Sausage over Creamy Golden Lentils

A couple of weeks ago I received some samples of heirloom beans from Marx Foods. The company had gotten some new stock and quickly posted an announcement on its site, that a cup of any two of the varieties would be sent out to bloggers willing to test drive the pulses. I opted in and was sent a cup each of the Petite Golden Lentils and Marrow Beans.

“Deconstructed Caponata” and Feta Baked with Peperoncini

I’d heard, seen and read the term caponata across numerous foodie media outlets for years now. If, however, you sat me down all this time and asked just what a traditional caponata is, I’d inevitably bite my lip and mutter a deflated “ummmm.” It wasn’t until I clicked on Foodalogue the other day and thoroughly read Joan’s post, that it was finally cemented into my stubbornbrain just what a real caponata is comprised of.

Moussaka Burgers

Yes, moussaka may be a bit cliche, if you will. For more than a few people it is the mascot of Greek cuisine. And sure, Anthony Bourdain may have slammed moussaka during his Greek Islands episode of No Reservations a couple of years ago–if I recall correctly he likened “the casserole” to a “brick”–but it’s still one of my favorite foods (and of course my mom’s version has a special place in my heart). But this post has nothing to do with the classic Greek Moussaka. We’re talking burgers here instead. 

Grilled Octopus Salad and Grilled Oregano Shrimp

On Saturday family and friends gathered in our yard, I prepped dishes in the kitchen and my husband lit the charcoals to help carry out my Grilling Greek event for May’s installment of Foodbuzz 24×24. This was only after my husband and I had been bickering for the greater part of Friday evening, he insisting it was going to rain the next day and we should postpone the barbecue and I insisting (yelling and demanding are good synonyms) that the barbecue needed to take place on the 29th along with the other 23 meals planned, hence the name Foodbuzz 24×24.

Foodbuzz 24×24: Grilling Greek

Memorial Day: the last Monday in May, a day of remembrance for those who died in our nation’s service, the official opening of our beaches and the unofficial start of summer. And nothing says summer like an All-American barbecue. So for this month’s Foodbuzz 24×24 event, we decided to “unofficially” usher in the new season by Grilling Greek to honor our Greek-American roots. Friends and family gathered in the yard yesterday where we enjoyed the warm weather by grilling some Greek-inspired dishes.

Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Mushrooms — Πιπεριές Γεμιστές με Ρύζι και Μανιτάρια

I spotted these bright orange peppers in the market last week and instantly piled them up in a bag. Although I knew they’d be perfect sliced thin into a fresh salad or tossed with some pasta and grape tomatoes, I also wanted to try them stuffed as I’ve only ever prepared gemista (the classic Greek staple of rice/meat stuffed vegetables) with red/green peppers and tomatoes.