The Weekend Was Way Too Long!

Sorry for being gone so long. It was a full weekend with college homecomings and marching band performances in St Joe, MO. And then I needed to make another trip up to St Joe on Monday to help my son pick out another laptop for college. Tuesday was spent getting caught up around the house and so now I can concentrate on the fun stuff, cooking and finding new recipes to share!

One of my favorites types of food is Greek or Mediterranean/Middle Eastern. Here are a few recipes I use. They are family friendly recipes because I have a picky 10 yr old who can be hard to make happy with something other then chicken strips or hamburgers. 

Here is a dressing/sauce that is awesome with Greek Style Steak Salad (with Tzatziki dressing). First you will marinate, cook and slice the steaks and then add to the salad. I also like to make regular Gyros from these ingredients as well.

Greek Style Steak Salad 

(with Tzatziki Dressing)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 beef rib-eye steaks
• 1 medium seedless cucumber cubed for salad
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• ½ cup red peppers, chopped
• ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted or with seeds
  
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ½ cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
•  Pita bread or pockets, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; rub onto both sides of steaks. Let them marinate for about 15-20 minutes. 
2. Turn oven to Broil. Broil for about 3-4 minutes on each side depending on thickness and how you prefer your steak (for medium-rare a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F, medium, 160 degrees F, well-done, 170 degrees F). Let stand for 5 minutes then slice thinly against the grain.
3. In a large salad bowl toss lettuce, chopped cucumber, red peppers, olives, onion, tomatoes and feta.
4. Brush pita triangles with olive oil then place on a grill or hot skillet, watching closely, until golden brown.
5. Divide salad evenly among plates, top with steak and pitas.    

Tzatziki Dressing
(Greek Yogurt Cucumber Sauce)

 Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) containers Greek Yogurt
• juice of one lemon (about 1½ T)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 medium cucumbers, seeded and grated 
• ½ T kosher salt for salting cucumbers
• 1 T finely chopped fresh dill  or ½ T dried dill (you can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. If you don't have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt with a cheese cloth.
2. Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.)
Slice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. 3. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.
4. Grate cucumber with a cheese grater. As fine as you can get it. Drain again if needed. Put cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper in a bowl. Mix together, then stir this mixture into the yogurt.
5. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed.
6. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)
7. Drizzel the dressing over the salad. Enjoy!

(This dressing will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.)

*Disclaimer, not all photos are mine and the original photographer is unknown to me.