Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Chicken Souvlaki

About This Recipe

YIELD:	serves 4 to 6
ACTIVE TIME:	45 minutes
TOTAL TIME:	2 hours 45 minutes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:	Grill or grill pan, skewers, fine mesh strainer
THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:	Chicken Dinners: Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce and Greek Salad

Ingredients

• For the Chicken:
• 5 tablespoons fresh juice from about 3 lemons
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 medium cloves garlic, grated (about 4 teaspoons)
• For the Tzatziki Sauce:
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (see note above)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium clove garlic, grated (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 cup greek yogurt (see note above)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• For the Salad:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 small tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 small red onions, sliced thin
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced into thin half moons
• 3/4 cups pitted kalamata olives
• 6 ounces crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 6 pitas

Procedures

1. 1
   In medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Place chicken cubes in a separate medium bowl. Mix in grated garlic and 7 tablespoons of dressing. Toss chicken to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for about 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Set remaining dressing aside for salad.
2. 2
   While chicken marinates, make the tzatziki sauce: Place cubed cucumbers in strainer set over bowl. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let sit to drain, about 30 minutes. Gently pat cucumbers dry with paper towel, place in small bowl, and mix with garlic, yogurt, and dill. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. 3
   Skewer chicken pieces on 8 to 12 skewers. Discard used marinade. Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken skewers on grill (or cook in batches on grill pan) until well browned and internal temperature registers 155° on instant read thermometer, turning evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes total. (Adjust temperature of grill if necessary). Remove chicken to a serving platter and let rest 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill pitas and keep warm.
4. Via Serious Eats Blog
5. 4
   Just before serving, prepare the salad: Whisk olive oil into reserved chicken marinade. Add tomatoes, onions, cucumber, olives, feta, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 5
   Serve skewers with salad, pita, and tzatziki sauce. Remove chicken from skewers to stuff into pitas with sauce and salad.

Glazed Beef Brisket

5-7 lb. Beef Brisket, leave fat on to cook
Sprinkle the Brisket with generous amounts of:
Salt
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Place in pan, fat side up
Cover and bake 325-350 for 3-5 hours
Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes
Remove fat cap, slice, and return to pan, cover with glaze and return to oven @300 for 20 minutes

Glaze:
1 jar Apple Jelly
13 C. cider vinegar
3 T. Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
3/4 t. Curry Powder
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
This is a tangy flavorful brisket recipe. It is also good as a sandwich the next day. Enjoy!

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

In a large bowl combine:

1 lb. Strawberries
2 lg. Peaches or Mango, diced
1 1/2 C. Blueberries
1 1/2 C. Pineapple, diced
1 1/2 T. Lime Juice
1/2 C. Sugar
1 t. Chili Powder
1 T. Cilantro, chopped, or to taste. No way is 1T. enough for me but to each his own.
1 T. Fresh Mint, chopped, or to taste.

Cinnamon Chips:
1Bag Tortilla Chips
Melted Butter
Brush Tortilla Chips with melted butter. Sprinkle with Cinnamon  Sugar. Bake @ 450 for 5 minutes.

This is a finger licker can't stop til it's gone treat!

Tropical Avocado Salsa

In a large bowl mix:
2C. Finely diced tropical fruit such as:kiwi, pineapple, mango, papaya
2 Avocados diced(1/4 in.)
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1/4 C. finely chopped red onion
1 Fresh jalapeño chili, finely chopped
2T. Fresh lime juice
1 Fresh diced tomato

Gently toss all ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Tortilla Chips.
I got this recipe from Anne and it is a winner.

Peaches and Cream Pie

Peaches and Cream Pie

Crust:
2C. Crumbled Macaroons(I use Mother's Brand. Don't use the soft chewy cookies, get the crunchy, crumbly ones.)
1/4 C. Butter, melted
Mix cookies and butter together and press in to a  9in. pie pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling:
2 8oz. Cream Cheese Softened
1C. Whipping Cream
2/3 C. Sugar
2 t. Vanilla
1 t. Almond
1/4 C. Orange Juice

Beat Cream Cheese until smooth. Add remaining ingredients until combined and fluffy. Spread mixture in crust and refrigerate 4-6 hours.

Peel and slice 2-3 ripe peaches and mix in a bowl with 1/4 cup peach pie glaze to coat peaches. Add 1/2 cup raspberries and mix lightly. Top pie with fruit and serve. Yum!

 I make it for our Neighborhood Picnic every year and it is a crowd pleaser! You can also double the recipe and make it in a  9x13 pan. (To Marcy, for David I use gluten free macaroons and it turns out great.)

Grandmother Hickman's Mustard Pickles

(via Helen Mar, via JoAnn, via Anne)

75 small pickling cucumbers (1 peck)
1 large cauliflower
2 lbs. pearl onions (or to taste)

Brine for cucumbers and cauliflower 
1 cup canning salt
1 gallon cold water (water for brining must be soft water or distilled)

 Brine for onions
1/4 cup canning salt
1 quart water

2 quarts mild vinegar
1 cup water
 4 cups sugar
1/4 cup pickling spice
1 cup flour
1/4 cup Coleman’s dry mustard (no substitute)
2 Tbs turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp celery seed
2 Tbs mustard seed
1 tsp canning salt (optional)
2 cups water

Day 1 :Wash and cut the cucumbers into about 3/4 inch pieces. Cut up the cauliflower into bite size pieces (not too small). Put the cucumbers and cauliflower into a large container and cover with solution of salt and water. Weight with a plate and soak overnight. Blanch and peel onions and cover with salt solution (about 1/4 cup salt and 1 quart water). Soak the onions overnight.

Day 2 : drain the cucumbers and cauliflower and soak in clear cold water for one hour. Drain the onions and soak in clear cold water for one hour.

While vegetables are soaking make the dressing in a large pot. Combine vinegar, water, and sugar. Put the pickling spice in a new clean nylon and hang over the edge of the pan making sure it is submerged in the dressing. Boil for 20 minutes with the lid on.

After soaking, boil the onions for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Mix the flour and spices into the 2 cups water Mix until smooth and creamy, no lumps. After the dressing has finished boiling remove the spice bag and stir the flour and spice mixture into the boiling dressing. Cook until the sauce coats a spoon. Add cucumbers and cauliflower and simmer 15 minutes, then add the onions. At this point you can add a “gob” of butter (this is optional) Pack hot pickles and liquid into jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner (for sea level) 20 minutes in Utah (this is the method I used in 2014)

(try this method next year) Variation :While the dressing is boiling mix the flour and spices into the 2 cups water Mix until smooth and creamy, no lumps. Remove the spice bag from the dressing and add cucumbers and cauliflower to the dressing. Simmer for 15 minutes. (doing this gives the pickles a chance to soak up the sugar and vinegar flavor instead of tasting so salty) Pour off most of the dressing into another pot and bring to a boil then add the flour and spice mixture. Cook until the sauce is thick and coats a spoon. Return sauce back to the cucumbers and cauliflower and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the onions. At this point you can add a “gob” of butter (this is optional) Pack hot pickles and liquid into jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner (for sea level) 20 minutes in Utah

 Both instructions are a compilation of Grandmother's and the Ball canning book and my own interpretation .

Peach Jalepeno Pepper Jam

3.5 lbs peaches diced, about10 peaches (gently rub fuzz off under cool water and leave skins on. The skins have natural pectin and add flavor and color)

3 jalepeno peppers chopped finely, (the heat is in the seeds so if you want mild jam remove the seeds if you   want some heat leave some of the seeds in.)

1 large red pepper chopped
zest of one lemon
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
6 cups sugar
2 pouches of liquid pectin

Combine the peaches, jalapenos, red peppers, zest, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar in a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until the peaches are completely softened. Stirring occasionally. Add the pectin and bring the jam to a full rolling boil, one that cannot be stirred down for 2 minutes and the mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and ladle into jars. Process for 10 minutes (sea level) or 20 minutes (Utah) in a water bath canner.