Zucchini Keftedes with Feta & Dill

This was the first recipe I came across on Epicurious that really caught my eye and made me love the site. Keftedes made out of zucchini like potato patties! Why didn't I think of that?

 

Keftedes are a tradition in my family, as in any Greek family. It's our version of meatballs and we throw in everything but the kitchen sink when making them. I think I asked for them by name at under 2 years old. So, this was a great find and it made my taste buds scream "Opa!"

 

2 small or 1 large zucchini

1 Tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 large egg, beaten

3 Tbsp dill

1 Tsp lemon zest

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil

 

Recipe Adapted from Epicurious

Grate zucchini on a cheese grater.

Mix in remaining ingredients and form into patties. Firmly pack patties and place on parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat up a skillet and once hot, add oil. Place patties in the pan and brown on each side until golden (3-4 minutes). Place on a paper towel to sop up extra oil and cover with a paper towel. Gently pat out excess oil. Best served warm!

 

Serve with plain Greek yogurt or better with Tzatziki. I think I might make a big batch of these and then freeze them. They were very moist so, I think they would reheat well in the oven. They would certainly be a great addition to my Greek Easter, which is today!



Greek Style Green Beans

My mother always made green beans this way. Who knew it was "Greek style"? I tried some new Greek restaurants and saw this on the menu. Apparently adding tomato sauce to them makes them Greek? I'm not sure but, I always make them this way.

 

2 cups fresh green beans, cut

1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

2 Tbsp minced onion

1 Tbsp garlic powder or 1 minced garlic glove

1 Tsp Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp water

 

Cut and clean fresh green beans and place in a baking dish. Top with sauce and seasonings. Add water. Cover with aluminum foil, which will help the water partially steam the vegetables. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until beans reach desired tenderness.



Honey Glazed Carrots

This is a wonderful and sweet side that's simple enough for a family dinner, yet impressive enough for a holiday side. I sometimes add raisins to this dish for a holiday.

 

I don't buy many organic foods but if I'm going to buy baby carrots, I do! I don't want to further spread a possibly exaggerated truth about baby carrots but I don't want anything soaked in chlorine or bleach as my vegetable. Whether this is true or not, I can tell you that I sometimes buy carrots for my bunny and when I buy whole ones, they last a few weeks or a month at most before getting mushy and gross. I've had mini bags of carrots that look the same after 6 months! You be the judge.



Take 3 cups of raw baby carrots and toss with 3 Tbsp honey, 2 Tsp cinnamon, 1/2 Tsp nutmeg, and 1 Tsp brown sugar. Add to a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and filled with 3/4 cup of water or broth. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the carrots begin to caramelize and the edges of the baking dish turn a bit brown like in the top right corner of the title photo.

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

If you'd like another recipe for stuffed mushrooms other than Easy & Savory Stuffed Mushrooms, you've picked a great one to try. This robust cheese flavor is great for a party or family meal, especially if you're a fan of spinach dip.

 

2 cups of tightly packed fresh spinach

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 small garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp bleu cheese crumbles

2-3 Tbsp goat cheese crumbles

1 oz cream cheese

2 Tsp Italian seasoning

 

Boil spinach, garlic, and onions in a pot of unsalted water for 30 minutes. The cheese will be salty enough that you don't need to add anything to this mixture. Drain thoroughly and press into a paper towel to get out as much water as possible. 

Transfer to a food processor and press chop until the mixture is in tiny shreds. Add in cheeses and seasoning and mix for 30 seconds more.

Scoop out and mix generously into peeled and rinsed mushroom caps. Top with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes on a greased baking dish.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Holiday squash will never be served simply boiled and mashed ever again! Everyone will be blown away with all the savory fall tastes in this dish. I may have gone a little crazy with this one, throwing in everything but the kitchen sink, but it got rave reviews. And who doesn't love a food served in its own bowl?

 

whole butternut squash

1 Tbsp chives

2 oz cream cheese

2 Tsp cinnamon

1 Tsp nutmeg

1 Tsp butter

Cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place it in a baking dish, cut side down in 1/2 inch of water and roast in a 450 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. When it's done, flip it over and allow to cool enough to handle. Then, scrape out the innards, being careful to preserve the skin. Mix the innards in a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Spoon back into the skin. I topped mine with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and brown sugar and it was amazing!

Easy & Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

One dozen mushrooms, stemmed and peeled

2 oz cream cheese

2-3 scallions, minced

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

2 strips of bacon

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Breadcrumbs for topping 

 

Recipe Adapted from Chef In Training

I made these as a side dish for a family meal but, you could easily increase it for a large party. I stem and peel my mushrooms. I don't think it's necessary to peel them but, they always look so dirty and I feel a bit funny eating "fungus" from the ground as my husband would say.

 

Wash and rinse, then stem and peel mushrooms. Cook the bacon until crispy in a fry pan and lay on a few sheets of paper towels to sop up grease. I crumbled up the bacon right in the paper towel to get out as much grease as possible. Add to room temperature cream cheese and add all the other ingredients except the breadcrumbs. Spoon teaspoonfuls into each mushroom and top with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.