Lemon and Pine-Nut Rice

Here's the final recipe for your simple, greek-inspired meal: Lemon and Pine Nut Rice.   I found this in Martha Stewart's--Fresh Flavor Fast cookbook and modified it by using chicken broth to make the rice and adding fresh herbs to the lemon juice, zest, and toasted pine nuts. You can always make plain old regular brown or white rice, but sometimes it's better to be different.

Equipment:
3 qt saucepan with a tight-fitting lid

Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups of water
1 chicken buillion (or just use chicken broth altogether)
1 cup rice

1-2 Tbls of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of lemon zest, grated
1 Tablespoon of butter
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted in a small skillet on Medium

Mixture of fresh herbs, ie oregano, majoram, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Bring chicken broth to a boil.
3. Add rice and bring to a boil.
5. Cover and reduce heat to 'Low'.
6. Simmer for 15-17 minutes.

7. While you are making perfect rice, prep your other ingredients.
8. Finely chop the majoram and oregano if you decide to add these.
9. Toast your pine nuts.  Follow this closely because these nuts are expensive and burn easily!!!

10. Zest and juice lemon.

11. When rice done, remove from heat and fluff with a fork and butter.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
12. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Bring out the grilled chicken souvlaki and tzatziki.
Make your bucket list, sit back, and dream of Greece.

Artichoke, Red Onion and Feta Tart

Earlier this week I published a quick and easy dessert recipe involving puff pastry.  Originally, I had planned to feature a savory and sweet option, but then realized it might be better to just focus on one.  Today, we will use the same steps but use savory ingredients combined with puff pastry to create a quick appetizer or late night alternative to pizza.

Equipment:

Baking sheet or jelly roll pan (baking sheet with edges)

Parchment paper

Small mixing bowl

Fork or whisk

Ingredients:

4 ounces of crumbled feta

1-2 Tbls of half-and-half or cream

14 oz jar of marinated artichokes, drained
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Fresh herbs, ie basil, oregano, or majoram, chopped ( or dried )

Puff pastry, thawed & unfolded

1 Egg, slightly beaten with 1 tsp water

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

3. Un-Roll puff pastry onto baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Use a knife to score the puff pastry along the edges, leaving a 1/2-3/4 inch border.

5. Combine crumbled feta and cream into a coarse, spreadable mixture.  If you have a blender or magic bullet, you can use this instead.  Add liquid to get a spreadable consistency, but not runny!!

6. Scatter artichokes across the feta-mixture.
7. Add red onions & herbs (or dried spices).

8. Drizzle with a little olive oil & pepper.

9. Brush (or use your fingers / hand) edges with egg wash.

10. Bake @ 425F x 10-15 minutes until edges start browning, then decrease heat to 350F.

11. Bake another 20-25 minutes until crust golden brown.

Don't blink here because you might just miss getting a piece.
Feel free to experiment with mushrooms, leek, zucchini, squash, and other cheeses.  The puff pastry is really just a canvas for ideas.