Beef Gyros, Tzatziki and Spinach Pies

No, there are no pictures.  It has all been consumed.  How much can you really expect when the food is good and its dinner time?   I’m so glad you understand!

Last night I made a good dinner, inspired by our trip to Greece.  I made gyros with tzatziki and spinach pies.  Mmmm.  Very good.  And it all starts with a piece of beef (chuck roast) and a slow cooker.  Here’s how it went:

Slow cooker roast beef:

1 # chuck roast (or steak)

1/2 C olive oil

3 T lemon juice (or squeeze out a lemon and toss in the wedge)

6 cloves garlic, smashed

2 t dried oregano

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Add all ingredients to the pot, and then coat the meat in them, cover, and simmer on low for 8 hours.  Make sure that the meat is covered on top by liquid!  When it’s ready, just at dinner time, remove and slice, it should be very tender and it will smell great.

Now, for the delicious accompaniment of Tzatziki.

Ingredients:

1 C plain yogurt (not lowfat, please, but doesn’t have to be Greek, I used Dannon all natural)

1 C cucumber*

1 garlic clove, minced or grated

1 squeeze lemon

black pepper, a few rounds from the grinder

dash salt

*for the cucumber, use a vegetable peeler to take off the thick dk green skin, discard, then shave into the white pulp until you get to the seeds (we don’t want the seedy part), give the white pulp shavings a quick coarse chop and you are done!

Combine all ingredients, set aside to chill a while.  This is enough for 2 people, and can be added directly to the gyro over the meat, or on the side as a dip.  I like to have it both ways!

To complete the gyro, you will need:

Pita-most bendable when warmed in the oven for a few minutes

Thin tomato wedges

Chopped lettuce

Red onion slices

Lastly, but certainly not least…the Spinach Pies.  Ooo these were good.  They cook in ramekins at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

About 2 Tablespoons of dough that is not sweetened will do if you have no filo dough, which I did not, nor could I acquire in these neck of the woods (pathetic, eh?).  So, if you have made a pie, and smartly put the leftover dough scraps into the freezer in a neat little ball wrapped tightly in plastic, you will have just what you need.  Otherwise, you may have to improvise…or reduce the ingredients and check out my pie crust recipe on the Pecan Pie post.

Ingredients:

2 T crust dough

2/3 of a can of spinach

1/4 C mozzarella shredded cheese + extra 2T for the top

1 T Parmesan cheese, grated

1 T milk

1 T margarine

1 egg

pinch of ground black pepper

dash of salt

Between two pieces of wax paper, roll approx. 1 T of the dough into a flat disc about 6” in diameter.

Gently peel the paper away from each side and place the disc on top of the ramekin, help the weight of the dough settle into the cup, pressing gently into place and fixing any rips that may occur.

Trim dough to an even height with a knife (about 1/2” from the top of the lip)

Place on a small cookie sheet and into the oven to bake for 10 minutes

While this is baking, drain the can of spinach, separating about 2/3 of the contents (this you will work with)

Squeeze as much water as you can out of the 2/3s, save the rest for another use or freeze.

In a small saucepan, tear apart the spinach (which is now in tight little balls from squeezing) to separate it a bit

Add low-medium heat to the pan

Add margarine, and stir to incorporate

Add milk, incorporate

Add cheeses, salt and pepper, incorporate

Remove from heat.

Add egg, use a small whisk or fork to incorporate and mix evenly

Divide this mixture in half, placing equal amount in each pre-baked shell

Top with extra mozzarella cheese

Return ramekins to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

There you go!  It’s really a lot easier than all of these steps might indicate…trust me :)

Remove the ramekins from the oven, let cool 5 minutes, and the pies will slip right out of them and onto your plate in a beautiful little spinach pie.

I am definitely going to make these again and again.  They were really tasty.

McCall's M5989, Sleepwear

McCall’s M5989

I made view C, the nightgown.  I think it seems strange that it’s so hard to find a pattern for a regular old nightgown.  Not something that looks like what my grandmother would wear, and not something that has pants as a part of it, just a night…gown.  This is close enough, and turned out great for me. 

I cut a size 4 based on finished measurements, and it worked just right.  I used a nice silky fabric that was on clearance at Hancock Fabrics some time ago.  

Changes/Alterations-At step #2, I changed the opening location by raising it about an inch.  At step #13, I took up more than the stated 3/4" and used this to encase my elastic while turning under the edges at the same time-once through the machine only.  Otherwise, assembled as per directions.

It’s pretty and cute, but I haven’t worn it much yet because it turned into winter around the time I finished it.  Oh, well, one more reason to look forward to spring!  Yes, I recommend this pattern.

Simplicity 4192 Kimono Summer Top

Simplicity 4192 Kimono Top, view C   

This was a fairly quick and fun little top to make.  It was a little scary for a moment or two when I started sewing it together, it looked like it was going to be huge!  But after trying it on I could see where it was going.  The directions were simple and straightforward.  The only thing I did differently was to skip any and all bias taping, and just folded the neck collar and front sides twice before stitching.  I also put the ties on when I stitched the bottom pieces on, it just seemed to make sense.  The only bummer of the situation is that my fabric was at the end of a bolt (from Walmart) and some of the printed on design was unavoidable no matter which way I arranged the pattern pieces, so there are two smudges on the upper front.  But I think this piece is so cute, I’ll make it again with something else.  I managed it with one yard of 45” wide, and cut a size 10.

Simplicity 4192 tank top

Simplicity 4192

I made view A, the tank top.  And managed in the end to salvage it.  This was almost completely unsuccessful.  I cut a size 10, as advised by the bust measurements on the package, but ended up taking it in on the sides to the size 6, which overall made the measurements seem silly as it was sized for a stretch knit.  I used a rib knit, heathered light brown.  I added 1” length to the front and back pieces, which I highly recommend as a minimum, next time I would add 2-3 inches more.  During the construction of this piece, the neckline stretched out a great deal, and so when applying the (reduced by one third) neckline piece, I stretch the piece while pinning it before sewing it on.  This didn’t help enough, and I ended up with an out of control neckline that looked terrible in the back.  My attempts to remedy this led me to bring the center back neckline to a V and cut out the excess of 7 inches, but this made the back beneath it pucker, so I extended the (what was now a dart) into a very long dart almost the entire length of the back.  It still puckers a bit, but is much improved, and a necessary salvage.  The armholes then scared me such that I made a bias tape out of scrap fabric and finished them that way.  Sigh.  What an ordeal!  I wonder if this wouldn’t be much more of a snap (since the directions are not long or complicated) with different fabric.

Simplicity 2012, again, but in white

Simplicity 2012

Once again I used my fall-back favorite wide leg pattern, it’s quick and easy, and I’ve fashioned it so that the elastic is enough that I don’t even have to mess with the ties.  I did take in the side seams about an inch and a half graduated from the hips.  The only down-side to these pants (other than they are still a bit stiff and would benefit from some washing) is that they are a bit see through, ah well, wearing white (under) with white (actually a winter white) is a no-brainer anyway.

 

Simplicity 3786 failure

Simplicity 3786

This was a complete failure, probably all my fault, but I had such high hopes.  I used my very favorite piece of semi-sheer fabric (which I can’t get any more of), on this dismal attempt at view D.  The sleeves came out all wrong at the shoulders, I had to add pieces, the pleats were a pain, but looked OK, and in the end, I didn’t have enough fabric to cover the length, and it’s nearly impossible to get on.  Big disappointment.  Hopefully you will have more luck than I should you attempt this project.

Simplicity 1806

Simplicity 1806

I made view D in some sort of polyester/rayon silky fabric.  I didn’t like the collar very much, I did tack it down where it meats the front and back, but it doesn’t drape at all like the picture.  The back, also, doesn’t look like it should, but I really like the pleats. I cut a size 8 with about a yard and a half.  It looks better than I thought it would in regards to the bow on the front.  I really wanted a shirt with full length sleeves, though, so added a piece at the bottom, and am glad that I did, even if it looks pieced.

 

What do you think?

Hello Spanish-Vina Alberdi 2003 Rioja Reserva

Vina Alberdi 2003 Rioja Reserva

This was a gift to the mister some birthday ago, and over this holiday season he decided to open it.  It is 100% Tempranillo, unfined and unfiltered, with praise by Spanish wine buyers and Robert Parker, who gave it 90 points when rating for Wine Advocate.  Here is what he said:

"The 2003 Viña Alberdi from the famed La Rioja Alta contains some declassified fruit. The wine is a classically-styled Rioja with a nose of earth, mushroom, mineral, cherry, and blackberry. This is followed by an elegant wine with a silky texture, good depth and concentration, considerable complexity, and a seamless finish. It is at its peak now and will continue to drink well for another five years. It personifies finesse." (Feb. 2009)

On his own observations, my mister noted a good complex nose of mineral, mushrooms, fruit in the back, rich, woodsy and earthy.

Taste, he noted, was smooth, with a light black cherry undertone, cocoa, and tannins that start light and fade. 

A smooth and medium length finish ended the tasting experience. 

Overall, he felt it was a very good selection, and enjoyed the earthy/woodsy/mushroom notes, and although the tannins were very mild (prefers more robust) the finish was deliberately smooth, and with modest background fruits, was quite happy.

Apple-Bacon Potato Salad

Apple-bacon potato salad

This is a salad that can be enjoyed warm, room temp, or cool, and is generally even better the next day.  You can even kick it up a notch and add little cubes of sharp cheddar, but that is up to you.  It’s a great make-ahead dish, and will yield approx. 6 cups.

1 stalk celery, chopped somewhat small, but not fine

1/3 C chopped onion

1 small apple, gala type, chopped coarsely, skin on

1/2 package of bacon, cooked, drained of excess, coarse chopped

4 medium white skinned potatoes (on the smallish side)

3/4 C light sour cream

1 1/2 T chopped fresh parsley

black pepper

salt

While you are cooking the bacon (I did mine in the microwave with a paper towel or two for about 2 minutes), slice the potatoes into slices about 1/2 inch thick, and then each slice into about 6 pieces, making the ends into pieces about the same.

In a small saucepan, boil until tender, just starting to crack, and then immediately drain and fill with ice cold water, draining and refilling when water warms.

While this cools, chop your onion, celery and parsley

Add these to a large bowl as you chop

Add the chopped bacon, apple and cooled potatoes

Sprinkle with black pepper and salt to taste (you can always add more)

Toss, and add sour cream, stirring gently, folding, to evenly distribute

Enjoy!