Spanakopita - No Eggs!

'The sheaves of phyllo are laid flat,
Uncurling the folded edges.
Smooth and powder dry,
It feels like holding Nana's hand.
Violet talc and buttered rich,
A pocket full.
Smells of kitchen cutting boards and sharpened knives,
I cut my heart in two.' - Annie




I make these whenever I think of my Grandma Elva, especially for celebrations like weddings and birthdays.


In a large bowl, blend together 2 lbs firm and well drained ricotta, 1 1/4 lbs feta, well drained and crumbled, and 1 1/2 lbs well drained frozen spinach.









Mince and brown one sweet yellow onion in olive oil and then add to the bowl. Blend well.

Layer three sheets of phyllo, each well buttered, and cut in half the long ways. Scoop two tbls of filling in the bottom corner. Flag fold, tucking in the edge.

Lay on a buttered pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 380* for 25 to 28 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Flu Bustin' Hummus, Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever

My family is finally over the flu and what did I make to help kill off the last of the Influenza Virus? Flu Bustin' Hummus!

This recipe can be made at the volume suggested and then split into four tupperware-like containers, one for now, three to freeze or share, or you can divide the recipe to your liking prior to blending the batch.

It can be very spicy! With 20 cloves of garlic, I guarantee it will knock not only your nose askew, but those viruses as well!

20 cloves of Organic garlic
1 1/2 cups of Organic baby spinach
1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of Organic chickpeas
1 cup of plain Organic Greek yogurt
2 freshly squeezed Organic lemons
4 tbls Organic tahini

Blend in batches and mix well together and then pour into the containers.

For some odd reason it looks like Dr. Seuss's Oobleck, but who cares, it is Duh-licious!

Hummus and Pakistani Lamb (Mutton) Stew

Peeled and de-seeded cucumbers, tahini, lime juice, strained yogurt, olive oil and chickpeas blended until smooth. Cool and refreshing, this hummus was a perfect accompaniment to the spicy Pakistani stew.

The stew was cubed lamb, diced de-seeded tomatoes, diced onions, yogurt, garlic powder, ginger, cracked peppercorns, whole cloves, black cardamon pods, cinnamon, cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, red chilies, salt, oil, and fresh cilantro. Served over basmati rice seasoned with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and green cardamon pods along with creamy garlic potatoes and spinach salad with onion cream dressing and naan.

Spinach Parmesan Fougasse

Although this bread is known by many names throughout the Mediteranian region, the French version from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is my favorite. A fougasse is an herbed French bread molded into a beautiful leaf shape.

1 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence or
1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar

Proof the yeast. Leave for five minutes until the yeast mixture is fluffy. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture, then pour in the proofed yeast. Use a wooden spoon to to mix the flour into the dissolved yeast to form a soft paste. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and wait until it rises for about 20 minutes.

Remove the towel and add the oil, parmesan cheese, and herbes de provence or spinach to the flour well. Flour your working surface and knead the dough on it until smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turning it to coat evenly with the oil, then cover it with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, then let rest for ten minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a tear shape, about fourteen inches long and 3/4 inches thick. Oil your baking sheet or place a piece of silicon lining on it.

Form the dough into a leaf shape, and make diagonal slashes across the dough. Pull out each slash gently with your fingers. Cover the shaped dough, then proof until an imprint of your finger springs back slowly, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 40 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm.

Spinach and Garlic & Herb Jack Cheese Ring

I went to the Farmer's Market on Bidwell on Saturday. I stopped by First Light Farm & Creamery's table and picked up a brick of their Garlic & Herb Jack cheese.

Rolled out the dough as long and thin as possible. Then drizzled it liberally with olive oil.

The spinach came from Winter Farms. A light sprinkle of Grind to a Salt seasoning from Simply Organics was added and then the whole thing was rolled up as tightly as possible.

The oven was pre-heated to 380 degrees. I formed a ring and slid it on a greased pan. The crust was oiled and more Grind to a Salt was sprinkled on top.

The ring was baked for about 40 minutes and then set out on a cutting board to cool for ten minutes before slicing.

This produces a soft bread with flavorful cheese and spinach swirls and a light brown crust.

This was served with wild rice and a side salad. The salad had Asian lettuces from our garden along with Winter Farm spinach, kumatos and Jonathan's Organic pea shoots from the Lexington co-op.

Marinated Chops, Salad, Armenian Rice Pilaf, Fingerling Potatoes

Marinate chops for 2 hours in Sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and juiced ginger. Pan fry in a bit of olive oil until deep brown. Don't over cook these! Internal temp - 165 degrees.

The salad is well washed baby spinach, sweet red peppers, avocados, and organic Bunashimeji Brown Beech mushrooms. 

Basic Armenian Rice Pilaf:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice

2 cups veggie broth













The high in potassium fingerling potatoes from Wegman's grocers were boiled and served with whipped butter.

Garlic stuffed Olive Herbed Focaccia and Spinach-Ricotta Dumplings in Red Pepper Sauce

I led a class on Italian cooking yesterday and felt honored to be surrounded by such a lovely group of ladies.

We made this delicious focaccia!

2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tbls olive oil
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbls thyme and oregano

Olives stuffed with garlic cloves
Olive oil for brushing onto surface and sprinkle with salt.

Proof yeast. Mix with flour and olive oil. Mix, adding a little flour until a soft elastic ball forms. Place in an oiled bowl and cover until doubled in size. Divide and pull into round disk shapes. Place in cake pans, dimpling the surface. Insert olives into one or both, which ever your prefer. Bake until golden brown. approximately 15-20 minutes. Pop out of pans and bake for five more minutes. Best served still warm.

4 large, fleshy red bell peppers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 5 fresh basil leaves salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons yogurt


Cook on a high heat and use an immersion blender to make smooth.

For the Dumplings:
3 bunches spinach, stems removed
3 eggs or yogurt
3/4 cup freshly grated Italian parmesan cheese, plus cheese for garnishing
3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
 2 cups ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus flour for dredging
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tbls sage 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted









We ended up putting these in a large, well oiled pan and under the broiler to bake when boiling our dumplings led to half results, sometimes this mix isn't quite firm enough to handle boiling. Baking it produced beautiful little rounds of hot cheese and spinach.

Photos courtesy of Kate Goehrig Scott.

Organic Lemon Garlic Tilapia with Sweet and Basmati Rice blend with Walnut and Blue Spinach Salad

Keep things simple when the Summer heat is unbearable. Light proteins with subtle flavors will keep you refreshed and energized when exhausted by triple digit weather. Serve with un-sweeted iced tea or a large glass of ice water. The fish can be pack boiled, no more than 8 minutes. A pat of homemade garlic butter and lemon wedges keep it flavorful without overwhelming you. A blend of rices and a large spinach salad add a nice touch to an ordinary filet of fish.