Chicken Spanakopita

Spanakopita may well be one of the finest foods on this earth. The flaky, crispy phyllo and tangy feta combined with tender spinach and a moist cheese filing make it like no other food. I'm not sure where I got the idea to add chicken, but I did and it turned out really well. There is a single top crust to this as I was afraid the added chicken may make a bottom crust too moist and spoil the whole dish. I might do it again and try the bottom crust, but either way, this was very good indeed.

I used a variation of Helene Bozakis' recipe that my mom uses, subbing scallions for the onion, ricotta for cottage cheese, half the spinach and eggs, and I'm starting to think her recipe is foolproof, because it was just as delicious as always.



Chicken Spanakopita
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Half of a 12oz box of phyllo sheets
1 stick butter-melted

1 lb frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed until dry
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced white and green parts
3T olive oil

8 chicken breast filets cooked lightly on both sides
1 c. feta cheese - crumbled
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 T chopped fresh dill
3 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 t. nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Lay cooked chicken breast filets on the bottom of a lightly greases 9x13 baking pan.
Cook scallions in oil until fragrant - about 2 minutes and add spinach. Stir and cook for 2 minutes longer or until no liquid is visible.
Combine ricotta, Parmesan and feta with eggs and blend well. Add dill, nutmeg and salt and pepper - mix.
Blend spinach and cheeses together until well combined - spoon over chicken breasts in pan.
Brush each sheet of phyllo with butter and layer on top of chicken and spinach until all phyllo sheets are used up. Brush top layer with butter and tuck ends into the side of the pan.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.
Let stand 10-15 min. before cutting. Good served hot or cold.

Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach

Here is my entry for this month's Royal Foodie Joust for which the 3 ingredients are, lemongrass, almonds and asparagus. Even the littlest noseminers liked this one.


Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

12 spears asparagus
4 one-inch thick slices pork tenderloin
2 four-inch lengths of lemongrass
1/4 cup whole unsalted almonds
2 teaspoons orange marmalade
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Sherry
2/3 cup beef stock
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
neutral oil such as canola for frying

Remove woody ends of asparagus spears and tie the spears together. Cut the outer leaves of the lemongrass away from the tender centers and set aside. Steam asparagus spears with water prepared with these outer lemongrass leaves and salt. Steam lightly for 2-3 minutes only. Set aside.

Pound tenderloin slices thin. Do this very gently. Pork tenderloin is already very tender and over-pounding will cause them to break up. Spread 1/2 teaspoon orange marmalade on each pounded filet.

Cut asparagus spears into 3 inch lengths. Set 3 cut spears (the end with the top intact) onto the smaller end of the filet. Roll up tightly and set aside, seam side down while you roll the other filets and asparagus.

Grind 1/4 cup almonds fine. Add salt and pepper to taste and roll each pork and asparagus roll in the almonds.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add each coated roll, seam side down, to the pan and cook
until well browned on each side. This takes 6-8 minutes for each roll. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Chop one length of lemongrass (with harder outer leaves removed) and add to the oil. Heat briefly until fragrant - just a few seconds will do it. Add spinach and stir just until wilted. Remove to 2 plates and top each mound of spinach with 2 asparagus and pork rolls.

For sauce - stir together soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass stalk, green onion, garlic, Sherry, stock and cornstarch. Pour sauce ingredients into the same pan used for the spinach and heat until thickened.

Pour sauce over rolls and serve immediately.

Veggie Wednesday: Linguine with Baby Spinach and Almonds

Linguine with Baby Spinach and Almonds

This is very reminiscent of pesto and so good even the two littlest at home with me at lunchtime today loved it! Simple and delicious.

Linguine with Baby Spinach and Almonds
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

1/4 pound linguine cooked al dente
1 cup baby spinach leaves - whole
1/2 teaspoon dried basil - crushed
1/2 clove galic - minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sliced almonds

Toss together until heated through and spinach is slightly wilted. Salt to taste.

Sunday Dinner

This was actually a few weeks ago. Today I'm cheating and making easy chili and cornbread. I may take photos, but it's not really different than anyone else's recipe, I bet!

Herbed Roast Pork and Gravy
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Wilted Baby Spinach with Honey and Bacon
Apple Cobbler

Pork roast, thyme and rosemary.

Salt and pepper the roast first--rub it all over well.

Chop the herbs and cover the roast with those as well.

The roast seared on all sides and ready for the oven.

Roasting garlic--3 cloves in a small square of tin foil.

Wrap up and toss in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes until soft. Mash well before adding to potatoes.

The mashed potatoes with roasted garlic added--these are Yukon Gold.

Spinach with bacon and honey. This was really yummy--even if the photo is blurry.

Another blurry-but-yummy - the pork roast gravy.

I didn't get a photo of the finished roast or the cobbler, but they were sure good!

Sunday Dinner

Orange Maple Glazed Ham
Wilted Baby Spinach with Honey and Bacon
Parmesan Potatoes
Betty's Carrot Cake


I love ham and I don't care if it's bad. Hog is good; mom grew up in Tipton, Indiana, and there's no way you'll tell a Hoosier not to eat ham. I figured this glaze would be good. I had orange marmalade on hand that I'd made for a Cookies to Caviar post and some really good maple syrup from Trader Joe's that our neighbors gave us. The two together are delicious.

As for the spinach, hot bacon dressing is big here in Pennsylvania--it's a Pa Dutch thing--and I adore spinach so I came up with this. It tastes like the dressing without being so heavy or sweet.

Parmesan potatoes are easy to make and taste just right with ham. The cake is a recipe from an old friend of mine that I met online and late in real life at another "computer friend's" home. This is GOOD cake--it's linked up to another Sunday Dinner I posted, so don't forget to click over to it!

Some of this...

...and a little of this makes a great glaze.

Orange Maple Glazed Ham
Printable Recipe

1/2 c orange marmalade
1 c maple syrup
sprinkle of cinnamon

Combine these and mix. Cook your ham - 3lbs is a good size - for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Take it out and score it if you want. Glaze it well and put it back in the oven at 350 degrees F for another 45 minutes or so, until heated through.


Wilted Baby Spinach with Honey and Bacon
Printable Recipe

2 lbs baby spinach cleaned
3 slices thick bacon-diced
2 T cider vinegar
4 T honey

Cook bacon in a heavy pot until crisp. Drain fat and keep the bacon in the pot. Add honey and vinegar and stir well. Add spinach and sprinkle with 1/4 c of water. Cook over medium high heat, covered, for about 10 minutes - just until wilted. Remove lid and stir up all that honey and bacon goodness throughout your spinach. Delicious!

These tasted better than they looked this time!

Parmesan Potatoes
Printable Recipe

5 good sized clean potatoes
olive oil
salt
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Oil the bottom of a large baking pan. Slice potatoes into 1/4" thickness. Make one layer of potatoes and sprinkle with salt, olive oil and Parmesan. Make another layer and sprinkle again with salt, oil and Parmesan. One more layer should do it. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until tender and browned - this can take up to an hour and a half depending on what else is cooking in your oven and how often you open it up!

Here's that cake - don't miss the chance to make it!

R,S,C #24 Recipes

From Adopted Son (aka big brother) at Ear to the Heavens:

Holiday Pizza
Printable Recipe

Pizza dough:

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water (between 95° and 115° F.)
2 T yeast (2 tablespoons, I like my dough a little yeasty. You can use less)
2 T honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix water, honey and salt until well blended.
Add yeast and mix gently. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of flour and olive oil.
Mix until well blended. Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
The mixture should form easily into a ball.
(If too dry, add water- one tablespoon at a time;
If too wet, add flour - one tablespoon at a time.)
Once the dough is in ball, place the ball on a flour dusted
board and knead for a minute. Cover and store in a warm, dry area to
rise.

Once the dough has about doubled in size
(about 30-40 minutes) punch it down.
Let the dough rise for another hour to an hour and a half.

Take dough and press it into a flat ball about
six to eight inches wide. Continually press the
dough from the center outwards to stretch
it out, turning the dough as you go.
When the dough is 1/2" thick, roll it out to 1/4".

Place the rolled out dough on a pizza stone or a lightly-greased cookie sheet.

Toppings:

2 or 3 whole tomatoes, diced.
2 cloves crushed garlic
1lb package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella, shredded.
(Any other toppings you'd like)

Spread the ricotta cheese evenly around the pizza dough, leaving a
1/2"-3/4" edge all around. Sprinkle the crushed garlic, evenly over
the ricotta cheese. Spread the spinach evenly; evenly add the
tomatoes, then sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Salt and
pepper lightly.

Bake at 400° F. for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is lightly
browned and cheese is sufficiently melted.
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From Ian at The Gallumphing Gourmand:

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Spinach Pesto
Printable Recipe

6 fresh plum tomatoes, thickly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
crusty bread or baguettes
1/2 C fresh Parmesan cheese

Pesto
2 C firmly packed spinach
1 C flat leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/4 C - 1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 C pine nuts

Preheat oven to 450F (230C).
Place the sliced tomatoes on a broiler pan, sprinkle the minced garlic and
salt and pepper over the tops. Drizzle the olive oil over all of the
tomatoes. Cook on the top rack for 5 minutes, then turn the tomatoes over
and cook for another five minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, but leave
the oven at 450F.

Then, prepare the pesto.
Combine nuts and garlic in food processor. Whirl until finely ground. Add
spinach and parsley. Whirl until coarsely chopped with motor running. Pour
oil through feed tube until mixture is finely chopped, not pureed. Stir in
Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the baguettes diagonally, and place them on the broiler pan. Drizzle
with a little olive oil, place a roasted tomato on each piece, spoon on a
little pesto and sprinkle with more fresh Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10
minutes.
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My own recipes:

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Tomato Chutney
Printable Recipe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-pounded to an even thickness
8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. dry white wine or chicken stock

Mix all ingredients except chicken and wine. Be sure to drain spinach well.
Lay chicken out and top each breast with 1/4 of the filling. Roll each breast tightly and secure with toothpicks.
Brown rolls in a hot skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Place in a baking dish and pour wine or stock over the chicken breasts. Bake for 15 minutes 400 degrees or until the juices run clear.

Top with warmed chutney:

My idea for this is a bit different. I've used balsamic vinegar to replace part of the usual red wine or malted vinegar and an apple all for a sweeter taste. Likewise, I thought caramelized onions would be a flavorful addition.

Tomato Chutney

1 small onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1 large apple, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 T golden raisins
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T sugar
1 t curry powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c cider vinegar
1 t salt
2 c water

Cook onions in olive oil until well caramelized.
Mix in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until thick.

Ready, Set, Cook! #24

Today's ingredients are coming directly from the lists submitted for my deserted island question. Three of the foods listed most often were:

spinach
tomatoes
cheese

Remember, your pantry is limitless and you can round these out in any way you wish! Click HERE for full rules and get your stove started!

On Your Mark!

Tomorrow is Ready Set Cook! day and here's the scoop:

1) 3 ingredients will be posted tomorrow morning-they are predetermined
by someone other than myself.

2) Single dish with sauce or single dish and side are acceptable.
Any other ingredients are fine but the 3 listed MUST be in the dish and must be
prominent.

3) Post your ideas in the comments section and email actual recipes or VERY detailed
instructions for your dish to me at irishones7 at juno dot com.

4) I will post the recipes (or instructions) on Wednesday along with your blogger
URL.

If you don't have a blog-that's OK too-just please give me a name to go with your
recipes so I can credit you properly.

That's it! It should be fun, which is the whole purpose. If it all goes well, we may get
into actual contests at a later date, which would be even more fun!

****************************

This meme was sent to me by Paula.

5 "weird" things about me;

1) I love ROUND things. I don't know why but I do. It's a very comforting shape to me and
my oldest daughter ribs me constantly about that being the reason I was pregnant 6 times.

2) I can hold and write with a pen/pencil 2 different ways. People have commented on it
my whole life. I'm not really sure why anyone finds it odd but they do so, I thought
I would mention it.

3) I hate shoes, I hate socks, I would go barefoot for life if I could.

4) I do not get postpartum depression, I get postpartum fear of heights. Odd but true.
I even get scared of being on my porch, which is only 3 feet off the ground.

5) I have a severe fear of metal in water-ie: large metal pipes in water, drain holes, etc.
I have never figured that one out. I even hate large pipes that hold water on land.
My grandfather was Superintendent of the water works in Tipton, Indiana and when he would
take us to the "shop" I could barely breathe because there was a room there that had
nothing but large pipes carrying water to and from the area.

OK, my turn is over and I don't have enough friends to beg to do this so, I won't. I also
noticed that the few friends I do have were already tagged by something similar. I need to
widen my circle.

***************
Recipe for today for no particular reason other than it's GOOD.

Mom gave me this recipe which she got from Helene Bozakis, which just means that it's
as authentic as you can get.

Spanakopita
Makes one 9x13 pan
Printable Recipe

12 oz box of phyllo sheets
2 sticks butter-melted
2 lbs. fresh spinach-washed and trimmed
1 large onion finely chopped
3 T olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-16oz. container cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dill
6 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Brush the pastry sheets with butter and layer 1/2 in a
greased 9x13 pan.
Saute onion in oil until tender. Add spinach and cook
until wilted.
Combine cheeses, herbs, eggs and nutmeg.
Add cheese to spinach and mix-spoon into prepared pan.
Top with remaining pastry sheets and butter the top.
Seal edges and bake at 350F for 45 minutes until golden
and crisp.
Let stand 10-15 min. before cutting. Good served hot
or cold.