Opa! Greek Salad Skewers!

*Photos by Rebecca
I saw this recipe for "Skewered Greek Salad," or as I call it, "Greek Salad Skewers," in Self magazine, that was originally taken from Giada DeLaurentis on Giada at Home on the Food Network. I remembered seeing it and thinking it would be an easy and fun appetizer idea, so I looked it up to make it for a dinner I was invited to that was held last night. Although I made about 35 skewers, only 10 were left, so I'm pretty sure they were crowd-pleasers. And, I was a fan, so I'm Rebeccammending it to you as an appetizer idea, and for green entertaining since it's a no-bake recipe, and the bamboo skewers are environmentally friendly!

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of Grape Tomatos


• 1 package of Feta Cheese (block, not crumbled, so you can cube it)


• Bamboo or wood skewers (I found mine in the fish department at Whole Foods--just ask a WF employee)


• PITTED kalamata or black olives (it's a little tough to find pitted kalamata olives, but that would be difficult to put on a skewer :))


• Fresh oregano (can be found in produce section of grocery store)


• 2 Cucumbers
  
• 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar


• 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Slice cucumbers into 1/2 inch-thick rounds, then quarter them.


2. Cube the feta cheese block into 1/4-1/2-inch cubes (thick enough to slide onto the skewer)


3. String a tomato, a cucumber piece, a feta cube, an olive, and another tomato onto a skewer


4. Repeat for as many skewers as desired.


5. In a small bowl, whisk together Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, and lemon juice for the dressing


6. Pull the oregano leaves off of the stem, and dice into small pieces, adding to the dressing mixture


7. Place the skewers on a plate (if serving as a separate salad course at a small dinner gathering, or on a large serving platter if for a large party).


8. Drizzle dressing over the skewers.


9. Serve, pick up a skewer and enjoy!
   

*Note: Be cautious when transporting the serving platter to your destination, if not at your house. The dressing could spill off the plate, so wrap tightly in saran wrap.

Pico de Guac!

*Photo by Rebecca Otis. Click on picture for other food fotography on Flickr.
Yes, a self-conceived concept that combines the veggies of pico de gallo with the avocado of guacamole, for a spiced up mexican appetizer (also reminds me of one of my favorite fresh Spanish and Latin American dishes, Ceviche, only without the seafood). I came up with this recipe on the spot, when I was invited to a barbeque while at the grocery store, and had to pick up ingredients spontaneously to whip something up for the event just about 2 hours later. Here's a no-bake, 10-minute recipe for a great mexican, or in this case, outdoor barbeque appetizer!

Green Entertainment (no-bake) Appetizer Recommendation:

Ingredients

• 2 firm roma tomatos
• 1 white onion
• 2 small jalapenos (deep green in color)
• 2 limes
• 1 medium sized avocado (Shouldn't be too firm, but also not mushy when light pressure is applied to the outer shell. Also, the skin shouldn't be too dark, or it might be past-ripe)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• medium sized bowl serving dish
  

Directions

1. Dice tomatos into small pieces (try to remove the seeds and juicy center as you quarter it, so the end result isn't watery)


2. Peel and dice the onion (add as much as you like) and add to the tomatos


3. Cut one of the jalapenos lengthwise, and carefully remove the center and seeds (this is where most of the heat is contained). Dice the two halfs into small pieces, and add to the mixture.


4. Dice the other jalapeno as-is, if you like spiciness, and add to mixture


5. Cut into the avocado around the outer edge lengthwise.


6. Twist the 2 halfs, so they separate.


7. Use a spoon to remove the side without the pit, and dice into small pieces-add to mixture


8. Using a larger knife, use a little force to place the edge of the knife into the pit of the avocado deep enough so that when you twist the knife, the pit comes with it, and is removed easily. Be careful when you try this step. If you're not sure, just cut around the pit :) It's a trick I learned on the Food Network.


9. Slice the 2 limes, and squeeze lime juice into the mixture, tossing as you add juice.


10. Add tsp of cayenne pepper for extra heat, and toss.


11. Cover the Pico de Guac, so the avocados don't turn brown (this happens when they are exposed to oxygen for too long, but the acidity of the lime juice will help with this as well).


12. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers of your choice. Bon appetizer!
    

What is PITA spelled backwards?

A TIP for a quick, easy, appetizer:

Appetizer Recommendation for entertaining in your home or someone else's:

Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Chips! Yes, in the words of my Mom, "isn't it just easier to pick up a bag at the store?" Yes, it's a little easier, but, it's not as healthy, and definitely not as fresh. And, this question caught me off guard, because, thanks to Mom, she's the reason I appreciate fresh food, and homemade goodies! My thoughts are, don't underestimate the power of a simple recipe for a simple snack, and people will appreciate the personal touch!

Ingredients

• 1 package whole wheat pitas
• Fat free or low fat spray butter or olive oil
• garlic salt
• 2 baking sheets

Directions

1. Cut round pitas 3 times diagonally into 6 triangular pieces
2. Use a thin knife to split each piece into 2 thin triangular pieces, so you end up with 12 per pita
3. Line baking sheets with foil
4. Lightly spray each side of each thin triangle or drizzle with olive oil
5. Sprinkle a small amount of garlic salt on both sides of each triangle if you can (a little garlic salt goes a long way, so don't overdo it)
6. Pop in the oven at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges. The triangles should be very thin, so watch them to prevent burning.
7. Repeat after removing them from each baking sheet to cool on a plate.

Serving Recommendation: Serve around a large round serving platter. Put a colorful bell paper in the center of the tray, cutting off the top stem cleanly (you will use this later), and scooping out the middle. Fill the pepper with the hummus of your choice from the grocery store. I will post a hummus recipe later in the blog. Place the stem and top of the pepper on top for visual effect. Serve and dig in!

*Note: If you will not be serving the pita chips right away, let them cool, and store in a large zip-loc bag for 24-48 hours before serving.