night dinner. Especially the mozzarella stuffed “Chicken Parmeatballs” shown in these photos. Literally as if you made chicken parmesan in meatball form and yet somehow easier.

Love garlic rolls and other garlicky goodness? Check out even more garlic-loving recipes below:

• Garlic Butter Pasta by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Sauteed Garlic Spinach Agrodolce by Palatable Pastime
• Garlic Scape Butter by Art of Natural Living
• Caesar Tartlets with Sweet Garlic Butter Crusts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Ginger Garlic Quinoa by Magical Ingredients
• One Pot Penne Alfredo by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Granulated Garlic & Onion Potato Cheese Soup by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

GARLIC ROLLS

Print

Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (13.8 oz.) container Pillsbury pizza crust dough
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh minced oregano
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, blend together the butter, garlic, oregano, and parsley until combined.
3. Roll out pizza dough and place on a lightly floured surface. If needed, roll the dough into a long rectangle about 9x13-inches and 1/4 inch thick, then evenly spread butter mixture along the entire surface of the dough.
4. Take the long edge of your dough and roll it. When rolling, make sure to hold it firmly to get a tight and even roll. Continue rolling until you've reached the end of your dough. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch thick rolls*.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

*When cutting your dough, make sure not to press down, but to cut in quick gentle back and forth motions to get a clean cut.

Source: Adapted from Sprinkles of Parsley.

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Post updated 4/4/2023, photo above is the original.