Foodie Friday

I was eating solo last weekend since Cameron went hunting.  Typically, I just eat leftovers or some kind of pasta since I don't want to cook for just one person.  However, in an effort to try new things, I decided to try out a recipe for Greek Pasta Salad.  It has several of my favorite foods - pasta, feta, & kalamata olives - but would not be high on Cameron's list, so it was a perfect time to try it out.  If real Greek food is anything like our American version, I would love living there!  It's on my bucket list.  The recipe makes a large amount so I tossed it without the dressing then ate it for lunches this week.  Loved it!!

Greek Pasta Salad

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

Salad:

1 lb short pasta (I used rotini), cooked

English cucumber, halved lengthwise, then chopped

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

6 oz feta, crumbled

3 c. baby spinach

Mix all dressing ingredients until well combined.  Toss all salad ingredients together.  Add dressing and toss.

The next recipe we tried was Coffee-Rubbed Skirt Steak from Food Network Magazine.  I wanted to try this because we have never cooked skirt steak before and the idea of using coffee and cocoa powder in a steak rub sounded interesting.

We both agreed it needed salt, but was definitely a keeper.  It has a very unique flavor.  We tried wrapping the meat & peppers in a tortilla like fajitas, but I preferred it plain.  I think next time I'll serve it with cornbread like the recipe suggests.

I also made a new cookie recipe - Coffee Spiced Cookies.  I pulled the recipe from an ad in a magazine, but you can find the recipe on Crisco's website here.  They definitely did not turn out very big or pretty and as far as taste goes, I could take them or leave them.  However, our friends Harry & Lance came over the night I made them and took care of most of cookies for me so they must not be too bad!

The last recipe we made this week is not a new one, but it is a favorite and something we haven't made in quite a while, so I thought I would share.  Another Food Network recipe, but this one comes from Alton Brown's Good Eats  - Perfect Potstickers.  Unfortunately, they are no longer producing the show, but you can still catch the re-runs.  Alton has always reminded me of my brother if he had decided to be a chef instead of an engineer (and I'm pretty sure Chris would consider that a compliment, right?).  Cameron loves Asian food and I'm learning to broaden my horizons.  In case you are wondering, wonton wrappers are usually in the produce section around tofu and stir-fry vegetables.  The first time we made this, it took me forever to find them!  It's a time consuming recipe, but fun to do and well worth it!

Cameron had the great idea to make up our own filling of shrimp & conecuh sausage and make this like an etouffee.  Could be really good!

Hopefully you'll be inspired to try one of these recipes out yourself!  Let me know what you think!

~Heather