Life really can be a picnic!

Everyone loves a picnic! This blog is about some of the things I love the most, and the term "picnic" just about covers them all. First of all, a picnic has to include food; simple food that is easy to fix. Next, you need someplace fun or different to visit; a nice, peaceful location. And of course, you always need to take along a good book to read and a well-used quilt to spread everything out on. So, there you have it! Easy recipes, good books, fun quilts along with some interesting, down-to-earth places to visit. You can even take your family or a friend or two if you want.



Tuesday, January 28, 2014

It's All Greek to Me


"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self."~Aristotle

"Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."~Plato

"He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature."~Socrates




 
Here's a beautiful quilt that I found on-line.  It's a block of the month called Asteria-Greek Goddess of the Stars.  I have a weakness for blue and white quilts.  They are so beautiful!

    

     Dimitri's is a little Greek restaurant in Tooele.  They serve some really good Greek food.  My favorites are their Greek Lemon Rice Soup and their Greek Lemon Potatoes.  I did some experimenting and here are my versions.


Greek Lemon Rice Soup


4 cups chicken broth                           3 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2  cup uncooked rice                           dash of salt

1 egg                                                  dash of white pepper


In a 2 quart saucepan, bring broth to a boil.  Reduce heat, add rice, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  In a small bowl, beat egg and lemon juice.  Stirring constantly, add 1 cup of hot soup, a little at a time to the egg mixture.  Stir mixture into soup in pan and heat.  Do not boil!  Season with salt and pepper.  Serves 4.  This is the basic recipe.  You can also add cooked chicken, diced celery, diced carrots, garlic and/or diced green onion.  Add a little parsley when serving.

 


 
Greek Lemon Potatoes

3 lbs. potatoes, quartered                                          3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth                                                   salt and pepper to taste

Juice and grated peel from 2 lemons


     Boil potatoes in large pan with chicken broth, salt, pepper, lemon juice and grated peel from 1 lemon for about 15 to 20 minutes or until somewhat soft.  Drain potatoes and put on a cookie sheet lined with foil.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, lemon juice and grated peel from remaining lemon and Greek seasoning ( I use a little oregano, thyme and basil).  Broil in oven for about 5 minutes or until browned.

 
 
     This recipe comes from Budget Bytes.com.
Greek Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
·         1 cup plain yogurt $0.63
·         2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
·         4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
·         ½ Tbsp dried oregano $0.08
·         1 medium lemon $0.49
·         ½ tsp salt $0.02
·         freshly cracked pepper $0.05
·         ¼ bunch fresh parsley $0.20
·         3½ to 4 lbs chicken pieces $6.86
Instructions
1.       To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon skin into the bowl. Also add the juice from half of the lemon (about 1-2 Tbsp). Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Roughly chop a big handful, or about ¼ bunch, of parsley and stir it into the marinade.
2.       Add the chicken pieces and marinade to a gallon sized zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible, close the bag tightly, and massage the bag to mix the contents and make sure the chicken is well coated. Refrigerate the bag for 30 minutes.
3.       After marinating for 30 minutes, either cook the chicken on a grill OR preheat the oven to 375 degrees in preparation to bake the chicken.
4.       To bake the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish (9×13). Bake the chicken in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
 
 
 
     This is a very intriguing book about a Greek woman who made the ultimate sacrifice for her children.  This is written by her son, Nicholas Gage.
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