Greek-American Lamb Gyros Recipe

Greek-American Lamb Gyros Recipe

I got turned onto Gyros when i lived in Chicago, thinly sliced meat that was flame broiled on a screwier.

I bought a Gyros pan pictured on left. I’ve done it with chicken and beef and both came out pretty good. The chicken was a killer smelling it while it cooked.

Ingredients

For the Meat:

  • 1 pound ground lamb (Lean is preferred)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/2 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

For the Yogurt Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
  • Peeled seeded cucumber, minced
  • 1 clove garlic minced or through press
  • 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or mint or dill

To Serve:

  • 4 pieces soft, Joseph Greek Style pocketless pita)
  • Chopped fresh tomato
  • Finely sliced onion
  • Cubed peeled seeded cucumber
  • Shredded lettuce

Directions

  1. Combine lamb, salt, pepper, and oregano in a medium bowl. Mix with hands until homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Meanwhile, place yogurt in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Allow to drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place cold lamb mixture in bowl of food processor with onion, garlic, and bacon. Process until smooth a purée is formed, about 1 minute total, scraping down sides with rubber spatula as necessary.
  2. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. With moist hands, form meat mixture into rectangles about 1 1/2-inches high, 8-inches long, and 5-inches wide. Bake until center of loaf reads 155°F (68°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Allow loaf to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to a week, see notes).
  3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine strained yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
  4. Adjust broiler rack to highest position (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches from broiler element) and preheat broiler. Slice loaf crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch strips (each strip should be about 5-inches long and 1 1/2-inches wide). Lay strips on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil until edges are brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil. Warm bread by placing on rimmed baking sheet and broiling until soft and pliant, about 45 seconds per side.
  5. Spread some sauce over each piece of bread. Divide meat evenly between sandwiches. Top as desired, wrap with paper or foil, and serve. Some places serve with French fry but I’m a traditionalist those go on the side or maybe a Greek salad instead
BBQ Brisket in the Oven

BBQ Brisket in the Oven

I got a Grass-fed brisket from ButcherBox because Lyn got me a Brisket spice rub for my birthday.

I decide to bypass the liquid smoke and Worcester sauce since the last time I did that it took forever for the smoke aroma to go away. So remember this won’t have that smoked taste unless you use the liquid smoke.

If you are looking for an easy way to make BBQ brisket in the oven but you don’t want to spend all day and night doing it, then this recipe is great !

Ingredients
5 lb Flat cut Beef Brisket Note: I had a 2.5 lbs
1 recipe BBQ Dry Rub
BBQ Sauce
1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

Instructions
1.        Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Note: I did 275 degrees since I had a class at the center so I cooked longer

2.        Liberally season the brisket on all sides with BBQ Dry Rub. The brisket can sit in the fridge overnight to let flavor penetrate (highly suggest), or it can be cooked right away.

3.        Set brisket on a large strip of foil, fat cap up, and add liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce, then wrap the foil around the brisket, sealing tightly.

4.        Bake in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the brisket is perfectly tender. The brisket is done when it can be pierced with a fork with little resistance, and the meat separates when the fork is twisted. Note: I did 4 hours because of lower temperature and only half the weight

5.        Remove brisket from oven, unwrap from foil, and turn the broiler on high.

6.        Set brisket under the broiler and broil the fat cap until it begins to crisp. Watch carefully so it does not burn. Note( I also broiled all sides, fat cap longer) to get a good bark on it.

7.        Remove brisket from the oven and paint liberally with BBQ sauce, then set under the broiler again to allow the BBQ sauce to thicken into a jam-like consistency. The sauce will burn quickly, so keep your eye on it.

8.        Note( I also broiled all sides, fat cap longer) to get a good bark on it.

9.        Remove from oven, let brisket rest for 10 minutes and serve

Quick Stir-Fry Sauce

I’ve used for chicken, beef, or just a big pile of veggies. most recently for stir fried chick tenders and stir fried veggies,

The tenders were left over the veggies frozen.

  • Base: 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or Tamari for gluten-free)
  • Sweet: 1–2 tbsp brown sugar or honey  
  • Aromatics: 2 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
  • Thickener: 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • Depth: 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • Optional Liquid: 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth (if you want more volume) 1  

Peanut Sauce

(makes about 1 cup)

  •  cup creamy peanut butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey, or maple syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons water, add more, a teaspoon at a time, if needed
  • Sriracha, optional—but a must for spice lovers!
  • Salt to taste, start with a pinch and add more if needed

Thai Chicken Salad Sandwich with Creamy Peanut Sauce

Finely chopped chicken, crunchy cabbage, crisp veggies, and fresh herbs get tossed in a creamy Thai-inspired peanut dressing… then piled onto whole-grain bread for a crave-worthy sandwich!

Ingredients

 Chopped Chicken Salad

  • 2 cups shredded cabbage, green, purple, or a mix; or coleslaw blend
  • ½ cup shredded or matchstick carrots
  • ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 to 2 scallions, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro, optional
  • ¼ cup chopped peanuts, or cashews
  • 1 cooked chicken breast, finely chopped (about 1 to 1 ¼ cups)
  • ½ cup shelled edamame, thawed (optional)

Peanut Sauce (makes about 1 cup)

  •  cup creamy peanut butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey, or maple syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons water, add more, a teaspoon at a time, if needed
  • ▢Sriracha, optional—but a must for spice lovers!
  • ▢Salt to taste, start with a pinch and add more if needed

For Serving

  • 8 slices whole-grain bread

Instructions

  • Build the chopped base. Add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, nuts, chopped chicken, and optional edamame to a large cutting board. Chop, chop, chop until everything is finely chopped and well combined—think classic chicken-salad texture.
  • Make the peanut sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder until smooth. Add the water to create a creamy, spoonable sauce. Stir in Sriracha and salt to taste.
  • Dress it. Pour ¾ of the dressing over the chopped salad and toss until everything is evenly coated, cohesive, and scoopable. Add more dressing until you reach the perfect consistency.
  • Chill (optional). Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 10–15 minutes so the flavors can meld and lightly chill.
  • Assemble the sandwiches. Spoon about ½ to ¾ cup filling per sandwich onto bread. Press gently, slice, and enjoy.
Kiwi Marinade for Chicken

Kiwi Marinade for Chicken

Lyn Found this recipe and it was well worth it falling of the bone both the thighs and the breast. While the kiwi 🥝 takes care of the tenderizing, the sour cream adds an extra layer of depth and keeps the chicken juicy throughout the cooking process. The result is a perfect blend of sweet, tangy and savory flavors and the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat.

https://themodernnonna.com/kiwi-marinade-for-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-29323

Kiwi Marinade for Chicken

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
    •  Steve Note: (I went with 4 thighs and one breast, Lyn prefers white meat) 
  • 1 whole kiwi peeled
    • Steve Note: (I might try 2 next time) 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
    • Steve Note: (used sour cream) 

How

  • In a food processor, puree one peeled kiwi. Open the lid and add the olive oil, seasonings and sour cream.
  • Place the chicken in a large bowl and pour the creamy marinade over it.
  • Let it sit for a minimum of 1 hour (or overnight).
  • Once marinated, preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
  • Transfer the chicken into a baking dish and cook for 45-60 minutes or until fully cooked.
  • Feel free to crisp up the skin the last 5-10 minutes on broil (top burner only) but keep a close eye on it
Potato, Pepper & Broccoli frittata

Potato, Pepper & Broccoli frittata

This is a quick and easy meal especially when you’re looking for breakfast for dinner. In fact this dish has become a bi-weekly staple. Love it because it cleans out the frig, makes many meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) anyway the other day we were at Stop and Shop and they had those mini potatoes buy one get one free deals. I grabbed a bag of small Yellow potatoes and one of the mixed colors. made the cubing easier they were already small.

Ingredients

About 1.3 lbs. 2 bags of mini potatoes

1 Vidalia onion chopped

1 head of broccoli (375g)

1 red pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

8 large farm fresh eggs

1/3 Cheddar cheese and 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese

How

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF
  2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into an ovenproof non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  3. Scrub potatoes and chop into ½” dice, adding to the pan as you go.
  4. Trim, finely slice and add 1 bunch of scallions. Deseed, finely slice and add 1 red pepper. Add to the pan
  5. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, then cook for 15 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Slice the head of broccoli apart into bite-sized florets, adding to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
  6. Crack 8 large eggs into a bowl and beat together, grate in 1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix together well.
  7. Pour the egg mixture, swirling to coat the base of the pan.
  8. Grate over the remaining 2/3 cup of Cheddar and cook for 2 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and set.
  9. Slide the frittata out onto a serving board and cut into wedges.
Pre Memorial Day BBG

Pre Memorial Day BBG

Only thing missing is a bed of rice, oh well

Potato, pepper & broccoli frittata

Potato, pepper & broccoli frittata

This is a quick and easy meal especially when you’re looking for breakfast for dinner.

Ingredients

About 1.3 lbs. Maybe 2 good size Yukon gold potatoes

1 bunch of scallions

1 head of broccoli (375g)

1 red pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

8 large free-range eggs

1/3 Cheddar cheese and 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese

How

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF
  2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into an ovenproof non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  3. Scrub potatoes and chop into ½” dice, adding to the pan as you go.
  4. Trim, finely slice and add 1 bunch of scallions. Deseed, finely slice and add 1 red pepper. Add to the pan
  5. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, then cook for 15 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Slice the head of broccoli apart into bite-sized florets, adding to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
  6. Crack 8 large eggs into a bowl and beat together, grate in 1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix together well.
  7. Pour the egg mixture, swirling to coat the base of the pan.
  8. Grate over the remaining 2/3 cup of Cheddar and cook for 2 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and set.
  9. Slide the frittata out onto a serving board and cut into wedges.
Thai Basil Chicken (Easy Gai Pad Krapow)

Thai Basil Chicken (Easy Gai Pad Krapow)

We happened to be at Market Basket when, sitting all by itself on top of the raspberries, was a single package of Thai basil. At our MB, it’s never in stock—this was the only one in the entire produce section. It felt like the Universe was sending us a sign.

I had made this recipe once before and really enjoyed it, plus it’s one of Lyn’s favorite dishes.

This Thai basil chicken recipe takes just 3 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook. Served along with steamed rice, it’s restaurant food, fast. This was a good find for me it’s from https://thewoksoflife.com

Prep Time 3minutes mins

Cook Time 7minutes mins

Total Time 10minutes mins

Course: Chicken and Poultry

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons oil
  • 3 Thai bird chilies or holland chilies (de-seeded if desired and thinly sliced)
    • Steve Note: Could substitute some chili paste 1-2 TBS
  • 3 shallots (thinly sliced)
  • 5 cloves garlic (sliced)
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (or honey)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (or water)
  • 1 bunch holy or Thai basil leaves

Instructions

  • In a wok over high heat, add the oil, chilies, shallots and garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the ground chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking up the chicken into small bits.
  • Add the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly.
  • Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice.

Sarah Picture