Chicken Livers wrapped in bacon

                                         Chicken Livers wrapped in bacon



A hand me down recipe with many memories attached to it. This is a restaurant recipe it was taught to my mom by her uncle who worked in a restaurant and this was their delicacy. In turn my mom taught it to me and I'm showing it to you,  my readers and my followers. I love this hors d' ouevres specialty.

Recipe by Mommy's Kitchen

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 -30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound chicken livers
• 12 - 15 bacon strips
• 1 lemon ( sueezed)
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 cup oliv eoil
• 1/3 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

                                              Wash your chicken livesr and place them in a pan

Marinate them for 1 hr, mix all the above ingredients

and place your chicken livers in pan.

After they have been marinated, roll each one in bacon strips

Place in a pan and bake for about  20 - 30 min. 

Serve alone or 

in a platter as hors d' ouevres 

Another great dish from my kitchen to yours !! Kale Orexi !!

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Valentine Pasta

This is a recipe I had found in the back of a pasta package that I had bought a few years ago, I think I bought at Macy's,  I kept the recipe, it's quick, easy, and light.I t doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to make it.

Recipe by Mommy's Kitchen
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45
Yield: 4 - 5 servings
Ingredients

• 12 oz any pasta will do I used ( heart pasta) it was Valentine's Day
• 3 cups frozen petite ppeas ( any size peas will do)
• 6 green onions - sliced I used only two
• 1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley- chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

      For the dressing 

• 6 tsp.cider vinegar ( I used grape vinegar it's just as good)
• 2 tsp.whole grain mustard ( regular mustard can be used)
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic - clove - minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Whisk the vinegar,salt,pepper and sugar together. When the sugar has dissolved, add the oil very gradually so the dressing doesn't seperate. Add the minced garlic, combine the pasta, peas,parsley, onions and dressing. Mix gently , serve at room temperature. It can be served with the chicken schnitzel on the side.

Directions for pasta salad

Cook pasta according to package directions

Whisk the vinegar,salt,pepper,mustard and sugar together. when the sugar has dissolved, whisk in the oil very gradually - so that the dressing doesn't separate.Add the minced garlic. Combine the pasta,peas,parsley,onions and dressing salt and pepper to  taste. Mix gently. Serve at room temperature,it can be served with chicken schnitzel on the side. I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy dish.

Heart shaped pasta

Parsley

Frozen peas

Gently mix ingredients

Another special dish from my table to yours !! Kale Orexi !!!

Tri colored chicken strips

Tri-colored chicken strips

Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken fillet
• 2 yellow peppers
• 2 sweet orange peppers
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 Green bell peppers

Cooking Directions

This is a very simple dish to make and everyone in yoru family will love it. You can even make it for yoru party buffet. Serve it with rice ( which I prefer) or fried potatoes.

1. Cut your chicken fillet intos strips.
2. Cut all your peppers into strips, place everything in your frying pan. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil set on stove cook at high heat for about 25 minutes or until chicken strips are golden brown.

 Another recipe from my kitchen to yours. KALE OREXI !! 

Chicken fillet with lemon juice

Chicken fillet with lemon juice

This is a very simple dish that was given to me by aunt which it was given to her by her dietitian. It takes about 15 minutes to make. 

ingerdients

1/2 - 1 pound of chicken fillet

2 lemons ( for juice) 

10 tablespoons of olive oil ( juice) 

oregano

1/3 cup of water

1/3 cup of olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Take your frying pan and add you olive oil. Once your oil is heated place turn to low and place your chicken fillet.* Make sure you sprinkle your fillet with salt before frying. Once it's browned on both sides the chicken fillet is ready. In a separate plate add your lemon juice, oregano, 10 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/3 cup of water,salt and pepper to taste. Add your fried fillet and your lunch is ready, you can have it with a nice bowl of iceberg lettuce !!  KALE OREXI !! 

Grape Snack with Feta Cheese

Grape Snack with Feta Cheese

Since it's grape season, here's another quick grape snack. This is an all time favorite in our house. As  I dig in the past, I have an incredible image of my childhood, My dad would drive half an hour away to get the best grapes and feta cheese ( Kefalonian Cheese ) we all loved it. So, today I went out got the best raisin grapes, fresh soft baked Greek bread and Kefalonin Cheese. By now you all should know this feta is my favorite. I had a fulfilling and health lunch today !!! Another tasty dish from my kitchen to yours : )  KALE OREXI !! 

Teaspoon Sweets

                                                              Teaspoon Sweets

Grape harvesting mark the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn. When they are collected many households will make teaspoon sweets and stock it for the winter. We always had a jar as a kid and I continue this tradition with the exception I make more than 2 jars. In Greek tradition, usually, this sweet is served to people who come to your house for the first time but any time and anywhere is good. Some taverns serve this after dinner as a thank you. The sweet scent of this recipe will linger for about two days in your house. It will feel like your in heaven.

Ingredients

4 pounds of raisin seedless grapes
4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
8 glasses of water
8 quart pot
*1/2 glass of vinegar ( for cleaning )

                                                   

From your grapes disregard any that don't look right. Place your grapes in your 8 quart pot and place under the sink, under running water, fill it to the top.

Once your pot is filled, place your 1/2 cup vinegar and let the grapes soak for about 15 minutes. The vinegar cleans the grapes.

Place in colander rinse and let them drip dry.

Pick all your grapes off the vine and place them in your 8 quart pot. Once again disregard any bad ones. Add all the remaining ingredients except the vanilla.

Out of 4 pounds these were all the bad ones I had. TIP:  Grapes must be seedless or the result will not be as good. I have done this and I had to take out all the pits with a ladle, so they have to be seedless !! 

I used this measuring cup. It's a 2 cup measurement, Add 8 cups water I added 10 and I had a lot of syrup left over, this is not a bad thing, it's a very good thing it just makes a bit difficult to take your sweet out. If you have to much syrup you will have to use a ladle with holes to place your sweet in a jar.

Add 4 cups of sugar, I added 6 and it was too sweet.

This is the type of vanilla I used, I will repeat this if you are in New York take  a walk or a drive to Astoria you will find all Greek ingredients, if you don't have this use regular vanilla extract, it's just that the above is a bit  more tangy the scent and the flavor come out better. You add the vanilla when it's almost ready.  Now place your pot on your stove and cook on high for an hour and 15 minutes. Depending on water and sugar ratio. You can use a 6 quart pot but I prefer an 8 quart because nothing spills over. 

Your teaspoon sweet is ready when a pink color starts to from and it drips making drops on a plate. Don't let cook too long or it will caramelize.

When these drops form your sweet is ready ! Let it cool for a few hours or till the next day. This is how we serve it and why it's called a teaspoon sweet.

Kale Orexi !!!

TIPS:

If you have syrup left over without the grapes you can place it in a jar and use it as a spread with butter or in yogurt. It's remarkably delicious !! 

You can place in a jar decorate as above and give it as gift. They also make wonderful family and even corporate gifts. Who doesn't love homemade products ! 

Poached Eggs with Florina Peppers

While at my local hairdresser, besides it being the best place for your local gossip, you can pick up some great recipes. This is a quick and easy lunch, I used to make it only with onions and then someone said add slices of red Florina peppers and so I did, we love it !!  You can serve with fries. The cracked is purposely done, my husband doesn't like running eggs.

What you will need:

4 - 6 eggs depending on servings

2 medium sliced red Florina peppers can use other peppers but tastes better with Florina )

1 big onion cut into rings

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch of oregano

1 - 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Once everything is sliced place in skillet and saute with 10 tablespoons of olive oil for about 10 minutes add salt, pepper and oregano.

Add two cups of water and let boil on medium heat until tender.

When tender add 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste depending how red you want it, I usually use two.

           

And finally, add your eggs salt and pepper to taste cover and let cook not more than 10 minutes on medium heat,  unless you like them well done. As mentioned above you can serve them with fries or eat them by themselves with some feta cheese. From my table to yours, enjoy ! KALE OREXI !!! 

Boozed up meat

Most of my recipes have sentimental value, when I cook a meal I always have a memory attached to it. This recipe was given to me by my local butcher Vaggelis, he's such a sweet man and very humble, since he knows that I always try to new recipes he suggested the following. It was mouthwatering and juicy !! I hope you enjoy.He didn't give me a name so I did, it's my butcher's boozed up meat !

 Ingredients:

3 pounds of beef ( choose the roast beef type) 

1 can of beer ( I use sweet beer)

1 regular onion

1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 garlic cloves 

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/3 cup of Olive Oil 

wax paper

Clay pan ( if you have, other wise use a regular pan) 

Take a deep bowl, pour your beer, add all the ingredients and mix then,  cut your onions in small pieces and add it in mixture. Take your beef wash it ( I always do ) place it in the mixture and allow it to marinate till  the next day, this will  make your beef  very tender and juicy. There wasn't any left overs !

                                       

I use a clay pot ( makes the food tastier), place your meat inside, pour some of the mixture, add your oil, cut your garlic in small pieces add salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Cover it with wax paper as seen in picture.

Place in oven cook at 350 for an hour or until it's tender you can serve with boiled rice or baked potatoes like I did. 

A picture is worth a thousand words they say, if that's so I wish this picture could show you just how tender the meat is. My son was asking for seconds !!! 

Another dish from my kitchen to yours ! KALE OREXI !! 

Minced Meat and Leeks Pie

This recipe has been given to me by a very dear and close  friend of mine, I shouldn't say friend,she's more like family to me.  She  has moved to another country with her family and each time I prepare this dish, I recapture all the moments we shared together.  At times my eyes do get watery but I hold back because I know her life is a lot better now .  I thank her and dedicate this post to her.

The ingredients for this dish are :

2 - 3 big leeks

1 pound chop meat

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

2 garlic cloves

salt and pepper to taste

and if you like ( nutmeg and cloves ) a pinch of each

1 box of pastry puff ( phyllo) ( preferably the thin sheets )  if not use the regular pastry puff

1/3 cup of olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of butter

      

                                                                                                                                                      Once you have chopped up all ingredients you place them in the skillet you add 1/3 cup of olive oil

and saute for about 10 minutes then you add your minced meat add 1/2  a teaspoon of oregano and saute until meat is brown.

When meat is brown cover and cook for about 30 minutes, regular heat.

                                                                                                                                                     It is cooked when it starts to thicken,when ready set aside and let it cool for about 15 min.

Butter your  pan so the pastry puff ( phyllo ) will not stick to the bottom.

   

The phyllo package should have. about 10 -12 sheets of phyllo. You separate them in half the half that you will not use you will cover them with a towel so they will not dry and brake. Each phyllo that you place in your pan you will have to brush each one with butter before you lay one on top of the other.

   

Once you have placed all the phyllo sheets in your pan add the meat. Then cover the pan with the remaining phyllo sheets. In some of your pans the phyllo sheet hangs too much over the pan. Cut it but not too much so you can roll a little bit into a crust as shown above. To create the crust,you turn the phyllo inward and slowly turning the pan and slowly your crust will form. Before placing the pie  in the oven dash some olive oil for color.

Cook for 30 - 45 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit

When you finish with your pie you will have leftover bits of phyllo. This is what I do, I place it in aluminum foil, I add honey, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake for about 15 minutes and you will have a nice cruncy sweet. My kids,hubby and I go crazy for this quick phyllo sweet. Nothing goes to waste !

Another dish from my table to yours, Kale Orexi !!  If you have any questions feel free to contact me

A Tiny Delicacy

As soon as we arrived on the  Island of Vidos, just a half mile away from Corfu Town's old port, I found the perfect spot to  lay my beach equipment. As the sun's rays where beaming down into the tranquil crystal clear waters, I took my sharp knife and found my tiny, mouth watering delicacy. Every time I see these little treasures, they take me way back to when I was a child and for a few years was I  raised in Greece, by my grandparents. This delicacy is found in shallow rocky waters. They camouflage themselves making hard on their predators to distinguish them from the rocks but I have been doing this for so long that I can do it with my eyes closed.

 

 

This is the knife that I used to pop them up from the rocks, it's easier when you wait when they breathe. It's said that when you find finger limpets in the water it means that they are clean. 

In order to eat your finger limpets raw you need two. You need the shell of the first to remove the inside of the other. It tastes delicious as you can see I'm a seafood lover.  I guess you can call this Greek Sushi ;) 

This is a recipe that was handed down from my grandmother, to my mother and now to me. Another trial and error dish. 

Ingredients:

1 pound finger limpets1 pound sea snails (the bigger the better)1 thin needle (for snails) 1 package Uncle Ben’s rice½ teaspoon oreganoOlive oil2 garlic pieces1 big Spanish onion1 big tomato2- 3 glasses of waterButterSalt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

First, you boil your finger limpets, they come right out of their shell as soon as the first boil takes place. When done you place in a colander so all the water and sand ( if they have) drips out,  take out all unnecessary shells set aside in a dish.

Secondly, boil your snails – when first two boils occur, leave in pot and take them off the stove place them on a table. Slowly take a few at a time out and with a needle, very carefully take the snail out and place them on a clean plate.  When done set aside until ready to use.

Thirdly, you cut up your tomato, onion and garlic. You sauté your onions, tomato, garlic pieces together with your snails and finger limpets add oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  

Lastly, add your water and let boil on medium heat. Sauce is ready when it has thickened.

While sauce is boiling you boil your white rice, using a small Greek coffee cup as a measurement, equals 1 serving per person.  (this cup resembles a small mug)  Strain your rice from the water return to pot and add a little butter stir and serve.

When all is ready and cooked place rice in a plate then the savory Sea food sauce on top, mark my words pure heaven. Serve with a gold beer. Makes me hungry just writing about it! KALE  OREXI ( Have a hearty  appetite !)

*** I will have pictures on this when I make it but it accompanied the post ,I just couldn't leave it out.