This was a good meal that my family enjoyed. I helped make the meat for the filling. I didn't eat any of the cucumber salsa but my parents like it.
Greek Tacos
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Cucumber Tomato Salsa:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 firm large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
Salt and black pepper to taste
Feta Tzatziki:
1/2 English cucumber
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and black pepper to taste
Turkey Mixture:
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup minced red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup broth (chicken, vegetable or beef)
For the pitas:
6-8 non-pocket pita or soft wrap breads (we used this soft wrap bread)
1. At least one hour or as early as one day before, prepare the salsa and tzatziki. For the cucumber salsa, toss the olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to 24 hours to marry the flavors.
2. For the tzatziki, peel the cucumber (optional) and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the excess water until the cucumber is very dry. In a medium bowl, stir together the strained cucumber, yogurt, feta, and garlic. Again, season with salt and pepper to taste. The tzatziki can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Give it a good stir before serving.
3. For the meat, heat a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground turkey with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces and cooking until the meat is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
4. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the oregano and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the broth and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Warm the pita breads in a cast iron skillet or in the microwave until soft and heated through. Serve the tacos by spooning meat into the center of a pita bread and topping with cucumber salsa and tzatziki.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Vanilla-Almond Crescents
I made these with my Oma when we visited them in Germany right after Christmas. They are a German Christmas cookie. Everyone loved them, especially my two brothers. One of them kept stealing them off the plate!
Vanilla-Almond Crescents
adapted from German Baking Today
250 g/9 oz/2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch baking powder
125 g/4 1/2 oz/5/8 cup sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks
200 g/7 oz cold butter
125 g/5 oz blanched ground almonds (almond flour)
powdered sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of dough ingredients and stir with a hand mixer to make a smooth dough. Don't over mix. Shape the dough into a ball with your hands.
3. Roll out the dough into cylinders the thickness of a fat pencil and cut into pieces 5-6 cm/2-2.5 in long. Then, roll out the ends a little thinner. Place the crescents on the prepared baking sheets and place into the hot oven.
4. Remove the crescents from the baking sheet with the parchment paper and put on a rack to cool down. Sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the cookies while they are still hot. Let cool.
Vanilla-Almond Crescents
adapted from German Baking Today
250 g/9 oz/2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch baking powder
125 g/4 1/2 oz/5/8 cup sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks
200 g/7 oz cold butter
125 g/5 oz blanched ground almonds (almond flour)
powdered sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of dough ingredients and stir with a hand mixer to make a smooth dough. Don't over mix. Shape the dough into a ball with your hands.
3. Roll out the dough into cylinders the thickness of a fat pencil and cut into pieces 5-6 cm/2-2.5 in long. Then, roll out the ends a little thinner. Place the crescents on the prepared baking sheets and place into the hot oven.
4. Remove the crescents from the baking sheet with the parchment paper and put on a rack to cool down. Sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the cookies while they are still hot. Let cool.
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