Macaroni and Cheese with a Greek Twist

This is a pretty straightforward recipe … a  simple “Mediterranean” play on Mac n Cheese, if you will. Natasha over at 5 Star Foodie hosts the monthly event dubbed the “5 Star Makeover Challenge” by way of which she urges fellow bloggers to revamp a popular dish/recipe each month. For example, January focused on cornbread, February on mousse and March on compound butter. This month (April) the challenge is to makeover a pasta dish.

Mediterranean Burgers

Sometimes a girl has to quench her craving for a good burger, right? That doesn”t necessarily mean hitting the local fast food joint though …  on the contrary, for me it means whipping up some flavorful burgers right here at home. My latest creation: these Mediterranean Burgers packed with tangy Kalamata olives, fresh herbs and savory beef. These burgers were GOOD. Seriously, they were.

Kέρασμα … Kοπεγχάγη — Birthday Treat

Today’s my birthday! Another year older … but still feeling, hmmm, I’d say about 25. To celebrate, I’m offering you all this treat, the act of which is known as Kέρασμα (kerasma)  in Greek. What is this delicious, syrupy, nutty, phyllo-topped delight? Well, in Greek it is known as Kοπεγχάγη (ko-peg-hagi), which translates to Copenhagen. Huh?!?!?!? Believe me I am as confused as you as I don’t know the meaning behind the name of this dessert, although I would love to find out just why it was christened this way.

Asparagus, Scallion and Goat Cheese Pizza — Πίτσα με Σπαράγγια, Kρεμμυδάκια και Κατσικί�

The warm weather of spring and the effects of all that meat enjoyed on Easter call for much lighter eating these days. Salads, fresh fruit, fish and tons of vegetables simply tossed in olive oil are on the menu more-so now than ever before. That doesn’t mean you can’t get creative though. So, why not put together a healthy homemade pizza dotted with vegetables, cheese and, well, whatever else your heart desires? Note: we’re thinking healthy for now, so just put the sausage, bacon and pepperoni back in the fridge for a little while.

Spicy Orange Salad — Πικάντικη Σαλάτα με Πορτοκάλια και Ελιές

Reading The New York Times Magazine this past Sunday, I came across a recipe for Moroccan-style Spicy Orange Salad republished from a 1980 article in The Times. I’ve added orange sections and olives to lettuce salads before, but never put together a salad of just orange and olives accented with fresh herbs and a spicy “dressing.” The writer presenting the Recipe Redux in the Sunday magazine was adamant the Spicy Orange Salad should be a more widely appreciated dish and so I had to see what all the fuss was about. All I can say is, “Ditto!”

Chicken Curry — Ινδικό Kοτόπουλο

Easter came and went–and I will post some of the recipes I used for that feast over the next couple of weeks–but for now, I’d like to share something different. I’ve loved Indian food for quite a long time. But it had been ages since I’d enjoyed some … until we attended the wedding of a co-worker/friend of my husband’s just about two weeks ago. Being that my husband’s co-worker is of Indian decent, we enjoyed some amazing food there.