My Big Fat Greek Salad

So, remember that salad I was talking about in my previous post?

Here it is.........................

Now, it's really not that earth shattering and it probably won't cause you to run right out and get the ingredients but, holy yumness was it good. So - I thought I would share.

First off, as with any salad, you need some good lettuce.  Now, of course, you can use any type of lettuce you want - it's your house and your salad.  But - let me get on my soap box a little and preach to you about this wonderful lettuce and this even more wonderful company that grows and produces this lettuce.

Here it is.........................

Olivia's Organics - www.oliviasorganics.org.

Visit their site. Buy their products.  Not just because they have yummy lettuce but because they are a family business, they are organic, their packaging is 100% recyclable as well as made from recycled material and they are big supporters of local childrens charities.

Now if that isn't reason enought to buy from them, check out their mission statement.

"FAMILY"

That's it - a one word mission statement. 

From their website:

"Can you think of a more powerful word? All over the world, being part of a family is what makes the difference between living and merely existing.

Family is about loving, caring, protecting, nurturing. It’s about making our homes safe and happy and beautiful – and our planet too.

At Olivia’s Organics, family is a one-word mission statement. Because it not only says who we are. It says why we do what we do, and who we do it for. It sets our goals and defines our responsibilities to others."

How can you not support a company like this?  Plus, their pricing is competitive and they are local.  Fairly local anyway - they are located in Massachusettes.  Certainly better than getting it all the way from California.  Not that there is anything wrong with that but, obviously, the closer the food is grown, the fresher it will be when it hits your plate.

And one more thing, when you go to their website, you can download a coupon!  Yay!  Saving money! 

Okay, I'm stepping down now - back to the salad.

So, as you know, I used the Olivia's Oranics Herb Salad Greens.  To that I added sliced seedless cucucumber, kalamata olives, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, a vinaigrette dressing and of course, feta cheese.  Toss all your ingredients together and boom - you have a big fat salad.  

Notice the lack of red in that photo?  Tomatoes are not in season here in NJ so I left them out.  Plus, have you seen the price of tomatoes lately?  Eesh! I would rather do without than pay a small fortune for tomatoes that have been on a truck from Mexico for days.

This is your salad so, like I always say, Make it Your Own.  Leave out onions if you don't like them.  Don't eat the pepperoncini peppers if they are too spicy for you.  Substitute blue cheese for the feta like my husband does.  Of course, then it won't be "greek" but that's your call.  The food police will not come knocking down your door.

On another note - to make this dish a little heartier, it is also fabulous with some grilled chicken or shrimp on top.

Here is the vinaigrette dressing I used..................

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegars and mustard.  Gradually whisk in the olive oil until combined. 
Add in herbs, salt and vinegar to taste.
**If you don't like mustard, you may omit it but the mustard is like the glue that holds the dressing together.

This will make more dressing that you should need in one sitting but you can just refrigerate it and use it for another time.  Before serving, remove it from the refrigerator so the oil can come up to temperature.  You will notice it separate and the oil will get thick - this does not harm the dressing.

There you have it - a big fat salad to enjoy now or put into the memory files for summer.  Enjoy!


 

Tortellini En Brodo

My poor husband.

Aside from a big salad last Monday night (more about that to come) this is the only meal I have made for him in a week.

3 out of 4 of us got bit by the stomach bug. It was awful.  Isabella had the worst of it and we spent 5 hours in the Emergency Room getting her rehydrated - well, technically only an hour getting her rehydrated - the other 4 hours were spent waiting - don't get me started.  Then I got sick and it worked its way to Anthony.  It seems that Mike was the only one spared - thank God. 

By the way, I would just like to give a shout out and a huge thank you to the  creators of Lipton Noodle Soup, Saltines, Gatorade, Ginger Ale and Ramen noodles.  It is about all my family has lived on for 6 days.  The benefits of having a well stocked pantry!

Speaking of well stocked pantry - this meal was made from everything on hand.  It's a terrific quick go to meal when you are -

a - not feeling well
b- rushed for time
c- don't feel like cooking
d - feel like having soup

It is a great base to improvise on as well.  You can add fresh or frozen vegetables, leftover chicken or even a different type of pasta if you so choose.

Here is what you need:

1 bag frozen tortellini or your choice of pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium onion, peeled, diced
6 cups chicken broth - homemade or store bought.  I used Shop Rite's organic brand
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Red Pepper (optional)

Here is what you do:

In a stockpot, cook tortellini according to package directions.

***Small note here - once water comes to a boil, be sure to salt the water well.  Add the tortellini and cook it for a minute or two less than is called for.  For example if the directions say - cook 10-12 minutes, only cook them for 8-10 minutes.  This way you can add the tortellini to the broth to let them finish cooking there.  The reason for this?  As the tortellini cooks, it will absorb the chicken broth and add more flavor to the tortellini.  Also, the starchiness the pasta gives off as it cooks will help richen the soup.

Meanwhile in a separate skillet or pot (like a 10-12 inch high sided skillet), over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Toss in the onion and garlic and saute just until they start to soften about 3-4 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and bring to simmer. 

Once the tortellini are almost heated through, remove them from the boiling water with a large slotted spoon and place directly into the broth. 

** It is best to remove the pasta from the cooking liquid this way, particulary with stuffed pasta like tortellini or ravioli.  Pouring the boiling water and cooked pasta into a colander in the sink can cause the pasta to tear and break apart.

Let the tortellini finish cooking an additional minute or two.  How will you know when they are done?  Try them.  I like all my pasta al dente but if you like yours cooked a little longer - go for it - it's your kitchen.

Add some salt and pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.

Pour into bowls and top with a little Parmesan chesse if so desired. 

I think it could use a little green like parsley but I could not handle being green anymore this week.

Enjoy!

And I promise to write more this week - let's hope everyone is back to normal.