Creamy, Greek Inspired Tomato Sauce

Camera phone again.... sorry. Maybe I will not get so lazy in the future. :)

Greek Inspired Pasta? Yes, please! 

I realized once I started cooking that I did not have enough feta cheese. Recipe calls for 12 oz and I only had 6. Boo! I did have some mascarpone cheese in the fridge and decided to use that. It worked out great and actually helped to make the sauce creamier. I was going to add chopped spinach at the end, but I forgot. Maybe next time because there will be a next time!

Salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves; finely chopped
4 cloves garlic; chopped
1 large red onion; chopped (I used a white onion)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken stock)
2 pints cherry tomatoes;  halved if large
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound penne pasta (I used whole grain)
12 ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves; chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley; chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium to medium-high heat. Melt the butter into the oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the oregano, garlic and onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine or stock and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the tomatoes have burst and the sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Stir the sauce, then add the feta and cook until melted, about 1 minute. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking liquid and toss to combine, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with the mint and parsley, and serve.

Source: Food Network

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs

3 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 8 hours).
Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Thread the chicken onto the skewers and discard excess marinade. Place the kabobs on the grill or grill pan; cover. (I used a grill pan and covered the pan with foil.)
Cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 8-12 minutes; turning once or twice during cooking.

Serve with tzatziki sauce and warm pita.

Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 10/10 - I love tzatziki sauce and paired with these kabobs was delicious!

Recipe adapted from Annie Eats blog and William Sonoma.

Greek Chicken Tacos

Greek Chicken Tacos

1 lb. Chicken tenders or Chicken breast

1 seedless cucumber, grated and chopped

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 can diced beets, drained

1 Greek yogurt container

1 container hummus

1 lemon

Feta Cheese

Olive Oil

Lemon Pepper, salt and pepper

Season chicken with olive oil, lemon pepper and salt. Grill over grill pan on both sides until browned. Meanwhile, prepare the Tzatziki Sauce. Grate 1/4 to 1/2 of a seedless cucumber over the Greek yogurt. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and a squeeze of a 1/2 a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Warm pita bread wrapped in foil in oven for 10 minutes. Spread pita with hummus. Add grilled chicken, chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, feta cheese and top with Tzatziki sauce.

Sorry for the picture quality - cell phones don't take the best pictures. :)

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 10/10 - one of my favorite meals!