Souvlaki Chicken

First of all let me give you a brief synopsis definition of the word "Souvlaski"... (excerpt from Wikipedia)

"Souvlaki or souvlakia is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It may be served on the skewer for eating out of hand, in a pita sandwich with garnishes and sauces, or on a dinner plate, often with fried potatoes or pilaf. The meat is traditionally pork in Greece and Cyprus, or in modern times increasingly chicken. In other countries and for tourists, souvlaki may be made with other meats such as beef, lamb and sometimes fish (especially swordfish.)"

So with that said...let's get cooking!

Souvlaki Chicken

2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts (tendons trimmed)
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. garlic flavored red wine vinegar (or plain)
1 Tblsp. minced garlic
1 Tblsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme


Rinse and pat chicken dry. Cut into 1-2 inch cubes & place into a container.



Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk. Pour marinade over chicken & seal with a tight fitting lid. Gently toss chicken in marinade to coat each piece well. Place in refrigerator to marinade overnight.



To get ready to grill, remove chicken from refrigerator. Allow meat to come to room temperature. Drain marinade from chicken and place meat onto skewers.


Grill meat for 12-15 minutes, turning often or until chicken cooked completely through and juices run clear. (Hubby used his new pannini grill so there was no need for turning the meat.) You may also bake your chicken in a 350* oven or grill on top of your stove. Simply follow the turning instructions above and cook until meat is completely done. Cooking time will vary depending on the method used.


Serve with whole wheat pita bread and Tzatziki sauce.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Crockpot Pizza

I need to take care of some home keeping today, so I thought I'd at least make one of my tasks easier by pulling out my trusted crock pot. I found the following recipe on the Taste of Home website and thought it would be perfect to try on this chilly winter day.

(Photo by: Taste of Home)

Crockpot Pizza
1 pkg. (16-oz) wide egg noodles
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 jar (26-oz) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (4-1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 pkg. (3-1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni, halved
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Drain noodles.

In a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray, spread a third of the meat sauce. Cover with a third of the noodles and pepperoni. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Repeat layers twice. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Corn Sasuage Chowder

A sweet friend of mine shared this recipe with me the other day. She knows I am a comfort food fan and thought this would hit the mark. Let me tell you, it certainly is a tasty soup that I know will be made many times over in our home from her on out. Thank you Crank Grandma for sharing this with me. I didn't have potatoes tonight, so I revised the recipe.

Original recipe in black. My personal revisions in red.

Corn Sausage Chowder

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 c. onions, chopped
4 c. cubed, peeled potatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 c. water
1 (17 oz.) can cream style corn
1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1/3 of a 2 lb. loaf Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 pints pork stock instead of water
4-5 dashes hot sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tblsp. cornstarch & water to make a slurry




In Dutch oven or kettle, cook sausage and onion until sausage is brown and onion tender. Drain on paper towel. Return sausage, onion to Dutch oven with potato, salt, marjoram, pepper, garlic powder, hot sauce and water (pork stock instead of water). Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cream style corn and whole kernel corn and milk. Add in Velveeta cheese and stir until melted. Add in cornstarch slurry to thicken soup. Heat thoroughly.


Click HERE for printable recipe

Recipe source: Cranky Grandma

Carmel Apple Cookies

If you are a fan of apples or anything that smells & taste like the holidays, then these cookies are made for you! I can't make enough of these yummy little treats. They are awesome!

Caramel Apple Cookies

1/2 c. butter flavor crisco
1-1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. apple juice
2-1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 c. peeled, cored and shredded apples
5 Tblsp. finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting:
2-3 Tblsp. margarine
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 Tblsp. water
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2-3 Tblsp. milk


In a large mixing bowl, cream together brown sugar and crisco. Beat in egg and 1/4 c. of the apple juice. Set aside.


In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Stir to mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients to the brown sugar mixture. Mix well. Stir in remaining apple juice and shredded apples until well blended.


Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto a silpat lined or greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10-13 minutes or until golden. Let cool slightly then transfer to wire cooling racks. Glaze with frosting and top with walnuts.

To make frosting:



Combine margarine, brown sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat & stir until melted and sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreadable frosting consistency. Use immediately to glaze/frost cookies. If frosting hardens too quickly, return pan to low heat and stir to in more milk as needed.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Magic In The Middle Cookies

I happened upon the following recipe from King Arthur flour while searching for a peanut butter cookie recipe. When I saw the ingredients to this one, I knew I had to try it. Boy am I glad I did! These are great with a glass of cold milk.

Magic In The Middle Cookies

1-½ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. sugar
½ c. firmly packed brown sugar
½ c. butter flavor crisco
¼ c. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Filling: ¾ c. creamy peanut butter
¾ c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly grease baking sheets. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat to combine, then stir in dry ingredients & blend well.

In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. With floured hands, roll the filling into one-inch balls.


Scoop out about 1 Tbsp. of the cookie dough & make an indentation in the center with your finger. Press one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring the dough up and over the filling, pressing it closed; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place on prepared cookie sheets.

Grease the bottom of a drinking glass and use it to flatten each cookie to about ½-inch-thick. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with sugar.

Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, until firm. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Recipe Source: King Arthur Flour