Month: August 2021

A cold and refreshing cucumber soup is great for a hot summer day. It’s super easy to prepare in just under 10 minutes! The chilled soup calls for chopped onion, buttermilk, sour cream, olive oil, dill, salt, pepper and of course cucumbers. Make it ahead of time to enjoy any day. If you don’t have a blender, an immersion blender works for this recipe. Prep time: 10 minsTotal time: 10 minsServings: 3 to 4 servings Ingredients: 2 large cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds total) 2 tablespoons chopped onion (white, red, or green) 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Pinch black pepper Directions: Prep the cucumbers, onion, and dill: Peel, seed, and roughly chop the cucumbers. Chop the onion and dill. Blend: Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.At this point you can make ahead and chill. Chill the soup: Chill in a container in the refrigerator until cold. Serve: Pour into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a feather of dill. Source: Simply Recipes

Take tonight’s dinner to a new level with the help of an air fryer. These Shish Kebabs are prepared with common ingredients such as onions, bell peppers, cucumbers and of course your choice of meat. Season these up with garlic salt, pepper and soy sauce for an extra kick of flavor. If you don’t have any shish kebab sticks on hand use popsicle sticks instead! Ingredients: Onion Bell Pepper Cucumbers Meat of choice Garlic Salt Pepper Olive Oil Spray 1/4 cup soy sauce Shish Kebab Sticks or Popsicle Sticks Directions: Cut an onion, bell pepper, cucumbers and meat into 1-inch squares Spray with olive oil and season with garlic salt, pepper, 1/4 cup soy sauce Stack on a short shish kebab stick or popsicle stick Spray air fryer pan with olive oil and load the tray Cook at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes

Grenadine is a syrup made from the juice of pomegranates. It’s sweet, tart and deeply vibrant. This quick and easy syrup can be added to various cocktails or nonalcoholic beverages. While it is commonly sold in stores, grenadine is super simple to make at home with just basic ingredients like pomegranates, sugar and a flavor or two for complexity. It comes together quickly and can be stored for one to three months depending if you add vodka to it to extend its shelf life. Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 30 mins Cool time: 60 mins Total time: 95 mins Servings: 1 ⅔ to 1 ¾ cups syrup Ingredients: 2 cups pomegranate juice from 2-3 large pomegranates 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon orange flower water 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses 1 ounce vodka, optional Directions: Simmer pomegranate juice and sugar: In a small saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice and sugar and whisk until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-low so that you have a vigorous simmer. The liquid should have lots of little bubbles around the edges, but no big bubbles. Simmer to reduce pomegranate liquid: Continue to simmer until the mixture has reduced to about a third, there should be 1 2/3 cup of liquid remaining. This can take anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes, and the liquid should be viscous and have thickened to the consistency of honey. Let grenadine cool to room temperature: After the mixture has reduced, remove from the heat and let it come to room temperature. Stir in the orange flower water and pomegranate molasses. If using, also stir in the vodka. Store the grenadine: Pour the grenadine into an airtight container or swing top bottle. Store in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 months. Source: Simply Recipes

A Dakos Salad is a specialty Greek salad made with fresh tomatoes, feta, capers, red onions, oregano and basil. It’s a vibrant taste for summer. It can be made either like a bruschetta or deconstructed into a salad. Serve this as a part of a mezze spread, or along a barbeque. The salad is a quick and simple way to throw an easy meal together. Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 15 minsServings: 4 servings Ingredients: 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks 2 tablespoons finely diced red onions 1/4 cup black olives (such as kalamata), pitted and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped Small handful of parsley leaves, chopped Small handful basil leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1/3 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Black pepper, to taste 6 dakos rusks or two thick slices of sourdough cut into chunks and toasted 1/2 cup feta, crumbled Directions: Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, parsley, basil, oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Crumble rusks over salad and let sit: Break the rusks into 1-inch pieces. Add to the salad then using a rubber spatula combine the ingredients. Let the salad rest for 10 minutes so the rusks can soften slightly in the tomato juices. Top with feta: Once the salad has rested for 10 minutes, add the feta over top. Finish salad and serve: Check the seasoning and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve. Source: Simply Recipes