Fun with Feta

Fun with Feta

Feta Cheese...............Love it!! Anyone who has read any of my previous BLOG entries or my first annual "A Year in My Kitchen - 2009" cookbook, you know that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! Feta, that is. A staple in any Greek Pantry (O.K., the refrigerator), feta is a "classic" Greek cheese.  It is traditionally made of sheep's or goat's milk and is cured, or stored, in its own salty whey brine until it becomes white and crumbly. It's right up there with olive oil (not quite that high), basil, cucumber, ouzo, and oregano. Following these recipes will be a little background on other Greek "pantry" items to have on hand.  (See the article following the recipes entitled, "Facts on Feta.")

Here are some simple, but delicious recipes with feta cheese.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did....

Let's hear it for the stinky cheeses!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomato  and Cucumbers with Feta Cheese

• 2 medium tomatoes - cored and sliced
• 1 1/2 cucumbers - peeled, sliced, seeded
• salt and pepper - to taste
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup (4 oz.) feta cheese - crumbled - you can either buy it crumbled or crumble it yourself - I vote for buying it already crumbled, but that's just me.............

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes and cucumbers. Season with salt and pepper.  Add vinegar and olive oil. Toss to coat.  Sprinkle on feta cheese and serve.

Sauteed Zucchini with Feta Cheese

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large zucchini - thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves - chopped
• salt and pepper - to taste
• 1 tbsp. dried basil flakes
• 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro (optional)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese - crumbled

In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil on low heat.  Add zucchini and slowly saute with garlic and a little salt and pepper until golden and slightly carmelized - about 20 minutes.   Season with salt and pepper.  Mix in basil, cilantro, and feta. Saute for 10 minutes or until the ingredients are at the "doneness" you desire.

Greek Salad

• 1 package romaine lettuce - e.g. Dole Salad Mixture
• 3 medium tomatoes - quartered
• 1 medium cucumber - seeded and chopped
• 7 oz. feta cheese - crumbled
• 2 medium green onions - chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper - diced
• 3/4 cup black olives - halved
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper - to taste

Combine lettuce, tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, and chopped cucumber in a large bowl - add the feta cheese, onions, and black olives. Toss gently.  For the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper - to taste.  Pour the dressing over the lettuce mixture. Toss gently.  Serve with pita or crusty bread.

 

  

Facts on Feta

Feta cheese is the most popular Greek cheese and is traditionally made from goat's milk or sheep's milk. It is stored in wooden barrels of brine and matured for at least two months.  This method of preserving cheese was first discovered in ancient times and may have been the first preserved cheese in Greece.  Most feta cheese comes from mountainous areas and its pure white color comes from the color of milk of lean animals that roam the "craggy slopes" looking for food.

 

Goat's feta cheese has a strong, gamey flavor.  Sheep's feta has a richer taste.  Both soft and firm feta, as well as sweet and less salty types of feta are available in Greece.  Feta is used in salads and baked in a variety of pies. (e.g "spanakopita")  Cubed or crumbled feta is used in stuffed vegetables or added to omelettes - or used as a stuffing for fish.  Feta is also served with fruit, such as watermelon, or just with olive oil poured over the top and sprinkled with oregano.

 

 

 

*The Greek Pantry

• Basil - Called the "royal herb" by ancient Greeks, basil is a key summer herb in Mediterranean cooking.  
• Cucumber - Cucumbers were believed to have originated in either India or Thailand and was cultivated for thousands of year.
• Olive Oil - Olive oil is from pressed, tree-ripened olives and its extracts are monounsaturated fats - or the "good fats."  Olive oil is graded by the degree of acidity they contain.  The best olive oil is cold-pressed, and the chemical-free process creates the low-acidity.  Extra-Virgin olive oil has only 1% acidity, which is the finest and fruitiest of all olive oils.
• Oregano - Oregano came to the United States by soldiers from WWII.  It is sometimes called "wild marjoram."

*More to follow in subsequent postings......................

Peach Cobbler with a Sugar Cookie Crust

Peach Cobbler with a 

Sugar Cookie Crust

In keeping with the "Old-Fashioned Food" theme for another posting, I searched through my recipe files for a recipe using the peaches I bought after discovering Matt loved peaches. I came across a few recipes for peach cobbler and Matt informed me that he LOVED peach cobbler.  Hence, today's recipe.  And, me being me, I just had to learn more about the origin of peaches and a little bit of peach history, of course, to satisfy my "Geekness." As I said before, I should probably rename my BLOG, "Another Year in my Kitchen and Other Geeky Things I know." BTW, August is National Peach Month!

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 stick of butter - cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil (yes, vegetable oil - olive oil didn't work for this recipe...)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• PAM

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x13" baking dish with PAM.  Arrange cut peach slices into baking dish.  Scatter butter pieces over the top of the peaches, then sprinkle with brown sugar evenly on top.  Mix flour, white sugar, baking powder, ans salt in a bowl.  Add oil to beaten eggs,  then stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients.  Spoon batter over the peaches. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Bake for about 45 minutes in the preheated oven or until the crust is lightly browned.  Makes 12 servings.

  

2 Basic Types of Peaches

1. clingstone - flesh of the peach "clings" to the stone

2. freestone - can be loosened from the pit easily

*When choosing fresh peaches, look at the skin around the stem area.  If it is green, it was picked too early.  If it is creamy yellow, these will be the best peaches to choose.

History of the Peach

The peach originated in China and has been cultivated there since 1,000 B.C.E.*  The peach has a special significance to the Chinese culture - the peach tree is considered to be the tree of life.  Peaches are symbols of immortality and unity, and are thought to bring luck and abundance.  Peach blossoms are carried by Chinese brides, even today.  In China, peaches were reproduced in porcelain dishes.  Dumplings, shaped like peaches, were served as a special treat on a person's birthday.  Wood of the peach tree was carved into special amulets.

Peaches traveled west to Persia via the Silk Road, which helped it earn its botanical name, "Prunus Persica."  In Persia, peaches were discovered by Alexander the Great, and he introduced them to the Greeks.  By 322 B.C.E., Greece had peaches.  By 50 - 20 B.C.E., Romans grew and sold them for the modern equivalent of $4.50.  The Romans called the peach a "Persian Apple."  The Romans cultivated the peach and transported it north and west to other countries in their European Empire.

Columbus brought peaches to the New World on his second and third of his four voyages. The Spanish brought peaches to South America.  The French introduced peaches to Louisiana.  And England brought peaches to Jamestown and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Production in the United States began with the California Gold Rush in 1849. During the Gold Rush, as the population rapidly grew, the demand for peaches outweighed the availability of peaches.  In Sutter County, two farmers, A.F. Abbott and Joseph Phillips, developed a variety of cling peaches that led to the canning of the clingstone peach because it holds its flavor and texture.  At the turn of the century, the cannery, today used as a waterfront marketplace, was once the largest peach cannery in the world.

California produces more than 50% of peaches in the United States and grows 175 different varieties.  Georgia is called the "Peach State" because it grows so many peaches.

Today, China is the largest producer of peaches.  Italy is second and is the main exporter in the European Union. 

 

*B.C.E., or Before Common Era is the new politically-correct term for B.C.  Additionally C.E., or Common Era is the new term for A.D.  

Old-Fashioned Food: Tomato Sandwiches and Meatloaf

Old-Fashioned Food:

Tomato Sandwiches and Meatloaf

Sometimes the old-fashioned food from the past is a pleasant reminder that the world hasn't always been fast food and processed packaged dinners. While we all enjoy the convenience of these items, if we take a step back and think about it, we did just fine with real food.

This past week during the annual "Garage Sale" I participate in, I discovered that my friend's husband, Will, has been growing vegetables in his back yard all summer.  "Holy Tomatoes, Batman!" His tomato plants were taller that he was and full of tomatoes.  After plucking off the ripe tomatoes he could reach, he offered to make myself and another friend a tomato sandwich. WOW!!!

I remember not liking tomatoes as a kid - but luckily I've come to my senses and have learned to appreciate them!! There's nothing better than a good old-fashioned tomato sandwich made with 

fresh-picked tomatoes.

There are MANY variations, but as long as you have the basics - slices of tomato, bread, cheese, etc., you can create an amazing tomato sandwich.  I've made many tomato sandwiches since that day.  Next summer, Matt and have agreed to try our hand at growing our own vegetables. And then.....possibly some canning....Hmmmmm......

Now I have to try the cucumbers Will gave me..... 

SO, keeping in mind the old-fashioned theme, last night I made a good old-fashioned meatloaf (no, not the singer).  It was AMAZING!!! Every member of my family ate some - which is a rare feat in and of itself. I made a great big meatloaf and only a few pieces were left once everyone 

had their fill. 

Now why didn't I think of it sooner?

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

• 2.5 lbs. lean ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 small onion - diced
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 cups dried Italian bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 to 4 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 small cans mushrooms stems and pieces 
• Optional: 1 small green pepper - diced
• PAM

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, onion, milk, mushrooms, optional green pepper, and bread crumbs.  Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until they are well-combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, as well as garlic salt.   Spray a large baking dish with PAM and place the meat mixture in the dish.  Mold the meat mixture with your hands in a elongated oval shape.


In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf and using a barbecue brush, ensure that the surface of the meatloaf is covered.  Add additional amounts as needed.  

I added more mustard, garlic salt, and ketchup over the top of ours - I knew my kids would appreciate the extra!!  I would have added diced green pepper, but I knew they wouldn't appreciate that!  Another idea would be to saute the onions in 2 tbsp. butter until they are soft before adding them to the meatloaf.


Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or to your desired doneness.

 


NEXT.......Peach Cobbler. Stay Tuned!